XS Espresso, North Parramatta

I know I'm definitely part of the minority when I say that runny yolks aren't my thing (I prefer my yolks just set so it doesn't spill all over my brekkie) but when breakfast is this good, I'm definitely not complaining!

We've been meaning to visit XS Espresso since it opened up in North Parramatta, and are constantly reminded of it everytime we drive past the large unmissible XS logo.....which is just about every couple of days!

Monster Milkshake ($14)

The milkfreakshakes are really what we're here for, and they have an extensive list of options which make it difficult to choose. Luckily we have about 15 minutes to spare whilst waiting for a seat, but even that wasn't enough to narrow out choices down.

Continue reading.....

Cauliflower and Pomegranate Salad

It's not often that I'll order a salad when I'm out- salad bar salads always seem either to shiny (i.e. oily) and if I'm in a restaurant, it's never the most exciting item on the menu. So when we visited Embers Mezze Bar earlier this year, it was a good thing we ordered the banquet- or else I would never have tried the amazing cauliflower and pomegranate salad!

It's a shame the lighting was too dark to get a good photo of the original salad, but it was rather unique in flavour combination of cauliflower and pomegranate. I'm not usually a fan of cauliflower by itself, but deep-fried, it was amazingly moresish and the addition of crunchy almonds and pomegranate seeds made for an excellent textural contrast.

Continue reading.....

Pea and Ham Soup

With spring well and truly here, my soups and stews which I've been making for lunch have to made way for lighter salads but I thought I'd just quickly squeeze in this delicious pea and ham soup before it becomes too warm to post it!

Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever had a proper pea and ham soup- having grown up on mostly on mum's Asian soups or very occasionally, our handy collection of tinned condensed soups- which we tend to use for pasta moreso than as a soup anyway.

Continue reading.....