The Weston Eatery - Canley Vale - Sydney, Australia

Hello readers! 

Life has kept me busy these past few months and can you believe that half of the year is nearly over. Why is time going so fast? Apologies for the long hiatus but for now I will continue with the back log. There is just so much to eat with a never ending list of restaurants to try, but hey that’s what keeps me happy, eating good food with equally good company.

There has been a surge of openings in the south-west in the past year as the younger generation look to explore eating options outside of the widely available Asian cuisine. They are proving to be quite popular. 

The Weston Eatery is a relatively new kid on the block, having been open for close to half a year now. With its extreme close proximity to Canley Vale Station, it’s hard to miss. You’ll probably end up walking or driving past it. 

I’ve been here on two occasions in a span of two weeks, one time for breakfast and the other for brunch, just missing out on their 12pm lunch time offerings.

It’s never too early or late to be having a sweet dish. The ‘Matcha Hotcake Heaven ($16.00)’ is green, very green in colour. Two fluffy hotcakes which are thicker than the usual pancakes, are served with an assortment of fresh fruit including mango, kiwi and strawberries. It is covered with a rich white chocolate and green tea sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the side. This dish is available all day.

You are ‘The One ($14.00)’. No I kid. This is a toasted croissant with scrambled eggs, maple bacon and Canadian maple syrup. This is the chef’s suggested dish and it’s pretty good.

The ‘Cheese Toastie ($8.00)’ contains caramelised onion and Gruyere cheese in a sourdough bread that has been lightly grilled. This is different to the regular toasties and there is a lot more flavour due to the addition of the caramelised onion which gives it that additional kick.

‘Katsu Sando ($12.00)’ is a big sandwich filled with two huge pieces of panko crumbed chicken thighs, cabbage, sesame seeds, mayonnaise and tonkatsu sauce. The juicy pieces of chicken have been seasoned well.

The ‘Pulled Pork Sandwich ($12.00)’ is also fairly large in portion size filled with pulled pork, green apple, cabbage slaw, crunchy noodles and a chipotle mayonnaise. All encased within two sourdough slices of bread.

The ‘Mac Daddy ($16.00)’ doesn’t look like the typical sloppy mac and cheese. A much more refined version comprising of macaroni, bacon, a 63 degree egg and cheese sauce, garnished with parmesan cheese and chives. The egg is cooked perfectly and a slight tap with the fork allows the yolk to ooze into the mac and cheese.

A great cafe in the south west of Sydney that is easily accessible, providing decent food options at reasonable prices.

Where?

2/4 Canley Vale Rd

Canley Vale NSW 2166

Australia

Phone no: 02 8210 3812

Opening Hours

Monday – Thursday: 6am to 9pm

Friday – 6am to 10pm

Saturday - 8am to 3pm; 5:30pm to 10pm

Sunday - 8am to 3pm; 5:30pm to 9pm

Website

N/A – Check their Instagram for live updates

Circa Espresso - Parramatta - Sydney, Australia

It's been a few months since I last posted as life has kept me occupied or should I say I've been rather lazy. Sorry dear readers! Continuing on with the backlog of posts I've yet to go through, next up is Circa Espresso, now one of my favourite brunch places. I've been there twice and on both occasions the food has been consistently good.

Circa Espresso is situated between two buildings in what used to be a laneway, then a garage and then transformed into a fully operational cafe in the greater western suburb of Parramatta. It's located on the quieter side of the train station and away from the hustle and bustle.

Having attempted to go here a few times, I just didn't have any luck as it was either closed or another restaurant took precedence over it. It just wasn't meant to be as one would say. Then the day finally came but it was raining and from the photos we saw online it looked small inside, so once again we were about to cancel and change location. Luckily, my friend was persistent in going to have a look and thankfully we did. Seating is unavailable outside when it rains but once it clears it becomes available.

On our first visit we got a table inside within 15 minutes of waiting, which was much shorter than what we were expecting. The miserable weather  didn't stop customers from getting their coffee and breakfast as it was buzzing with patrons. However, on our second visit, the wait was close to an hour for a table inside. Be prepared to patiently wait on weekends as it's extremely popular.

From the outside it looks very small and narrow, but once you enter it's much bigger than it actually looks with more tables towards the back. Even though there is limited space, they've made use of it very well.

The rustic walls are lined with bricks and brightly painted murals, bringing back memories of the cafe culture in Melbourne.

The cheerful and bubbly waitress brings us to our tables right at the back, alongside shelves of books and encyclopedias, reminiscing to the days when we were younger. While the internal decor is quirky and fun, the lack of light makes photo taking slightly difficult but that's what creates the ambiance.

The menu is presented on pieces of paper on a clipboard, and from initial observation it looks impressive. There is a decent selection of home-style dishes from the basic breakfast items to the much more elaborate and unique, all of which are well-priced and affordable.

The 'Cappuccino (regular size)' is made using a blend of Little Marionette beans. The coffee is potent, robust and full bodied, and is ultra smooth on the palate.

On another visit, I opt for the large size cappuccino and wow it's huge for an additional 50 cents! Well worth the money as it's nearly twice the size of the regular and you'll surely get your full caffeine fix from that single cup.

The 'Baked Eggs' is made with sujuk, Danish feta, diced tomatoes and free range eggs with a hint of chilli, served in a pan. The side of crusty bread makes a good accompaniment for the perfectly cooked runny eggs. The hint of sourness from the juicy tomatoes and the saltiness from the creamy fetta balanced out well . Overall, I really liked the bold tomato based flavours and wish there was more of the bread for scooping up the sauce.

The 'Avocado Smash' looked sensational with shades of greens, reds and yellow from the assortment of vegetables. Suitable for those who prefer a lighter or less heavy breakfast as there isn't any meat. It's made with smashed creamy avocado, feta and lime juice, with a side of boiled eggs. It was fresh, tasty and popping with not only colour but also flavour.

'Baked Squid' appears to be a seasonal item as it wasn't on the menu the second time I was there. It's a shame cause it was very delicious. It resembled the baked eggs with a tomato base sauce but with the addition of chick peas and squid. A hearty and comforting dish that's perfect for this weather.

While seating is limited and the wait may be long, the quality ingredients and delicious food makes up for it. The service staff were welcoming and friendly making it even better. This cafe is definitely worth a visit. Hopefully I can try out one of their delectable desserts on display at the front soon.

Where?
21 Wentworth St
Parramatta NSW 2150
Australia

Phone no: 02 8896 6071

Opening Hour
Tuesday - Friday: 7:00am to 4:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Website
www.circaespresso.com.au

Dae Jang Kum BBQ Buffet - Campsie - Sydney, Australia

Dae Jang Kum BBQ Buffet

Looking at the pictures and advertisements in those free Chinese magazines distributed monthly can actually prove to be useful even though I can't read many Chinese words. There were a section advertising Dae Jang Kum Korean BBQ in Chinatown and I noticed in small print that there were the words 'opening soon' in Campsie. Yay to another Korean BBQ in proximity of the Shire!

Not knowing whether the establishment was open or not, I did a quick search on Google and on its main website it said it was open but since year 2008! Now that didn't make sense. I then called to see whether they were open yet and they were. I made a booking and they said it was a fully booked for dinner, but if we went earlier then there would be tables available. Without a booking in tow, we were on our way to Campsie to try our luck.

Arriving just after 6pm on a Saturday night, we were told it was full and the only remaining table left was at the back in the open air.  Fortunately, we got a table and there was a slight breeze which made sitting outdoors pleasant though not preferable. Unfortunately, this meant that we faced the backyard, and there was no proper ventilation set up.

After speaking to the waiter at the restaurant, he said the restaurant seats 100 patrons but they only take bookings for 40 patrons. Do book ahead or arrive early to avoid not getting a table or having to queue for a long time.

The interior is clean, spacious and well decorated. I like the Korean vibe and loud chatter as we step into the restaurant, just like how a Korean BBQ restaurant should be.

I was expecting them to adopt the exact same menu as its sister restaurant in the city, which offers an al la carte menu but they opted for the buffet style instead. Possibly due to the success of the Korean BBQ restaurant a few blocks down at a restaurant called Se Jong Korean BBQ which I previously blogged about. At $32 a head, this is affordable considering you can eat to your hearts content.

The buffet spread is exceptional. It's lined at the center and there is plenty to go around. There are a lot of pre-cooked dishes and the BBQ spread is generous too. However, we find that throughout the night, some items aren't replenished such as the watermelon slices due to the lack of staff. One thing that they didn't have was ice-cream. It would have been nice to cool down with a cold dessert after the BBQ but then again we can't demand too much.

There a is nice selection of pre-cooked foods and if you eat these then you would probably be too full for the BBQ. You must get the kimchi as I saw one lady actually making it from scratch which shocked me as these can easily be bought outside.

I especially like their marinated meats and seafood here. It's marinated well in that it's not too salty and the flavours are well balanced.

Wrap some cooked meat in lettuce and then nom.

Cook meat, cook! The power level of the grill was rather weak and it took a long time for the food to cook. That gave us time to digest and eat more.

We really liked the Korean BBQ here at Dae Jang Kum as the selection was diverse and the food was fresh. If we had a seat inside it would have been perfect. Service could be better but then again they are relatively new so do give them time to adjust. A great place to catch up with friends and be prepared to scream or talk over each other.

Where?
115-117 Clissold Pde
Campsie NSW 2194
Australia

Phone no: 02 8033 3436

Opening Hours
Lunch
11:30am - 3:00pm
Dinner
5:30pm - 10:00pm

Website
http://www.daejangkum.com.au

Gigino Restaurant - Fairfield West - Sydney, Australia

Gigino Restaurant

Blink an eye and you'll miss this place.

They say good things are usually hidden away and even though this place isn't hidden, people usually drive past it without noticing. Gigino Restaurant is located in the suburban neighbourhood of Fairfield West. An area you wouldn't usually associate with excellent restaurants or good food.

This corner eatery occupies the space of an old newsagency that has now been transformed into a funky and modern pizzeria.

It's furnished with long communal style steel tables, wooden chairs and benches, together with walls that are lined with blue tiles and black boards. It lets off that casual and relaxed vibe that you would usually experience in a cafe setting.

Gigino Restaurant specialises in Italian cuisine, namely woodfired pizza and home style dishes.

The menu is short and simple, and it all fits onto a sheet of paper, so you don't have to flip through pages and pages just to get to the pizza section. That makes ordering relatively easier but deciding on the pizza topping may be a challenge. Most pizza's on offer at Gigino have minimal ingredients. Just like how it is done in Italy and that's also how I like my pizzas.

The 'Incazzato Pizza ($18.00)' was a sure winner. The pizza is topped with pomodoro (tomato sauce), mozzarella, salami piccante and chilli. It was so big in size, it took up most of the table bench and was on the verge of slipping over the side.

 The base was thin, light and crispy, yet it maintained that slight fluffiness.  Salami piccante means spicy salami or otherwise known as pepperoni. The salami pieces were huge and the addition of the chilli gave it a nice kick. And boy, the cheese was stringy and gooey.

As we were here on a Sunday, we also ordered from their Sunday brunch menu. The 'Pancetta Pizza ($17.00)' is similar to a bacon and egg pizza.

Toppings consisted of pancetta, eggs, mozzarella and parmigiano. It wasn't as good as the Incazzato Pizza but it certainly delivered in terms of taste. Though, the pancetta appeared to look and taste more like bacon.

At this point our stomachs was pretty full but out eyes weren't full, so we continued with dessert.

Most desserts are made in house but are pre-made and stored in the dessert cabinet. They've also got Nutella pizza and gelato.

The 'Tiramisu' is served in a glass cup.  It was creamy, spongy, moist and they were generous with the Marsala. Unfortunately, we couldn't pinpoint anything superb about it and wouldn't go out of the way just to order this.

The 'Strawberry Puff' was surprisingly delicious and satisfying. Strawberries and cream enclosed between puff pastry makes an excellent combination.

We also had some Santa Vittoria ($3.00), an Italian soda and a 'Latte ($3.50)'.

*Credit to Lulu for the photo

The Italian fare here is simple and honest. The pizza is awesomely tasty, prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are decent. Service wise, they were quick to take our orders and food arrived promptly. I definitely recommend this restaurant to those wanting to eat authentic Italian cuisine and for those who live out west, then the is the place to go.

*Credit to Lulu for the photo

My good friend Lulu recommended this place and I'm thankful she did. She notes it as being one of the best pizza restaurants out west and this is also one of her favourites. I couldn't agree more.  The funny thing is she found it by sheer coincidence as she and a friend happened to go in and try it one day out of the blue.

Whether it be for lunch or dinner, I suggest you make a booking as the restaurant isn't very big and is very popular with the locals. We assumed that they wouldn't be busy at lunch so we didn't make a booking. Our assumptions were wrong as it was a full house due to the birthday that was on. The only seating that remained were the bench seats, and we had no choice but to take that up. I didn't mind the bench seating, but it was hard to share food and make conversation between a group as it more suited for individuals or twos.

This urban eatery will definitely be attracting a larger crowd once more people find out about it. I will surely be making another visit to try out some other dishes in the near future. They have also been mentioned in the SMH Good Food Guide recently.

Where?
Shop 3, 338 Hamilton Rd
Fairfield West NSW 2166
Australia

Phone no: 02 9609 6264

Opening Hours
Monday - Wednesday
5pm - +
Thursday - Friday
10am - +
Saturday
5pm - +
Sunday
9am - +
Closed Tuesdays

Website
www.gigino.com.au