Circa Espresso, Parramatta

Angela and I have this friend, Thomson, and he's sort of a "lost soul." He usually has this really calm and uncaring demeanour that, truthfully, can become undone at the mention of Italian brands or a pretty girl. It's been a while since we all hung out together so we decided to meet up, and he casually mentioned that all he wanted to do was just grab a coffee and "chill out". I, on the other hand, wanted to grab a hearty breakfast, so we bickered and bantered in order to figure out a place that offered a good caffeine hit without compensating on quality food. Eventually we decided on Circa Espresso since we've heard only good things, and took to Parramatta on a rainy Easter Friday morning.

At the cafe, we were greeted with a warm welcome and taken to our table with menus. The cafe itself has friendly staff and is decorated with recipes books on the sides and other small touches that gives it it's comfortable and cosy atmosphere. 

White coffee - $4.80 

Thomson was the only one who ordered a coffee while Angela and I opted for water. He chose a white coffee that used beans sourced from Ethiopia. The coffee was smooth, warming and celebrated the good quality of its beans. 

Baked eggs - $22.45 

Soon after the coffee arrived so did the food. Personally, I had my eyes on the Baked Eggs for a while, since I don't usually go to a place without doing my research and basically already deciding on what I'm going to order. My baked eggs had slices of sujuk (a dry, spicy sausage from the Middle East), chunks of tomatoes and spots of Danish feta, with a few rocket leaves and chilli flakes sprinkled on top. My eggs were soft and gooey enough for me to mop them up with the bread that came with the dish. The tomatoes on top were also so fresh and gave a nice sweetness that complemented the saltiness of the feta. 

Slow cooked calamari - $20. 40 

Thomson decided on the slow cooked calamari in a tomato sauce with chorizo and white beans. He wasn't really a fan of the dish as it ended up not being to his taste but he said that the calamari itself was cooked very well as it was soft and tender. 

Schiacciata with roasted lamb shoulder, tzatziki sauce and salad - $18

Angela liked the sound of the well marinated lamb sandwich with tzatziki, tomato and lettuce. The lamb was cooked well, so if you're a fan of lamb shoulder then you'll enjoy this. The tzatziki cut through the flavourful meat giving it a light freshness and acidity to the dish, without it being too overpowering. 

When we finished, Angela and I were pretty happy with our meals while Thomson was still moody about his. Upon leaving we saw a variety of assorted baked goods including fresh muffins, friands and small cakes. It was only the morning so we didn't feel like sweets yet, but maybe next time!