Serious scramble at Citrus

On a sunny Saturday in September, I took myself out to brunch in Newtown, a 'hood within 15 minutes of Glebe.  Having the time to actually venture out of my area, I decided to trek over to King St. and have a seat at whichever cafe managed to grab my attention with their menu. It's a nice little walk from Glebe to Newtown, and I'd take the opportunity to walk around the pond in Victoria Park any day.

By the time I arrived in Newtown, I had worked up a nice appetite, so I was  set on finding a cafe to sate my hunger immediately. I was pretty specific in what I wanted; scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and was thrilled to find just the thing at Citrus for just $12.99.  I managed to score a table outside, but the resto looked quite pleasant as well.  My server brought out an icy-cold btl. of H20 and I immediately placed my order for a Long Black and my scrambled eggs.

These were absolutely delicious.  I have to give restos in Oz a big shout-out; they really know how to cook their eggs.  Of course, the breakfast culture in Sydney is much more prevalent than it is in Canada; you won't often find a resto that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I'm happy to have such a great selection here.  

The portion of the dish was huge, and I was full without even having touched the English muffin.  The eggs were so fluffy and creamy, while the smoked salmon was tender and fresh.  And since no meal is complete w/out a bit of fruit or veg, I was thrilled by the addition of a grilled tomato on each half.

Scrambled eggs, Smoked Samon &
Grilled Tomato on an English Muffin ($12,99)

And as if my delightful brunch wasn't enough on such a lovely day, I came home to find my housemates sunning themselves in the backyard with some cold, crisp James Squire beers.  I've tried their 50 Lashes, Four Wives and the Chancer, as well as an tasty brand called Little Creatures.  Uh-oh...I came to Oz to try wine, but I just might end up a bit of a beer hound....

Best eggs Benny at Tigerbakers Cafe

Within less than a week of my having arriving in Sydney, my big sister's pals met me in the city for bfast.  I'm super thankful for these friends; he's originally from Melbourne, and she is an New Yorker through and through...and they're both amazing!

I met them in Darlinghurt at Tigerbakers, a cute little cafe with awesome food. They both ended up having the porridge w/ rhubarb compote ($9.90), which looked phenomenal.  Not that I'm a big fan of porridge, but I AM a crazy rhubarb fan.

My eggs Benny was fantastic.  Though I had to wait for another serving of eggs because mine were undercooked, the Hollandaise was the best I've ever tasted; uber lemony, rich and creamy and the ham was the yummy, back-bacony kind.

Eggs Benedict w/ Ham ($13.90)

Since I now work fairly close to Tigerbakers, I'll probably end up here again for dinner sometime soon.  With a good vibe, super friendly staff and really tasty food, I'll call this spot a Darlinghurst/King's Cross staple.

Treats from The Little Pantry

Everyone has food weaknesses - most of us have more than one.  I love a lot of random things; popcorn, eggs, grapefruit, chunky peanut butter, broccoli and vanilla milkshakes.  Not that exciting, right?  Well, here's another: I love muffins. Most of the time, I'd rather eat a freshly baked muffin than a bacon-wrapped beef fillet. In Canada, my favourite is a Morning Glory; raisins, carrots, pineapple and sunflower seeds.

But here in Oz, I've rekindled my love of the savoury muffin. Combining the savoury palate with a warm, buttery baked good, the savoury muffin is perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack or...maybe a really, really good hangover cure. :) 

My absolute favourite flavour combo thus far is from the coffee shop around the corner of James and Kent Streets - The Little Pantry.  M and I had one of these the morning after our meal at Pintxo and subsequent drunken pub crawl.  The coffee is Di Bella and is a reliable blend, while the pumpkin and bacon muffin is incredible!  With salty bacon, sweet pumpkin and a buttery base, it fulfills both the sweet and salty tooth, and provides a filling little snack for those days when you simply can't contemplate making something yourself.

These delights ain't cheap in Oz though; 

this snack cost me $8 for a muffin ($4.50) and a long black ($3.50)

Fishcakes & Chow

I always LOVE finding new spots to do breakfast on a weekday. I often work with the Delta Halifax staff in my position as an event planner, but I have never made it to the Crown Bistrot. That all changed last week when I met my contact for breakfast. I'm so used to reserving a good, hearty breakfast for brunch on the wknds, that I was slightly shocked to be able to experience it on a weekday!

We met at 9 am and quickly placed our orders. Now, I'm a sucker for a good fried egg. I've actually settled into a weekday morning routine (one I'd call a rut if I didn't enjoy it so much) of eating 3 hard boiled eggs, smashed with a few dollops of butter and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. However, when I'm provided with the opportunity of fried eggs on a weekday, I am eager to accept it - especially when the hot runny eggs are paired with savory fishcakes, sweet grilled tomato and tart homemade chow. This was the offering on the CB's menu and I was instantly sold!

The plate was gargantuan with 2 eggs, 2 fishcakes, 2 pieces of toast, a grilled tomato, roasted potatoes and a healthy dose of chow. The fishcakes were slightly crisp on the outside, but tender within. The traditional Nova Scotian chow was tart and sweet all at once. I loved making little bites of buttery toast, egg and grilled tomato.

Nova Scotian Fish Cakes

My dining companion ordered my second choice on the menu- and one that I'll happily go back for, the Portobello Stack; scrambled eggs with hearty portobello mushrooms, spinach, tomato and cheese on brioche toast, served with fruit and roasted potatoes.

Portobello Stack

The Gingerbread Hause

This past Saturday, I was geared to go for brunch at Henry House. I was super excited for a plate of steak n' eggs, perhaps an omelet or even french toast. I arrived at 10:30 to meet my brunch dates....and it was closed! Turns out that we had made our brunch plans an hour before HH opened at 11:30!!

Not having a stomach willing to be deterred from an amazing bfast, we decided to truck up the hill to The Gingerbread Hause for a piping hot coffee and some incredible baked goods. The GH is one of my neighbourhood bakeries and I was thrilled to finally get a chance to try some of their amazing treats (and really excited to designate it as MY local bakery)!

Seeing how I have a penchant to try all versions of pain au chocolat available in the HRM, this was an easy decision. I paired said sweet treat with a frothy cappuccino. A small plate arrived, overtaken by the huge, domed pastry, drizzled with dark chocolate. With a slightly crisp, buttery crust that flaked under my knife, the pain au chocolat yielded a lovely dark chocolate filling underneath layers of soft pastry. My cappuccino was the perfect match; a little more luxurious than an ordinary cuppa joe and with an espresso bite to match.

Pain au Chocolat

Cappuccino

The Coastal Cafe

I've wanted to go to the Coastal Cafe for a long time. This place is the brainchild of Chef Mark Giffin, most recently of Bish World Cuisine. The spot piqued my curiosity when it's little yellow awning appeared on my morning bus commute to MSVU. I'd always wish that I was on my way to brunch as opposed to class. Then, of course, the food daydreams would begin!

The Coastal claims that it is "all about good food and coffee, served with no pretensions or attitude, and a laid back, contemporary atmosphere." I couldn't agree more. I took my sis for this preliminary visit as I knew that it would be right up her alley as well. We're big B-fast peeps, my sis and I. Baked goods are key and bacon reigns supreme!

Once inside this unobstusive exterior, we were met by a lovely aroma of good, strong coffee. We ordered at the counter and found ourselves a two seater between an elderly couple and a couple of university students. Hmm...a resto that appeals to all ages- Not bad.

I ordered the Coastal's signature dish Los Huevos Rancheros, or "Ranch eggs", a classic Mexican breakfast with tortilla, eggs and salsa. This particular item is one that remains on the Coastal's menu, which changes on a regular basis. What could be better than crispy tortilla, runny egg yoke and salsa? Well, while I can think of a few things, this dish was pretty damn good, and lived up to my aforementioned B-fast daydreams.

Los Huevos Rancheros

3 fried eggs on Corn Tortillas w/ Sauce Ranchero, Jack and Cheddar, and topped with Guacamole and Salsa

My sis had the Eggs Fra Diablo- again, another mix of eggs, tortilla and spicy sauce. Hers came scrambled with flavorful Chorizo and guac.

Eggs Fra Diablo

Scrambled Eggs w/ Chorizo Sausage, Jack Cheese and Veg, topped w/ Guacamole

We also shared a cheddar cheese scone....Alas, it was quickly devoured before a photo op!

My fave meals of the day being breakfast/brunch, it was a pretty thrilling occurrence to find another resto to supplement my staple faves. The Coastal also serves an intriguing mix of lunch fare. Make sure that you go early, as part of this place's appeal is that it's a limited time offer-The Coastal Cafe closes at 3 pm.

Very well might be Halifax's best muffin!

I think that by now, it's fairly obvious that I love a good muffin. And found another one I have, in the form of Deli Green Bakery & Catering. The bakery itself is on Hollis Street. Though I've never actually made it there, I often get their incrEDIBLE creations at Atlantic News on the corner of Queen and Morris.

I cannot count the number of rushed weekdays and lazy weekend mornings that I trot over to the store to pick up something sweet and satisfying. All of Deli Green's baked goods are made with fresh eggs, Nova Scotian Berries and Apples from the Valley. They're made with Buttermilk to reduce the fat content, and are all trans fat free.

My favorite treat? It's almost impossible to name one. I've tried their Cinnamon Buns and Apple Cinnamon Buns. I've tried their Oatcakes, Chocolate Oatcakes and Peanut Butter Oatcakes. Their Cheese Scones and Very Berry Scones are to die for.

But, this post is about muffins, so I'll focus my attention there. They have amazing Blueberry, Apple & Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip & Banana muffins, but my absolute fave is their Morning Glory muffin.

Actually, this just might be my favorite muffin in all of Halifax. It's so incredibly dense, that it leaves me full for the better half of the day. With nuances of cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla, this baby is packed with raisins, nuts and a sprinkle of coconut. Deli Green's Morning Glory muffin is sweet and satisfying.

Trail Mix Muffins for the Cabot Trail

My friend and I decided to take off last weekend and drive to Cape Breton. My mother is from there, and I hadn't been since I was 12. On Saturday morning after a somewhat adventurous night, we decided to stop for breakfast at the Canada Cultural Center.

This was a lovely cafe featuring homemade baked goods, soups and sandwiches, furnished with blond oak tables and carved totem poles. Though there was quite the selection of tantalizing cheesecakes, imaginative cookies and creative pasties, we went for the substantial trail mix muffin. We thought this was an appropriate decison seeing as our destination was The Cabot Trail.

And so, coffee and muffins in hand, we embarked on a significant journey of adventure, spectacular scenery, and delicious food.

A 'Sweet' Nova Scotia Road Trip

I decided to play tourist for the day and check out some of the culinary offerings outside of the city. Our destination: Old town Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. The theme of this road-trip was definitely ‘sweet’.

Our first stop was for ice cream at Sweet Treasures in Lunenburg. Once inside, I was hit with the enticing smell of homemade fudge, compounded by that of freshly made waffle cones. The store offers eleven of their own house made flavors. It also sells the much-loved Scotsburn ice cream, but really, who would go for generic when you can get the real deal? We decided to keep it simple, trying pure chocolate, and upping the anti with mint chip. Both were full flavored, velvety and smooth, with the mint putting forth a blast of refreshment.

On our way back into Halifax, we made a visit to the Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay to pick up a much-anticipated biscuit. I had it on good authority that these were some of the best in the province, and was not disappointed. I chose the blueberry, a mix of crumbly butter biscuit, packed with large sweet berries. I have to say that I’ve tasted no equal.

The eatery’s appeal is enhanced with comfortable seating and a relaxed ‘living-room’ feel. The café’s standout feature is the fact that it doubles as a used bookstore. With their mix of satisfying treats and literary treasures, the Biscuit Eater certainly does fuel the mind and the senses.

Also of note on this trip is Wild Elements. I stumbled onto the store, and much to my surprise and delight, found myself in one of the most diverse kitchenware Mecas this side of William Sonoma. If you’re planning a trip to Lunenburg and have a love of all things culinary, this shop definitely warrants a visit.

Sweet Treasures
Montague Street, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Wild Elements
55 Montague Street, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
www.wildelements.ca

The Biscuit Eater
16 Orchard Street, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
www.biscuiteater.ca