Kazbah, Balmain

Shortly before my first foodbloggers meet at Adriano Zumbo, I sneakily went into Balmain with friends for a long awaited breakfast. Trying to organise groups larger than four can sometimes be a little hectic for me - more people juggling even more commitments usually means I have to book people further in advance than I would like (like a hairdresser’s appointment:S). Luckily for me, I managed to round up a small crowd for a catch up breakfast at Kazbah on Darling. Writing PhDs, work, sport and sleep are no excuses when there is a delicious 9.30am breakfast to be eaten! 9.30am is a horrid time for breakfast on a Sunday by the way, had the food not been so good, I’m sure the table would have rapidly descended into bleary eyed anarchy… Next time, I’ll be booking earlier for a later time.

Moroccan Mint Tea

While coffee, tea and interestingly, sangria are available to quench the early morning thirst, I chose to start my morning with soothing Moroccan mint tea. Served in miniature Bodums, the earthy and obviously minty tasting tea left me rejuvenated and calm, a stark contrast to the peppy zing I get when having my usual skinny cappuccino.

Breakfast Tagine

Lamb mince, Sucuk, Feta, Spinach, Capsicum, Caramelised Onion, Tomato and Eggs, served with Lebanese bread and Turkish Toast

I had long ago decided I would head to Kazbah to take advantage of the Middle Eastern influence and start my day with a Breakfast Tagine. Herr Mouttard and JJW joined me and together we chose the carnivorous version. It’s a hearty dish, layered with finely ground mince at the bottom, followed by the succulent onion, capsicum, and finally crowned with 2 large eggs and tomato. Despite it’s appearance on the menu listing I couldn’t taste or see any feta in mine:S The flavour explosion from one of these is a must try for those in Sydney. The rich meat itself has a subtle spice which intensifies as you continue to eat it and the richness of the runny yolked eggs are delicately cut by the sweetness of the onions and capsicum combined with the acidity of the tomato. The small tagine belies the dish’s capacity to satisfy the most famished of stomachs. I simply could not finish mine. The boys, while sporting empty tagines, were also sporting bloated bellies lol.

Breakfast Tagine (Vegetarian Option)

Pumpkin, Feta, Spinach, Caramelised Onion, Tomato and Eggs, served with Lebanese bread and Turkish Toast

Sindel chose the vegetarian option, which is exactly the same as the meat eaters version except that the meat is substituted by large hunks of tender pumpkin. Again no sight of feta, whose saltiness would have been complimentary with the rest of it… As always, Sindel graciously shared her food with me (she’s awesome), so I had a few pieces of pumpkin:) I preferred the vegetarian version to the meat and would order it next time round.

Poached eggs with salmon and baked tomato and a side of hollandaise sauce

Madam Saucy opted for a more traditional breakfast, feeling the urge towards the familiar. Her generous slice of toasted Turkish bread was topped with two perfectly poached eggs, seemingly never ending layers of smoked salmon and two giant baked tomato halves, sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. True to her name, she also ordered a side of Hollandaise sauce. Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of said sauce, but it was possibly the best Hollandaise sauce we have ever had. Served in a small dish, it was very thick, creamy with pepper speckled through it. Despite the small serve and three ravenous girls eager for more creamy goodness, it remained unfinished at the end of our meal, a testament to its unctuous and decadent nature. I recommend getting this on the side if you decide to order, it’s so rich I imagine it might be too sickening if served with your eggs…

French Toast, Bacon, Caramelised Figs, Double Cream, Apple Cinnamon Syrup

LadyChulie chose this indulgent dish. It looked so beautiful and the portion was massive, with her slice of French toast easily the thickest piece of toast I have ever seen served, piled high with the sweet figs and syrup and topped with rashers of chunky bacon. It was delicious!! If I had wanted to sweet breakfast, this would have been it. I tried to help her finish it, but struggling with my own meal, it too, lay unfinished at the end of the meal.

Crayons

The tabletops are covered with paper and we are thoughtfully provided with a small cup of crayons for the creatively inclined. During the chatter that continued long after the eating had finished, I created a masterpiece fit for a day care centre with these fat crayons lol.

With generous portions and high quality food, we had such an enjoyable breakfast that morning. Service was brisk but efficient and if you can gather a group of 8 or more, you can get a breakfast degustation :) It’s slightly pricier than a standard café breakfast but I think the food justifies the price, value was not an issue for me. Bookings are recommended for breakfast, but strangely enough, despite being told they could not fit us in any later than 9.30am, we saw many empty tables during our time there… Nevertheless, a fabulous breakfast option in Sydney, I do recommend:D


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Kazbah on Darling

379 Darling Street

Balmain, NSW, 2041

Phone: (02) 9555 7067

Fax: (02) 9810 5355

Opening Hours:Breakfast - Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays - 9:00am - 3:00pm

Lunch - Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays- 12:00pm - 3:00pm

Dinner - Wednesday to Saturday - 6:30pm - Late
http://www.kazbah.com.au/

Cafe in the House, Canberra

I admit I was long overdue for a Canberra visit – it’s been too long since I’ve seen K. My itinerary from Cairns to Canberra saw me waking at 3am, jumping onto 2 (poorly timed) connecting flights and entering Canberra at 11. Needless to say, by the time I arrived at the airport, I was a mess… K and Sindel greeted me at the airport and we promptly headed for some breakfast/brunch – I knew I turned down the airplane food for a reason!!

We head to the café inside Old Parliament House, originally named Café in the House.

Sweet Corn Cakes

K starts her morning with the Corn Cakes, being enticed by the prospect of spiced guacamole. If guacamole doesn’t tickle your fancy you can also have them with bacon, tomato and rocket salad.

Eggs Benedict

Sindel and I both had the Eggs Benedict. I was originally back at my usual Sweet vs Savoury breakfast dilemma, because I couldn’t decide between the Lemon Soufflé Pancakes and the above Corn Cakes, but at the very last minute (like always), I diverted to having the reliable eggs – runny yolks get me every time:)

I was really impressed with the meal I got that morning. The eggs were perfectly cooked, the salmon was delicious, the toast underneath was crisp and the sauce itself was rich but not sickeningly thick. I raved that they were the best Eggs Benedict I’d had in a while :D

So if you’re ever in Canberra, Café in the House do a lovely breakfast. The service was impeccable and coffee wasn’t bad either:)

Café in the House
Old Parliament House
King George Terrace
Parkes, Canberra, ACT
Phone: (02) 6270 8156
http://www.gingercatering.com.au/area.asp?aID=24