Food

It’s very seldom that I go to Starbucks now. If you follow this blog, you’d know that I’ve been frequenting other cafes when I go out. But when I had my “Me” time yesterday, I decided to reunite with my favourite seasonal beverage “Toffee Nut Latte“. Drinking this helps me feel the Christmas spirit and somehow brings me to happy memories from my other home, Manila.

The Starbucks I used to frequent had a new set of staff. I was kind of sad and missed my old barista but the new one was good as well. He made my Toffee Nut Latte perfectly sweet (no need to add sugar). 

A few musings while I was enjoying my cuppa:
Starbucks coffee is really expensive. My tall latte with whipped cream cost me about $5.30. Most cafes here charge less and taste better. I find more value buying their coffee beans and making coffee the way I like it.

Husband and I unconsciously choose to have coffee at home since we’ve had the Nespresso. And because of that we are saving money. How? We save on petrol, we save on time going out, we save on money because we are not tempted to buy things we don’t need when we’re out and most of all, the Nespresso coffee pods are cheap (a coffee pod costs between 68cents-70cents) and yet we get great quality coffee.

Drinking coffee in the Philippines is expensive. Yes while having coffee, I thought of how expensive it is to maintain a “coffee lifestyle” in the Phils. Wala lang, naisip ko lang. Let’s not do the converting of dollars to peso because that’s not the point. I just have this comparison. The money you pay to buy a tall latte in the Philippines is equivalent to a few  train rides in the MRT; while in Australia, a tall latte is equivalent to one train ride. Also, we can find a good cup of coffee in Australia from AUD$2.70 to $3.50. The Phils has cheaper alternatives but in general it still seems expensive to me. While drinking coffee (in cafes) in Australia is likened to a basic commodity, drinking coffee (in cafes) in the Phils seems like a luxury. 

So there, just a few idle thoughts of mine yesterday. Have a lovely day today!

I have a thing for churros and I’m so glad that my favourite churros from Melbourne has arrived in Sydney. Spanish Doughnuts opened a store at Macquarie Centre in April this year. It was great timing when I took my Mum there as she had a taste of these super delicious churros that I always rave about.
Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)
Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)

This branch has a dining area which can accommodate a few group of people or for someone like me who enjoys having her churros with a cup of coffee.

Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)
Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)

The friendly staff was nice enough to show me how it’s all done.

Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)

 Here she is about to drop the churros into the deep fryer.

Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)

Churros are served with your choice of chocolate dipping (I always get the milk chocolate).

Spanish Doughnuts at Macquarie Centre (North Ryde, NSW)

Good news! More stores to opening soon including one in George Street, Sydney. 

Spanish Doughnuts

Level 4, Shop No 407A, Macquarie Centre
Cnr Herring and Waterloo Roads,
North Ryde, Australia

Ph: (02) 9889 3574

Mon-Fri: 7:30am – 9:30pm
Sat-Sun: 8:00am – 9:30pm

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I invited myself to a tweetup when my friend Pen mentioned something about meeting a tweetmate from Adelaide. I was able to work out my schedule last Friday and got myself to the city for an early afternoon coffee klatch with Pen and Shai who was in Sydney for the Windows 8 Launch.

Funny thing was the Windows 8 Launch finished early and Shai had to wait for us in the city. We were supposed to meet at MSM but she fortunately hung out at Tom N Toms Coffee. Great choice because they free wi-fi and have more food offerings in the menu. I have always thought of having coffee at Tom N Toms but I always forgot. I got acquainted with Tom N Toms when we traveled in Seoul last year. It caught my eye because it looked very similar to a famous American coffee brand but we never got the chance to try it.

Tom N Toms is a Korean cafe and it opened its first store in Sydney in 2008. Their cafe looks modern with youthful drawings on the wall but their menu offerings have a touch of Asian culture such as a Sweet Potato Latte and Gelato Bread. They serve an array of drinks (coffee, tea, smoothies and lemonade), sandwiches, pretzels and toasted breads.

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

The coffee tastes good and done well by their barista. The Husband had a creamy cup of Cafe Mocha while I had a cup of strong Long Black.  

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

The Gelato Bread looked awesome! Such a big serving that all four us had a hard time finishing it (we actually didn’t finish it). But it was delicious. The bread was toasted to a nice crunch and the syrup had the right kind of sweetness. The best part was the gelato. I loved it but I forgot to ask what flavour it was.

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

We also had a serving of Pretzel with caramel dip. They had the pretzel cut up in small pieces probably because they want people to have an easier time eating it. This one’s a good option for customers who are alone as it’s more manageable to finish.

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

The best part of the afternoon was being with Pen and finally meeting Shai. I’ve known Shai since I started plurking and tweeting in 2007 and then eventually, I discovered her blog where I got to know more about her. She’s considered as one of the best Filipino bloggers around the world and it’s such an honour to be able to meet her. With the three of us happy and excited that we finally met, the time passed by quickly as we exchanged stories of our life in Australia and a little about life in social media. We hope one day soon, we get to meet for a coffee klatch again.

Tweetup Meetup at Tom N Toms Coffee (Sydney, Australia)

Grateful for Pen who let me “gatecrashed” the tweetup and Shai for finding the time to see us. 

Tom N Toms Coffee 97-99 Bathurst Street NSW

So how was your weekend? I hope you were able to do some things you loved, spend time with family or friends and still had time to rest and relax.

My weekend was a mixture of spending time with friends, sending care boxes to our families in the Philippines and hanging out at home with the Husband. It was one of those busy weekends but thankfully we found time to relax as the weekend came to a halt. 

I started my weekend on Thursday afternoon. I met up with Meds for coffee at a Starbucks near her place. Meds and I met via a common friend and we also found out that her cousin Rachel was an ex-workmate of my Husband when he worked in Dubai. Thru shared interests and coffee dates once once in a while, Meds and I have became closer thru time and I’m very grateful for her gift of friendship and positivity. 

It was fortunate that for the first few hours, Starbucks was quiet when we were there. We were able to enjoy our coffee while we chat non-stop about anything and everything we can think of.  

Funny that we wanted to try the Salted Caramel Frappuccino but wasn’t available when we were there. So I opted to try a Caramel Macchiato Frappuccino. It was my first time to try it and I was happy to know that it tasted good. I enjoyed it with a slice of New York Cheesecake which I haven’t eaten for long while.

Starbucks
Pad Site 1, Westfield Mt Druitt
Carlisle Avenue, Mt Druitt NSW
Phone: (02) 9625 9800

Our visit to Cabramatta always starts at Cafe 86 to have our fill of coffee. Cafe 86, used to be owned by parents of Luke Nguyen, is well-known for their Vietnamese Coffee. We usually get here at around 10ish in the morning and there would always be a few tables occupied by people chilling and chatting with friends while having a glass of coffee or fruit juice.

The ambiance is reminiscent of simple cafes in Asia. There’s nothing very fancy with the interiors of this cafe but it is homey and relaxing. I always feel like the world stops while we enjoy our drinks whenever we are here and the vibe to stay is always alluring.
Cafe 86 (Cabramatta, NSW)

The Husband always orders the Hot Cup of Vietnamese Coffee so I get to have a taste of both everytime we’re here.  It’s strong and very creamy.

Cafe 86 (Cabramatta, NSW)

Their Iced Vietnamese Coffee is considered the best that’s why people come here just to have a drink of this rich, sweet and smooth beverage. There’s nothing quite like it. It’s very strong compared to other coffees but it’s bitterness and is greatly balanced with the sweetness of condensed milk.

Cafe 86 (Cabramatta, NSW)
Drinking Vietnamese coffee becomes a more beautiful experience when chased up with a glass of Jasmine Tea which is served free of charge. During cold season, they serve it hot while in warmer days, they serve it with ice.

The service staff of Cafe 86 are accommodating although they may have a bit of difficulty understanding what you want, just be sure to point at the menu board or point at someone else’ drink (works all the time!). If you think your Vietnamese Coffee’s too strong for you liking, just let them know and they are kind enough to adjust the bitterness/sweetness for you.

Other than coffee and tea, they also serve fresh fruit juices.

Cafe 86
4/29 John Street, Cabramatta 2166
Phone: (02) 9723 2696

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Cabramatta Part 2