Senario (Blacktown, NSW)

The newest restaurant in Westpoint Blacktown reminds me of lady's budoir. An air of elegance is felt when one sees velvet-cushioned chairs in Senario but the place has a tinge of rustic and in truth, just casual. 

We had breakfast here during one of our Boxing Day adventures. I like the way they made my coffee. It was smooth and didn't have any funny aftertaste.

The Husband and I tried their Eggs Benedict and Spinach Omelette. Both dishes satisfied our love for eggs although presentation seemed simplistic.

Came back here again to have coffee with a girlfriend last week. On a hot Friday afternoon, an Iced Coffee seemed to be the only answer to the summer heat. We indulged in this sweet and refreshing drink that also provided a kick of caffeine.

Snacked on a Hot Chips and Strawberry Crepe which somehow felt like a perfect childhood memory. Lightly-seasoned chips that almost burned the tongue but oh so good and filling. It was the perfect partner to our Iced Coffees.

The Strawberry Crepe was divine! The sweetness of the thin crepe, maple syrup and vanilla ice cream, plus the sour but refreshing taste of strawberries equalled to a perfect harmony inside the mouth. 

I'm glad that a cafe/restaurant like Senario has opened in Westpoint Blacktown. It's a place where we can have good coffee and good food while having a quiet moment amidst a busy shopping mall.

Senario
Level 3, Westpoint Shopping Centre 
17 Patrick Street, Blacktown NSW
Phone: 02 9676 7737

Cicco Chocolaterie (Broadway Shopping Centre)

Started work on the 2nd day of January but since it was the first week of year and our office was still officially on shutdown (I just opted to come to work because I didn't want to use up my recreation leaves), we were allowed to come and go as we pleased. I was told to go home early on Thursday and since I had an errand at Broadway, I stopped by at Cicco Chocolaterie for some coffee "Me" time.

Situated in the middle of Level 3 of Broadway Shopping Centre, it gets its natural light from the roof, making you feel like you're dining alfresco. They offer homemade chocolates, Hot Belgian Chocolate, coffee and pastries. I found out that they serve cooked meals too when I smelled freshly-cooked eggs from the other table.

I just had a Cappuccino and two pieces of macarons: Salted Caramel and Mango. Their coffee was well-made, rich, creamy and not too bitter.

Their Salted Caramel is the creamiest I've ever tasted while the Mango macaron wasn't as sweet as I hoped it to be. Next time, I'll buy a few pieces of their chocolates and see if they're good too.

Not a bad place to have my first coffee "Me" time.

Cicco Chocolaterie
Level 3, Broadway Shopping Centre
1 Bay Street, Broadway, NSW
Phone: 02 9280 0014

This Made My Day ("Quaintrelle")

Don't you just love it when friends make the sweetest gestures? I woke up this morning and this was the first tweet I read from my tweetheart Candy:

I love it!!! (Thank you so much Candy for thinking of me and sharing this with me.) 

Hello 2013!

I was supposed to blog during the Christmas week but I couldn't be bothered. The Husband and I went out with family and friends and spent some lazy days in between so I decided to just take the whole week off blogging. I will be sharing our Christmas week holiday in the coming days but in the meantime, here's how we said hello to 2013.

This is probably our most non-fussed NYE preparations. I usually have a lot of things up my sleeve during NY celebrations because the event calls for an abundant table. It is Filipino tradition to have a lot of food on the table such as fruits (should be at least 12 different ones to signify each month of the year), something sweet and sticky, something noodly (for long life) and some meat (Lechon or Ham). For this year, we went on the minimal side of things. I'm so relaxed from our Christmas week holiday that I wanted to continue being one til New Year.

I baked Turkey Ham. Compared to my former baked hams, this was the smallest but definitely the fastest one to bake. Saved us time and electricity.

The plan was to cook Spaghetti but my Mom told me that since 2013 is the year of the Water Snake, she was told that a dish with soup is more auspicious. So I cooked Beef Pho instead as it had noodles and soup at the same time.

For something sticky, we bought Leche Flan instead of cooking Biko (which I did last year).

For something sweet, a round Japanese Cheesecake with fruit toppings.

And of course, the fruits!  We've got 15 different fruits that completed our simple but abundant table.

My Mom also sent us some Prosperity Candles that we lit at 11:30pm. 

At the stroke of midnight, we watched the Sydney fireworks on TV and then said a prayer before we ate Media Noche.

The traditions we have at home is not so much about superstitious beliefs. We do it for fun and it is always cheerful to welcome the new year with table laden with good food.

Happy new year to all of you! I hope we all have a great and abundant year ahead. Always be blessed! Live, savour and be grateful.