Ground Control Cafe, Sydney CBD, Taste Food Tour - Tourist Edition, Part 1

So it's a cloudy day but here's a recommendation for those who are new to Sydney or tourists visiting Sydney. Taste Food Tours does a great day out starting in the city where you get on the rivercat to Parramatta.

This particular tour costs $145 which includes the river cat and breakfast. The tour starts off at Ground Control Cafe in Circular Quay at 8:30am. It's here we are met with our guide Reza. Reza explains that the Taste Food Tours is a registered charity and social enterprise organisation that looks to spread the word of cultural diversity and looks to employ refugees/migrants.

He himself tells us quite a story, being a refugee from Afghanistan fleeing to Indonesia for most of his life, he has been in Australia for a few years and for 3 years had no access to education. Once he was released from the detention centre, he sought to continue studying in high school but found it quite challenging given he had no schooling for the last 3 years. He was able to complete year 12 and is now pursuing studies at TAFE. 

I instantly feel very grateful for my own life. 

Let's talk about where the tour starts off. Ground Control cafe is a cosy cafe in Circular Quay. You meet your guide who is in a bright yellow t-shirt. You have the choice of a coffee and either a Bacon/Egg Roll, Mushroom/egg Roll or a protein bar.

I look at my options and opt for the mushroom and egg roll along with a chai latte. Matt goes for the bacon and egg roll and a hot chocolate as he doesn't drink coffee. The chai latte is very tasty and is well balanced with sweetness and a mild spicy milky taste. It's a nice way to start the morning.

That's when the group starts to walk to the ferry wharf. We're all given an Opal Card and get to the wharf where there's a great view of the opera house. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is blocked by a huge cruise ship.  The Rivercat arrives and we strategically enter the outside area for the best waterviews.

Its a cloudy day but still quite warm so people are happily taking photos of the Opera house as the rivercat moves through the water.

For those who don't want the windy outside, they venture inside where you can still get a view from the windows or you can just sit inside and enjoy the ride.

We all enjoy the Harbour Bridge as we move through in the water now that we move past the cruise ship.

It's such a relaxing time on the cruise and we also see a number of ducks. It's a great way to see Sydney and head to Parramatta. Once we approach Parramatta, we hear about the history including the farming land and Experiment Farm and how Parramatta is connected to eels.

Stay tuned for part 2.

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.