The opportunity to watch the food you’re away to tuck into be made right in front of your eyes is few and far between in the Highlands.
Some of my best dining experiences have involved chefs cooking my meal just feet away, if not less – whether it has involved them searing a steak or preparing freshly-made sushi.
XOKO in Inverness offers a similar experience. By that, I mean the talented bakery team operates in an open-plan kitchen, so there’s nothing to hide.
I shared news of the bakehouse and coffee bar sprouting onto the Inverness food and drink scene in August 2021, just weeks after it opened its doors in July.
Before Julia and I recently paid it a visit, I had wanted to stop by ever since.
XOKO: What is it and what’s on offer?
XOKO – pronounced shaw-ko – is located on Bridge Street, and is run by co-owners Tristan Aitchison and Fernando Basaldua Bazaldua.
The bakehouse and coffee bar offers expertly crafted artisan sourdoughs, pastries, cakes, chocolates, and sandwiches, and is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free friendly.
Menu items include:
- Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on grilled sourdough.
- A grilled bacon and cheese croissant.
- A hummus and halloumi open sandwich with rum raisins and carrot and beetroot salad.
There are also weekly specials on offer that are sure to suit all tastes.
Everything is made from scratch in the open-plan bakery, so customers can see the work that goes into every bake and menu item.
XOKO is open from 7am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday.
The order:
Verdict: Korean rice bowl
We simultaneously spotted the words ‘Korean rice bowl’ on XOKO’s menu and it piqued our interest. Would the ingredients be equally as flavourful as they are fresh? The short answer is yes.
The kaleidoscope of seasoned sautéed vegetables boasted a delightful combination of textures including crunchy and tender, which complemented the sticky rice perfectly.
Even the sprinkling of sesame seeds elevated the dish, adding a nice sweet and nutty flavour.
The pair of us agreed we would order this dish again in a heartbeat. It was refreshing, light, and tasty.
Presentation
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Taste
Julia: 5/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Verdict: Grilled three cheese sourdough sandwich
It can be challenging to make a sandwich or toasted sandwich look appealing. After all, there are few ingredients and the star of the show is the bread – being that it’s holding everything together.
Well, I applaud the team at XOKO. This was hands down the best sandwich I have ever eaten.
Comprising three different kinds of cheese with spinach and bacon jam sandwiched between a crispy and slightly tangy sourdough bread, it had been grilled to perfection.
The bacon jam pulled everything together. It was both sweet and salty and with a mouth-watering caramelised flavour.
Other sauce options included peri peri and tomato chutney, but Julia and I would highly recommend the bacon jam.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 5/5
Verdict: Strawberry snowball
Now onto the sweet treats, starting out with our strawberry snowball. It consisted of a soft, sweet coconut roll topped with a sticky strawberry and coconut glaze and almonds.
This is another prime example of how the team at XOKO in Inverness knows how to nail their flavours. Every component worked well with each other.
The glaze had a similar consistency to that of smooth jam, just a tad sweeter. And the almonds provided a lovely bite to each mouthful.
Presentation
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4.5/5
Verdict: Cinnamon roll
According to the owners of XOKO, the bakehouse’s cinnamon roll is their most popular menu item. This set our expectations high.
Everything about the bake was perfection, from its appearance to its taste and texture.
You could almost see yourself in the reflection of its sheer sugary glaze. And the roll itself was a hefty size.
The interior was fluffy, soft, and delicious, featuring a strong (but not overpowering) cinnamon brown sugar filling. They certainly weren’t stingy with the filling either, which we were overjoyed about.
The treat was a tad messy, but with a glaze like that in its quantity, it was to be expected – this is by no means a complaint, I adored this bake.
Presentation
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 5/5
Taste
Julia: 5/5
Karla: 5/5
The cinnamon roll came out on top at XOKO in Inverness, racking up a score of 19.5/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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