Encounter Cafe, Neutral Bay

Encounter Cafe’s bacon and egg roll was a life saver this hungover Sunday morning in Neutral Bay. Multiple rashers of bacon and two fried eggs are served sauceless between toasted turkish slices. Whilst the fried eggs were slightly overcooked, the bacon was top quality and in abundance. I am a fan of sauces, but found the true bacon flavour shone through when left ungarnished. A pleasant surprise, and at $6.50, an economical choice. 7/10

NB – the reviewer has since revised this score down to 6.5/10 as a result of a hangover impinging upon his objectivity at the time of writing.

Clover Cafe, Annandale

An enjoyable and well-constructed basic B&E – traditional egg and bacon components topped with a house special tomato-based relish. The highlight of the dish is its sheer volume – although the roll appears to be average in size, it is deceptively dense and will cure the meanest hunger. The prospect of tackling the second half of the roll was quite daunting this humble reviewer. Extra points were also awarded for an appropriate degree of egg runniness, however, this feature appears (after several re-visits) to be dependent on the cook. The only real criticism could be a slightly below par bacon coverage, although this may be a somewhat subjective view.

Certainly not a roll for the faint of heart. At $9.50 a roll, it is certainly towards the pricier end of the scale, but the amazing level of hunger satisfaction (which may even prove to be too much for some diners) makes the roll well worth it.

6.5/10.

Launch of the Sydney B&E Roll Guide!

Oh…hello!

After a little over a month of private banter and reviews, the decision has been made to make what was once a humble review page amongst friends a public forum.

So who on earth are we? We are a group of like-minded people. We are of varying age and social status. But we are linked by a love of bacon and egg rolls or, as we have come to call them, ‘B&Es’.

So what on earth are we trying to do? B&Es are not quite a staple on menus. While they are quite well represented, they remain less widespread than your classic “Big Brekkie” or “Your choice of eggs + bacon + toast” etc. But why? Generally, a B&E roll will be a fraction of the price and will in many instances provide greater hunger satisfaction. Further, the takeaway option should not be underestimated, as many breakfast-goers are looking for something on the run.

We got into this for several reasons. For a start, there isn’t much better than a greasy B&E roll on a hungover Saturday. But further, the difference between a good and bad B&E can be monstrous. A truly great B&E roll will call to you from a distance, while a bad one may turn you off for weeks on end.

In this blog, we aim to find the best B&E roll Sydney has to offer. Geography will be no factor. Price will be no hurdle. There is nothing we won’t try and no amount of sweet talk will sway us in our mission to get the word out on the good, berate the bad and provide photos of the ugly.

So welcome to the Sydney B&E Roll guide! Get amongst it. Comment. Criticise. And most importantly, if you think you know a better B&E roll, use the ‘Contact Us’ page and we will investigate it as soon as we can.

Cheers,

Sydney B&E Roll Guide

An Interesting Article…

In the search for already highly-rated B&E rolls in Sydney, we stumbled across this article titled Sydney’s Best Bacon and Egg Roll  in the SMH. Now, while we have to commend the author on writing upon such an important subject, we have a few gripes with the article.

Firstly, there are question marks over just how far afield the author went to find the best B&Es in Sydney. While Store Espresso’s roll is undoubtedly a fine example, categorically naming it as the best in Sydney is a huge call. Secondly, after visiting CJ’s at Central, we were told that they no longer make B&E rolls at all (the disappointment upon hearing that news after making the trip to review the roll was palpable).

However, the article is one of the only examples of published work on the subject in Sydney’s media. Its choices provided the Sydney B&E Roll Guide with a few new rolls to try, and showed us that there is some genuine interest in finding the best B&E rolls Sydney has to offer. The comments section of the article has been invaluable also, and we intend on getting around to as many of the suggested rolls as possible in the coming weeks.

We strongly recommend checking out the article. What are your thoughts?? Does anyone know what has happened to CJs roll!?

Cheers,

The Sydney B&E Roll Guide

Splat Cafe, Queenscliff

There is no point beating around the bush here – Splat’s B&E roll is something special. The poached egg is truly a revelation. While many establishments take the ‘easy option’ by whacking an egg straight onto a hot plate, Splat offers up a perfectly poached egg – just runny enough to provide coverage without creating a yolky mess.

The layers of crispy bacon that accompany it are absolutely delectable. This roll will be preferred by those seeking a high B-to-E ratio. The home made chutney adds a gourmet twist, while rocket provides a fantastic freshness. The Turkish bread enclosure is toasted to perfection.

The Splat staff were slightly confused by the magnitude of the B&E order (with five rolls ordered for four reviewers) but as word spreads about the quality of the product we have no doubt this will change. Well worth the journey from anywhere in Sydney – proximity to the beach (Freshwater and Manly) is a major bonus. Slightly expensive at $9.50 a roll, but the quality justifies the price. One of the best rolls yet.

Four Sydney B&E Roll Guide reviewers put their heads together on this review and came to the agreement that this roll is, in our eyes, an 8.5/10. Outstanding.

Store Espresso, Camperdown

This B&E roll came in at number two in the Sydney Morning Herald’s guide to B&E rolls, so it had to be tried and tested.

The roll itself was fantastic. A deliciously flavoursome crusty panini roll that we would love to see employed more often in B&E circles. Interestingly, there was also a layer of melted swiss cheese (you don’t see that every day) and some aioli, which worked very well. However, the egg was hard-yolked and it loses some points.

While the reviewer enjoyed the cheese and aioli and the roll, I just did not get truly excited by the bacon and egg, which should be the key ingredients. However, I think this roll definitely merits a second review some time soon. Perhaps requesting a runnier yolk would improve the whole roll.

It must also be said that, as the pictures illustrate, the presentation of this roll is second to none. It looks an absolute treat. At $6.50 the roll is also very well priced. Ultimately, this roll is definitely right up there with contenders, but falls just short of the mark. 7/10.

Revolver Cafe, Annandale

In fitting with the rest of Revolver’s menu, it is clear that this B&E roll is aiming to tick the ‘gourmet’ boxes. And tick those boxes it certainly does.

Served on a crusty roll, a perfectly cooked fried egg with a runny yolk sits amongst a nest of lightly seasoned rocket leaves, a smattering of caramelised onion, a few rashers of medium-cooked bacon and Revolver’s own ‘awesome sauces’ which, pending confirmation, seem to be a light aioli mayonnaise.

This roll is best suited to those who prefer a runny yolk with softer bacon, although both ingredients will be cooked to preference. While some may argue that there is a lot going on on this roll, the elements complement each other fantastically well.

Located in Sydney’s inner west, Revolver is well worth a look. At $8, this is great value considering the roll’s complexity. 8.5/10.

A Chicken Shop in the Galston Region

As stated on our About Us page, we have made it our mission to try as many B&E rolls as possible, from all over Sydney and not pre-judge establishments based on their location, appearance or price. Unfortunately though, this means we do stumble across the odd B&E that we truly wish we hadn’t. In such an instance, we believe it best not to provide an overly detailed criticism, but simply highlight the faults and move on in our search! This was one such moment…

Two pieces of medium quality, but slightly ‘hammy’ bacon, an over-fried egg (to the point of being close to burnt) on a low-grade hamburger bun. Standard choice of sauces.

The reviewer had not eaten all day, and says that the roll’s only redeeming quality was the fact that, in keeping with the true purpose of a B&E roll, it smashed his hunger. You wouldn’t want to pay over the $4 price tag for something like this.

Le Bay Cafe, Milsons Point

So much more than your average B&E, this is a BLATE. Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato and Egg, all with garlic aioli on a turkish bun. The sheer size of the serving makes this roll well worth a look, and its structure does not hurt one bit either.

The egg is fried with a yolk that, on this occasion, was perhaps a tad too hard for our liking. However, the vast amount of ingredients that were effectively combined on this roll was quite impressive.

At $10 a pop, its a little more expensive than your average B&E, but it will destroy even the meanest hangovers (this has been tried and tested)! Open 6 days a week, closed sunday.

The Rocks Markets

This was an opportunist’s roll purchased from a BBQ stand down at the markets in the historic Rocks area of Sydney, presumably only open on Saturdays, possibly Sundays although these days are subject to change.

The operation itself did not employ the most effective system of B&E production, making individual orders only a few at a time (those running the stall could definitely learn a thing or two from their competition at Orange Grove Markets..!). The eggs were cooked in rings on the barbecue, but were kept in the rings too long for this reviewer’s personal liking. By the time they were put on the bun, they had a distinctly McDonald’s look about them – not in itself a bad thing, but a far cry from what can be done. I would also question the ability of a moderately hot barbecue to cook the egg all the way through using the ring approach, but I digress.

On the plus side, the roll was loaded with two eggs and a liberal amount of bacon, and the roll itself was good. It certainly hit the spot hunger-wise and went a considerable way in diminishing the headache created the night before. Basic B&E that was a bit slow in coming up, but probably saved by the fact it had two eggs. $7.

Please note – the reviewer can’t vouch for the regularity of this provider’s operation.