Brasserie Bread, Banksmeadow

The Boy and I decided to brave the 70 minute drive from our 'hood over to Banksmeadow (traffic!) to suss our the cafe at the legendary sourdough bakery Brasserie Bread. After we figured out exactly where Banksmeadow is (it's a REALLY long way from Parramatta, that's where it is).

The huge warehouse located on Botany Road houses a bakery (best bread EVER), a cooking school (filled with little kids making a mess/cookies on the day we visited) as well as a very very popular cafe.

At the recent food blogger conference I attended I received two vouchers for some free bread, so whilst we waited in the queue for a table at the cafe we loaded up with bread - a sour cherry loaf (our favourite), a sourdough loaf and a caramalised garlic fancy type bread.

It doesn't take too long to get a table and as The Boy and I have been studying the online menu for weeks we already know what we'll be having.  The Boy, being the true gentleman that he is, sends me up to to the counter to place our order.

In true brunch style we start off with coffee...mmm, coffee. The Boy goes for a cappuccino and I opt for an soy iced coffee sans cream and ice-cream which is the way they serve iced coffee in NYC and I really prefer it without the dairy overload.

The Boy ordered the crispy bacon with poached egg, avocado and tomato on wholemeal toast...Brasserie Bread toast of course ($12.00). He was pretty happy with his brunch however was a bit disappointed that the egg wasn't soft and runny. I went for the Quinoa and Soya Bread with avocado, tomato and goat curd ($11.00).  This was a really simple breakfast and a perfect example of how to whip up the perfect brunch at home (I've got three loaves of Brasserie Bread to experiment with after all).

And despite being an hour from our house The Boy and I are back at Brasserie Bread the following weekend to stock up on bread for our Christmas Day lunch...and then we sit down for brunch.  You didn't think we'd drive all that way with sitting down to eat did you?

Like last week The Boy orders the crispy bacon with poached egg, avocado and tomato on wholemeal toast, but goes for a side of Hollandaise Sauce this time.  He's beyond chuffed that the poached egg is super runny this week - second time lucky.  I decide I'm in the mood for something sweet and the Sourdough Pancakes with stewed berries and honeycomb cream and beyond perfection.  I love that the pancakes that look more like a crumpet than a pancake yet are still super fluffy and not at all dense. The berries still retain their shape despite being stewed and are only just slightly tart. And honeycomb cream...enough said really. YUM!

Brasserie Bread is at 1737 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow.  Phone them on 1300 966 845.