Bowery Lane challenges the stigma with CBD cafes; great coffee, forgettable food.

I kill two birds with one stone on a work-related meeting with MC; few other males are my match (and more) in food passion. Is it career suicide for an individual in a suit to order chai tea with a splash of soy milk? Not sure but this was perfect for my cold. I almost raised my pinky as I sipped.

Note: I draw the line at taking a DSLR to a work meeting, hence photos are on a camera phone. 

Chai Tea with Soy Milk - $4.50

Two signature dishes are ordered - Scout's Breakfast and Harlem Hash.

Scout's Breakfast - Mushroom, roast potatoes, crispy proscuitto, poached eggs - $16

Combine the homeliness of American bacon, eggs and fried potato with the finesse of a modern quinoa salad. A great combo, curiously reminiscent of a (healthy) caesar salad.

Crispy procuitto is a double-edged sword; each mouthful so tasty yet so salty. Love how subtle the parmesan crumbs were without being too dominant. Within five bites, I'm desperate for creaminess and thankfully a burst yolk delivers.

Perfectly poached eggs in the Scout's Breakfast

Final bite, clean plate and I'm left sad. I confess to a $4 side of avocado ... smashed, not sliced. On the flip side, extra room to try dish two (MC's choice). I've rarely seen a grown man succumb so early in the day to pulled pork...

Harlem Hash - braised pork, kale, potatoes & onions, puffed wild rice and fried eggs - $16 + $3

Succulent, delicious and best enjoyed with closed eyes. Not too heavy helped by well-textured 'fililer' elements in rice pops and sweet potato flakes. Personally I'd pair this with poached eggs, not fried. Perhaps a touch oily, but good enough to inspire food envy.  

The paradox is admiring such pretty dishes knowing they must then be consumed. It's not dissimilar to the female wolf spider that eats her mate. Regret aside, Bowery Lane is a shining light in CBD breakfast monotony:

Food - 8.5/10 - unique menu delivering a premium feed. Needs another healthy/veg signature. 

Value - 7.5/10 - high teens type pricing post the add-ons. Satisfying enough.

Other - 7/10 - slow inattentive service.

Overall - 8/10 - ticks most important pillars of a happy brunch - tasty, unique and decent value.

A must-visit for the CBD. Like bacon but also want to live past 60? Scout's Breakfast will deliver the fix without that side of cardiac arrest.

Will I be returning?

Certainly for the Harlem Hash. Little appeal in other items not trialed.