Darlinghurst locals are falling victim to a new type of crime occurring in the 7-11am weekend window. The ugly side of an ongoing baked-eggs warfare is some seriously high-priced, sub-par offences. Bootsdarling is my lead suspect.

Don't worry, they make bail on ridiculously good coffee trade.

Bootsdarling is popularised by the baristas with a shoebox kitchen dishing seasonal upgrades to Gen Y classics. As shown, the result is highly conducive to social media proliferation.



Seat-space is limited and those with a generous frame (or equivalent) will not be happy, shown below.

Shashuka with Chorizo - $18 + $4. 

An unswerving in a mission to discover Sydney's best baked eggs. Ordering this is no brainer.


Love at first sight. No point reviewing a Chorizo. You’d be mad to hate this breed of salty protein.

The sauce initially impresses with good thickness. Excellent overlay of flaked almonds. Even better is stabbing butter-soft pumpkin on a fork. Hopes are high.


Wow, and not the good type. Cumin, cumin and more cumin! We suspect the cook was hand-picked from an Indian curry house.

First step, douse the dish in salt. No luck. Next I'm left hand-picking pumpkin pillows and almond flakes. This action is as therapeutic as it is frustrating. Everything except the sauce was good. 6/10.

Bondi Bowl with kale, mushroom, avocado, poached egg plus grilled trout - $18 + $7



Yes, $25 for an artery cleanser. Looks small, is small and confirms Boots is tapping into the wholefoods epidemic. Salad for breakfast is a never-ending mistake I make (with some exceptions).

Dish is mainly the un-worked greens, a baby grilled trout with cheeky squirt of lemon. To be fair, poaching execution is faultless.



Though no better than DIY, belt buckle feels less tight. Maybe because my wallet has shrunk. 7/10.

Bacon & Egg Roll - $8. 



Rename this a slider, or impale with a toothpick and serve as finger food. Bun-to-female-hand comparison demonstrates any cheese-bacon induced joy will be short-lived.



Bacon situation? Crispy, fat-streaked and juicy. No wonder St Vincent's Hospital has patient capacity issues. Good flavours, fresh but fail on value 5/10.

Double cheese toastie with tomato relish - $10.

Ingredient #1 is halloumi and we stop reading. No idea what comes after that.



Thick slices but too few fillings. I'm well versed in jaffle making and believe a triple-cheese cheddar addition with some ham will do. Decent value for a staple. 7/10.

Score summary reflects a sentiment of mild disappointment:

- Food - 6.5/10 - per a Chinese kitchen serving spaghetti, a heart-warming attempt to innovate.
- Value - 6/10 - gourmet options priced at non-digestible levels.
- Other - 8/10 - funky staff facial hair brewing amazing coffee.
- Overall - 6.5/10 - better suited for the coffee connoisseurs less picky about food.

On balance, a citizen’s arrest is narrowly avoided. Not a conviction recommendation.

Will I be returning?
Only for the almond milk latte, strictly cold-pressed (unconfirmed).