Let's Tuck In!: Bourke Street Bakery, Surry Hills

I could smell it before I saw it. Bourke Street Bakery, a little store on the corner of Bourke and Devonshire St.

At last I have tried THE much talked about pork and fennel sausage roll ($4.50). That was all I had my eyes on for the savouries whilst my friend went for the new beef and beer pie with cheesy mash ($6). I tried a bit of my friend's pie and the first thing that hit me was the beer - it was strong but it works well with the other flavours. The pie base was thin, buttery and holds together well. The mash - cheesy and fluffy - tops the pie perfectly.

Pork and fennel sausage roll ($4.50), beef and beer pie with cheesy mash ($6)

Now, to my long awaited sausage roll. To be honest I actually preferred the flavours in the pie over the sausage roll. It's my first time trying fennel and I wasn't sure if I liked it. It may be more of an acquired taste. That being said, the encasing pastry was lovely and flaky, and the pork was still tender and moist.

Cross section of the pork and fennel sausage roll.

And how could I possibly leave without trying their equally as famous ginger brulee tart? This time I was not disappointed. The tart was everything I imaged it to be - thin buttery pastry, punchy ginger custard and the crack of the brulee top. My friend is not a fan of ginger and opted for the strawberry meringue tart. The tart base was just as buttery and thin holding a fragrant strawberry mousse a layer of fresh strawberries and the pillowy, not too sweet meringue.