Review: Bam Bam Bakehouse, Mermaid Beach
HUGH Jackman publicly locking lips with your cruffin is a hard act to follow but Paddock Bakery owners’ encore performance has proved equal to the task.
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HUGH Jackman publicly locking lips with your cruffin is a hard act to follow.
Fortunately, Paddock Bakery owners Ursula and Ben Watts’ encore performance has proved equal to the task.
It was more of a stampede than a soft opening for Bam Bam Bakehouse, which opened its doors earlier this month at Mermaid Beach.
I visited the parkside patisserie-bistro in its first week and was in danger of being squeezed into one of the staghorn-studded garden beds by the feeding frenzy.
Commendably, the efficient, friendly service never skipped a beat — even changing my mind treat order around seven times wasn’t going to crack the patient front.
It’s counter service, which means you don’t stand a chance of escaping the treat cabinet without at least some damage.
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Paddock set the bar high, but Bam Bam doesn’t disappoint with a sophisticated spread that will have the Instagram brigade salivating.
There are balls of choux pastry oozing caramelised white choc crème and gooey ganache, blush-pink macarons jammed with peanut butter and raspberry jelly, and poached pear Danishes with burnt honey custard.
Hugh would definitely want some time alone with the magnificent Mogador cruffin — the famously flaky, buttery pastry layers are offset by liquid passionfruit centre and gold-dusted dark chocolate cap.
To wash it down you’ll have to choose from the Hershey’s chocolate shake ($7.50), a banana and peanut butter smoothie ($8.50), Mork specialty hot chocolate (from $4), coffee (from $4), cold-press ($9) and a handful of beers, cider and wines.
While Paddock’s bread makes an appearance in many of the dishes, Bam Bam deviates from its cult Miami cousin is in its breakfast-and-lunch-bridging bistro menu offerings.
From 6.30am, diners can indulge in anything from a fluoro pink pitaya based Barbie Bowl ($12.50) to chicken parmigiana ($19.50) with leg ham off the bone and smoked mozzarella.
Bounce from eggs benny ($16) — which reinvents the classic by swapping the muffin base for a croissant and doesn’t spare the tarragon hollandaise — to grilled market-fresh fish ($21.50).
Shaker fries ($7) come with a bag and a choice of seasonings, including parmesan, chive and truffle salt; nori, sweet garlic, sesame seed and soy flakes; and bacon bits, thyme and chicken salt, for personally pimped potatoes.
You’ll have to hold on until 11am to try the beef dip ($16.50), pulled pork sandwich ($14.50) or 14-hour hickory smoked beef brisket, brioche and barbecue sauce business known as the Man Sandwich ($14.50).
Anyone who’s ever experienced the agony of running out of gravy before sandwich should go for the beef dip — there’s a pool of beef jus supplied to dunk your hot smoked beef brisket, barbecued onions and grilled provolone roll.
It’s another legend in the making.
BAM BAM BAKEHOUSE
2519-2521 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Open: Wednesday to Sunday 6.30am-3pm
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