Boss Lady Food & Co - CLOSED

A boss Camperdown cafe run by two boss ladies.
Marissa Ciampi
Published on February 25, 2016
Updated on February 03, 2017

Overview

One of Camperdown's new cafes is serving up Egyptian fusion food in a simple setting. Simple, that is, apart from the badass graffiti on the back wall: an artwork depicting black and white tattooed arms with BOSS LADY painted across the knuckles.

Owners Helen Munday and Sue Bebawy, a trained chef and coffee specialist respectively, are boss ladies indeed, and have carried their love of awesome ladies through to the menu. A whole section is dedicated to 'The Ladies', so named after the strong women who have contributed to the business. "These ladies have a massive influence and gave us the balls to open this place," Munday says.

Munday and Bebawy's namesake dishes are expectedly popular with patrons. The Helen ($14.50) is a delightful cross between a bacon roll and a Cubano, while The Suzanne ($15.5) is a slow-cooked beef rib bun with caramelised onions, creamy slaw and a sugar free coffee BBQ sauce — the Boss Lady special.

Many of the dishes are fashioned after Bebawy's childhood meals. The daughter of Greek and Egyptian immigrants, her family's home-style comfort food is perfect in a cafe setting. The Ful Medames ($14) is indulgently flavourful; Egyptian-style baked beans are served with homemade labneh, tahini sauce and a pickled salad that adds a fresh, colourful aspect to many of the dishes. The basturma folded eggs — an air dried beef omelette ($13) — is equal parts unusual and delicious.

That's not to say you can't get Aussie classics on the menu as well, including two cleverly-named granolas ($9) and the Boss Junior hangover cure — aka a hectic bacon egg roll ($10.50). On the drinks side, if you're jonesin' for something besides one of Bebawy's well-made coffees, they're also offering 24-hour cold brew ($6), cumin and mint-infused sparkling water ($4) and two types of green juice ($8).

These boss ladies take a more casual approach toward their menu and cafe as a whole. As Munday says: "If you want to order a salad at 8am, you can have a salad — you go for it".  There are "no hard and fast rules here", adds Bebawy.  It's a fluid menu, and they're happy to swap ingredients for personal tastes or ethos, and even whip up off-menu cravings.

Overall, it's a solid cafe with tasty food and a boss atmosphere. If you live in the area, this should be your new go-to — but wherever you live, it's more than worth a trip to the 'burbs.

Images: Marissa Ciampi

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