Everyone has a place like The Bogey Hole in their lives. The cafe reminds me of someone you’re forced to hang out with – a distant work colleague, a friend-of-a-friend, a relative you see once in a while – they’re nice enough, there’s nothing technically wrong with them, but everytime you try to make a go of it, you eventually hit your conversational limits. There are no surprises left – which is maybe my way of saying I’ve been to the Bogey way too many times.

Will, on the other hand, loves the Bogey. It’s his favourite cafe on Bronte Beach: he thinks they do the best poached eggs – the yolks are always poke-open-with-a-fork runny. When he’s feeling a bit adventurous, he’ll order Poached Eggs on Toast with Train Smash, which is a sweet-savoury pile-up of tomato and onion (no rail sleepers or carriage debris in sight though). For him, the Bogey is reliable and comforting. For me, it’s just a tad overfamiliar.

It’s true, the service is fine and it’s in a nice spot and despite the big beachgoer-to-breakfast-table ratio, you never have to wait too long for a table. I did enjoy the Bogey the first maybe 10 times I went, but it started to feel a bit old-hat the 15,000 visits after. The menu is to-the-point, and if you’re a vegetarian hankering for a hot first-meal-o’-the-day, you’re pretty much on rotation between the Eggs & Toast plus Sides option and the Mushrooms and Goats Cheese On Spelt. Things get better at lunchtime though, because the Bogey Hole does very mean and tasty pastas, if the Pasta of the Day gods are smiling on you (should they chalk Penne With Roasted Tomato and Pesto on the board, rather than a meaty dollop of Spaghetti Bolognaise).

Still, if you’re going to have breakfast on Bronte Beach, there’s no better place. (And it’s a lot less pricier than the appropriately-titled Swell. ) I guess the excess police are right – everything in moderation and there are no (breakfast) regrets.

The Bogey Hole, 473 Bronte Rd, Bronte NSW (02) 9389 8829