Tuck Shop – Northbridge

With a Urbanspoon rating of 91% Tuck Shop was top of my brunch list. Chef and I had very high, perhaps even impossibly high expectations of the Northbridge café because of this – I hoped that we’d be part of the majority that had very positive dining experiences there. It was busy, but we were able to squeeze in for a late brunch. At Tuckshop they run an all day brunch/lunch menu.

The drinks were spot on and just what both of us were after. Chef enjoying a hot caffeine hit with his double shot flat white and me with my healthy juice, my feel good drink in anticipation of some possible unhealthy food choices!

The service at Tuck shop is on the ball and friendly. I was a bit torn with my choice, so the helpful waitress suggested the black pudding dish, as it is very popular. I decided to go with that choice and hoped for the best!

Chef absolutely loved the chorizo with paprika potatoes, peppers, Spanish onion and pork belly. The tasty belly had been deep fried and was ever so crisp. That was all topped with a sunny side up fried egg, $19.50. It was a dish busting with flavour and a mild spice, that worked well for breakfast or lunch.

People are going to think I like black pudding! Admittedly I’m not a huge fan, but I have tried it a few times lately and it is growing on me. My dish was made up of toasted sourdough with grilled black pudding, tomato, parsley, ricotta & a poached egg, $18.50. I enjoyed it, all the components were tasty and the egg was as runny as I’d hoped. The only thing that wasn’t spot on was the sourdough – a little too crispy for my liking and it was tough to cut with my knife.

All in all Tuck Shop certainly delivered. As well as great brunches n lunches they’re also renowned for their homemade pies. We were both too full to try one, though they looked fab – it certainly gives us another reason to return.