The Tuck Shop Cafe and Delicatessen

I have been waiting for weeks to go to the Tuck Shop. The last time was wanting to go before work (which ended up not happening!). This time around, I took some family friends who are from overseas and have been studying here for a while and who have never had an "Australian" breakfast. So I decided it was the most opportune time to go to Tuck Shop and try their menu. 

Located in the new revamped Newcastle street in Northbridge, The Tuck Shop Cafe and Delicatessen is located on the corner of Money street. They are known for their great breakfasts, pies, popularity and line. I was a little scared of the waiting time, they told us it was 20 minutes, but in fact it was less than that - it actually resulted in them calling me on my phone as we were busy rummaging through the boutiques of Northbridge (not that many of the stores were open). 

Upon getting our table, water was brought to the table quickly and our drinks were taken. I was a little hesitant about the coffee, as past reviews have stated that it is bad. But I had no such problems. I had a flat white, great coffee taste, smooth Toby coffee blend and milk perfectly frothed and at the temperature that I like. And nothing was burnt!

The menu posed a bit of a problem for us, mainly because it's rather extensive and with so many delicious sounding options and the pies at the front looking amazing we were stuck as to what to chose. But alas, we agreed that meant that we had to come back another time to try different things.

At the end we settled for the Moroccan meatballs with flatbread, tomato, hummus and za'atar fried egg. 

The flavours of the meatballs were amazing. Filled with spices, not too zesty and were delicious. It didn't feel like it was full of fat, but rather meat and you can see the spices and herbs mixed through the meat ball. It was well marinated as well. The strong flavours of the meatballs complemented the subtle flavours of the hummus and the flatbread was crunchy, despite the sauces. The fried egg was a little runny when first cut into, which I think is fantastic. Overall, the dish had amazing dish and one that definitely gave you the kick start that was needed for the day. And hey it was beautifully presented!

BB had the Hashbrown slow cooked lamb, mushrooms, spinach and herbs with poached egg. I had a decent taste of her meal and I must say it was definitely milder in flavours than mine, but the hashbrown was homemade. I felt as though the hashies lacked a bit of flavour and tasted a little doughy (which was a bit odd? too much flour of something that binds the potatoes together??). The lamb however was rather beautiful and didn't have that lamb smell that puts people off. She was satisfied.

 MC ended up having the Chirozo, Paprika potatoes, peppers and spinach onions with crispy pork belly and fried egg. And this was amazing. The potatoes were sauteed with the paprika spice, the chirozo was of good quality, the pork belly was tender with amazing crispy crackling. Although because it came in bite size pieces it reminded me of the roast pork that you get from the chinese restaurant like Good Fortune and Hong Kong BBQ. But hey, either one tastes great.

 Apart from their amazing breakfast menu, they do have an array of cakes on display. We were unable to tuck into anymore so skipped the sweets after our walk around the city. But look at the cabinet! Doesn't it look great?? And you can't forget their famous pie range - which were huge and something that I will have to try at a later date. (hopefully it won't be much later).

The Tuck Shop Cafe and Delicatessen is a great addition to Perth's changing restaurant landscape. It's popular because it's value for money, has great flavoured food. For a place so busy they serve their dishes quickly. Although the waiters can be a bit abrupt and almost to the rude side, I can somewhat forgive as the place is rather small and they are rushed of their feet. The atmosphere there is cozy and loud, but it gives you fantastic hearty meal. I can't wait to go back.