Taking you back to school – “The Tuck Shop”

So what is it about cafes that I really like? No, it’s not the food but the homely very cosy like feeling that I experience. I say this about cafes in specific because each of these joints in the city have been experimenting with their ambience, getting innovative and providing their customers much more than just food!

The city has been sprawling with cafes, each providing a different ambience and a different experience altogether. One such café or rather a breakfast spot happens to be “The Tuck Shop”.

The Tuck Shop is a recent entry to the café joints in the city. Just when I thought I’ve seen enough of houses being converted into a café/restaurant, here we have The Tuck Shop which finds itself in a residential area, tucked away on one side of the lane. At first, it does seem like a long garage transformed into a café!

Ambience

Located in Koramangala, The Tuck Shop aims at making people feel nostalgic about their school days. As their tagline goes, “Going back to School”, this café quite manages to do that just not with their ambience but their food too.

The place isn’t huge and neither is it small, it is just right to seat enough number of people. The place has a very garage-y feeling to it, which is not a bad thing. A few wall hangings on one side, a bit of art and graffiti, this manages to get you engrossed while you wait for your food to arrive. Yes, this place does not have a fancy ambience, but it’s the kind of ambience which makes you feel nostalgic. Moreover, I think that the ambience is perfect for one to sit back and enjoy some food as it rains outside. This is the kind of life we all want, isn’t it?

Menu and Grub

The Tuck Shop has more to offer than just breakfast. From burgers to steaks to all kinds of junk food we would like to dwell ourselves in, you get it all here, in one place. They sure do have an extensive menu and have a lot to offer for the veggies and non-vegetarians. Breakfast isn’t just limited to the typical English breakfast or waffles; you get a variety of egg dishes too. When it comes to sandwiches, burger and steaks apart from what they have to offer on the menu, you can make your own ones! There is a variety when it comes to beverages too. Like I said, extensive menu!

Apart from the food, what is interesting on the menu are the fancy names given to these dishes. It’s a growing trend, I tell you. My favourites include – Dhanno on the run, Fried Nemo and Mary had a lil lamb.

In the beverage section, cucumber cooler was something I hadn’t heard of before; hence I had to try it out.  I love cucumbers; having them raw with some red chilli powder sprinkled over it I how I like to enjoy them, but having a juice of it was new.

The cooler was refreshing, there was nothing added to it, it was simply the juice of the vegetable, and oh the ice, that’s where the ‘cooler’ comes from. The drink is a nice one, not something I loved, but it’s something one can give it a shot. However, if you dislike cucumbers, you should probably avoid this one.

Cucumber Cooler

Next came the Blueberry smoothie. I have a weakness for things which have the name ‘berry’ in it. Standing in a plastic glass in shades of purple, the smoothie had the right amount of sweetness; hence it was an absolute treat!

                                                             Blueberry Smoothie

In the breakfast section, Akoori was what caught my eye. Akoori, is a traditional Parsi styled scrambled eggs which were delightful! With strong flavours of garlic, it was cooked to perfection and the quantity was enough to suffice my growling tummy.  Served with baked beans, toasted bread and tomatoes, Akoori was indeed quite a breakfast.

                                                                       Akoori

Waffle with Maple syrup was something that I absolutely loved. Loved to an extent that I wanted to order another plate of it! Soft, spongy and candied with syrup was just what I needed to get a sugar rush.

                                                                       Waffles

The highlight of our meal was “The Hot Chick”. If spice is your thing then this chick will satisfy your appetite. So, “The Hot Chick”, is a burger with soft and palatable chicken coated with a spicy sauce and pickled cucumber, better known as gherkins, smacked in between. Served with potato wedges, which were so scrumptious that I ended up eating it all!

The burger was heavy on the tummy but not as yummy on the tongue as I thought it would be. It was spicy, but that’s the end of it. Flavour is what I think it lacked hence, “The Hot Chick” didn't really get me drooling!

                                                                       The Hot Chick

Bombay Toast was a disappointment and yet not a disappointment. It was disappointing because I expected something more from just what I was served, maybe in terms of side dishes or completely grilled breads. But, it was also not disappointing because whatever I was served with was appetizing. The potato mix was spicy which went well with the cheese which was used as a filling.  

                                                                    Bombay Toast 

Service and Pricing

The service is attentive and unlike what they have mentioned in the menu regarding the time taken to prepare the dish, it’s in fact much quicker than that, so they don’t leave you hungry for long.

The pricing is what gets the crowd here. Priced at a pocket friendly rate, you can have a scrumptious meal here without worrying about burning a hole in your wallet! No wonder this place attracts a lot of college crowd!

“The Tuck Shop”, deserves a visit at least once. The ambience might not be something that would appeal to everyone but the food and pricing will compensate for it.

They close around 3-3:30 in the afternoon hence I was hurried to finish up my meal and I don’t really enjoy my meal if there is a time restriction. So, if you plan on visiting, make sure you get here early. They start at ten in the morning closes at 3.30 and they open again at 5.30 on the weekdays, and during the weekends, it’s open from 8 in the morning to 9.30 at night. Mondays, however is a holiday!

Quick Bites

Rating – 3.5/5

Cost for two –  600/- if you want to enjoy a full-fledged meal and just not indulge in breakfast.

Why you should go here – To enjoy a good breakfast priced at a reasonable rate.

Location  - 98A, 17^th B main, 5 block, Koramangala, Bangalore

Landmark – Lane opposite to China Pearl.