* Click on the pic's to enlarge them.
A rose is a rose is a rose is poetry when said by Gertrude Stein but the same could not be said of a hamburger is a hamburger is a hamburger. Whilst true, this under rates both roses and hamburgers. When all is said and done they are not simply what they are. The varieties are almost infinite The defining characteristic of a hamburger is a meat pattie sandwiched in a bun. What distinguishes them is the 'extras' and how they are prepared and presented. There is the bun, the meat, which may be beef, lamb, chicken, turkey pork or whatever but is rarely ham, the cheese, the lettuce, other additions might include bacon, tomato, egg, onion, pickle, cheese and condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, tomato sauce and relish. It is the quality of these and the way in which they are combined that makes the difference between a hamburger from McDonalds or Hungry Jacks or one from Rockpool or the Tuckshop.
No not the school tuck shop in this case but a tiny eat in or take away place on the corner of Hawthorn and Glen Eira Rds.
This place is very much a product of the Melbourne food scene. Diners are adventurous here and entrepreneurs are willing to take risks with new approaches to culinary innovations.
Tuckshop has a menu which is dominated by the 'in things'. It's up on a blackboard
and there is a one page printed take away version. As far as possible everything is hand made. Chips are hand cut, they're really good too, crisp and tasty just the way we like them
tomato sauce is made in house, milk shakes, made from Timboon whole milk are original flavours. They are proud of their coffee and small range of teas too.
Pastries are a specialty and made in house. Prices range from $7 for a scrumptious chocolate ganash with a crunchy base
to $2.50 for a donut.
There are a variety of other small cakes.
The proprietors Clinton and Corrine have an enviable pedigree have worked in some of the great restaurants. Corinne as a pastry chef has had experience at the French Laundry, Charlie Trotters and The Fat Duck apart from a number of Australian restaurants while Clinton has worked in front of house at one of Heston Blumenthal's restaurants and more recently at Attica. They are young and enthusiastic.
The place is very small, a couple of counters, a couple of tables and chairs.
You can eat in if you wish. Tiled walls display an over head black board with the menu and a couple of clocks showing different times.
If you want to go to the toilet you have to cross the road to the public toilets!!
They have three sizes of burgers. We lashed out with the lot and they were pretty good. The overall impression was excellent. Large, well filled with good meat and ultimately very satisfying.
As such it would be churlish to criticize individual elements but we did feel the buns, which had been toasted on the cut side, were too cool and not everyone would like them being slightly sweet. It's rare to get a burger as good as these anywhere.
Score: 13.25/20
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