http://shucked.com.au/
Nina and I were long overdue for brunch and she suggested a place her boss recommended: Shucked in Newstead. I didn't know much about Newstead as a suburb, besides its location as being just past New Farm, but I knew that lots of trendy restaurants and cafes were popping up around there.
When I got to Shucked, I was surprised to find it on an industrial street with warehouses and car dealerships on either side of the road. Shucked was relatively isolated as a spot of culinary action.
We got there around 9ish on a Sunday and it was already very busy. I was apprehensive when I went in because I thought there were no free tables but luckily, there was a whole extra room adjacent to the main one. It was a bit like an open garage with graffiti and kooky mismatched furniture and that's where we ended up sitting.
The menu is creative, with fun names for non-classic breakfast options as well as simple toast et al for those wanting a safe bet. All the basic elements (eggs, bacon, mushrooms) were there but somehow, the Shucked menu treatment just made each dish sound more interesting than bacon and eggs have the right to sound.
Coffee
Coffees were ordered to start with, a soy latte for myself and a 3/4 milk flat white for Nina. The coffees took a while to come out, which was the first symptom of over-busyness at Shucked.
Cactus Jack - savory mince with poached eggs, pita chips, lemon, sour cream and coriander
Our meals required another wait but when they arrived, they were glorious to behold. I had ordered the savory mince with pita chips. As a girl with braces, I'm conscious of the fact that sometimes pita chips are chewy and difficult to eat. These were light and crunchy and delicious when dipped in the tomatoey, lightly spiced mince and sour cream.
Dipped pita chip with egg yolk
The savory mince reminded me of my classic chili con carne recipe, which, if I do say so myself is pretty damn awesome. I like serving it with sour cream because it's just a rad combination. There were a couple of poached eggs on the side, which was good for making the meal more filling but in my opinion, it wasn't strictly neccessary.
Stone the Crows - corn fritters with hollandaise, tomato relish and avocado
Nina went with the corn fritters because they were described to her as the must order dish. They were served drenched in a rich hollandaise sauce, with a side of tomato relish and crushed avocade (extra). I tried a bit and thought it was very good. Nina commented that the flavors all worked well together. Corn, tomato and avocado is a classic combination (think Mexican) and this was a creative way to bring those elements together.
Nina and I both agreed that whilst Shucked was busy and the food took a long time to come out, it was worth the wait. I do think coffee could have been brought out quicker though because that serves as a pacifying activity while we wait for our food. Having to wait for coffee is definitely annoying. The cafe itself was nice and I liked the fit out. I'm glad Nina encouraged me to try it because I wouldn't have otherwise travelled out there.
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