Photos by Evie Carpenter
Grade: A-
Tuck Shop, a comfort food restaurant in a renovated house decorated like it’s 1970, has food that is filling, shareable and delicious.
The food is a special occasion in itself, but Tuck Shop’s atmosphere makes for a unique, if not freaky, experience.
The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood and does not stand out from its exterior. But inside, it is a time warp to when wood paneling was stylish. Board games sit near a large, fluffy couch in a living room area for customers waiting to be seated. The restaurant’s chairs are a medley of tacky wooden designs. On the left end of the restaurant is a bar, also complete with wooden furniture, but with a large, plasma screen TV hanging on the wall — a juxtaposition with the rest of the restaurant’s retro theme.
With its heavy use of wood paneling contrasting with a sleekly renovated, modern design, Tuck Shop’s interior looks like a spaceship made of Lincoln Logs.
Tuck Shop’s food contributes to its old-time family atmosphere. Its dishes are meant to be shared, and the menu is heavy on pasta, cheese and fried food — the kind of simple, hearty and unhealthy meals that families share on a cold winter night.
The menu is divided into starters, smaller plates, shared dishes and desserts. All of these can be shared.
For appetizers, the pasta fries and savory crepes are the best options.
The pasta fries are penne and farfalle, breaded and fried and served as finger foods with two dipping sauces: creamy feta and strawberry jalapeno. Both of the sauces are delicious, but a little watery. The creamy feta is perfect; the strawberry jalapeno has an interesting fruit and vegetable taste, but it loses the jalapeno’s spiciness. The pasta doesn’t have a lot of flavor, but it’s fried, so it is satisfying.
The savory crepes are filled with pulled chicken, fontina cheese and tomatillo mostarda. It mixes mealy and sweet tastes perfectly, and it’s another satisfying dish that will fill your stomach.
The macaroni and cheese is the best small plate. Served with bits of prosciutto and breadcrumbs, it adds several flavors and textures to the simple pasta and cheese recipe.
The gnocchi is Tuck Shop’s best dish. The small bits of potato pasta that usually make a gnocchi dish are turned into large lumps of pillow-soft spheres. The dish mixes salty and sweet tastes to add interest to the pasta. It’s served with grilled peppers, linguisa, tomatoes, chickpeas, lemon and basil. The chickpeas seem like they might clash with the pasta, combining similar, mealy bits of food, but somehow the two complement each other perfectly. The dish as a whole is delicious and filling, leaving customers sighing contently after the meal.
Tuck Shop’s menu has some of Phoenix’s best comfort foods. I won’t be back any time soon, since it is so filling and fatty that a trip to Tuck Shop has to be a rarity. The atmosphere is also an experience that can only be processed every once in a while. Its style is such a strong mix of welcoming and retro that a regular at Tuck Shop is likely to confuse the restaurant with a grandparent’s house.
Tuck Shop isn’t as accessible or neutral as other restaurants, but the food is outstanding. When visitors do stop by, they’re sure to leave satisfied.
Contact the critic at john.l.fitzpatrick@asu.edu
