Truffle Shufflin’ At Tom’s Kitchen

I’ve had a little break from blogging; mainly because I managed to catch whatever has been in the Birmingham air (eww) a couple of weeks ago now. Autoimmune conditions don’t take kindly to any sort of virus or infection, so my blood sugars have been everywhere, and I have also developed a Sudafed dependency. Wow, what a lovely scene I’ve set for my latest food blog, I do hope this hasn’t put you off. Last weekend was the first time I felt able to get dressed into actual clothes after my shower, rather than PJs. I forced my husband to celebrate this by spending Saturday in my sniffly company; I know, he is such a lucky guy. He suggested brunch, I concurred, and thought it would be nice to try somewhere we’d never been before; Tom’s Kitchen in The Mailbox.

I piled makeup on in an attempt to look less like an extra from The Walking Dead, and off we went. I hadn’t been out of the apartment for 5 days, so I felt like I was on day release, and it was exciting. I imagine it’s how vampires feel as the sun is just about to come up; adrenalin, squinting, and a bit of pain, but I felt alive! Tom’s Kitchen is a little more of a swish venue than we’d normally go for weekend brunch, so I put a skirt on, and extra mascara. Marv wore a shirt; we fitted right in. I loved the decor as we arrived, lots of subway tiles and an open kitchen felt warm and inviting. We had made a reservation and were seated immediately after arrival, so we were off to a good start.

I feel that I should mention; the first woman to serve us seemed a little frosty. We are all entitled to bad days; however, it felt a little like we were a bit of a chore when we ordered our drinks. She was not rude, but you know when you get the vibes? We didn’t see her again, so maybe it was the very end of her shift and we were stopping her from enjoying the rest of her Saturday. The service from then on was impeccable; warm, friendly, and super helpful (maybe they spotted my expression after our drinks order was taken?).

I needed a caffeine hit, so I ordered a latte; it came in the above glass, which I’m not the biggest fan of, but it tasted good. I wouldn’t visit just for a coffee though, but it wasn’t bitter or burnt. The juice was delicious, and I felt like I was getting a healthy dose of vitamins, and also cancelling out the calories I was about to eat because it was so green. This is not a proven medical fact, but sometimes, believing stuff is enough. Marv had a hot chocolate, which he adored, and he’s pickier about ht beverages than I am. And, just in the spirit of a balanced review; he likes the tall glasses used for my latte, apparently they’re very European; well that told me. I still prefer ceramic cups and mugs.

When someone offers to take you out to a swish place for brunch, it’s important that you show how much you appreciate their offer by ordering the most expensive item on the Brunch Classics section of the menu. I did not let Marv down, and went with the Truffle Eggs Benedict (£19; for brunch. Teeheeheehee). It arrived with the traditional bacon topping, which, as a pescatarian; I had to send back. I should have expected it; however, there was no description under the title of the dish, so in my mind it was going to arrive as I’d imagined and wanted. My bad. They were quick to prepare me a meat free version and were so nice about it; great service.

This was a salty, rich, creamy meal, and I enjoyed it immensely. The truffle wasn’t too overpowering as I could still taste the egg yolks (which were poached to perfection). The soft muffins were enveloped in truffle hollandaise, and the bright yellow yolks seeped into the dough as the eggs popped open. The sprinkling of chives were a touch of freshness, and didn’t feel like a wasted garnish. I’d definitely go and eat it again if someone else was paying. Could I justify paying nearly twenty quid myself? I’m not sure. I loved the dish, so perhaps on a “spendy” day; maybe if the coffee rocked my world I’d change my mind. But I’m glad I chose it, and I was full afterwards, which is always a good sign.

Marv was delighted with his breakfast; all the flavours and textures were there, and he didn’t feel all greasy and gross afterwards. I scoffed one of those crispy fried feta balls; yuuuummmmmmmmm. Yum. Make sure you blow on them and don’t shove it all in at once as they are very hot; I made that rookie error and sacrificed a layer of the roof of my mouth. Totally worth it though. In the words of Action Bronson; Fuck, That’s Delicious. If you don’t know who Action is; Google him, he’s brilliant.

I would definitely return to Tom’s Kitchen as the quality of the food was excellent, the service (after the first bit) was wonderful, and I liked the setting. I think I’ll return for lunch or dinner and order off the main menu next time. For me, brunch is about the food and the coffee, and I just wasn’t a fan of the coffee. Couldn’t fault the food though, so I can’t wait to try something else next time. I think for what Marv got; £12 was great value, and there are plenty of other options for brunch too. Therefore, I 100% recommend a trip there to eat.

Peace, love, and crispy feta, Fay x