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The Courthouse Hotel

116 Main St, Bacchus Marsh

Phone: 9851 4285

For the second week running, the Courthouse is aptly described as a good, solid citizen serving the good folk of Bacchus Marsh.

A very good looking sandstone pub at the end of the roundabout in the main drag, and across the road from the Bacchus March Courthouse (which on the day of the review was doing a roaring trade), is a two storey affair with upstairs for functions/gatherings, whist street level houses the dining rooms, front and sports bar. Plenty of TVs covering all sports from here and overseas.

The pub is part of the PubCo group who have a number of venues (Junction, Thornbury, Crown, Lilydale) and it is commendable that this group concentrates as much on food and beverage as it does gaming.

To that end at the Courthouse has an extensive menu of mains, covering slightly wider territory than similar venues. Also in its favour was the staff serving when the ‘nothing’s too much trouble’ attitude was in full swing. This is a comfortable, uncomplicated pub to while away a few hours.

Pokies: Yes
Tab: Yes

The food menu comprises standard pub hits and memories.

Entrees – (Arancini balls, pumpkin, feta, $18/5, Bruschetta $17), but with a touch of difference highlighted by poutine, a mix of chips topped with gravy, pulled beef, and cheese, $19.5.

Mains are classics, parmas, burgers etc. Difference though comes in the form of say, Madras curry, full whack (28.5), chicken roulade filled with provolone and sage, prosciutto, mushroom, spinach, potato gratin (33), or the Courthouse paella (36), chicken, prawns, calamari, chorizo, mussels, Arborio rice, with an Italian crossover of Napoli and Parmesan. (Yep!! Hmm??).

Burgers start at $28, schnitty $28, flathead tails $27.5.

All meals are fully plated.

There’s some specials on a rotating basis, highlighted this day by duck spring rolls, $18.50, and lamb gyros, salad, pita, tzatziki ($33).

In trying the 300g porterhouse, (steak day, Wednesdays) $35, fully plated, the letdown was how the steak was thinly cut which didn’t allow for cooking preference. Asked to be medium rare, it comes closer to well done and a good piece of meat is not displayed at its best.

Covering the plate for aesthetics is one thing; cooking it to order is another. Pubs have a tendency to do this and it is a practice that is so outdated.

Beer is very well served, Carlton Draught tank beer at $6.8 per pot. Good tasting, good clean glassware.

De Bortoli is the preferred provider of wine here, always reliable, and starting around $10 per glass. The handcrafted Heathcote Estate Shiraz was fine shopping at $13 per glass.

Like last week’s review, The Courthouse, Bacchus Marsh has good staff and provides a user friendly offer. A safe haven to drop into if you have had business over the road!

SCORE: 13.3