Pub of the Week: Rising Sun Hotel, South Melbourne
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Rising Sun Hotel
2 Raglan Street, South Melbourne
Phone: 9696 2411
Beautiful pub, double storey, ringed by trees on Raglan Street and Eastern Road, heritage colours, parklet to dine in Raglan or any of the tables set outside with shade, the temptation is to stay here and socialise as the world passes in a quiet backblock of South Melbourne.
And you haven’t made the wrong choice.
Or head inside, and experience a warm, generous slice of hospitality reminiscent of an era past, while enjoying some of the best of modern that pubs in Melbourne can provide.
Welcome to the Rising Sun, a rare beast in hospitality of being all things to all people. Home to the old Bloods of South Melbourne VFL and new Bloods of Sydney Swans AFL.
Set out over two storeys, upstairs for functions/celebrations and live music (Jazz) twice weekly. Ground level is pub picture perfect from its three sided bar adorned by sporting memorabilia and caricatures (but not overdone) with all sports covered on the TVs.
The main dining room, adjacent to the bar, has sturdy wooden tables and chairs, cloth napkins, fully operational s/p grinders. More space for dining and the through to a modern intimate area seating 40 people.
And the kickers? Full table service, seven days a week, service uninterrupted from midday to 9pm: Truly hard yards.
But the results of this hard work from new publican John (former mine host of the always popular Railway Club Hotel, Port Melbourne) has borne fruit and now the Riser is one of the most bankable pubs in Melbourne (along with nearby neighbour The Emerald).
This is well executed modern pub grub, backed up by wonderful tap beer and clever wine list. Starters have some old time favorites South Melbourne dim sims, soy mirin, steamed or fried (3 for $15), house made sausage rolls, sauce (8 for $15) or crispy pork belly, miso, chilli caramel, wombok pickle for $24.
Pubs favorites abound, pie of the day, fully plated $29, ditto roast of the day, and BB Fish/Chips/Salad for $28. All meals generously apportioned.
It is an honour roll of pub classics, familiar to millions. Parma $30, tuna patties, chips, salad and aioli for $22.
Prawn linguine, cherry tomato, chilli, garlic, white wine, parsley for $30. Cape Grim/Flinders select are the prime steaks, lowest starting at $44. But Wednesday is steak day, and a fully plated 300g porterhouse is reduced to $25.
Carlton Draught ($7.5 per pot) is outstanding and leads the way with Melbourne Bitter, Stone & Wood, Mountain Goat Pale in noble support. Around 10 taps in all.
Wine averages out at $14per glass/$65 per bottle and Wild Duck Yellow Hammer Shiraz ($15/$70) Heathcote was most enjoyable. (I know this is a broken record, but more decent bottles around $50 would be welcome on lists).
Highlights: Homemade (by the kitchen) sausages for $24. Pork and fennel, taut and tasty, great mash, perfect pub meal.
More share than individual entrée, the bowl of chorizo and garlic prawns, lemon, butter, parsley with toasted baguette ($24) was the equal of any this year. Overly generous serve of prawns, wonderful flavours, the juices had the warm, deep texture that was best friends with the baguette.
To be fair, everything was great.
The Rising Sun has forever been an acme pub of Melbourne, in the hands of knowledgeable publicans who understand their customers. In return the loyalty returned is magnified many times.
You can have the external aesthetics to give you a head start, but this must be backed up by a better level of hospitality. It certainly is here.
Go on, stand outside for a few seconds. The left side of your brain is telling the right to go in and sample.
Rising Sun Hotel, South Melbourne, you will not be disappointed.
SCORE: 15.5