Pub Of The Week: Rose Hotel, Fitzroy
Rose Hotel
406 Napier St., Fitzroy
Phone: (03) 9417 3626
Click PLAY to listen to Tony’s full review
VENUE
Like heading back to catch up with an beloved relative or friend, the Rose Hotel, backstreets Fitzroy, greets you with a warm familiar welcome, everything seemingly trapped in a glorious time capsule.
The facade, double story in a manila folder-old gold colour, doesn’t seem to have changed or been touched up since a last visit. The massive, leafy trees shred foliage in massive quantities to the footpath during winter as the magnificent terraces look more radiant year on year.
Inside, the small old world bar works both sides of a compact front bar, as dining/communal seating rim the perimeter. Leadlight windows, black/white tiled floors confirm its place as Fitzroys oldest.
A nod to the modern is a revamp some years ago of the second floor, now operating as a very sharp function room/wine bar. Ying to the downstairs yang.
But the binding element to everything here is Aussie Rules and the Rose still carries the moniker of a pub to travel to to watch the footy. (Great Northern, Carlton and The Empress, Fitzroy, carry this badge of honour as well).
Any day over the weekend, good crowds descend here to socialize and watch the footy. Curious, really, as some punters would pass numerous pubs to get to the Rose.
Pokies: No
Tab: No.
The food and drink menus have moved with the times however and each meal has a nice touch. Ditto the wine list, sourced from smaller, lesser known producers.
Entrees, (about 7) offer Chargrilled Lamb Kofta ($16) w/grilled bread, spicy yogurt, Crumbed Eggplant Chips ($15) w/ lemon aioli, spinach, or Sticky Fried Cauliflower, ($16) for example.
Mains fall into 2 sections of Classics and the Grill, e.g., Smoky Pork Ribs (28) w/ coleslaw, fries, Duck Ragu ($27), pappardelle pasta, rocket, parmesan. Crispy Skin Barramundi, (29), citrus salted Kipfler potatoes, charred asparagus, orange vinaigrette are also a sample of what the kitchen is banging out.
A nice spoil is a $20 counter lunch, 12-4pm, Monday to Thursday. Indeed across the week, the rose offers meal deals, trivia and a ‘world famous’ meat raffle (proceeds to charity).
Mose enjoyed was the Roast of the Day, Beef, $25, all trimmings but the real surprise and highlight was Goat Curry, $28, cumin rice, raita and naan. Big flavours, (serve a little on the small side) but perfect on a cold winter’s day.
For such a traditional pub, it was surprising that no Carlton Draught was available, offered instead was Young Henrys Draught ($7). Quite acceptable too, but in spite of what was relayed, the difference in flavour profile is noticeable.
Wine per glass is around $12, and two nice drops, Small Wonder Riesling (Tas), and Range Life Sangiovese (King Valley) were both spot on.
Just an observation. The pub, for a Sunday, was unusually quiet, fully expecting the normal array of old timers talking about the RoyBoys before the first of a trifecta of games kicked in.
A reflection of the times or just too early 115pm on this Sunday? Hmmm.
One hopes not the former: Pubs like this cannot be allowed to fade away.
The Rose Hotel is a genuine Melbourne treasure.
SCORE: 13.9