Pub of the Week: The Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy
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The Rainbow Hotel
Where: 27 St David St, Fitzroy
Phone: 9419 4193
Internet: www.therainbow.com.au
SCORE: 15.1/20
MARCH 14
VENUE: Small corner pub, up a small Fitzroy street, green/white half height tiles, greyish/green exterior, this is a wonderful pub.
If you could wish for a local watering hole, bustling bar, two older style dining rooms, with fireplaces and chalk board menus, roving bric-a-brac smothering the walls, and a small, colourful enclosed beer garden to wine and dine, then the Rainbow is the one you so desperately seek.
The Rainbow jumps in a convivial, but not boisterous, manner. It captures the essence of Fitzroy and its pubs such as the Union Club and the Napier that makes them so envied. It is the invisible welcome mat, no discrimination, just come in.
Fraternity/sorority is further captured by the 101 club, a blackboard with 157 names (at last count) of loyal troops to have that many beers (101) from here. Reward? A free massive vessel of choice (about four pints, maybe more) to enjoy.
Doing it again and there’s your own personalised badged glass with a 10 per cent lifetime discount!
Happy hours Monday to Friday 3-6pm is $5/pot and $10/pint of Stone and Wood is but one of the joys at the Rainbow.
Burger/parma nights offer a real shave from the normal RRPs, with trivia and live music part of the package.
This is real hospitality, and this pub run this way, is one of few to genuinely capture the essence of the traditional UK pubs.
So with a roving bank of 10 taps, wisely including CUB in the team, all beer tastes are covered.
Food is so smartly done. The BBQ chicken/bacon burger uses provolone; beyond meat can be substituted as a plant based alternative.
Barramundi is served with balsamic braised fennel and blistered heirloom tomatoes ($34).
Nepalese vegetable curry, pork schnitty, hoisin chicken meatballs with crisp shallots are part of a most enticing food menu.
Wine list is small and reasonably priced, around $14 per glass Alcatraz Riesling, Lloyd Bros Grenache confirming this is not just a tick the box list.
HIGHLIGHT/S:
– It’s always the Sunday roast here, $29. Lamb, plenty of it but it’s the supporting cast in equal measure; with rosemary roasted potatoes, green beans, cauliflower mornay, roast pumpkin, glazed dutch carrots, Yorkshire pudding, crackling and mint sauce.
Something Different to Eat: Korean fried popcorn chicken, polenta crust, spicy gochugang sauce, $18, a bowl of unbridled joy.
Every pub does a chicken starter of some description. This is Melbourne’s best.
Surcharges: 1.4 per cent on cards, 15 per cent on public holidays.
Also: Pokies: No; Tab: No; Foxtel: No
Summary: While no pub is bombproof nor subject to the whim of the paying public, the Rainbow in its current form is a must go to in Melbourne.
The atmosphere, the service, the vibe, all in cadence for anyone to come and enjoy.
With Melbourne’s late Indian summer rolling on, make sure the Rainbow is on your pub bucket list.
Sunday roast/beer garden: Wonderful.
Image: iStock