Pub of the Week: The Woodlands Hotel, Coburg
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The Woodlands Hotel
84-88 Sydney Rd, Coburg
Phone: 9384 1122
Third time review of this wonderful staple of Melbourne pub life and even after a seven year absence and new ownership, the look, feel and above all hospitality remains in spades at this trailblazing pub.
A seismic change was undertaken nearly 15 years ago at the Woodlands which ventured down an independent beer on tap only, sharper less traditional offer in food and wine from what was the norm when Coburg was less desirable and basically conformed to what got a pass from the punters as long as there was something to drink.
Changes such as the life sized Alice in Wonderland figurines still hold court upstairs in the dining/function room. The public bar still buzzes with its just right inner – urban look, through to the plant dominated, super high ceiling atrium, and a pop-up beer garden housing both man and canine in number.
But a pub it is and all the come-ons are offered, such as burger/parma/steak nights, live Sunday music, trivia.
The excellent Rainbow Hotel publicans’ have taken block here and on this recent visit, on a manic steak night, the staff didn’t miss a beat.
Remember going all indie with beer over 15 years ago was a brave step, but the course has been stayed, and now well known favs like Fixation, Bridge Rd, Holgate, Wolf of the Willows sit front and centre at the taps in the main bar.
And a real plus? The Woodlands price per pot is standard with more commercially available beers when this wasn’t always the case. Anyone for Tumut River ‘Dexter Blood’ orange sour?! Beechworth pale ($7.5 a pot) tried, and was spot on.
Pokies: No
Tab: No
Late start on Monday-Thursday 4:30pm, but seven days a week, the menu is split from small/big share plates, burgers/steaks, with plenty of plant based options.
A highlight is its Sunday roast: Roast pork with crackling, roasted potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, blanched green beans, Yorkshire pudding and gravy with apple sauce. $27 and away you go.
Halloumi fries with smokey baba ghanoush ($16), crispy tofu, shiitake lettuce cups ($17), are a couple of different starters, while the pub does a roaring trade with its chicken parmas, full whack, at $29.
Burgers cost $27-29, and the pub also offers beyond meat for lovers of plant based. Standard price for a 250g porterhouse with two sides sauce is $39, significantly reduced to $25 on Thursdays.
The 1824 porterhouse was tried on steak night. No shortcuts, full whack, very good. Veal schnitzel, coleslaw, chips ($30), was another fine example of this ever pub popular plate of food.
Entrees $18, mains $28 (steak higher), desserts $13.
The Woodlands offer a varied and not mainstream off in wines (around $12.5 per glass), heavily sourced from South Australia from labels such as Gipsie Jack, Leconfield, Vandenburg. Right price for both glass and bottle.
There is such an eclectic feel to this pub, but the age demographic confirms that it has a widespread appeal. Go there on one of the discount nights to witness.
And so as it moves on and Coburg now is gentrified, you would shake your head in amazement when told the Woodlands was owned by Melbourne’s biggest punter – Gary Roberts, and the pub’s monarch was his horse, the champion Vo Rogue, all those years ago.
For 15 plus years the Woodlands has consistently delivered. Today, nothing’s changed.
SCORE: 14.9