Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews Central Club Hotel, North Melbourne
246 Victoria St, North Melbourne
Phone: 7068 1670
When? 22 September 2023
www.centralclubhotel.com.au
VENUE
The Renovated, Remodelled, Rejuvenated, Recently Reopened Central Club Hotel (CCH) in Victoria Street is wonderful.
Quick history lesson. The CCH was one of four in that area from Peel/William to Elizabeth Street, who in times past drew largely on the workers from the Queen Vic Market, and to a lesser extent, the shoppers. There was little or no residential.
The CCH was an honest pub with a sturdy offer from the three brothers who understood that clientele. It ran successfully under their watch for years. No TAB//No pokies. When time came to sell, pre Covid, it was snapped and with a new set of eyes, was totally renovated to reflect a changing demographic.
This has proved a masterstroke and much is packed into a small space. Reclaimed timber, Sharp brickwork are the dominant features inside, some neat prints hanging from the walls. The tables are completed by cloth napkins, heavy cutlery, proper glassware, large (and fully functional) salt and pepper shakers, and topped by table service. The quartz topped front bar is a standout.
To the rear, the exposed kitchen bangs out meals with a proper cadence; not too long to wait and certainly not rushed. Tues – Sundays open. Pasta and vino ($25) Wednesdays, Steak night, full whack Thursdays ($27), Happy Hours weekdays, music a couple of nights a week complete the pub package.
But the vital ingredient to make it work is a publican, not only visible but hands on. Dubliner Vincent Magrath, an expert in Australian wine and Irish whiskey brings a geniality to the post that sadly lacks nowadays with corporatisation of many hotels.
Fine pub grub, priced fairly, has many neat touches; the drink choices excite. Higher end offer in a pub? Yes. Posh pub? Absolutely not.
The Central Club Hotel is amongst the best reviewed in 2023.
FOOD/DRINK
With the QVM over the road, the opportunity to create partnerships with suppliers is bleedingly obvious. The CCH has established many contacts over the road for its fish, meat, poultry.
Five entrees; oysters, terrine, and fried chicken or cauliflower with wasabi and ponzu are a couple of the starters. Pub classics all priced mid-high $20s come fully plated, e.g. chicken parma ($28), and four pastas, all made from scratch. Duck ravioli ($35) comes w. brown butter, parmesan foam & duck reduction. Steaks start mid 30s, with Hagens Organic Porterhouse, 250g, at $37 (cheaper steak night).
Carlton Draught is very good ($7.5/pot hmm), has Brights Brewery, Bonehead, and Young Henrys for company at the taps. The pub has ‘the second best Guinness’ on tap in Melbourne (The Drunken Poet in Peel St has that #1 spot), all good.
Wine list is extraordinary in length for such a small pub. $13pg is the mean, Miss Zilm Riesling (Clare Valley) was tried and enjoyed. If you want to stump up big, then you can be accommodated.
The average prices are;
- Entrees – $17
- Mains – $29
- Dessert – $14
Tried was;
- Croquettes, potato, chorizo (3/$15), housemade romesco sauce. Very good. The smoky chorizo is the dominant feature in these beauties, excellent romesco provides another flavour profile.
- Chicken schnitzel, w/ chips, salad & choice of sauce. $26. Very good. Simple dish, great chicken from the market, executed perfectly. Fresh salad and chips complete the meal at a very fair pub price.
- Squid ink linguine w. swimmer crab, prawn bisque, fennel & chilli. $36. First up. All pasta is made in house. Second, fresh seafood, from the QVM. Third, it is generously plated, the squid ink pasta rich in taste and texture. All adds up to a very good dish.
SUMMARY
There is a reluctance to totally embrace a new pub’s opening simply as, after a while, the hype doesn’t match the offer. Be assured, this is as impressive a start to life here as I have seen in years.
Too often it is style over substance but at the CCH the pub’s DNA beats loudly. You want a good pub traditional experience, then come here; something modern to impress? Ditto.
And there’s a little secret: The Depot. Down a flight of stairs, heavy velvet drapes exclude all sound, maybe a space for 40-50 for a private function, the Depot is a secretive space, with an illuminated bar serving some cold beer and wines and very distinct Irish Whiskeys.
Be the first and bragging rights are yours!
The Central Club is a wonderful addition to Melbourne’s pub scene.
SCORE: 15.5/20