Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews Gisborne Telegraph Hotel

Gisborne Telegraph Hotel

19 Hamilton St, Gisborne

When? 16 June 2023
www.telegraphhotel.com.au

VENUE

Heading into Gisborne from the Calder, the old pub at the bottom of the hill hasn’t changed much in the past 10 years, still the fading  light green/dark green facade with the slightly covered beer garden providing the outdoor shelter (not so much in June in Victoria!).  No problems with parking with the Aldi next door.

Inside,  the pub is neatly set out, with a number of rooms – sports bar, function, dining area – the exposed brick, fireplaces still  there, with the only change noticeable the moving of the dining room to a much wider area, which doubles as a stage for live events.

TAB yes, Pokies no.

You can’t knock the Telegraph for not having a crack!.  Just some of the events coming up are;  Megan Anne, Psychic Medium in July, Shazzas Wheel, Drag Bingo.  Yes there are Parma/Burger nights, and of course Live Music and Trivia.

A splendid meal deal comes Mondays: two Eye fillets,  two glasses of Mitchelton Shiraz for $50.  Very fair shopping.

Food and drink can be split into two fold. The standard pub menu is predictable and has no issues with price. It’s a well trodden path of hits and memories.

The “Steakout” sounds fabulous with higher quality beef and seafood offerings (priced higher), but Bone Marrow, Eye Fillet and Moreton Bay Bug, Bay of Fires Oysters, offer batter level again. Sadly this was unavailable when visiting.

Wine list is small and familiar and overall, the Telegraph ticks over nicely.

FOOD/DRINK

Plenty on the “main” dining menu that covers all bases, i.e, 3 Dips, Chicken Ribs, Breads in the entrees, Parmas, Roast, Steak Sanga, Pasta in the mains (all priced around $22).

While the steaks (naturally) are priced higher, a fully plated 750g Rump, or the “Meat Massacre”, Steak, Sausages, Bacon, Eggs, Chips weigh in at $43/45 respectively.  Be my guest. A couple of specials were available with Chicken Kiev, Chat potatoes, Beans at $27, or Atlantic Salmon, Citrus Sauce, Mash @$30.

Carlton draught is well presented and at $6/pot is reasonable.  Mitchelton Cab Sav was the wine of the month, priced reasonab;e for the Cab Sav at $10/gl.

The average prices are;

• Entrees – $12
• Mains – $22 (steaks higher)
• Dessert – $12

Tried was;

• Sticky Pork Ribs, $15. Nice sweet/ sour coating of very meaty ribs, big serve, kicked off things very well. Good starter,
• Bangers mash, RWJ. $22. Two thin, standard sausages arrive, with a decent splodge of mash and way too much RWJ.  Given the location of the pub in the Macedon Ranges and the quality of smallgoods available, think this meal can find another gear. Ok,
• Rump, 350g, Wedges, Veg, (substitued in). $27.  Steak was very good, cooked rare as requested. Big Tick.  However the vegetables arrive too watery (frozen and run through microwave??) which let down a very good pub meal.

SUMMARY

One thing is inarguable with pubs like the Telegraph that are owner/operator doing their best in smaller country towns: it is the community connection that it has with an array of local clubs and on this Sunday it was no different. 1.30PM, local football and netball kids, with coaches, enthusiastically came in for a meal and debrief about the morning’s activities.

This is just another reason why the pubs are much loved in places like Gisborne. The website proudly invites all to have  any type of function through fundraisers, wakes,  cocktail parties, etc, and all done without pokies.

Would love to have tried the Steakout, but not offered this day and so it was the fairly stock standard pub menu doing the heavy lifting.

It was passable enough, save for a shortcut mentioned above (might want to get rid of it), with the great staff doing their best,  and happy locals everywhere.

SCORE: 12.6/20