Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews Hotel South Melbourne
Hotel South Melbourne
160 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne.
9056 5569
When? August 11, 2023.
www.hotelsouthmelbourne.com
VENUE
A regular fixture with many aliases, Hotel South Melbourne (HSM) in Clarendon St has reopened and early indications are the new operators are off to a bright start.
For years it traded as the Star, and more recently The Market (which had the distinguishing feature of a monstrous tree inside from floorboards to ceiling.
There’s a good story about the new ‘Guvnors’.
Opening up a micro-brewery in Diamond Creek, Golden Hills, (directly opposite the station), and turning that venue into a bar/diner/brewery, 7 days a week, the team branches out and takes over the running of this 2 storey pub and have invested a significant amount on the refurb with polished wooden floors, brand new chairs and a light, airy paint over the brickwork. Pale Green Bar on ground floor is a stunner. Upstairs is devoted to functions of all sorts but in keeping with all of the pub, it looks fabulous.
The tree has gone.
The menu reflects new and traditional eating in pubs and in keeping with many of its kind, there’s happy hours, trivia nights and “days” with specials.
By that I mean Steak Day/Parma Day, not just restricted to nights and an excellent Tuesday crowd at lunch enjoying a ripper bargain of Porterhouse at $25.
No TAB/No Pokies.
Wine list is extensive and varied and the beer is the full range of Golden Hills products e.g., Pale, Draughts etc., with a curious mix of Blood Plum and Feijoa sour if that’s your fancy.
Happy, welcoming staff work the floors and go out of their way to welcome. Early days at Hotel Sth Melbourne but a most confident start.
FOOD/DRINK
Small/large plates, Pizza, Pub Classics sums up the menu of many choices, and sharp touches elevating them also.
Beef Tartare, egg yolk, horseradish (22), Wild mushrooms, Stracciatella, Mint (22) and wonderful Grilled Shark Bay Scallops, lemon Butter (4/23) confirm a deft hand in the kitchen. The latter dish magnificent.
The classic path has most pub favorites. Chicken Parma, full plated is $28, ditto Fish and Chips, in their Golden Hills batter at $27. The large plates have some showstoppers, e.g., Slow roasted lamb, marinated eggplant, saltbush, romesco at $38.
What won me was an offer of 3 tastes of their craft beer, – lager, pale draught – before buying. Rarely happens with some many new chums available at pubs, so well done and thank you.
Wine list has a range of well thought out varietals from smaller producers. Freya Riesling, Eden Valley SA, (15pg/60 bottle) was chosen and thoroughly enjoyed.
The average prices are;
- Entrees – $18
- Mains – $28
- Dessert – $12
Tried was;
- Cacio e pepe croquettes, lemon aioli. ($14). What a good starter. Cheese and pepper, a beloved mix, are made in house and served hot and fresh. Very good. Great with any of the Golden Hills products.
- Porterhouse Steak 250g, chips, sal $25 on special. Bargain. Getting a full plated steak meal at this price is rare. Food was very good, just sat at the pass for a minute or two longer than needed and arrives room temperature. To be fair they were very busy ( one short ?). Easily done.
- Roast Chicken, leeks, miso butter, chicken skin. $29. Very filling, 4 large pieces of chicken, a little heavy on the leek/miso, (maybe something else in veg in support) but still enjoyable, and very fairly priced..
SUMMARY
Hotel South Melbourne has hit its stride and is off and running.
Again the slight mishap was being too long at the pass for the mains, but with the effort taking place (under pressure on that day), it doesn’t detract from the total hospitality package offered.
This is a great success story from the team at Golden Hills. The dream in getting a small brewery in the outer North up and running, to providing food 7 days a week there, to heading into town and showcasing your wares to a much larger audience.
It is hoped that independent operators like those at HSM continue on this upward spiral.
SCORE: 14/20