Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Albion Hotel, Kyneton

Albion Hotel

5422 2066
www.thealbionhotelkyneton.com.au

Where? 41 Mollison Street, Kyneton.

When? July 9, 2021.

VENUE

Impossibly good looking two-storey brick pub (next to the RSL), the Albion sits perfectly between Kyneton’s high end food scene and pub hospitality in a fabulous regional Victoria hotel.

The excellent lace work from the balcony, the wooden venetians at street level, glorious sandy brick exterior, invites you in.

Small comfy old world front bar to the left to stand and have one, elevated tables and chairs dot the perimeter with standard dining seating in the one area, separated by a large heater. The internal brickwork is sharp and perfect. Upstairs for a function, beer garden to the rear, this pub looks good.

And it delivers. The staff is willing, polite and busy but never intrudes. As good as anywhere in a pub. The adherence to cleanliness (Covid) confirms again, that this pub (along with its brethren) take this responsibility seriously.

No pokies, no TAB (across the road to the RSL if that’s what you like), just very good service and hospitality. The food is priced right for the quality, plated generously, and proximity to Melbourne makes the Albion one to consider when next out and about and looking for a few hours away from town to spend a few dollars.

On a Wednesday afternoon, its popularity is confirmed with the pub shooting the lights out.

Go and you will see why: The Albion, Kyneton.

FOOD/DRINK

All the favs from a great pub menu are offered, with a sharper edge to elevate. Salt & Pepper Calamari with tom-yum, mayo, fresh lime & crispy herbs (18), or a homemade dips with turkish bread (16) gets things off to a great start.

You will be familiar with most of the mains but with generous plating and nice touches, makes for a most enjoyable meal. Braised lamb sausage, root veg casserole (28), sits comfortably alongside a thick tile of Atlantic Salmon, crushed potatoes, broccolini, caper butter (29). A couple of Steaks, Curries and Vegetarian offers make up a fine pub menu.

One of the best bargains I have witnessed is here at the Albion from the wine selection. One of Victoria’s

best loved Rieslings – Knights Granite Hills – is 8.4/glass//42/btle. This is a small markup on retail. Well done. Very Good Carlton draught supports the package.

The average prices are;

• Entrees – $14
• Mains – $27
• Dessert – $14

Tried was;

• Crispy Fried BBQ Chicken Wings, $17.00. 4 massive buffalo wings arrive, (then split into 8 meaty pieces), with the perfect trick of an asian flavoured crisp skin and moist flesh underneath. Supported by a creamy slaw and dressing, this entree was executed as well of its type.
• Fish & Chips with caper & dill mayo, fresh lemon & salad. $25.00. Two big fillets of hake with a crisp, almost tempura-like batter encasing them, stayed hot, like the chips, to the finish. Good stuff.
• Rib-Eye 300g with beer battered fries, green salad, mushroom. $40.00. MR as ordered, rich piece, easily cut (no need for the steak knife), with the backing band excelling in freshness. The mushroom sauce was a treat.

SUMMARY

For at least 15 years, probably more, Kyneton has been one of the areas of Victoria that is a ‘go to’ for a better level of regional food and drink.

Congrats to the forward thinker/s that identified this back then with both its proximity to Melbourne (around 1 hr) and to Central Victoria for produce, making it so desirable. Look up Piper St. and see how many different food and drink offerings are contained in this strip, including the much revered Royal George Hotel.

But it also has some traditional pubs (as we would know them) also and this is where the Albion shines. Great look and feel of a pub inside; backed up by smart pub grub to have wide appeal.

An excellent example of a pub in regional Victoria, but close enough to town.

SCORE: 15/20