Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Sarah Sands Hotel, Brunswick

Sarah Sands Hotel

29 Sydney Road, Brunswick.
8563 0052

When? February 24, 2023.
www.sarahsandshotel.com.au 

VENUE

Facing an uncertain future a couple of years ago, the Sarah Sands has come back to life and,  staffed by an outstanding young crew, the ‘old boy’ is firing very sweetly.

Depending on your last visit, the layout will bear no reflection of its colourful past.

Trading 7 days per week, Midday to around 10pm, the Sarah’s main activities  happen on ground level where, to pass the time waiting for someone,  you can observe the rather audacious driving habits of those coming up Royal Pde trying to change lanes to get into Sydney Rd.

Total modern fitout, polished floorboards, sandblasted brick walls, the brand spanking new bar serves up fine draughts, with the dining  tables set away from there, comfortably spaced.

Upstairs is a functions area/cocktail bar, with colourful murals adorning the walls and it is here (and clever too), the footy/trivia and other communal events are held.

No TAB/No Pokies.

Generous happy hour, M-F from 5-7pm, decent reduction in prices on Parmas (mon),  Steak (Tues) and Trivia (Wed), with a Full Whack Roast, all trimmings (Sun), the Sarah Sands is staying as true to its roots as it can under new ownership.

There is so much to like about this new version of a much loved pub:  Sarah Sands, Brunswick.

FOOD/DRINK

The Sarah is run by AVC, whose astonishing rate of  acquisitions do not look like abating and they set themselves a higher standard in both level of service and quality of dining. And mostly succeed at it too.

Crispy Haloumi, apple, honey, tarragon (16), Chicken tenders, buttered hot sauce, pickles, aioli, (16), Pumpkin Arancini (16) are some of the entrees,  while Lamb and Ricotta Gnocchi (27), Crumbed Pork Cutlet w/ capers, apple slaw, chips, vinegar salt (30) go with favourites like Wagyu Beef Burger, (24),  Chicken parma (27) and Fish and Chips, full whack, at $27.

Plenty of choice of commercial and craft beer, CD $7/pot, (well poured), but Brooklyn Lager, Stone and Wood, Kosciusko Pale are available. Wine choices tend to be common amongst AVC pubs, so you will find Edge of the World, Tempus Two, Coldsteam Hills offerings across all varietals.

The average prices are;

• Entrees – $16
• Mains – $28
• Dessert – $13

Tried was;

• Salt and Pepper Calamari, roasted garlic mayo, lemon, saltbush. $17. Fine representation of the popular starter. Light batter, crisp, plentiful, hot and tasty.  Even though one dish of calamari runs into the next, for sure this was served at a superior level. ,
• Steak and Ale Pie. $27. Proper pie, (not mass produced), good firm pastry encasing the beef and cheese mixture, mash and peas aplenty, the only slow was the RWJ, which was too salty for my palate,
• Rump Steak, chips, salad, pepper sauce. $24 (special, steak night, normally 36). Bargain. Tuesday is steak day from midday. This was an excellent piece of beef, (Jacks creek) good supporting cast, and like the rest of the dining experience was delivered by staff who genuinely loved their jobs. At that price, it represented real brilliant value.

SUMMARY:

Normally after a pub has had the makeover, the tell tale signs of …”I remember that, or, Great they still have that” tends to dominate the conversation.

When pub rock was king and WA bands like Loaded Dice and The Dugites would head East, the old Sarah was a popular venue, but any resemblance to those days, and indeed the reincarnation via an Irish Bridie O’Reilly’s  is coincidental.  The new Sarah is a modern, clean, ergonomically efficient pub, catering to the needs of the new inner North. And executed with style and spirit.

Having spoken before about the liberal application of “Icon” to basically anything over 10 years old, be assured that this pub deserves such praise.

In whatever form it trades, the Sarah Sands forever is an Icon of Melbourne pubs.

SCORE: 13.7/20