Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews the Yorkshire Hotel
Yorkshire Hotel
48 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford
9417 3088
Score: 13.5/20
May 25, 2018
VENUE:
Third Review. (last circa 2014).
Still ticking over beautifully, the Yorkshire (Stingo has been dropped) Hotel remains defiant in that increasingly endangered species in Melbourne known as the corner hotel.
This pub itself was close to going under but over the past decade with regular changes in operators, continues to deliver a better mix of food and drink in a pub setting; not as gorgeously grungy as some in the area, but more attuned to a traditional offer encouraging all ages that is easily liked.
Indeed the only main change is the carpet being taken up in the bar and exposing the concrete floor, and the moving of the kiosk TAB to a less intrusive area, (near the small takeaway bottle shop).
The exposed brick, lovely, spacious dining room, fireplaces and the excellent sheltered beer garden that doubles as live music area (the great Field, See, Mason are regulars), then the package offered by the Yorkshire remains as strong as ever.
Food is fairly priced and interesting to consider, as is the wine. If ticking the boxes as an expression is still in vogue, then consider the Yorkshire filling them all out and more.
May the Yorkshire continue to trade forever.
MENU:
For the last decade, the Yorkshire has taken Pub Grub staples, just tricked them up a wee bit without being overly clever, and delivered really interesting food. Something simple like glorious house made sausage rolls or Salt n Pepper Calamari, wild rocket, pear, hazelnuts, lemon, rouille ($16) as starts.
Good steaks (27-28), sit alongside Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi, heirloom tomatoes, basil pesto, goats curd, roast pumpkin (22). Nasi Goreng (second time in 3 weeks!!), is $20, Nepalese Goat Curry, rice and grilled paratha at $23.9 or a Parma, Tomato and Capsicum sauce, full plate, is #24.
Entrees/Shares 15, Mains 25, Desserts 12.
TRIED:
Steamed Pork Sticker Dumplings (5) sesame and soy, $13.50. Good. Prawn was the chosen dumplings and they delivered what you’d hoped for – hot, tasty, meaty, fresh, all supported in a treacle like dark sauce that clung onto the casing.
Crispy skinned pork belly, chilli caramel, master stock glaze, poached pear. $16.9. Good. All elements of good belly there, 3 good sized pieces and unsurprising that the attendant flavors teamed with a pear worked a treat. Try as entree or main,
Rump steak, 350g, fries and salad (or veg), pepper sauce. $27.9. Good. Cooked MR, as ordered, big slab of tasty meat, fair price, with a fresh salad of mixed leaves, right level of vinaigrette. This is a staple of pub dining as even if over cooked (it wasnt) it is near enough a failsafe cut.
DRINK:
Good old pubs know how serve great tap beer (and the better have 200ml/7oz glasses). They do here, with popular brands Carlton D, Melbourne Bitter doing the honors with the fine gear from Coldstream Brewers.
Wine choice is kept to a minimum, has some different offerings e.g., La Linea Rose, Boat O’Craigo Chard, and weighs in around the median price in pubs. Catalina Sounds S/B was chosen (45/bottle)
SERVICE AND STYLE:
New Owner/operators, TAB, no pokies, keeping the ever fading dream of local pubs in the inner suburbs alive. Table service, fire place, happy and attentive, the service here is what you would hope for anyway in hospitality.
SUMMARY:
The Yorkshire, in spite of a few operator changes in the past few years, continues to an excellent line in pub hospitality.
Indeed this pub could well have gone the way of other beloved hotels in the area, if not for the hard work of Alison a decade ago, a protege of the great publican Peter Giemza and since delivered better than average food and drink.
If you detect a melancholy note to this, you’re right. Some of its nearby neighbours in Collingwood/Abbotsford have either ceased to trade or are in a holding pattern that may or may not come back as corner pubs.
During the week (June 6), a story headlines the ever diminishing corner pub in the CBD and how tempting the redevelopment offers are.
That’s why we need more of these pubs, the Yorkshire a prime example, to continue trading.
Start singing Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’; you get the picture.