Pub: Glenferrie Hotel
Where: 324 Burwood Rd., Hawthorn
Phone: 9818 6530
Date:  23 October 2009
Score:  14.5/20

I walk in at 1pm, 22/10/09 and don’t believe what I see. It’s 2009 and “recessive times”, the most popular phrase this year alongside “ticking the boxes” is misplaced: indeed inappropriate.

Do I see diners, in numbers, before me? Or have I been transported in the Tardis to the heady, hedonistic days of, ooh, say 2005? People having lunch, in numbers, at a pub, mid-week?

Yes it is true as the metaphorical canary in the coalmine glides gracefully past. I hereby declare the recession over m’lud.

This year, no make it the last two, have been interesting times for pub owners, as valuations fuelled by property and pokies have seen them change hands at exorbitant prices with many having to be fire-saled; pity the poor superannuants.

From my POV, people numbers appear to have remained steady (night-times OK), but lunch in dining rooms resembled ghost-towns.

But this wasn’t the case at the Glenferrie. First, the cream and green tiled façade looks fabulous old world Victorian. Inside, with a large front bar, two large areas for dining, leather couches, beer garden and small “theatrette” (once seen you’ll know what I mean), this screams “come in”.

Hospitality 101 is in spades. For sure plenty spent on the renovation, but not on the back of pokies – indeed the Glenferrie ran with them for a short time and ditched them. Staff is on the ball from the get go.

From students, to suits, to a mothers group (10 with babies enjoying a chat and coffee), a clear statement is made that this is a genuine local for the locals.

Beer, $4 a pot (hmmm) comes clean and fresh, although a tad over the odds for mine. This is not a straight up and down food option either. Choice is plentiful, including a gun range of smaller plates. Chorizo, canelli bean dip, with grilled ciabbata ($12) confirm a real thought to the way the offer is made.

Other smaller plates, e.g., house made terrine, falafel balls, black pudding, do not tow a tired standard suburban pub production line of entrees.

Mains read beautifully from the menu. As you know I have an aversion to pub risottos and only a few pubs pull off this popular, yet delicate dish.

For $19, I had a creamy, smokey, rich, moist dish of mushroom (swiss brown) with duck. Chunky, rustic but oh so tasty. Good buy.

The other main was a Beef Wellington ($24), potato roesti, and vegetables. Again a dish offered by a few, but can be hit and miss. I thought the meat was slightly overdone, but far from fatal. Put it this way, none was left on the plate.

And even a dessert was tried. Shared was piece of banoffee pie - $6.90. I know I shouldn’t but the mix of toffee and banana, topped with fresh cream, thin pastry base was irresistible.

Jim Barry “3 Little Pigs” was the wine on special at $29. What a neat mix of shiraz/cab/malbec provided to the customer at a sensible, uninflated mark-up.

Clearly I like the pub, but there is more to it than that.  The easy, facile option of giving the punters “what we want”, could easily be adopted there. Lets face it the area is captive to the whim of the owners.

Joyfully, the inverse applies and the evidence is there when I went. After its short closure, the time getting the complete package right has come together, exceeding everyone’s expectations.

Now the trick is to extend this thinking beyond Glenferrie Rd. It can be done; the Glenferrie has proved this.

3AW Pub Of The Week 2009

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