Pub: Imperial Hotel

Where: 2-8 Bourke St Melbourne,
Phone: 9662 1007
Date: 7 May 2010
Score: 12.9/20
Internet: www.bourkestreetimperial.com.au

How appropriate that today’s pub, the Imperial, was once the site for a circus some 160 years ago, then a theatre, then some retail shops and finally in 1863, became a pub.

Pubs as circus and theatre: head into any in Victoria and you will certainly see a ringmaster (the publican), acrobats (staff bringing 4 plates to a table at once) clowns (you and me) and definitely someone acting up (you).

The Imperial holds a special part of Melbourne’s history and unless there is State legislation for it to be run as a pub only, its prominent location must have tempted many to acquire and change.

Indeed it is a dinosaur in the CBD as very few “pubs” trade as such nowadays, as “bars” dominate the landscape and be assured A BAR IS NOT A PUB.

Ok, the Imperial is in essence one largish space; the dining area is distinguished on the lower split level to the public bar. To my eye, not a great deal has changed since having a few beers in there before a screening of Alvin Purple in 1973.

Let me sum up the Imperial: wooden panels, typical pub carpet, bar as centrepiece with high levels of blue and white collar blokes having a few pots before an arduous afternoon of holding a sign or doing some filing in the Vic government. As I said, not much has changed.

But that’s fine by me. The Beer was very good with both major players represented and the food offering is well priced with a stack of options. A plus is the continuous offer of food from midday to 9pm.

In honour of the “Jersey Boys” playing but 50 metres up the road in Spring st., a Wednesday lunch specials menu is offered, all priced at $13, e.g., Frankie Valli pizza, “Walk like a man” burger etc.

I will sum up my view of the Imperial dining experience in 3 words; Good, Miss, Brutal.

Tried was;

- Frankie Valli pizza (why not!) – Wood oven pizza, thin base, capricciosa style – mushrooms, olives. Very nicely done and at $13 is about the right mark for mine although many standard pub pizzas are starting to punch into the high teens and that is too high. Good starter, shared and enjoyed.

- Lamb red thai curry in coconut @ $18.9. What a beauty. Meat tender, heat right, rice and warm bread complete a superior pub curry. Chef certainly knew what he was doing there.

- Pork schnitzel, mushroom sauce, chips, salad @ $19.9. I wanted to love this dish. Few, if any, pubs, do much pork so a tick there. No problems with the serving size either. But, it was overcooked, dark brown appearance, and as such the coating had an aftertaste that repeated on me for hours. Miss.

- Aerins Vineyard – GSM @ $35. MY fault here. Just a wine although the pork main may have been a factor to the lack of enjoyment of said blend. Priced absolutely to the mark.

And this is my issue with Imperial. Maybe I don’t know the top end of town market when it comes to a willingness to spend, but the pricing of wine was brutal and I am not dining at a posh “gastro” pub.

Leo Buring Riesling, $40, Secret Stone, $42, Ingoldby Cab Sav - $38 are all freely available commercial brands and while I accept the full retail mark-up, these prices could be lowered by $5-7/bottle and there is still a decent earn there.

Sermon over. The few pubs in town that are left are treasures that I hope never alter their course. The Imperial is a landmark pub and long may it continue to trade.

Tony's Pub Of The Week 2010

Tony Leonard is back again this year providing readers with reviews from all the pubs he visits on the Neil Mitchell program every Friday after 11:30am. Your home for all of the reviews - 3AW.com.au/pub2010. View all the reviews by clicking on Tony's image on the right.