Pub:                 The Prince Alfred Hotel

Where:             355 Bay St., Port Melbourne

Phone:             9646 6006
Date:               29 October 2010

Score:             14/20
internet:           www.princealfred.com.au

It is Thursday 28 October 2010, around 1pm; the first pointer to summer has finally arrived in Melbourne and it is unseasonably hot. The Bureau has predicted that we’ll see a modern version of Genesis, chapter 7, except that we get 40 days’ worth on Derby Day.

My destination is the water and the buzz about The Wharf Hotel, on the Yarra looking over at Jeff’s shed from the Trade Centre side, grows louder. It looks tricky to find, made even more difficult that it not trading that day due to a sink (or something) not having the right plug (or something) that Dept of Health (or whomever) want fixed. 

Can I come back tomorrow?  Ah, no.

I recall that it is ages (turns out to be 6 years) since PA’s in Port Melbourne has been reviewed and makes for an excellent fall back position.

I love Port pubs.  In the space a square kilometre, every style of pub, be it high end food, local boozer, hang out and look cool, is covered.  While the price of housing may be off the Richter in the borough, it is worth stumping up the extra if this is something you value.

The Prince Alfred is a neat mix of all styles.  Sufficient old school Port for the locals to come in and have a round or two, an interesting food and wine offer without paying over the top, while live music, trivia and DJ’s encourages a younger crowd to come along at nights, later in the week.

Like a number of inner suburban pubs, there are no pokies, no TAB, so it is on the back of hospitality that the pub survives, thrives or perishes.  Cameron Smith, the owner/operator is a young man by pub years  (and yes publicans age at a rate similar to man’s best friend) but has learned his trade quickly and well.

Really there aren’t any negatives here, except for the volume of so-called background music, in quiet pubs at lunch, is exacerbated today’s with some blues dirge about big momma kickin’ big daddy out of da house for seeing some ‘ho in da house of da rising sun  ( I make that up but you get the drift).

I won’t stop on this crusade, just lower the volume. Sermon over.  The pub serves brilliant draught in 7oz/200ml glasses.  Another sermon!!

The action takes place on the one (street) level. Staff is friendly.  Sealed concrete floor, bare wooden tables for dining are set to one side, pool tables to another, drinking area to a 3^rd side. This occurs as the large rectangular bar is the centrepiece and just given its size, allows the area to be nearly divided without walls or partitions. 

I like.

Table service is a bonus.  My guess is about 30-40 diners at once can be easily fed and an absolute plus is chilled water, fresh bread and a little pool of olive oil brought to the table.  Big tick.

From a most interesting menu (including a homemade chilli con carne beef pie floater) tried was;

• Homemade (3) prawn spring rolls (large) with a dipping sauce for $15.   Good eating  (a little expensive), very tasty filling, and best of all arrived hot,

• Seafood paella  ( two sizes- main $35, e$24), comprising prawns, mussels, calamari, fish, clams, with saffron infused rice.  This version was a little soupier than say the one served at the Robbie Burns in Fitzroy, but nonetheless was a good share and easily devoured.  Slight criticism was there wasn’t enough of the FOD.

• Altozano, (Spain) Tempranillo - $8.5/glass.  Very easy drinking.

The menu offers venison sausages, pork belly and confit duck leg, with an average price, mostly fully plated in the mid $20’s for mains.  From what appears to be the size of a suburban bedroom en-suite, the kitchen does very well in limited spaces.

My second observation (after a 6 year absence) is that in a very crowded and competitive market that is Port Melbourne, the Prince Alfred stands out because it has uncomplicated, straightforward approach to hospitality. Curiously, that is its Point of Difference.

All things to all people: It is a possibility.

Review: Skinny Dog Hotel

"The SDH plays it sure and steady with its offer; nothing outrageous to scare away the Indians but certainly nothing so remarkable as to stand out from its brethren either."