Pub: Woolshed Pub
Where: Shed 9, 161 Harbour Esp, Docklands
Phone: 8623 9640
Date: 23 April 2010
Score: 14.6/20
Internet: woolshedpub.com.au

One long belief of mine is that Melburnians have never done water particularly well when it comes to pubs and restaurants.

Think about it. Until 15 years ago, the Yarra and accompanying surrounds was not used in any promotion of our town and as for the Bay, well, how could we even think of eulogising it in the glorious prose afforded to the Harbour to the near north.

Even now, a glance through the pages of the top restaurant guides of Australia and water and Melbourne are mutually exclusive.

Here’s a theory – Most pubs by the water are South/Bayside and while there are some neat ones (Bridge/Mordialloc, Sorrento/Sorrento), they tend to run to a one size fits all formula with points of difference arcane at best

If you are prepared to extend the CBD to the Docklands then Melbourne’s newest pub, is the Woolshed Pub in the shadows of Channel 7 and Etihad Stadium. An absolute bonus for the pub is its visibility from Harbour Esplanade.

And here’s the kicker; The Woolshed embraces the water with stunning views of the south of the harbour, while the northern aspect catches the afternoon rays all in the comfort of a well partitioned outside area.

The converted wool store is cavernous but with the ground floor dining at the front facing the esplanade (and your first visual), the first impression is that the Woolshed is busy and bustling.

Inside, the large bar is adorned by giant plasmas, (Ronnie O putting someone to the sword in the world snooker championships), plenty of couches, tables to dine and chat and in a short space of time, has successfully moved down a traditional pub path where the nightclub option could easily have been taken.

It is fabulously modern, will have a wonderful restaurant running upstairs shortly, while still providing a good pub offering for those wanting a beer and bite before heading over the road to the footy.

On a warmish Thursday, I decided to have a seat outside. Normally I hate this but with the nearest tram 50 metres away, I knew that I could eat peacefully. Table service is a given. $4/pot of draught is very fair shopping.

Entrees on average are priced mid-teens, and have a point of difference e.g., Zucchini and goats cheese fritters (13), chilli salted squid, red pepper and almond salsa (14) while oysters are priced at a sensible 2.5 ea.

I love fish and chips. At $22, this meal consisted of 4 hot, fleshy, tasty fillets, chips, salad, and a house made tartare. Good shopping at that price.

The porterhouse is a 300g piece of beef ($26) with a bistro butter, hand cut chips (pub uses russet burbank) and salad. Sauce costs an extra $3 (a nit-pick but surely make it an all inclusive at say $1.50 extra, anyway).

The meat was wonderful, and the pub didn’t take an easy option by using commercially available pre-cut spuds.

Veal Parma with mozzarella, tomato, provelone with salad (no chips) is $23, Lamb Pie with Rosemary Parsley Tomato garlic (18), duck leg confit, potato and onion gratin (26) are fairly priced, pub options.

Gioiello Estate Chardonnay (upper Goulburn) was priced at $49, which is a little out of my price range but to be fair was an excellent drop of a much unloved grape. The Woolshed has another chardonnay from Gioiello at $38.  The wine list doesn’t run to a formula and has plenty to chose from in the $30’s, which is about the standard now.

I shared a sticky date pud, butterscotch sauce and vanilla bean ice cream ($12) to finish and it is a dish for at least 2, maybe 3.

Any new dining venture in the Docklands is fraught with danger from two points of view; one the oversupply and two the weather.

However the location is outstanding, the attention to detail demands you to go in just out of curiosity, but moreover, the offer from The Woolshed, equals, at a minimum, any pub in the (new) CBD.

Will get even better in the next 12 months, but why wait? Go now.

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.