REVIEW: Rising Sun Hotel

Pub:          Rising Sun Hotel
Where:     395 Swan St., Richmond
Phone:        9427 9992
Date:         25 September 2009
Score:         13.5/20

The obsession with lists on all matters across every microcosm of life, seems to exponentially increase on a daily basis.

Let’s face it – what aren’t we rating or surveying?  From 20-1, (thanks Bert), we list the best and worst of this and that from the ‘most passionate kisses on the movie screen’, to the ‘most useless kitchen appliance ever made’ (Microwave Ovens – 1,2,3 for me!).

Same deals with pubs, and while I find rating everyday life-matters a bore, analysing pubs is far more interesting. One of the most visited sites is superparma.com.au (currently under re-construction) which was set up by a couple of young blokes whose love was all things chooks, cheese, coating and tomato sauce.

Undeniably it is Australia’s favouite pub dish and many a pub has proudly proclaimed they are rated a top 5 Parma by these boys.

On a slightly more esoteric path, I found myself wanting to go to a pub with the best fireplace on this unseasonally cold mid- September afternoon, pre- grand final.

The answer as simple, as not only does the Rising Sun have this,  of the best (and underappreciated features) of pub life, but all the basic, honest elements of a good old fashioned local are here in spades.

The publican, Pat Reardon, continues a family tradition of hotel keeping over 3 generations.  I know him well, and know him to know what makes a pub tick over.

The beer is lovingly cared for; it be the staple of any successful hotel.  The food is strictly old school, reasonably priced and set out in a comfortable dining room; replete with Tv’s covering all sports. The front bar is typical of its type; not some “sports bar’ which is part TAB, (a separate area houses this at the Riser) part pool hall, part games arcade.  

Sure they have all of the foregoing but it is set aside so if you want to catch up with a friend you can do without the fear of an errant pool cue dislodging your pot.

On this day, the fire was going 15 to the dozen and the neat blackboard had all bases covered. The rissoles (2 monsters) come with mash, peas, onion, gravy and bread and butter ($20). Devoured too quickly, they will repeat on your as surely as a Paul Keating tirade.  

Ooh, but they are tasty.  

Lambs fry and bacon ($19) still ranks as one the most popular. Lamb rump, with Greek salad ($21,  Scallops (17/25) continue a tried and true formula of giving the punters what they want without pushing a culinary boundary.

The pub is more Hey, Hey its Saturday than The Chaser.

Tried was;

•    300g rib-eye, fully plated with chips, salad and pepper sauce.  Cooked as ordered (M/r), you will find this cut up to $10 a plate more in some pubs but there’s no need to pay any more than what is charged at the Riser,

•    Veal and Pork sausages, mash, peas, onion, gravy, (2) for $19.  Not sure where they were sourced, but I haven’t seen snags that size.  Bread and butter to mop it all up and they scored a decisive points win over me,

•    Eldridge shiraz ($37). Good drop, supported the mains well, a fine Victorian Shiraz from Heathcote.

The Rising Sun has invested in a rooftop garden where wonderful of views of the Glen Waverly train line go hand in hand with the non-stop traffic crawl along Burnley St.  There’s a bit more to it than that, but it all fits in well!!

Not too many of this type of local exists and its success is due largely to the owner operator, who ensures the lessons learned from mater and pater  in the pub game years ago, don’t die in an avalanche of 5 golden rhinos.

Good solid citizen is The Rising Sun Hotel in Richmond.