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The Montague Hotel

Where: 355 Park St, South Melbourne

Phone: 9645 9483

Internet: www.themontague.com.au

SCORE: 14.5/20

JUNE 19

VENUE: The Montague has been reviewed around four times (last post covid) over a 30 year period. Set in Park St, South Melb/Albert Park – ish, this is a straightforward set up. Two stories/two rooms/one beautiful footpath for dining.

Understated recent refurbish and that’s pretty much it. Later trading Mon Tues (4pm), then full on from Wednesday. In spite of uneven trading over this period, the last five years has seen this pub rise to what it really is: simply put a great Melbourne Pub providing fine and welcome hospitality at a better level.

Much kudos goes to Ballarat publican David Canny who resurrected its fortunes and passed the baton on to his employees, now running the Montague in their own right.

Like most Sundays, Melbourne pubs shine and the Montague came into its own on a recent cold and wet day of the Sabbath. The cadence with service was obvious: Not a beat was missed from explaining the menus, taking orders and delivering the food and drink with proper table serve, with dining tables properly set out. Table service was a given. A beat was not missed.

Sport flowed unobtrusively on the small screens dotted throughout the larger dining room, and the buzz was happy and loud. The smallish bar served both rooms and served as its focal point.

Menus are presented and discussed with much zeal and appeal. Everyone seems happy. The push to corporatise pubs is inexorable: it is still most reassuring that a place exists for the small owner/operator to thrive and prosper. The Montague confirms the latter absolutely.

MENU: This is a smart, punchy menu at all levels, with 10 starters/mains and five desserts. A separate section is set aside for steaks.

Kicking off there are mac and cheese croquettes with chipotle aioli (3/$14), crispy calamari with preserved lemon aioli and caper dust (yep) $15, or oven baked scallops with parsley butter and chorizo jam (3/20).

Mains offer traditional favs like half roast Hazeldene chicken with chips, green salad and red wine jus, $32, spaghetti with prawns, chilli, garlic and parsley, $32. Chicken parma fully plated is $32.

There are five wines red/white offered per glass, with an expansive per bottle offering. Leo Buring Riesling forever is as bankable as any wine, and very reasonable at $12pg.

Fine Carlton Draught from a small range of taps is very good. $7/pot.

Average Prices:
Entrees/Starters: $18
Mains: $33 (steaks from $38)
Desserts: $15
Surcharges: Cards, yes. Sunday, no. Public holidays, 20 per cent
Beer: Carlton D pot, $7
Wine: $14pg
Roast: Yes, $32
Tab: No
Pokies: No

Jack Ginnivan Steak Index (JGSI): This week; Montague, South Melbourne. 250g Josdale Black Angus Porterhouse, $38. Includes chips/salad. Sauce extra.

HIGHLIGHT/S:

Main: Pork and fennel sausages, $34. Served with mash, peas, red wine jus, onion jam. This was a perfect example of how this dish is presented. The meat is tightly packed, fennel not overpowering but noticeable, the cast supporting these wonderful snags all in harmony.

Like the Sunday roast where the back up band is as important to the star of the show, same deal with the pub bangers. Really good.

Something Different to Eat: Small tempura prawns, Thai green curry mayo (4/$18). A combination rarely put together in pubs, but worked a treat. Tempura is fickle in pubs; here the light crispness was spot on.

Summary: The most misapplied word in the English language is laconic. It means, short/sharp/concise. Not, as many in sports media suggest, easy going, relaxed etc.

When a pub operates effectively and on point, it is a thing of beauty. This pub delivers everything in an effective and laconic manner. Food/drink/hospitality with a minimum of fuss.

This iteration of the Montague has the right service in spades.