Emilia reviews a new Melbourne bar recently featured in the Rumour File!

Click PLAY to hear Emila’s full review on 3AW Breakfast

So, we broke on the Rumour File two weeks ago that the much anticipated Moon Dog Wild West’s grand opening was delayed thanks to a fire hydrant. Well, last Friday they finally got their opening they deserved, with 9000 patrons yee-hawing through Moon Dog’s saloon doors on their opening weekend. 

There’s a good reason that there’s plenty of interest. If you haven’t yet heard, Moon Dog Wild West is housed in Franco Cozzo’s old Foot-a-scray furniture store. I was a little disappointed to not see a bit more of a nod to the gaudy style and big Cozzo personality. Instead they’ve swapped it for honky-tonk, cow-person-themed Tex-Mex restaurant with their iconic Moon Dog beers and seltzers on tap…over 100 taps that is. That will fit up to 800 patrons.

The fit out is pretty mammoth with the bottom floor with dining seating as well as stools sat around for a bar, to watch the mechanical bull riding and even arcade games downstairs. We sat upstairs on a Tuesday, Trivia night (even scoring third place, thank you very much). They made it clear they were still ironing things out; lots of new staff, learning lots of new systems.

So- the menu, I found out when I sat down that the T bone steak and ribs I’d seen in the promo shots were not yet on the menu as they are still settling into the new place, it will be coming eventually so just hold your horses…see what I did there. Sorry. 

Instead, we tried all the sharing items, a little bit of everything so we could get a good gauge on what to advise you guys to order, a true sacrifice for our listeners, I know.

I’ll start at my favourite bits: Jalapeño Poppers oozed with cheese filling as I bit into the unassuming crumbed shape, lapped in ranch dipping sauce. Crispy Pork Belly in a bit of a salad; avocado, cucumber, tomato and red onion salsa, chilli verde, coriander.

We tried their two tacos on their menu, my favourite of the two was the Double Decker Pulled Beef Tacos which as he name suggests has a jacket on a hard taco: A soft tacos, wrapping a hard taco, slow cooked beef, frijoles, lettuce, Mexican cheese, salsa. The beef was tender and flavourful and I loved the surprise of the second layer of taco, I’m such a big fan of a crunch with otherwise soft ingredients. I also tried the Crispy Baja Fish Tacos with Shredded lettuce, Baja sauce, pickled onion, lime. I can’t resist a well made fish taco and this one was quite expertly made, lettuce must always be the last ingredient in any taco.

We tried the Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich which used Buffalo dipped chicken and pickles, slaw in the sandwich (which really was a burger) and a side of chips. I’m not sure they got the delicate construction of such a crunchy chicken with softer stuffings down pat yet because I ended up with most of it back on the plate. The flavours were delicious though and the chips were elite. At $27 for a sandwich and chips I thought it was on the pricier end as far as I’m concerned. 

Shout out to the char grilled corn and broccolini which were the perfect, fresh cut-through to lots of bold flavours.

HOT TIP: There’s a parking complex across the road at Barkly St with free parking for the first two hours. Otherwise you’ll be finding street parking

My advice, the food was good but stick to the picky bits for now. If you’re a local or even want to check it out for a drink and a small bite, by all means you’ll have a ball but if you’re travelling to check it out hold off until the kinks are ironed out. The potential and their previous venues speaks for themselves but give them time to become a well oiled machine.

Moon Dog Wild West

54 Hopkins St

Footscray