Pub of the Week: Clifton Hill Hotel, Clifton Hill
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Clifton Hill Hotel
Where: 89 Queens Pde, Clifton Hill
Phone: 9489 8705
Internet: www.thecliftonhillhotel.com.au
SCORE: 13.9/20
NOVEMBER 14
VENUE: Beautiful old world corner pub, made up from many parts, Clifton Hill Hotel in every aspect is a microcosm of this suburb and indeed is a perfect fit.
It’s another bitterly cold Melbourne day in November, and you want to be inside here when you clap eyes on it.
Double storey, sandy colored brickwork, leadlight Windows appeal; it feels Irish with a small front bar, fireplace, wooden tables and chairs on the perimeter.
Further on however, is a large modern dining room, functioning in-house brewery, through to a large space designed for pizza making (note everything done from scratch, 48 hour proofing, it’s not dressing up an imported pizza base), and a most quaint beer garden.
Upstairs for functions, any size, and the package is complete.
Tab: No
Pokies: No
The pub really has a crack with open mic and trivia, but specials nights e.g, Mondays – $25 steaks, Wednesday – $20 parmas, Thursday – $20 pizzas.
Happy Hour – weekdays 4pm to 6pm + bonus hour until 7pm Fridays. Sundays encompass everything, with $20 jugs, pizzas, spritz’s for a perfect Sunday session.
There are five styles of beer made on premises, Queens Parade Pale ($7.5/pot) was the chosen one and very good.
This is an extensive menu, augmented by 12 pizzas (meatball $26, smoked mozzarella, tomato, cheese, house made meatballs), with entrees including spiced cauliflower popcorn ($15), mushroom arancini, truffle mayo (5/$16).
Pork and fennel sausages (two and very large), bacon, mash, onion gravy ($28) are wonderful.
Pork belly, cider braised cabbage, mustard mash ($34), full whack burger and chips ($27) are but a sample of what’s on offer.
Fully plated 300g sirloin @ $45 (C&S, or mash/veg, plus sauce) is the entry level for steak.
Small wine list is offered, O’Leary Walker Riesling is again another fair offer here @ $14pg.
HIGHLIGHT/S:
Main. Dark ale, beef cheek, $38. Arriving plated with Paris mash, and broccolini, the cheek is a massive, rich, falling apart with a mere touch, easily shared, and leaving one and all comfortably full. Generously served, very fairly priced.
Something Different to Eat: Entree: Roasted garlic prawns, garlic butter, feta, tomato, focaccia (6/$24).
Medium sized meaty prawns, rich buttery broth, great flavours, and mopped up with a large, charred, thick piece of focaccia, making this a most tasty and filling starter.
Surcharges: None displayed.
Summary: Solid citizen, embracing all things good about a pub, summarised as, welcome, comfort, communal, with good food and drink.
In a hospitality landscape such as Clifton Hill, unless you are reading the play, you may well find your offer not hitting the mark and certain mortality looms large.
Here though, along with its pub neighbour Terminus further down Queens Parade, (Normanby long gone), the Clifton got it right from the start, helped significantly by smart operators of long standing in the game.
Good pub, no faults, easy to enjoy.