Pub of the Week: Guildford Family Hotel, Guildford
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Guildford Family Hotel
Where: 35 Fryers St, Guildford
Phone: 5473 4021
Internet: www.guildfordfamilyhotel.com.au
SCORE: 14.9/20
APRIL 4
VENUE: The Guildford Family Hotel (GFH), is another in a long line of great pubs in small regional towns that, in spite of a population (350ish), punches way above its weight that offers different and wonderful pub.
It has a congenial small front bar and a pretty dining bistro, big beer garden (dogs welcome), and staffed by people that love you from time of entering.
It’s a welcome the equal of any and once inside the GFH on the Castlemaine/Daylesford Road, and take block weighing up a cold beer or a red from Tellurian, Thorn-Clark or Hesketh, the rest comes easily after your drive (around 90 minutes from town).
The GFH could pass for any country pub, its well worn sandy facade a scene played out in number across the state, so establish a point of difference and play to your strengths. The team from the GFH do that part on the bit.
The dining room is a sight to behold; an eclectic mix of handmade, miniature colourful banjos and guitars adorning the brick walls, supported by prints of a similar theme. The wait staff insist: Stay there, it’s all table service.
The menus create real interest and proudly the lot is done from scratch from the kitchen.
Four starters, highlight is the pea, mint, halloumi fritter (4/$18). Teamed with a yoghurt dipping sauce, four big fritters arrive, tasty and fresh. The individual components create a flavour hit that encourages you to have another plate (you don’t, the menu is full of surprises).
Duck sausages, mash, peas, onion gravy ($36), braised pork belly, hoisin/plum sauce, rice/greens/sesame oil ($38) is a magnificent main with all the elements of belly – crispy, fatty, meaty – beautifully served.
There’s fish, vegetarian, chicken options in the mains, starting around $30, but these are big plates, easily shared.
Dessert: Hot chocolate pudding, oozing ganache, raspberry ($14) comes from a choice of three desserts, all of which look fabulous.
Small wine list – $12 per glass/$60 per bottle – is standard pricing across the range. Parker Brothers Cab Sav/Red Hill Chardonnay are consumed with ease.
HIGHLIGHT/S:
– Roast of the day ($30). To quote any of the British cooking shows, this was a proper roast. Pork, moist, plentiful, crackling and 10 vegetables, i.e, roast potato, pumpkin, cauliflower, carrot, peas, beans, broccoli, parsnip, onion, choko. As my favourite wrestler of all time Randy ‘The Macho Man’ Savage would simply say, “ooh yeah”.
Something Different to Eat: Not so much to eat, but head outside and visit the old jail enclosed in the beer garden. It was an area if too many were housed in Castlemaine. Not too many pubs could boast that!!
Surcharges: None on cards//10 per cent weekends//15 per cent public holidays.
Also: Pokies/Tab: No; Foxtel: Not sure
Summary: The GFH trades limited hours i.e, none Mon-Tues, 3-11pm Wed/Thurs/Fri, and longer Saturday/Sundays.
It’s no surprise really as the location is neither Castlemaine/Daylesford, so it is a destination pub from near and far.
But the effort to get there is well worth it. Simply if you don’t win the hearts and minds first time/every time, then a long, quiet day awaits in pubs. Especially in small towns.
But from the get go, it is a welcome like few can offer: both genuine/heartfelt. Good food and wine, old world feel and comfort with the saying/motto of the town’s favourite son, Ron Dale Barrassi, “if it is to be it’s up to me”, the calling card of the GFH.
**Note to Pub: Your homepage on the net hasn’t been updated to include the menu of food and drinks. Quite a few months have passed. Tell your story please.
Just a good afternoon was enjoyed at the Guilford Family Hotel. It is worth the drive from town.