Pub of the Week: Sandbelt Club Hotel, Moorabbin
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Sandbelt Club Hotel
Where: 630 South Rd, Moorabbin
Phone: 9555 6869
Website: www.sandbelthotel.com.au
SCORE: 13.2/20
FEBRUARY 21
VENUE: Grand old warhorse in the south-east, the Sandbelt, formerly known as Southside Six, was home to the big pub rock acts of the late 70s onwards, when if the boys weren’t lighting up, the angelic interrogative of seeing your face again, was. (The mighty Rose Tattoo plays later in the year.)
Since the arrival of pokies and corporatisation of the pubs, (particularly in the ‘burbs), the Sandbelt has been part of a portfolio of either ALH/Matheson/Woolworths/Endeavour group of pubs, now in excess of 350.
These run to a formula and the Sandbelt is no different. Steady, solid, comprising big sports bars, space for live music and a large dining room. At a guess, 200 can be easily accommodated in any one sitting. A kid’s playroom is provided at the rear of the dining room.
Located in a semi industrial area of South Road, there’s plenty of parking in front. To the right on entering the pokies are located but don’t intrude if just dining is your thing. The set up is familiar and after ordering at the kitchen, food is brought to you.
Food menu offers the standard mix of starters, favourites, burgers. Given the buying for the Woolworths pubs is mostly uniform, the usual mix of grazier steaks dominate the landscape from 250g rump, fully plated ($32), to $46 for a 300g scotch fillet.
However credit to the kitchen as a range of daily specials are added for choice, e.g, lobster thermidor, $28/55/half/full, accompanied by chips, salad and thermidor sauce.
Be assured not 10 years ago, it was rare, if not impossible for pubs to do their own specials at a big, corporate pub.
More fair play to the sensible pricing of wine at the Sandbelt, Chapel Hill Chardonnay at $9.5 per glass. Plenty to choose from and reasonably throughout. Tap beer follows a CUB path (CD, Vic, Dry, Northern).
Given the size of the pub, the quality of the taste was consistent and satisfying.
HIGHLIGHT/S:
– Pie of the day, lamb, mash, peas, onion rings, relish, $26. Big, meaty, tasty beast, very good mash. My taste only but never understand the onion ring additive! That said, this pie, fully encased, stands up with most pub offers.
Something Different to Eat: Duck spring rolls with goji berries. Apricot and strawberry compote, $15, a lot, and I mean a lot, going on there.
Surcharges: 10 per cent public holidays, no charge on cards.
Also: Pokies: Yes; Tab: Yes; Foxtel: Yes
Summary: Good example of a better level corporate pub, whose main calling card is gaming (10am-4am daily). The shift has been slow, but these bigger pubs get better and better each year.