Pub of the Week: Sporting Club Hotel, Brunswick
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Sporting Club Hotel
Where: 27 Weston St, Brunswick
Phone: 9380 8777
Internet: sportingclubhotel.au
SCORE: 14.6/20
AUGUST 22
VENUE: For a pub that has enjoyed a number of aliases over the journey, e.g Charles Weston, Fox Hat, the 2025 version of this establishment, Sporting Club (which it also traded as some time before) is totally flying.
With just the merest tidying/opening up, this grand ol’ boozer with deep and rich heritage colours inside, spankingly good front bar on entering, fireplace roaring, it is easy to park there for a few hours.
But then you miss out on a discreet back bar, exposed kitchen going full tilt, a cosy and warm dining area and a courtyard with Pyramid Gas heaters ablaze.
You want to be there, and on entering the left hand side tells the right hand side of the brain, yes, you’ve made the right choice.
Not surprising given the young-ish group of partners have had success with nearby pubs like The Royal Oak and Marquis of Lorne. This is modern pub hospitality that people have gravitated to in numbers.
Reflection of this are the food and drink menus, although I have one or two small miss-givings.
TAB: No
Pokies: No
Let’s start with entrees. Hot smoked trout hash brown $8/1pc. Rich mix of smoked trout sits atop of a rectangular HB, rich, filling and a great share. Warm salad of BBQ squid, n’duja, chickpeas and preserved lemon, $24.
For a starter, the flavour combination is fabulous, knocking the old pub fav of S&P Calamari into another stratosphere.
Mains offer a schnitty ($28) and cheese burger (29), but go deeper and try the coconut and turmeric fish curry w/thai eggplant and rice ($38) or try “Pasta Fazool”; casarecce w/braised beans, pancetta, broccoli leaf and parmesan ($30), this style immortalized in the Dean Martin standard “that’s amore”.
This is quality eating in a pub.
Excellent beer on tap – CD $7/pot, and different wine list highlighted by the quaint Defialy ‘Not Quite White’ Vermentino/Falanghina @$14/pg. (Fun Fact: The vineyard is an acronym that was said to him when younger: Don’t ever forget I always love you. Quaint.)
Two strange things happened in service. When swapping from white to red, I was asked if I wanted to stick with the same glass? Um, Yes.
Also no offer to remove the cutlery after entree. Strange, as we were told, when removed, that we were lucky to get the last set of said knife and fork. Little drive-by?
HIGHLIGHT/S:
Entree. Crispy Crumbed prawn cutlets w/soy chilli mayo $24. What a beauty! Six good sized prawns, a great mix of flavours in the dipper and the secret ingredient, crushed prawn crackers as part of the coating. Generous and one of the best tried this year.
Something Different to Eat: Roast of the day, $35. Rolled lamb w/green beans, brown butter, almond/salted lemon, mint sauce, yorkie. Everything on the plate was great, the moist lamb a standout, the mint sauce wonderful.
Maybe it’s me, but what a strange combination in support. No roast potato (yes if you want to stump up another $12), pumpkin, carrot, cauliflower etc. Standard.
In musical terms, this combination is more prog- rock with 15 minute solos, rather than top 40. But as I said, I’m the one who may be out of touch.
Surcharges: None shown.
Summary: The Sporting Club, Brunswick, has always been a good pub, but this is its best iteration.
Knowledgeable young operators, who have worked hard to achieve success, have delivered again, rewarded by full house when they trade, especially later in the week.
In essence, the basics of a pub are here, be it $20 parma night, Tuesdays, discounted lunch meals, diverse food and drink offers but above all created an all ages, genuine place of community.
While there’s still a chill in the air (pubs are best when it’s like that), fireplace going, head there for a wonderful experience. Best times still ahead for the Sporting Club.
Image: iStock