Pub Of The Week: Tony Leonard reviews Hotel 520 on Sayers
Hotel 520 on Sayers
520 Sayers Road, Tarneit
9748 8520
Score: 13/20
April 6, 2018
VENUE:
First Review.
The Hotel 520 on Sayers (H520) is a relatively brand spanking new pub in the ever burgeoning mid-west, close enough to town, but seemingly worlds away from the CBD. Built on a large multi-purpose site – petrol, fast food, residential – the pub has been operating for over 2 years after a build of 3.
H520 does what big pubs in that 20km+ radius have ingrained in their DNA, with large function room for poker, music, receptions (the Aurora), large pokies and sports bar, large dining room/bistro (the Edesia), kids play room and drive through bottle.
Dripping with unintended irony is the note next to the kids entrance, reminding the little ‘uns to use their ‘inside voices’ whilst out there.
The overriding color here is Red, applied to nearly everything, (seats/walls) and it is comfortable. Food/Drink goes down the traditional big pubs’ path and the pub separates pricing for a lunch and dinner menu.
It is easy, straight up and down pub grub, and at lunch, provides some real value. Here’s a fact. When you head into the ‘burbs for a pub meal, if you don’t know what to expect then look to another option. The variation between most pubs that fit this category is minimal when it comes to choice. The difference between them is how it is executed.
To my mind, in comparing like for like, H520 serve its locals well in all aspects of hospitality.
MENU:
At lunch, whilst the choice of mains is limited, there are some good bargains and a full plates weighs in around $16-18.
It is a good pub grub and a 200g Porterhouse, chips/salad is $17, panko crumbed Flathead 417, and a Parma is $15. Night time sees more adventure with a Crispy snapper fillet ($34) and comes with new potatoes, fennel & caper salsa or Sage & parmesan crumbed Pork ($29) teamed with apple puree, lyonnaise potato, waldorf salsa. There is the Mini Munchies for 6-12 years ($12), and a Tiny Tots for under 5s.
Lunch : Entrees $ 7, mains $17, Desserts – as offered
Dinner. Entrees $8, mains $29, Desserts – $12
TRIED:
Butter Chicken Curry. , poppadoms, rice, mango chutney. $17. Good. Big rich spicy curry, generous serve, loved the mango chutney that had a real kick,
Almond and Lemon Crusted Barramundi, salad, fries. $17. Good. There is no doubt that the Barra that pubs access now is times superior to the mush that was everywhere a couple of years ago. This was a bargain. Crust supported the fish well, the salad and fries all good and at the right price,
Carbonara, bacon, mushrooms, parmesan cream. $15. Not bad. As expected, a neat representation of this favorite, good balance between the flavours. The addition of mushrooms may surprise but they worked in well.
DRINK:
Popular brands dominate the taps and are presented in well cared for glassware. CD was $5.3 a pot and the taste was spot on. Wine list too treads a familial path with popular brands – Pepperjack $10/42, Squealing Pig 8/35 (tried and it is fine/well priced), with $24 for a bottle of Morgans SavB or Penfolds Mt Ida @$78, if you want to pony up for the special occasion.
SERVICE AND STYLE:
Plenty of people in on a public holiday Monday and the staff were both courteous and unobtrusive. In spite of the sheer size of the pub, there was a happy connect between staff and patrons which indicated plenty of repeat business.
SUMMARY:
H520 serves an expansive area so from the get go you should know what to expect. And without going all Bernard Salt on you, as the suburbs of Melbourne expand this is the new norm.
In the meantime the entertainment pull of cover/tribute bands//artists will be part of the pub and in the future, there is a Countdown tribute, Sounds of the 80s, and Tusk (Fleetwood mac), Adele (Adele tribute) and many more. Good fun and a cheap night out to be had.
In closing, I did note that there is a dress code for the bistro and man is it expansive. No singlets, tank tops, thongs, board shorts, trakkie daks (I broke that one) hats (yep), trade wear.
You have been advised!