The Australian Hotel – The Rocks
No-one loves cocktails more than Bar Zine but we’ll always have a soft spot for the old atmospheric pubs that still survive in The Rocks, and one of the most underrated is The Australian.
Built in 1914, this Edwardian-style building has two levels for you to soak in the wood paneling and alcohol plus there’s also outdoor seating (which we prefer in summer, provided there’s a breeze). But enough about the décor – let’s talk about liquor.
For this writer the pub has a double whammy in the nostalgia department as it’s the only pub we’ve seen that sells KB beer (in the can). This is a beer I remember seeing as a kid and assumed had gone the way of the dodo and key parties. To trip down memory lane we give it at a try and at the risk of alienating our more discerning readers we have to admit … it’s not a bad beer. In fact, we prefer it over Scharers Bock, which is one of the boutique beers on tap that the pub is proud of (at least, they advertise Scharers on their front window). Black as night in colour but less dense than Guinness, it’s also harsher and more bitter in flavour and – well, let’s just say we’re not a fan. There’s also a Scharer lager on tap which we’ll try on our next visit.
The main culinary attraction here seems to be the pizzas (from $14) and pies (from $15) but we opt for the Aussie Sausage Sandwich ($14). The menu says it’s made of Blue Mountain pork and rosemary sausages (although to be honest we couldn’t really taste the rosemary) served in a sourdough sandwich with a mixed leaf salad, with wedges and red onion and tomato chutney on the side.
The sandwich is good although the sweetness of the sun-dried tomato that’s also thrown in stands out too much, but enough with the criticism: we’re still happy with the sandwich. Besides, let’s call a spade a spade: no-one goes to an old Aussie pub for haute cuisine and if you want a great place to down a few beers then we certainly recommend The Australian.
The Australian Heritage Hotel, 100 Cumberland Street, The Rocks. Phone 02 9247 2229, see The Australian Heritage Hotel website
Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Australian Heritage Hotel?
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