Back to restaurant reviews
Corner Bourke Street and Spencer Street, Melbourne, 9629 4214
My score: 3/5
There are skanky old pubs, tricked up gastropubs and, somewhere in between, there’s the Savoy Tavern, a long-derelict 1970s public house that’s been polished into a bright, welcoming hangout. Opposite Southern Cross station, it’s a more appealing waiting room than the draughty platforms, especially with a basket of onion rings by your side. The Savoy is also a shoo-in for strategy meetings before matches at Etihad Stadium and, if you get too cosy to move, all games are screened live.
The beer is upscale, there’s a handy wine list, and the food is decent, within narrow parameters of fried stuff or stuff stuffed [sic subs please leave] in bread. The beef burger stays on message with a juicy enough patty, spongy roll, classic toppings and a generous handful of fries. A lamb shoulder roll tries a bit harder: the meat is slow-braised, stuffed in a long roll and topped with radish slices, peas and mint. Cauliflower salads with Middle Eastern leanings are all the rage but the Savoy’s isn’t a great example. The grilled florets are too big and almost raw and the tahini, pomegranate and sultana fixings are applied with a clumsy hand. Stick to the onion rings – hot, crisp, totally tasty. The food is cheap but it’s a complete steal from Monday to Thursday when $10 buys you a meal and a beer.
The Savoy is so comfortable that a bloke fell asleep last time I was there. The measure of the place is that the staff tactfully managed the situation. Other patrons included a recently manicured hen’s night crew, a clutch of conspiratorial fellows with a bottle of red, and chatty older couples with train tickets in hand. The mood was hale-fellow-well-met, reminding me of pubs pre-wagyu burgers, when you could play PacMan for 20 cents, and the carpet was flat and tacky from a million saunters to the bar and a million drops spilt on the way back. The Savoy channels all that without being self-consciously retro. It’s a great addition to a hitherto tavernless part of town.
See their website.
More pre-footy:
Persillade, 150 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, 9078 4056
Just over the road from the MCG, Persillade is a sophisticated place to consider the form, nibble on cheese or enjoy a beef burger that puts the MCG’s offerings to shame.
Mazzitelli, 144 Bridge Road, Richmond, 9427 1887
The walk to the MCG is just long enough to work off a plate of home-made pasta. Other options include freshly shucked oysters with blood orange and dill, or Italian toasties with cured meats.
Tulip Restaurant, Shop 9, 111 Pakington Street, Geelong, 5229 6953
Half an hour’s walk (shorter by car, train or bus), Tulip’s flexible menu of shared dishes is a classy possibility for pre- or post-Cattery munching. Consider dishes like smoked eel croquettes and roast chicken with creamed leeks.
First published in The Age, 1 June, 2014.
Leave A Comment