The Lucky Prawn at The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre
DINING OFFER
Upping the ante Publicans and chefs are rewriting a new chapter for pub restaurants. By Aristine Dobson Photography Nikki To; James Adams and Jessie Ann for The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre WHEN IT comes to a dining offer, there are some meals that are simply foundational for a pub. What’s a pub menu without a steak, a schnitzel and burgers? While those dishes might be the baseline for any pub offer, many venues have found that having an additional and somewhat elevated offer outside of the staples can bring in patrons on multiple occasions. Pubs and breweries in Australia have adapted the concept, with venues across the country putting their own spin on elevated pub grub that draws customers in as much as their booze offerings. Hospitality talks to the Waterloo Inn’s Zac Green and The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre’s Nathan Lennon and Nicholas Wong about creating unique experiences that appeal to a wide market. Head Chef Zac Green teamed up with his wife and business partner Alex Sumner last year to give the Waterloo Inn a new start. At first glance, it looked like a textbook pub, but the pair saw the potential to create a casual drinking and dining destination in Swansea, Tasmania. “It was meticulously maintained, but had no customers,” says Green. “There was a beautiful pool table, original bingo-style leather chairs, terrible artworks and curtains and an original menu board. It was a weird prospect to take it over and we had no real expectations, but then something clicked for the general clientele.”
22 | Australian Hotelier
