My friend J was once part of a radio station competition where the audience had to call in to guess her nationality based on what she said and how she spoke. J spent 5 minutes discussing how confused she was by the popularity of chicken parma. She couldn’t understand why you’d take a perfectly good piece of chicken breast, bash it with a mallet, crumb it, fry it, coat it with canned tomatoes/tomato paste and then grill it some more with cheese on top? (In case you’re wondering, J is Vietnamese).
I have to say I’m inclined to agree with her and even the sight of chicken parma makes me nauseous. So I can’t really comment about the quality of the chicken parma at the Carringbush Hotel ($17), as the non-food obsessed RM generally rates food according to ‘bad’, ‘ok’, ‘good’, ‘pretty good’ and ‘very good’. The Carringbush received a ‘pretty good’ so I guess that makes it 4 out of 5 stars.
Similarly, my beer battered fish ($17) with chips and a big heap of salad was about a 3 out of 5 – not amazing, not terrible. I guess that’s what the bar food at the Carringbush is all about - good standard pub fare done well enough to enjoy over a beer in the tucked-away courtyard or in the cool dim front bar. If I lived in the area I think it would make a really nice, relaxing local, but it’s not so amazing that I’d be hurrying back especially.
You may be interested to know that the Carringbush Hotel has a higher-end gastro-pub menu in its award winning dining room, and in 2008 it was crowned as 3AW as the Pub of the Year due to its ‘lovely old world horse-shoe shaped bar with the best draught beer in Melbourne.’
If you’re looking for another old-school boozer with great food, check out The Court House Hotel, North Melbourne.
- Carringbush Hotel, 288 Langridge St, Abbotsford +61 3 9417 2918
That’s what you expect from a pub though, is standard pub fare, not a gourmet meal. Might try it when I’m in town, might try another pub. Review didn’t really help much.
.-= Laura Newfarm´s last blog ..Advanced Pricing Strategies: $2.95 =-.
Hi Laura
If you’re visiting Melbourne then I would suggest that The Carringbush is not a must-do, there are a lot of other good gastropubs in the city such as The Palace and the Grace Darling.
Jetsetting Joyce
Awesome. The dish looks so yummy. I am planning to visit Australia next year. Certainly would try these dishes out.
Simply love your blog. Lots of interesting reviews and delicious dishes. Love this dish. Batter fry fish is one of my big time favorite seafood dish.
Oh how funny. I don’t like the parma either! My favorite is always the chicken schnitzel. In fact when in Asia, yes Asia, Thailand to be exact, I have had the best schnitzel cooked by a beautiful Thai lady and all for under 80 baht.
Funny you should say that, because one of the best Fish and Chips I had was also in Thailand! On Phuket island to be exact.
Wow! french fries with lasagna! now im hungry. ^^