A Far Cry from the $5 Counter Meal

When I was younger to accompany your beer you got a fatty chop, some fries and something resembling a vegetable for the princely sum of $5. I of course never had the pleasure of ordering this but on the odd beach holiday it did cross my parents' minds to stop for a pub lunch.

These days it seems both the quality and price of pub grub has increased exponentially. A case in point is the Railway Hotel in South Melbourne. It is one of the more reasonable Gastropub destinations. The Butchers Plate which contained the usual selection of sausages and cured meats along with some duck and kangaroo products and a lovely pate for around $15 was a nice starter to share. I struggled to pick the kangaroo and I would have preferred a crusty baguette rather than Turkish bread with my pate but it was pleasant nevertheless.

The selection of terracotta pots are a bargain light meal. Again accompanied with the Turkish bread these little dishes are filled with either a pork and clam braise, chorizo in red wine or a vegetarian chickpea option. The pork and clam and the chorizo went down well at our table, as did the risotto.

It certainly didn't hurt that we were the lucky Trivia winners for the night. There's always a good chance you'll make a return visit when you know your next meal will be on the house.

The Mother Country

It's not actually my mother country but there were moments where I wished it was. It was certainly a lovely change from the scorching Melbourne summer. Nothing could drive one further from the desire for roast lunches with all the trimmings. Sadly it was hard to come by the traditional English meals I had envisioned. You were more likely to stumble across a burrito or Thai salad than a steamed pudding. I did manage to track down Cumberland sausages and mash and a beef pie with suet pastry but it involved considerable effort.

I was most pleased to discover the warmth of English hospitality. One of the loveliest meals was shared at the home of a wonderful couple who got no more than 5 hours notice I would need a bed for the night. I observed Nigel was open on the kitchen counter which is always a good sign. The meal certainly didn't disappoint. The juiciest roast chicken accompanied by roast potatoes so crisp they could only have been done in goose fat. We nibbled on chocolates and coffee into the morning.

While the meat is undoubtedly better at home I am so very jealous of the abundance of European produce and wines. The Harrods food court alone had seven varieties of proscuitto! I felt less guilty about my purchase when a fellow buyer spent 50£ on foie gras which he preceded to eat for his lunch. I did develop a rather bad habit of buying chocolate truffles and cheap bottle of French wine on a daily basis. Given the exchange rate my wallet is certainly happy to be home!