Rose of Australia Hotel, Erskineville

A brief break from the current saturation of New York touristing--here's a Sydney restaurant post for those hankering for some Aussie grub and tucker.


Complimentary kalamata olives

Our previous* visit to the Rose of Australia Hotel dining room was a warm, distant memory of good food, plated enticingly in a quiet and refined atmosphere. I headed there again with the same dining companions and a hopeful smile at what might lie ahead.

*Excuse the horrid beginner photos I beg of you.

We walked through the clatter and chaos of the downstairs pub, filled with noisy patrons and one woman's persistent shrill laughter (there's always one isn't there?). Up the stairs we went and as the heavy, almost immoveable, glass door closed behind us, we became sealed in a bubble of muted conversation and soft clink of cutlery.

We nibble on the complimentary dish of kalamata olives--deliciously salty and flecked with oregano--and after several minutes of menu deliberations we were ready to order. Menus closed, hands on table, our waiter stood 10 feet away and still doesn't notice our "come hither" smiles.

Eventually after another five minutes of nervous waiting, we had raise an apologetic hand to beckon him over to take our order.


Salt and pepper squid $13.00
with five pepper spice and lime mayonnaise

Our entrees were good. We found the salt and pepper squid a little too floury for our tongues but the zucchini flower dish was indeed a winner: the free-form scattered presentation invites fingers to dip and swirl in vinegarette and beetroot juices and we oblige with gusto. The zucchini flowers are delicate in flavour and form, and the beetroot, oh, the beetroot begs to be savoured with every sugary juicy bite.


Zucchini flowers $11
with confit mushrooms, baby betroot and red onion jam

Our mains took some time to arrive. Once the stomach has started its production of digestive juices, the call for mains is strong and persistent, and it knows when twenty minutes has elapsed. After glancing at watches, rubbing our bellies and peering in despair at every plate that passed our table, our mains arrive after what seems to be an eon (about 40 minutes, according to the camera).


Mandalong lamb loin $22
with potato mash, baby eggplant and zucchini relish

Mandalong lamb is often heralded for its superior flavour and texture, achieved--according to its website--by specific grain-feeding, timing of slaughter and "tender stretch" hanging, where the animal is hung from the pelvis, and not the hind legs, as is usually the tradition.

Happily this lamb lived up to its characteristically strong gamey flavour. The lamb was cooked to medium-rare perfection: well-sealed, juicy and a blushing deep pink in the centre. The relish had a peculiar fizzy zing and was passed over for forkfuls of sturdy potato mash.


350g grain fed rib eye fillet $24
served with crushed kipfler potatoes and confit shallots

The other two dishes--a rib eye and lamb shanks--are licked clean.


Veal shank $19
braised in red wine with soft polenta and baby root vegetables

Good food, artfully plated but perhaps a little long in arriving at the table (which was why we didn't bother ordering dessert).

And yes, sometimes the perfect baby zucchini has to have its own photo as well.



Rose of Australia Hotel
1 Swanson St, Erskineville, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9565 1441

Lunch: Tues-Fri 12pm-3pm
Dinner: Daily from 6pm

Previous visits by GrabYourFork:
Rose of Australia, June 2004