Salt and pepper squid $12.90
served on rocket, crispy noodle and shallot salad
with sesame dressing
With that morning's vanilla slice long since digested, and our livers still busy with relentless wine tastings, I was more than ready for a substantial protein-rich lunch.
We'd ended up at Harrigan's Pub for lunch the last time I was in the Hunter Valley (about three years ago). The memories were so good I convince everyone to head here again.
Smoked salmon and Irish soda bread $12.90
with bernaise sauce and asparagus
There are plenty of dark timber booths, a help-yourself salad bar tucked in the corner and an ordering system that's been designed specifically for groups (we have to fill out a group order sheet with a miniature pencil, indicating how many of each dish we require).
The squid is tender with a crunchy light batter, the salmon is tasty although a little heavy-handed with sauce, and I am very pleased with my beef and Guinness pie which is overflowing with thick chunks of beef clad in a meaty rich gravy sauce. You can tell there's Guinness in it too.
Beef and Guinness Pie $17.90
served on Colcannon mash with salad
The pie has been assembled on the plate rather than baked whole, but if "cheating" means I get a crispy pie shell, a generous serve of beef and a flaky pastry hat perched on top, then I'm not complaining one bit.
But we can't stay here for long. There are more vineyards calling us. And cheese shops. And a beer microbrewery. And dinner's not too far away as well...
Harrigan's Irish Pub
Hunter Valley Gardens
Broke Road, Pokolbin, Hunter Valley
Tel: +61 (02) 4998 7854 or
Tel: +61 (02) 4998 7819
Related GrabYourFork posts:
Hunter Valley 2008/1: Maitland Gaol tour
Hunter Valley 2008/2: Morpeth Pie Man and Morpeth Sourdough
Hunter Valley 2008/3: Dinner at the Newcastle Travelodge Hotel
Hunter Valley 2008/4: Vineyards and cheese tasting
Hunter Valley 2007/1: Cessnock
Hunter Valley 2007/2: Vineyards, cheeseshops and an olive centre
Hunter Valley 2007/3: Lunch at Harrigan's Irish Pub
Hunter Valley 2007/4: A vineyard, cheeseshop and beer brewery
Hunter Valley 2007/5: Dinner at Chez Pok
Dear Helen. That Guinness Pie looks amazing. I'm really loving all these pieces about the Hunter, as I only went there once while living in Sydney. I never managed to convince myself that it was worth going again. But it's back on the list.
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