the suburban pub meal

I always thought that pubs across the country in the burbs had all moved towards the idea of gastrohavens. That is, the days of the pub grub would surely be overtaken by upping the wank ante of food and all but destorying the humble counter meal.

But in the inner west of Melbourne, this is radically different. There are numerous pubs that perch on the edges of Footscray, that are doing cheap pub meals for the same as you would pay for a mcdonalds meal, and with 500 times the nutritional value.

Last night I lobbed at the Buckingham Hotel on Buckingham Street in Footscray. The pungent smell of smokeable herb in the outdoor section at the back ensured that I had an appetite, yet on venturing inside, the place was chockers - not a seat to be had. I have been here many times before and for $7, you will walk out full of their daily special. This ranges from a bangers and mash, chicken schnitzel, fish and chips etc etc. And the quality is fantastic

So dining partner and I choofed off down the street to Harts Hotel on Victoria Street, the same street that Delizia Cucina, a one hat dining venue in Seddon, calls home. The daily special, a porterhouse steak with vegetables and chips for $7. Yes, seven dollars. Why anyone would eat take out with this sort of offering about is beyond me. I threw in an extra couple of bucks for a chicken parma. As much as I am a gourmand, I love a good parma. This was an enormous plump chicken breast, crumbed and flash fried to ensure that it remained moist. It was topped with a delicious sugo and some cheese and grilled. With salad and chips, it was a cracker. I left full.

There are disadvantages, like the loud and often unkempt crowd in the front bar, betting on 2 flies crawling up the wall, and the tab doing double time. But it lends an atmosphere to the place. The wine is okay, served in something not much larger than a medicine cup, but clearly the brisk trade in beer hasnt allowed them to catch up.

This is one venue I would love to get hold of - the dining space is huge and well fitted out, for the price and the food is really very good.

I am off to buy a lotto ticket so I can make them an offer.