August 2023 update: Housed in a glorious Art Deco-style building, the Woollahra Hotel has been keeping Eastern Suburbs folk well fed and hydrated ever since it was built in the 1930s.
In the last few years the pub – which is located next door to French institution Bistro Moncur – has undergone a massive renovation, sporting a polished timber bar, terrazzo floors and lush vertical garden in the open terrace, while still maintaining its classic Australian pub vibe.
Head Chef Jordan Muhamad got his start at Rockpool Bar and Grill, before stints at Spice Temple and Chin Chin in Melbourne. His menu at the Woollahra Hotel showcases riffs on traditional pub fare with Asian influences. This looks like prawn wontons with ginger, shallots and coriander; caramelised pork belly with wombok, coriander, cucumber and Vietnamese hot mint; and beef massaman curry with potato, fried shallots and peanuts. And because this is a pub after all, you can also get your favourites, like a deep-fried chicken burger with chilli mayo, lettuce, pickled carrot and daikon; and Black Angus rump cap with salad, Sichuan black pepper sauce and fries.
The team has just launched a bunch of specials on every day of the week:
- Monday: A dozen dumplings for $15
- Tuesday : Three bao buns for $15
- Wednesday: Noodle stir fry for $15
- Thursday: Curry Night with a free beer or wine
- Fridays $15 Margaritas
- Weekends: Bottomless brunch
So if you don't want to cook during the week – or spend big bucks, you know where you can head to.
- Avril Treasure
*****
Read on for our original write-up of the Woollahra Hotel from 2020 by Divya Venkataraman
Behind a somewhat austere stone facade, the Woollahra Hotel is all about abundance. It’s a pub, sure – but it’s a pub in Woollahra, a little pocket just off the tail end of Paddington and home to pretty terraces, tree-lined streets and one of the city’s highest median incomes.
While the hotel’s been around forever (since the 1930’s, to be exact), it’s just reopened its doors after a three-month hiatus and a well-deserved glow-up. Walking upstairs from the main entrance leads you to a picture-perfect semi-outdoor terrace complete with a vertical living garden – fern fronds will gently brush you during dinner, like it or not – and an expansive, glass-walled dining space.
Courtesy of the new head chef, Jordan Muhamad (ex-Rockpool, Spice Temple and Chin Chin), the menu is distinctly Asian-inspired. Muhamad has directed his fine-dining sensibilities towards creating a menu of polished, creative dishes – at a pub-friendly price point. Steamed snapper swims in a light, soy and ginger broth, while salt and pepper squid, a pub favourite, is enhanced with the addition of a tangy nuoc chaum – a Vietnamese dipping sauce. The rump steak comes with an Asian-inspired pesto, and there are, of course, hot chips on the menu – they’re just dressed up with chilli sauce and a sprinkling of chilli salt.
Fresher options abound, too. The raw tuna salad pairs perfectly with a chilled rose while the sun streams into the outdoor terrace, and the wok-tossed Asian greens are an ideal side dish to assuage any guilt about an otherwise beige-toned meal. The house special Thai green curry is made with Thai eggplant, snake beans & baby corn – and yes, you can order the curry at this particular pub.
Moncur Cellars’ Mark Blake is in charge of the wine list, which includes a solid array of organic, vegan and preservative-free wines, cherry-picked to complement Asian flavours. Cocktails are also a hit – the Full Moon Margarita is made from Espalon Blanco tequila, blood orange and grapefruit juice, while the G&T is a better option for those who’d rather keep things fresh and simple.
The refreshed dining space is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 pm, and Friday to Sunday from noon. The lounge space downstairs is also open for drinks and function spaces are available to book out.