City-smart cooking with country prices makes Bairnsdale pub a winner
CITY-smart cooking with country-sharp pricing make this Bairnsdale pub stand out from the crowd.
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THEY call them “blow-ins” and “blow-backs”.
Blow-ins are what long-term locals call sea/tree-changers who have ditched the city for life in the country, while blow-backs are those who grew up in the sticks and return to the fold after spending time in the big smoke.
But whether they’re blowing in or back, it’s often these new arrivals/returnees who are invigorating the eating in their new home towns, adding city experience to local produce to create the next generation of restaurants, cafes and gastropubs.
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And so it is with the Grand Terminus in Bairnsdale, where sisters Kendra Clark and Kylie Tabone and their partners have returned to give this historic pub, which first opened in 1889, a new life.
Combining successful backgrounds in cafes and catering (Clark) and pubs including the Spread Eagle in Richmond and the Cornish Arms in Brunswick (Tabone), they’ve revamped the bistro and now quietly champion the best produce of this unsung food region.
FOOD
Beef from Dalrose farm in Maffra is a mainstay, whether in smoky BBQ rib form served with crushed potatoes and green beans ($34), or between two buns in a homely burger.
The hefty patty is nicely seasoned, though would be better if cooked for less time on a hotter grill so it had both a pink inner and caramelised outer crust. It’s teamed with brilliantly smoky bacon from Lucke’s Smokehouse down the road, lettuce, tomato and a good relish ($20).
The chips — fat, beer-battered beauties — are great, served to the side of both the burger and, thankfully, the parma.
A thick, nicely crumbed well-cooked breast is soft and crunchy in all the right places and loaded with cheese and good tomato sauce, the accompanying salad freshly dressed with class. It’s an exemplary version of the species ($25).
But the don’t-miss dish to begin a meal is the mezze plate piled high with Egyptian falafel. Made from a hand-me-down recipe using broad beans instead of chickpeas, they’re vibrantly green, bright and bursting with herb freshness.
Served with a tomato, cucumber and quinoa salad, a chunky beetroot dip and good hummus, along with warmed pita, it’s a winner ($20).
DRINK
The celebration of East Gippsland continues in the glass, with new Orbost Brewery Sailor’s Grave on tap in draught and IPA form, while the small wine list features the Lightfoot & Sons range of wines made in Bairnsdale.
SERVICE
Table service comes from a young, friendly team that ferries drinks and plates from a well-drilled kitchen that keeps up the pace.
X FACTOR
Fascinating photos charting the pub’s history adorn the dining room walls, while a fireplace in the bar takes care of cool afternoons.
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
This is city-smart cooking with country-sharp pricing, with most mains in the low-mid $20.
VERDICT
Deftly elevating the offering while still keeping true to its pub heart, the new-look Grand Terminus is a win for blow-ins, blow-backs and Bairnsdale alike.
THE GRAND TERMINUS HOTEL
98 Macleod St, Bairnsdale. Ph: 5152 4040
FOOD Pub grub
HOURS Lunch and dinner daily
CHEF Kendra Clark
BOOKINGS Yes
TIME BETWEEN ORDERING AND EATING 22 mins
PERFECT FOR Pitstop on a Gippsland getaway
DESTINATION DISH Falafel mezze plate
NOISE LEVEL Conversation-friendly
ONLINE grandterminus.com.au
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