Dromana’s family-friendly brewery Jetty Road serving pints of pale ale and smooth tunes

A CUBBY house, a courtyard and footy on the flatscreen — and that’s before you even get to the food. Could this popular Dromana brewery be the ultimate family pub?

Dan Stock

@dantonstock

2 min read

June 22, 2018 - 3:00PM

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IT’S not only in the inner city that industrial areas are being revitalised with repurposed spaces that give real meaning to “warehouse chic”.

And Nick O’Brien and Grant Rodgers aren’t the only blokes to have thought about opening a brewery, but they are doers.

Jetty Road opened days before Christmas in Dromana’s industrial back blocks and has been packed since with those seeking pints of pale ale, plates of steak and smooth tunes on Sundays.

It’s a family-friendly space with an Astro-turfed courtyard out back with a cubby house and footy on the flatscreen, while the warehouse has two rooms of communal tables.

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Sticky pork ribs with green paw paw slaw.

The cubby house at Jetty Road, Dromana, is popular with children. Picture: Jetty Road

FOOD

While many pop by for a pint or two on a Friday night, weekend lunches are a family affair where kids tuck into sliders with fries or macaroni bolognese ($9 each).

Mum and dad choose from a menu that includes dhal with flat bread ($16) and pork ribs with green paw paw slaw ($28) alongside burgers and steaks.

Quick to hit our table but more a miss, lurid yellow-battered calamari is the crunchy topping for a cold soft taco that’s not salvaged by a hit of kimchi heat ($10).

Much better is the “JFC” — Jetty Fried Chicken — sticky wingettes with a curry powder rub that are finger lickin’ good ($17), while two skewers of spicy lamb kofta served with roasted beetroots and stracciatella (a creamy mozzarella-like cheese) is a Middle Eastern mash-up that has the Italians in front ($17).

Jetty Roads has been popular with those seeking pints of pale ale and plates of steak and smooth tunes on Sundays. Picture: JettyRoad

A bowl of goulash provides cold-weather comfort, though its thin sauce needed more seasoning to bring out the best of the braise of potato, capsicum and paprika pork ($26).

A mushroomy risoni with goat’s cheese is tasty, but let down by “twice-cooked” brussels sprouts that are the mushy stuff of childhood ($23).

If you are just there for a drink, the beer-battered chips ($10) make a beaut table companion — fluffy and crunchy, seasoned and served with a gorgonzola dipping sauce with blue cheese bite.

DRINK

The five Jetty Road brews ($6 pot/$10 pint) include a tropical American-style pale ale and a very smashable wheat ale “middie”. A dozen whites and reds are all offered by glass and bottle, with a mostly local (peninsula and Oz) showing.

Steak with mash at Jetty Road, Dromana. Picture: Jetty Road

SERVICE

No faulting the speed with which the kitchen sent dishes, nor the number of obliging staff. You’ll be greeted at the door, but you’ll have to order food and drink at the bar.

X FACTOR

Live music on weekends adds sonic colour to the large mural that’s the main design feature. Kids seem rapt with their outdoor play area.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Pretty fair. Bigger plates are sub $30 (bar those from the grill), though smaller plates in the high teens quickly add up.

VERDICT

Great beers served in a funky space. And while it’s good to see a menu that not only serves burgers and steaks, recipes need a few tweaks for those dishes to truly shine.

dan.stock@news.com.au