Kingston’s The Salty Dog cements itself as a must-eat following stylish revitalisation

The revitalised 70s hotel, The Salty Dog, is a stylish mainstay of the bustling Kingston Beach scene and deserves a spot on your must-eat list, says TasWeekend food writer Alix Davis.

THE SALTY DOG HOTEL

2 Beach Rd, Kingston Beach

Wednesday-Thursday from 3pm,
Friday-Sunday from midday

Live music from 5pm Friday and
2pm Sunday

ON THE MENU

Empanadas, $19; Quince-glazed pork ribs, $36; Gnocchi with spinach cream, $28; Burnt

Brussels sprouts, $10; White chocolate parfait with mandarin creme, $14.

ON A sunny Sunday afternoon, there’s no better place to be than the beer garden at Kingston’s The Salty Dog Hotel. There’s a wood-fired heater to gather around, live music to tap along to, a great view of kunanyi and some exceptionally good food to enjoy. Not to mention a few (salty) dogs lazing around after a sandy session and the occasional pair of ducks who’ve wandered over from the beach to check out the crowd.

While there are some afternoons when a plate of hot chips ($10) is all you need, the menu at

The Salty Dog Hotel’s laid-back beer garden is perfect for a lazy, Sunday afternoon meal and drinks.

The Salty Dog is worth diving into a little further and we did exactly that while seated at the high table in the front dining room, where we enjoyed a picture-perfect view of the beach and across to Opossum Bay.

Efficient and friendly service had a drink in front of us – there are plenty of local brews on tap – before we knew it, along with a serve of crispy, buttery herb and garlic bread ($8) to tide us over while we made a dinner decision. We started with empanadas ($18) – a rich and ever-so-slightly-sweet venison filling encased in short, flaky pastry and served with a tangy salsa verde.

The Salty Dog ’s house-made gnocchi served with spinach cream and crispy fried artichokes and shards of prosciutto. Picture Eddie Safarik

Empanadas are the party pie of many South American and Latin cultures and given executive chef Javier Pascolutti hails from Argentina, he obviously knows what he’s doing – a platter of these would be welcome at any party. Pascolutti’s heritage is evident but not overwhelming in the menu; on another evening we enjoyed the salchicha ($18) – a coiled pork sausage that was meaty and delicious, served with a charred pineapple and chilli salsa with just a kick of heat.

Javier is “big on creating depth of flavour” in his dishes, says general manager Michael Ellis. “He’s also very focused on colourful food and outstanding presentation.”

That’s evident when a tower of quince-glazed pork ribs ($36) with roasted apple and onion arrived topped with a riot of julienned and fried leek. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and pairs well with the apple and onion in a celebration of seasonal flavours that’s an interesting play on classic roast pork.

Quince-glazed pork ribs with roasted apple and onion topped with fried leek. Picture Eddie Safarik

Our side order of burnt Brussels sprouts ($10) with tofu cream, walnuts and plump raisins has a touch of crunch which plays nicely with the pork. The housemade gnocchi ($28) is pleasingly firm without being stodgy and is served with a bright spinach cream, crispy fried artichokes that seem designed to dip into the sauce and shards of prosciutto. Like many of the dishes, the gnocchi is gluten free and can be made vegetarian.

While there are pub classics like a chicken parmigiana ($28) and fish and chips ($28) on the menu, I steer my husband away from the steak and towards the pulled spiced lamb with roasted eggplant and chilli tomato relish ($36). He’s not disappointed by the Middle Eastern flavours of the pulled lamb and creamy eggplant that contrast nicely with the herb-laden salad it’s topped with.

White chocolate parfait finished with a dollop of intense mandarin creme. Picture Eddie Safarik

“Our pub classics are still popular,” says Ellis, “But Javier’s putting a new twist on what used to be ‘gastropub’ food. He’s got great foundations and has then taken the opportunity to create more signature dishes.”

The generous serves ensure that we’re well satisfied after the main course, but in the name of research, we decide to share a dessert and just have one bite. For research!

The white chocolate parfait ($14) is beautifully presented as three slices of parfait (a cream-based frozen dessert that is denser than ice cream, which is custard-based and churned while freezing to aerate it) finished with a dollop of intense mandarin creme that was like edible winter sunshine and a scattering of meringue rubble. While one spoonful was enough to determine that yes, this was indeed a very excellent dessert, we decided to polish it off just to be sure.

Salty Dog’s Pulled Spice Lamb with roasted eggplant. Picture Eddie Safarik

You’re guaranteed an outstanding dining experience at The Salty Dog, but there are plenty of other offerings as well including monthly Drag Bingo with Trey L’Trash, Saturday morning puppy training sessions, wine tastings and occasional ceramic glazing sessions.

This revitalised 70s hotel is a stylish mainstay of the bustling Kingston Beach scene and deserves a spot on your must-eat list.