I
n theendit wasa quietdeath.The
gastropubslippedintoobsolescence
withnolamentsfortruffledmash
orover-reducedjusfollowingit.
Good,I say.Pubsarepubs.Holdthe
gastro,preservetheatmosphere,cook
good,pubby,food.Thenleaveit alone.
Wanttoseeit inaction?GotoThe
OldFitz.Getthechipbutty,splita rissole
sandwich,ordera piefortwo.Yesthe
chefhascookedat Sepia,QuayandThe
Ledbury.ButNicholasHillis working
withinthelines,applyingrestaurantskill
todisheswitha pubsoulbackedupby
ownerswhohavedecidedtoleavewell
enoughalone.Thatmeanslettinghimdo
histhing,andmakingminimalchanges
toa venuethat’sbeenservingthegood
peopleofWoolloomooloofor 16 0 years.
Hill’sthingcouldbecalledBritish
pubfoodwithanoccasionalAustralian
sensibility. He owes some allegiance tothebookofStJohninthewayhefolds
rawbeefthroughbeefdrippingtoserveon
toast,orhowhe’sboughthissupplierout
ofmarrowbonestouseas piechimneys
orvesselsforthehorseradishcreamthat
comeswithSundayroast(beef,allthe
trimmings).Buthealsoowesit toa mood
takenfromthekindsofretroAustralian
cookbooksonemightfindscouring
theantiquesshopina countrytown.
Seetherissolesandwich,orthedoilies
slippedundereverythingfromtoaststo
chicken-Kievfritters.ThebriefwhenHill
startedinMarchwastoplaytheclassics
andruna specialsboard.Butevenhis
classicsarea stepupfromwhathisbosses
(whoalsorunTheGeorgeandTheDuke
ofEnmore)mighthavehopedfor.His
burger?Toastedtankloafsandwichinga
pattyofmincedbeef(therissole)flavoured
withmustard,tomatosauce,parsleyand
dripping topped with oak lettuce, beetrootandonionchutney,andcheddar.Yes.
Hisschnitzel?Ina crumbseasonedwith
chickensaltshookupwithpaprikaand
savouryshiokombu.Salty,butsmart.
ThetrickwithTheFitzhasbeen
addingtotheOldratherthanreplacing
it.Keepthecraggywalls,keepthecraggy
localswhosmokedartsat thetablesout
frontandsinkschoonersofReschsin
thecorners,whobringtheirdogsand
slipoutat theringofa bellfora show
inthedownstairstheatre.
Therenovations,meanwhile,are
sympathetic.A newfloorbehindthebar,
a betterkitchen.Theyevenkepttheflow
trough. There’s a lick of paint upstairsto➤Atalentedchefanda less-is-moreapproachmakeTheOld
Fitz essential pub dining, writesDAVID MATTHEWS.
New order
Rawbeefon
dripping toast.Sydney review
GOURMET TRAVELLER 53