Mona Castle Lodge
45-53 Austin Road, Seddon.
9687 2101
www.monacastlehotel.com
When? June 10, 2022.
Location
The reopening and rejuvenation of the Mona Castle Lodge is one thing to celebrate for all pub-goers, in particular in the western suburbs.
About two decades ago, COVID claimed this pub (between lots of many others), with the lessee unable to proceed buying and selling because of to the shutdown, alongside with an inability to renegotiate new conditions in the course of those people rough financial instances. Doorways shut, seemingly endlessly.
However, incredibly good pub operators in the West (Railway, Yarraville, Ascot Vale Moonee Ponds), with the aid of some Footscray footballers took the punt, and the Mona has reopened.
A great reno has taken area and although substantially of the Bulldog bric a brac that supplied the Mona’s backdrop is long gone, the pub’s spirit remains firmly intact. In fact a impressive B&W photo of Mervyn Gregory Hughes and Shane Keith Warne hangs proudly above the entrance.
Supplied its somewhat off the beat location in Austin St (lovely way too) much is packed in. The front bar is new, timber floorboards with bar tables close to the perimeter is your go to. Stand all over, chat, rest.
There are a few dining spots Small triangular to the left with sights of the Town the 2nd with its two tone cream/caramel partitions and effectively spaced tables with some banquette seating, and a 3rd, somewhat discreet area to enable for a quasi personal/household function. Quaint beer backyard to the rear.
Meals is present day pub grub, relatively priced and well prepared. The exact is stated for the wine checklist which is not a straight up and down tick the box and produce record. But the lifeblood of any neighborhood is the weekly specials. Steak evening, Wednesdays, 250g full whack Porter is $20. 4-6pm, Pleased hour weeknights with $4 pots (beer is superior) a further.
Cannot say fairer than that Tel. Back and Firing. The return of the Mona is excellent.
Foods/Drink
The food menu is compact, with 8 entrees, 10 mains, and a pair of deserts (Any individual for a Frog in a pond?).
The Mona, like the Ascot Vale, has two signature dishes in this portion. Their variation of the Sth Melbourne sector dimmies, is a fantastic replica (3/$12), with an definitely ripper Handmade Sausage roll, pubs own tomato sauce ($14). Natural and organic Lamb Koftas, Cauliflower tacos w/tomato, salsa, chilli, coriander are a couple additional fantastic starters.
Mains are fairly priced and generous, from Crumbed Mushroom burger, w/avo, aioli, lettuce, onion, chips (20), to a 3-4 human being feast of loved ones pie (Rooster was the give last week), mash, mushy peas, gray @$60 (or around $15 pp). Meat is sourced from the Natural and organic offerings of Hagens Butchers in Bentleigh and great it is far too.
Carlton Draught with some crafts (Bodriggy, Younger Henry’s) are the tap choices and really well introduced with pink and white wines owning 10 of every single at $11pg//55/btle. Motley Cru Pinot G ($10pg) and Alkoomi Shiraz ($13pg) had been chosen. Fantastic.
The average (bistro) rates are
- Entrees – $16
- Mains – $27
- Dessert – $11
Tried out was
- Prawn, Mac n Cheese Croquettes (4/$16). All flavours labored well and had been so fresh new but it was the Bacon Chilli Jam on best was a winner.
- Bangers n Mash. $29. Most enjoyable natural sausages, (3), tightly packed, pretty very good mash, gravy was a very little thinner than your usual treacle-like pub sauce, but continue to pleasing.
- Seafood Spaghetti. $29. (Double serve for 2 people $55). When the seafood was constrained to 50 % lobster tail and prawns, the dish was abundant and once again the pool of white wine, olive and chilli didn’t overpower the pretty seafood. Quite superior most important.
SUMMARY
Welcome back again Mona. In quite secure palms with an give that is desirable and modern, in a small space of time it has won the hearts and minds of new chums and faithful aged customers who merely loved this area in the back streets.
All people needs their pub to have a very well worn feel, and in time this will be the scenario in this article. But its newness does not distract. Old regulars will discover their spots and renew conversations with close friends that they relished advert nauseam when underneath preceding stewardships.
And all over again my pet detest of aged opinions rears its unsightly head. The Mona is is less than new ownership, been shut for two years and however the first testimonials are all detrimental. I urge the sector to just take to process (it’s possible operate a case for defamation if they are not taken out?) these 3rd get together web pages and have inappropriate out of date commentary taken off.
The Mona Castle has usually been a pretty good, delighted pub to go to, no make a difference who was in charge. It continues to be that way in June 2022.
Rating: 14.5/20