The Cookhouse

Falling into that strange nether region between pub and restaurant, the latest incarnation of this beautiful sandstone building takes up where The Montpellier Public House left off. Pushing it toward the pub side of the equation is the good on-tap beer selection that includes the refreshing, hoppy Riverside 69 Summer Ale ($6/middy). However like restaurants, when you arrive you should wait to be seated, and unlike 7-day-a-week pubs, here they take Mondays off.  The inexpensive share plate selection makes heavy use of the ubiquitous wooden board; however the approachable Brandade Hot Pot ($10.50), Lamb Croquettes ($6) and planks of Char-Grilled Haloumi ($5) are all affable drinking companions. An interesting selection of wines can be had by glass, carafe or bottle, or like me, you can head straight for a well-mixed post-work Martini ($18). Stave off drunkenness with fat, fluffy pillows of house-made Gnocchi ($18.50) with roast pumpkin, sage, peas, Parmesan and nut brown butter – easily the most satisfying plate of gnocchi I’ve eaten all year. Clutching at the last of the cooler weather, my dining companion got stuck into Slow Braised Beef Cheeks ($26.50) with mash, peas, eschallots, carrots and jus. So is it a pub, or isn’t it? I’ll let you decide…

The Cookhouse
141 Belmore Road, Randwick
Ph: (02) 9399 9660 thecookhouserandwick.com.au
Pub Bistro, Cocktails $$-$$$

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.