The Duck Inn Pub & Kitchen: Beer Garden and Pub Bistro, Chippendale (20 Jan 2012)

74 Rose Street, Chippendale NSW 2008

http://theduckinnpubandkitchen.wordpress.com

A chip off the old duck

This trusty Chippendale local has certainly had a face-lift since the days when it used to serve up a pretty decent BBQ Beef Ribs. I like the decor update and the lounge area looks like a nice spot to settle in for a lazy afternoon. The main attraction though on a sunny day is the beer garden surrounded by a fair amount of greenery to make you think you're somewhere a bit more distant from home or work for that matter. The La Vielle Ferme Rosé, Cotes du Ventoux, France ($7.50) and White Rabbit ($6.50) aren't too pricey I guess for a satisfying thirst quencher. The Pan Fried Atlantic Salmon ($24) from the specials menu had a nice salad combination of quinoa, celery, cucumber, lemon and fresh herbs. The fish was well-cooked with a fairly crispy skin as hoped. My Duck Inn Beef Burger ($18) came with crispy fries and salad with a tasty dressing. I enjoyed the addition of the chopped gherkin and wondered if some beetroot would have helped to add some extra juiciness to the meat patty I was hoping to be a bit more moist.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Beer garden, Nice and cosy decor, Interesting pub grub menu, Service seemed friendly enough at the time

CONS: New revamp menu seems more expensive than the original pub, BBQ Beef Ribs no longer on the menu

MUST TRY: Having a drink on a sunny day in the beer garden

BABY ON BOARD: No change table available in toilet, Beer garden casual and noisy enough to feel comfortable with a baby

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Nice beer garden setting

La Vielle Ferme Rosé, Cotes du Ventoux, France ($7.50), White Rabbit ($6.50)

Pan Fried Atlantic Salmon with a Salad of Quinoa, Celery, Cucumber, Lemon & Fresh Herbs ($24)

The Duck Inn Beef Burger, Farmhouse Cheese, Crispy Bacon, Relish and Fries ($18)

Menu

Daily specials menu

Baby Isabelle on board — thankfully stay asleep

Beer garden

Casual bench seating

Tropical-style greenery around beer garden

These seats look a little fragile and uncomfortable to me but I didn't sit on them so perhaps they're OK

Inside verandah seating

Bar area

Table setting

Lounge room seating area

Australia Day 2012 Whole Lamb on the Spit

Finally a decent powerful hand dryer that drys hands in seconds

Duck Trivia for the Smarty Pants

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A Fish Called Coogee: Seafood, Coogee (2 Jan 2012)

229 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee NSW 2034

Something fishy in Coogee

It's quite unusual for me to have fish n chips twice in a row after New Years Day but the good weather brought me down to Coogee Beach to get some extra vitamin D. The popular A Fish Called Coogee was certainly packed to the rafters and seating was at a premium but I always prefer sitting closer to the beach anyway. My Fish Burger ($7) had a super soft bun, maybe a little too soft if that's possible but at least it was fresh. It was quite nice although I probably would have preferred a slice of tomato rather than the sun-dried tomato. It came with a fair dollop of sauce which thankfully held up OK without making the bun too soggy although eat quickly is my best advice. Small Chips ($4) were hot and crisp although I would have expected the hand cut chips to look a bit more rustic and irregular in shape like The Battery used to serve up. Atlantic Salmon ($21.45) comes at a premium price of $55 per kg but is cooked well and served about medium rare to retain some moisture inside. It looks a little lonely on its own and perhaps would be better value if served with a side salad or some chips. The basic Salad ($6.90) is fairly fresh with a tasty dressing and comes with sun-dried tomato which I guess will last longer than normal tomatoes. They only accept cash and it can get pretty noisy when busy with the open kitchen right next to the indoor seating which looks very cosy ie squashy.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Decent menu variety, Fish cooked quite well, Some reasonably priced items on the menu, Fairly close to beach, Environmental packaging

CONS: Premium price for just fish, Limited seating, Can get noisy and hot being close to kitchen, Cash only

MUST TRY: Other menu items next time

BABY ON BOARD: Seating inside too crowded and cramped for a pram, Go for an end seat outside for better luck or better still head to the beach

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Planet safe plastic bag for take away

Fish Burger ($7)

Small Chips ($4)

Atlantic Salmon grilled medium rare ($21.45) - flavoursome and cooked well although perhaps expensive at $55 per kg with nothing included

Salad ($6.90)

Bill $39.35 for two

Outside seating

Shop not too far from the beach

Shop front

Coogee beach nearby


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