Food > The Big Eat Out: or IN

The Rose Tavern // Food Review

10/01/13

THE ROSE TAVERN

THE GEN: On the corner of Trinity and Rupert St – which I always think are MARVELLOUS Unthanky names for place-of-conception ideas – sits a gem of a local. Nearly every street in the area is bookended by pubs; the choice is dizzying, so what keeps The Rose Tavern so busy despite the competition? I have the great pleasure of knowing many of the Rose’s locals, and I reckon they’d put it down to the pub’s lively calendar, from their dedication to showing the footie, to live music from big local names like The Vagaband, it’s a pub with ants in its proverbial pants.

ATMOSPHERE: Even on an event-free night, the Rose Tav was enjoying a healthy smattering of public house-mates, with many tables taken, and more sitting like tinsel along the bar. It had the festive warmth of squashing a Cointreau truffle between your facecheeks.

THE MAIN EVENT: Toad in the Hole w/ Mashed Potato and Honey Glazed Carrots // Burger w/ Chips and Relish A word to the carnivores: if you’re gonna get to the Rosey T just a little before serving time finishes, you might find that both types of steak have already sold out. They’re clearly a juicy secret between locals, and one I shall have to unravel another time. It’s hardly some sort of Dickensian hardship though, having to choose one of the other mighty mains. Many burgers give the impression that their toppings fell out of a Fisher Price A La Carte Kitchen box, such are their miniscule proportions and plasticy sheen – not so this one, as my burger balanced a LIFE-SIZE bit of bacon and HACTUAL cheese on top, like Carmen Miranda in a Burger King. The chips were homecut, homecooked, jackets-on bad boys that filled me full of earthy goodness. I could have done with a tonne more relish, and maybe a bit of spice or added sharpness to give it a more robust flavour. Moving on to the Toad: three proud sausages treaded water – or gravy – poking their heads out of a crisp Yorky. The toad was cradled by some creamy buttery mash, and the whole thing was swimming in gravy, just as the Gods of British cuisine would have it. My only reservation – and that’s only because of my lack of sweet tooth - was that the honey glazed carrots were so sweet, they were nestling up close to me and singing ‘Santa Baby’. But again, I live a charmed life if they’re my only hardships.

PUD: I spoke too soon of my lack of hardships; my slow eating and lousy timekeeping robbed us of the chance of trying the one advertised pud – Chocolate Orange fondant. It sounded like an erotic dream. Next time – steaks and pudding for sure. 

VALUE: Both mains were nine pound on average. While the price fitted the portions – we were suitably stuffed – but it’s good to bear in mind after Christmas has ravaged you of your savings that there are some lighter bites that looked proper tasty, at lighter prices too, however.

OVERALL: There’s a good amount of romp and energy in the Rose Tavern, so this isn’t the place to twiddle opposite ends of a spaghetti strand into your gobs, looking doe-eyed into your romantic other’s eyes. The food is hearty and honest, and I think it’d make the perfect brain food before you went on to ace the Rose’s famous quiz.