Strawberry Hills Hotel - Surry Hills

Came a few nights on a business trip. Took advantage of the weekly special and the $10 steak was actually good believe it or not. Never going to be the best steak but I've had much worse.

Kindly our reservation was held for us during the busy lunch hours.<br/ My Grilled Barramundi was slightly overcooked to the point where I could distinguish the taste of Extra Virgin Olive Oil which wasn't very pleasant due to its potency. The garden salad was fresh and generously dressed with balsamic. Sadly the chips were average thick cut chips and I was hoping for shoestring fries as most pubs have them in stock.<br/ <br/ A friend had a vegetarian pizza that smelt and looked appetising.<br/ <br/ Another had a lamb shoulder which was beautifully cooked tender. Didn't really need the mint jus that came with it. The potatoes were roasted perfectly.<br/ <br/ Another friend had a snapper special that was intricately presented though the portion was very small.<br/ <br/ Another friend had a beetroot salad which was decent.<br/ <br/ Nevertheless a great atmosphere, I believe they do some screenings as there is a projector screen on a brick wall in the upper outdoor area.<br/

I needed a place for a quick but decent lunch following a Belvoir Street play and remembered having a fun night at the Strawberry Hills Hotel about ten years prior. Looked them up online and the menu seemed AOK just what we needed not a 5 star marvel for me to rave about on my blog but something for a quick bite with family and a friend.I was surprised at how awesome the venue was. The upstairs was fantastic a massive outdoor covered section, a large bar and some brewery equipment around the place. I already liked it. It was a very hot day and while fanning myself with the menu something marvellous happened the venue turned on a mister the entire outdoor section filled with cool water mist. I did put the camera away and just enjoyed the cool down reminded me of this time about 15yrs ago on a dance floor in Queenstown can't remember the place but it was the middle of winter and we were all dancing and it was hot and sweaty next thing you know someone behind the bar presses a button and the entire roof of the nightclub opened the best thing was that it was snowing all the steam and heat went out and we dance in snowfall for about 15mins before they closed the roof and the venue steamed up even more haha.But back to Strawberry Hills Hotel it was a treat. We all enjoyed our food. Mum slayed her calamari, friend Gary devoured his burger and me and the step father destroyed a pizza each. I went the Chilli Prawn Pizza and while it was nice the pizza was more a triple mozzarella cheese with the odd prawn here and there. It could have done with half the cheese and more prawns but as a cheese porn whore I was in heaven doing cheese pulls and lapping up the cheese like the dog I am. It's not fine dining but it is definitely near the top for decent pub food.

Tuesdays are t-bone Tuesday at the Strawberry Hills Hotel, where a delicious t-bone steak dinner is available for $12. It is a really good steak, and much bigger than it looks in my photos.

Strawberry Hills, an odd name for the establishment that it is. No delicate cupcakes or desserts like the name suggests, but instead we have there is fantastic pub food. Nestled a hundred or so meters up Devonshire Street, this eatery deserves better than the rating it has. The menu has a relatively wide range of food, from good ole pub classics to slightly more elaborate dishes. Most of which being below $20 is definitely a bargain.<br/ <br/ Coming here with some friends we ordered the 14hr lamb shoulder, grilled baramundi, pork belly and potato wedges to share. The lamb was so perfectly tender and easily fell apart. The brussel sprouts and other vegetables were a great accompaniment and that apple balsamic and mint sauce simply divine. The grilled baramundi was great too but be careful there were small bones in it. The pork belly was a slight let down. The crackling on top was more chewier than it ought to be and the pickled vegetables weren't the best accompaniment. <br/ <br/ Overall the food was great! Service was very fast, I'd say under 15mins, and also very friendly (especially the bartenders). The rooftop seating was definety a good choice. With the lighting dim, the roof cover half and the gas heaters blasting during the chilly winter night, it was the perfect cosy and intimate yet un-stuffy atmosphere.<br/