THE last time I was in The Beaconsfield Hotel – some four years ago – it was moribund and reminded me of the 1970s British sitcom Rising Damp.
I could almost picture Rigsby shuffling around the tables, pestering Miss Jones as she nibbled her lukewarm pie and mash. I was in no rush to go back, but recently it underwent a monumental revamp and was rebranded The Wray Hotel, so I jumped in the Chook jalopy to investigate.
Wray’s new sports bar is stunning and features a giant curved bar, humongous TV screen and plenty of high tables and chairs to enjoy a beer and a chinwag with your mates.
While not as big as Varsity in the Freo CBD, it’s a great venue to watch sports at that end of town.
The slightly more formal “bistro” is perfect for a family meal and takes full advantage of the heritage features in the Hotel, which was built in 1894 and designed by architect Herbert Nathaniel Davis.
But it was a nice Spring day, so I decided to sit outside in the pavement alfresco.
The only issue might be finding a parking space – when I visited on Friday arvo the hotel car park was full and I just managed to nab a bay in a side street, but it should be quieter earlier in the week.
The menu more or less followed the template for a modern hotel/bar with share plates, mains, burgers, pasta, salads and “from the chargrill”.
Highlights included the southern style spare ribs, chargrilled barramundi, butter chicken dumplings and the humorously named “Bali Bogan “ – a Bali-style Nasi Goreng with satay chicken skewers and prawn crackers.
There was also a classics section with 12-hour braised lamb shank, a $19 senior’s section, $12 kids meals, curry of the day, and weekday specials.
The food was well-priced – the vast majority of dishes were under $30 –and it had a nice mix of pub favourites and more adventurous fare.
My dining partner Jenny D’Anger, a former Chook journo, noted the menu had some interesting vegetarian dishes including the “superb” Jackfruit burger with house slaw and beer battered chips ($22).
“One of the biggest contributors to climate change is meat production and jackfruit is emerging as a promising plant-based substitute,” she said.
“One tree can produce up to three tons of food, which is good for you and tastes good too, as my burger demonstrated.
“The slow-cooked jackfruit looked like pulled pork and had a fantastic Asian chilli punch.
“Unlike many burgers, this one held together from first delicious bite to last. And the generous serve of chips were first rate.”
I couldn’t resist the 300g rump steak from the grill, and at $29 it was good value (you’ll be hard pushed to find a decent steak and chips under $30 these days).
It was a lovely slab of red meat – lots of gnarly bits from the chargrilling – and came with a refreshing salad with leafy greens and tomatoes. I ordered the steak medium and it was very slightly over, but not by much.
The accompanying green peppercorn sauce was well-balanced and didn’t become sickly or too rich as I waded through the Black Angus meat.
The beer-battered chips had a satisfying crunch and were bang on the money. A very enjoyable steak and chips.
Now for the elephant in the room – there was a substantial wait for our meal and if you had been on a tight schedule you would have been in trouble, but the waitress apologised for the delay and it was a busy Friday lunchtime, so these things happen.
The service was great with lots of smiles from the bar staff, including one young English girl who went and asked the chef how the jackfruit burger was made, after D’Anger inquired about it.
It was good to see them go the extra mile during a busy lunch hour.
The Wray Hotel is off to a great start and I’ll definitely revisit if they show soccer on the big screen.
The ghost of Rigsby has been well and truly banished and even Miss Jones would be rushing back.
Wray Hotel
73 Wray Ave, Fremantle
thewrayhotel.com.au
by STEPHEN POLLOCK