The Flinders Hotel

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
As the old song goes, I do love to be beside the seaside. Flinders is on the Bass Strait side of the Mornington Peninsula, not much more than an hour from town (depending on traffic, of course). The Flinders Hotel isn’t on the beach, but it’s not far and it’s got lots of other attractions. It offers you accommodation, a large brasserie/bistro area with outdoor seating, and a smaller, more formal dining room. The bistro is carpeted, has a huge fireplace that’s a real treat in winter, lots of simple bare-topped tables, and drinks are ordered at the bar. By contrast, the tables in the dining room are covered with white cloths, higher quality glassware and cutlery, full table service and a cheerful atmosphere. In other words, it’s still a country pub, but a very smart and savvy one.

The menus for both dining areas are rather similar, with additional specials. There’s a fair choice. The food shows some lively Middle Eastern influences, as well as occasional Japanese-inspired dishes, and excellent versions of more traditional pub fare. Even a simple fish and chips is treated with respect: the batter is light and crisp, the fish sweet and moist, and the chips big and fat. Pasta can be great, like the fricelli with local calamari, marinated mussels, green olives, chilli, and delicious olive oil. For dessert, it’s hard to go past the lemon curd tart with Jock’s ice-cream. The wine list is pretty good and fairly priced, with a nice range of beers too. Booking is essential – there’s a good chance you won’t get in if you don’t call up first.

Rita Erlich