Hit a couple up during the holidays :
The Brahma Lodge -
Went with a group of 9 so can't speak for everyone.
Place has been completely revamped from the last time I was in there ( bistro and beer garden anyway ) and they've given it a bit of a "Bierhaus" type feel with several craft beers on tap. I'll come back to that.
Strange set up where you go to the bar and order but they don't take payment there and then so we all had to remember what we ordered, you pay on the way out. Strange. Waiters don't take drink orders at the table, have to go up to the bar to get a drink.
They have a "Rotisserie" menu that has alternating proteins on it, I was there on a Thursday for the Marinated aged pork (lamb is the other meat) slow cooked over hot coals served with roasted root vegetables, roast pear, crackling and jus. The pork was as good as it gets, the veggies excellent, the pear a really good paring with the pork and the crackling top notch. Mrs Boon had a porterhouse which was good sized and cooked exactly medium-well to her liking, Juniors had chicken schnitty. No complaints.
Went up to the bar and saw they had some Squire, Little Creatures and other "crafty" but mainstream beers on tap, I quite like the Little Creatures Bright Ale on a hot day. "Two Brights thanks mate". "Sorry mate, we're out". Ok. "Two One Fifty Lashes"..."Out". "Two Little Creature IPA's mate"..."I'll have to change the keg, grab a seat mate and I'll bring them over". Ok.
He dawdles over, "Sorry mate, we're out of IPA kegs, I've got you two pales here, is that ok?". "Mate, it's beer and I'm not taking my chances on missing out on them". Poor, really poor. 6 taps and Coopers Pale ( no problems with me ) and Super Dry the only taps working. $7 fancy "pints".
Mrs Boon enjoyed the crafty Ginger beer on tap, can't remember what it was.
Meal came to $88 for the 4 of us, my two, juniors two and Mrs Boons two were all $7 each, Miss had a LLB. Total $135. My meal was excellent, the rest not good enough.
The Lodge gets a 6.5/10 from me.
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Westside Massive - Semaphore Road.
The boys from Big Shed Brewing have set up a bar in the old Cafe Primo at the bottom of Semaphore Road. With the Big Shed range on tap as well as some Pirate Life and assorted guest brewers on tap it's a ripping spot to spend an afternoon. They've got some pinball machines, board games for the kids, food of various guises and a great atmosphere.
I'll preface my review with this, it gets a 10/10 from me as I ******* love beer, so do they and I tried about 6 or 7 different beers, some twice or more and went home pretty well shit faced.
WM, 10/10.
PAFC. Forever.
LOOK OUT, WE'RE COMING!