The in-laws were visiting, what to do with them? Neither of them had been to the Mornington Peninsula so it was decided to take a drive down through the seaside towns and back up through wine country.
After a nice drive and a few stops, we decided to go to the Portsea Hotel for lunch. J and I had enjoyed the beer garden on our day out a few weeks back and thought it would be a good option for lunch.
The terrace area was booked out but we easily got a table next to a window inside.
You have to order drinks at one of the bars, and food at a separate counter. J ordered for us, with the in-laws placing their order a few minutes later.
I had the housemade Wagyu Burger 220 gm served with salad, King Island smoked cheddar, garlic aioli and fries, which was $27.50.
If you look closely you might be able to see the actual burger, there was more lettuce on the plate than even 10 hungry rabbits could devour.
And the burger itself, once I rescued it from its lettuce blanket, was dry, and not even the other burger toppings could rescue it. I had been craving hot chips, but these also disappointed, with little crunch and no flavour.
J had the grilled local blue eye served on a warm kipfler potato salad.
He said the fish was beautiful bit for $35 he expected two pieces.
We had finished our meals and the in-laws had yet to receive theirs. We asked someone and this provided a conversation between two staff members as to the meals whereabouts with one of them certain that the chowder and parma had been brought out.
Another five minutes and the in-laws food arrived with an explanation of there had been a run on the chowder. Seeing I know when they ordered their food, before the place filled up, I suspect the order had been forgotten about.
The Portsea Hotel is very expensive for the quality of food it is serving. I don’t mind paying good money for good food but this isn’t the case here.
I wouldn’t recommend it and wouldn’t eat here again. It’s only saving grace is that it is brilliant for a few bevvies in the beer garden on a nice day.
