Hophaus, Southbank (by invitation) by Bureaucrat

Wilkommen!  Prost!  

Calvin Cain in his lederhosen for the launch - photo supplied

And with that convivial welcome (and a choice of apple schnapps or Jagemeister to get the ball rolling), the night kicked off with the launch of Hophaus – a modern-day version of the great Bavarian beer halls located in Southgate.

For those who are design aficionados, come along to Hophaus to check out the awesome design.  

It’s very Cabaret with lots retro, sleek, clean lines (it was designed by the architectures that was founded by Peter Maddison, host of Grand Designs Australia).  It may sound weird, but I really liked the way they did the toilets – with the bevelled mirrors, cream and green tiles, warm lighting and the central wash basins.  

There’s beer and more beer on offer – a range of craft beer from Germany, Austria, Belgium and Czechoslovakia to name a few.  With great beer comes great beer food.  During the night, we got to try some of the dishes on offer.

The roast pork... get in my belly!

But before I get onto that, we were all captivated by the coal fired pit and rotisserie.  A massive pork, along with beef and chickens were slowly roasting over the flames.  It was a no brainer - we strategically situated ourselves near the rotisserie so that we would definitely try the pork and beef when it came out.

Deliciously crispy chicken drumettes.

The first dish that came from the rotisserie was the roast beef brisket which were oh-so-tender and juicy.  We all loved the hint of smokiness from the coal fire.

Bitterballen - incredibly soft, savoury beef that's deep fried with a light crumb coating. 

Oysters w sauerkraut

Mini bratwursts w sauerkraut

Gooey crumbed cheese sticks - it's so good but so bad at the same time!

Mini hamburgers

Smoked salmon on rye bread.

And finally, the pig de resistance - the roast pork!  Definitely worth the wait (considering I missed my train to try this!).  Succulent, tender and full of herby, porky flavour.  It was the clear favourite as everyone wanted to try some of this juicy pork.  As with the beef, the pork had a lovely smoky flavour to it.

Verdict
Food – 8*
Ambience – 8.5
Service – 8*
Price – 8.5*
*Scores are notional as we were guests of Hophaus and this was a launch event.

Overall
Hophaus is a great place to kick back for a craft beer along with a nibble or a full meal.  I love the interior design - there's something to suit everyone - from the funky communal tables, the smaller, intimate tables and the quasi beer garden on the balcony (overlooking Southgate promenade).  There's a bar and a proper dining menu - both of which have plenty of options in terms of the size of the dishes and prices.

Address
Hophaus
Mid-level
Southgate Restaurant and Shopping Precinct
Southbank 3006
Telephone: 9682 5900