December 14, 2009: Marquis of Lorne

Update, 31/12/2014: The Marquis of Lorne was closed for a while, but has recently reopened with a bit of buzz. I gave it a brief scoping out and was pretty unimpressed by the vegetarian options, so it might be a while before we update this review.

Our most recent pub club outing was to the Marquis of Lorne, nestled on Fitzroy's residential George St. The entry level is a pleasant and unassuming bar; one level up and you're in the dining room; one further is a more partially enclosed bar space, this one with comfy second-hand furniture. It seems that there's also some pool tables in the basement!

There's only one meat-free main amongst the steaks and parmas, currently a risotto with asparagus and oven-roasted tomatoes, shaved parmesan and basil pesto ($18). Risotto - snore. So often the bland, uninspiring default for vegetarians. Worse, Michael tells me that this one wasn't even cooked through.

It's also easy enough to fashion a meal out of the bar snacks, starters and sides. I found that the grilled saganaki on a roquette and watercress salad with lemon and lime dressing ($12) made for an enjoyable light meal, with plenty of peppery greens and acidity to cut through the salty cheese.

We also shared some wedges 'round the table. Though they cost an above-average $8, it's also an above-average portion, with plenty of sour cream and tomato sauce for dipping.

Unusually, there wasn't anything on the dessert menu that captured my interest so we retired upstairs for more drinks and debate. On a quiet weeknight the Marquis of Lorne is a lovely spot for such things, though I won't be inclined to eat more than the bar snacks in future.

Address: 411 George St, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 9904
Fully licensed
Price: veg food $5-18