The Elpho, as it's affectionately know, is my local for another week or so. It's off the beaten track, so to speak, so it's definitely a 'locals' pub. There aren't too many passers-by out this way unless there's an event on. Staff are very friendly and know everyone by name. The current owners reopened the pub almost a year ago after a kitchen fire that saw the Elpho closed for about 3 years. They remodeled the interior so it's fresher but still retains that country pub feel.
The kitchen is open Wednesday through to Sunday and offers up your average pub menu and the food is tasty and pretty well priced. A burger with chips & salad or a parma will set you back around $15 or something like crumbed lamb cutlets are $20 (and I can vouch for them being freakin' delicious!). Downfall being that it's hard to pick when they're going to have a quiet or busy night. It's always safest to call up and book a table just in case because we have been denied meals in the past due to unexpected busy nights.
We held an event here in August and they were very accomodating, admitting that they wouldn't be able to cater for the number of people we were expecting so they organised a woodfired pizza van to set up out front for our hungry attendees. When a few hundred people turned up (many more than we expected) and drank them out of kegs and stubbies the owner drove into town to purachse more alcohol for everyone. Now that's a commitment to customer service!
They have a huge beer garden out back and stock local brews from Harcourt. They even have their own pale ale on tap. It'll be sad to leave this local behind but we're hoping to use them for another event in the future. read more