Around the Warrandyte area on a Monday night, there are limited restaurants open for dinner (without having to travel too far), so I have been coming to the Grand Hotel for quite some time now.
The food is great, and is definitely a few notches above your standard 'pub grub'. The ribs with BBQ sauce are brilliant as they are slow cooked, the meat is super tender and just falls off the bone. On the current menu there is also an Asian inspired pork belly salad which is delicious, with just the right combination of sweet and sour flavours.
The chefs here seem to have a good handle on how to cook a steak - when you order it rare for example, that's exactly how it arrive, something that seems to be a bit hit and miss at many other pubs I frequent.
The meals are a little on the pricey side, but are good quality produce and serving sizes are more than sufficient.
Aside from great food, and being open 7 days a week, the service is always great. All of the waiters are very friendly and attentive, but in particular, it's always a pleasure to be greeted by the smiling face of the waiter Nikki, who goes out of her way to ensure that guests are made welcome and that they have a pleasant dining experience.
Be warned - the restaurant is often booked out, even on weeknights, so it's strongly recommended to book ahead.
The only other downside is that often the specials sell out very early in the day/night, but there are plenty of other menu options to choose from. read more