This was one of the first pubs I visited when I wandered down to Williamstown a few years back…read more Mind you, since it used to be the major harbour section of the city, there were quite a number of pubs squeezed into the area. These days the number has dropped significantly. However, there are still a few around, and this pub still has a nice old style charm about it. When I've been here, it was rather quiet, but that probably has more to do with the time we visited. However, the publican was quite friendly, even if the beers available were quite limited.

Once upon a time Rosa Mitchell headed up the kitchen at Journal Canteen - a bustling Italian spot…read morewith the feel of a school dining hall during business lunch times. The food was honest, simple and delicious. The focus was on seasonal produce prepared in classic combinations. The antipasto changed daily and a plate with a glass of wine was just the ticket for lunch. I wish I could say that transporting this concept, along with Rosa, to a bigger kitchen and premises at the Hobson's Bay Hotel resulted in the same satisfaction that I used to have at Journal Canteen. Unfortunately, something along the way has gone wrong. The night I ventured there looking for a meal of loved-up food and good wine, I left sad and disappointed. Granted it wasn't peak season (when this whole town will be full of tourists) but the ambience of this place was...well... non existent. A big cavernous room with just a few tables filled and muzak playing in the background was soulless. The food was okay, but it lacked the zing and freshness that Rosa is known for. Then again, who knows if she was in the kitchen that night or not. The open kitchen at Journal Canteen used to connect the diners with the cooks and increased diners' appreciation of the food. This time the food's rustic charm in a more "fancy" location just didn't really work. The antipasto seemed tired and I desperately wanted the remaining dishes to save the day, but they just weren't that amazing. The service was woeful - a comedy of errors caused us to repeat our order three times to two staff members. An incorrect glass of wine (not poured at the table) was served and one of the floor staff serving us spent more time flirting with women on another table rather than taking care of the small collection of guests. We eventually left, skipping dessert, and walked to the til to pay - by this stage he had settled in at their table to chat! I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately left sad and disappointed not only for my dining companion and I, but for Rosa and her once gorgeous nourishing food which really hasn't found a home in this location.