Hofbrauhaus Melbourne

-not only a classic German restaurant in Melbourne CBD but also a place where all my Australian stories began 
 

visited on 26th/Nov/2018 Mon
17°C Cloudy night

The name “Hofbräuhaus” (HB) was founded as one of Munich’s official oldest beer halls. In 1968, Melbourne, Australia, became the first city with Hofbrauhaus outside Europe. However, Hofbrauhaus Melbourne now has got rid of the restrictions from the traditional Munich’s corporate breweries for offering more diverse selections of bier and German food for all Melbournians and visitors.  

(photo by Pixabay)

The ambiance of HB Melbourne is very cosy with ample space between each table. Besides, there is a small stage in front of the restaurant for performing traditional dancing or playing instruments on weekends. Unfortunately, these two times when I visited HB were both on weekdays so there will be no sharing of the performance. As the second time visiting HB with few friends for the supper, I was very excited about trying the most popular dish of this restaurant- HB feast platter.

A small stage on the right hand side for the performance on weekends
~From here, I started all my Australian stories~

Indeed, this platter combined with the most popular items of this restaurant never let me down. The HB feast platter (AU$105) including Kassler, pork belly, knuckle, sausages, schnitzel, sauerkraut, mashed potato, braised red cabbage, haus-made pork jus, and salad was suitable for 2 to 3 people. As the preparation for enjoying this “feast”, me and my friends chose to eat only fruit and drink water during the daytime. However, even with empty stomachs, we still couldn’t finish the whole platter. The Schweinshaxn (pork knuckle) and Schweinebauch (pork belly) definitely were the two highlights. The crispy and browny skin combined with the tender and juicy meat illuminates this dish. And don’t forget the sauerkraut (sour cabbage) which can balance the fat in the knuckle (for you to be able to taste more). Pork belly is my another recommendation.  The meat is more tender than pork knuckle. Therefore, my suggestion will be: pork knuckles are for those who love crunchy skin and bellies for those who enjoy tender meat more.  The only regretful thing was the schnitzel which me and friends all agreed it’s a bit too dry inside.  

What a huge platter!

Besides, we also try the dessert and the beer. Bavarian biers are another must-try items in Hofbrauhaus. As a big fan of fruity-flavour beer, I ordered Hof’s cider (300mL AU$9.5) and Mango Weizen (300mL AU$9.5) in my first and second time visiting HB and they did not let me down. The rich fruity flavour with a bit sweetness matches the saltiness of the pork knuckle and belly perfectly. The dessert, schokokuchen (chocolate cake in German; AU$15.5), is surprisingly creamy and delicious. Furthermore, the portion of the cake is enough for two to three people. I could feel that HB really makes the effort to offer a decent dining experience for a variety of Melbournians like me, as a big carnivore and my friends with tweet tooths.  

Surprisingly delicious chocolate cakes

All in all, HB Melbourne is a classic German restaurant which has served Melbournians the authentic Bavarian food. Pork knuckle and belly cannot be missed. If you still have little space or another stomach for the dessert, I highly recommend the chocolate cake. Within the third visiting, I will share my thoughts of the German sausages and the traditional Bavarian lager. Hope you like my first foodie essay! Don’t forget to share this essay with all your foodie friends! Cheers!

 Hofbräuhaus  

  

737 Bourke St, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia  

  

Opening hours: WED-THU: 4pm-11pm

FRI-SUN: 12pm- late   

  

Price: roughly AU$50 pp  

  

Website: https://www.hofbrauhaus.com.au

 

Must-try: Pork knuckle and German beer

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