Imperial Hotel
Location: 2-8 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Featured Items: Chicken Parma ($35), Lemon, Lime & Bitters Schooner ($7.50)
Note: A colleague-recommended pub meal, enjoyed on Melbourne Cup day. Prices are in AUD.
Verdict: Very tender, flavourful chicken. I still prefer the tomato sauce at the Duke of Wellington.
It is Melbourne Cup day, which is a great excuse to hang out at the Imperial Hotel for the chicken parma a colleague recommended. We have been here since 11:00 AM watching Monday Night Football (yes, I am in Australia watching American football, haha).
The Imperial is a historic pub at the top end of Bourke Street, with roots dating back to the mid-1800s. You walk in through the original Australian red cedar doors, and the rooftop beer garden overlooks Parliament House.
Chicken Parma ($35)
For anyone new to it, the chicken parma (or parmi) is an Aussie pub classic: a crumbed chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, usually served with chips and salad. Ours came with a bubbling blanket of golden mozzarella, a cup of herby seasoned fries and a fresh rocket salad with shaved parmesan and pickled red onion, all for $35.
For comparison, I had a chicken parma from The Duke of Wellington Melbourne: Chicken Parma (or Parmi?) Review on Flinders St. The chicken at the Imperial Hotel is much more tender and flavourful, but I do prefer the tomato sauce from the Duke's.
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| Cheesy chicken parma ($35) with herby fries and rocket salad |
Lemon, Lime & Bitters Schooner ($7.50)
I also had two glasses of Lemon, Lime & Bitters in a schooner. I had never heard of this drink before. It is a classic Aussie pub drink, traditionally made with lemonade, lime cordial and a few dashes of Angostura bitters over ice, and it is non-alcoholic. A schooner is a mid-sized glass, about 425 mL in Victoria. To me, it tastes like a sweet bitter, and it is $7.50.
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| Refreshing Lemon, Lime & Bitters schooners ($7.50) |
Final Thoughts
The Imperial Hotel is a comfortable spot to settle in for a long Melbourne Cup day, and the tender chicken parma is worth a visit. Prices are in AUD.
Which pub classic should I try next in Melbourne? Tell me in the comments!
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