Pubs and bars are very, very common sight throughout the land down under. And one of my favorite eateries I encountered during my second visit to Australia was the Ettamogah Pub near Blacktown, in the area of Western Sydney. An excellent example of Australian cuisine, served in an atmosphere that any hardcore footy fan or bushie would be most proud of!
I had just spent a fun-filled morning at the Featherdale Wildlife Park in the nearby town of Doonside, just a short drive from Blacktown with an Aussie friend of mine I met in NYC during the 2013 State of Origins NRL match. Exploring koalas and kangaroos can really work up an appetite, and our search for tucker began! In the town of Kellyville Ridge along Merriville Rd., we spotted a most unusual eatery. How unusual? How ’bout a giant red tin roof, an antique truck on top of the roof, a cartoonish font, and a fanciful poem painted on the side of the restaurant proclaiming the wonders of beer?! Take that, Outback Steakhouse!
Inside, was a full menu, complete with every iconic piece of tucker under the sun. From meat pies, to steak sandwiches on pressed toast, to German-style schnitzel, to, what else? Beer! My friend and I decided on a schnitzel (breaded chicken cutlet) and beer. I know that schnitzel is a German food, but it as been uniquely adopted by the Aussies as a favorite piece of pub grub. Served with a liberal dosage of chips (french fries), salad, and tomato sauce (ketchup in Australia), the schnitzel has somehow become a part of Australian cuisine.
In addition, the place with filled with dozens of TV sets all showing the best in Australian sports; rugby league, rugby union, soccer, cricket, netball, etc… It was so satisfying to see all my favorite sports from down under in one setting: a Wallabies game on one set and a repeat of a Rabbitohs game on another. Also, did you know that baseball is gathering steam as one of the fastest growing sports in the country?! Play ball!
The schnitzel was fantastic! A giant wedge of lemon and a giant order of chips completed the duo of fried awesomeness. We sat outside, in the back of the restaurant that felt like a giant backyard; picnic tables and playgrounds completed this tableau of home-spun coolness. In between mouthfuls of lemon-soaked schnitzel, we watched all the kids play, while every last mother raced to catch her breath!
The next time you find yourself wandering the suburbs and parks of Western Sydney, be sure to stop into this wonderul, a rather large pub. One look at the inside, and one taste of the food, and you’ll wanna say, “Outback Steakhouse? What Outback Steakhouse?!”
After reading that, Jared, I want to go tomorrow! I may well do…….:)