I don’t know the difference between a black buffalo and a water buffalo but on This Girl’s recent trip to Thailand I discovered the water buffalo is a lovely animal. A low rider, smooth oily skin, a lovely big nose and a hard worker.
On Saturday night date night with the Lovely Deputy, I discovered I had a soft spot for the Black Buffalo too.
A search on the Eating Out in Tassie Facebook page will reveal countless rave reviews of this off-the-North-Hobart-food-strip hotel.
The Black Buffalo Hotel has been at the bottom of Federal Street at least thirty years. A resident of Hobart twenty, it was time to go find out what all the fuss was about.
The Black Buffalo is a contemporary hotel; fluro lights, public bar, gaming machines and the telly is always on, in the restaurant.
Last Saturday night it was packed. A reservation around 3 pm got us the last table for two. It’s fair to say this place is going off. Two restaurant rooms and tables in the pub were full, or in waiting by 7 pm.
The large-scale commercial hotel is not This Girl’s usual dinner out choice. But like the water buffalo, the Black Buffalo has some charming features, it’s unpretentious, relaxed, complete with affable wait staff and a menu that is jumping through hoops to please.
The Black Buffalo has a solid pub meal menu done well. You’ll find burgers, schnitzels, big hunks of meat and plenty of seafood. There’s lunch specials for around $15 a pop too.
We chose from the special’s board: calamari and stripey trumpeter.
The meals were an average of $30 and they are good old fashion serves. You won’t go hungry and if you finish your meal, you’ll be groaning by dessert. The pick was the trumpeter with the complementary yoghurt and dukkah flavours and robust wok cooked vegies.
Reluctant to leave without sweets, we chose what looked to be the lightest dessert, Salted Caramel Mille Feuille, crispy filo pastry layers with Baileys chocolate mousse, salted caramel praline, honeycomb crumbs and butterscotch sauce for $11. I can't couldn’t quite come at the aesthetic but it was a lovely dessert and the perfect decision after our big meals; the right amount of sweet that slipped into our dessert tummies without impact.
This Girl loves a good host, and we had the pleasure of meeting the Manager and former owner, Carol Sice. Carol has made her career in hospitality and she’s good at it; formerly of the Wagon and Horses and Cambell Town Inn, she’s put almost 30 years into the Black Buffalo which is now owned by the Kalis Group. Fortunately she stayed on because she’s a keeper. There’s four chefs behind The Black Buffalo and they’re guided by former Head Chef of a few of Hobart’s famous restaurants of years gone by, Marque IV and Gondwana, Paul Foreman.
With Carol, Paul and the staff at The Black Buffalo you’re in safe hands.
If you’re in the market for a hotel meal, then we definitely recommend The Black Buffalo. They’re in the Entertainment Club too.
You’ll find The Black Buffalo at 14 Federal St, North Hobart, telephone them on 6234 7711. Here’s The Black Buffalo’s menu.
