The Rose Hotel Chippendale

The Rose Hotel Chippendale, home of the $100 pub steak?

Good food, relaxed surrounds, just not sure how the patrons could afford some of the dishes on the menu?

The Rose Hotel Chippendale, on corner of Cleveland and Shepherd streets, is a Sydney Uni watering hole and occasional quick feed for Seymour Theatre culture vultures. This Saturday lunch it’s relatively quiet except for a group of English backpackers and a few tables of locals.

While the exterior is weathered and worn from Cleveland street traffic, the sunny interior beer garden is a charming oasis, providing both covered and outdoor seating, a pool table and a fragrant jasmine wall.

Pizza is a major feature, with a dozen or so options, plus the usual burgers, pies, fish and chips choices. Today’s specials board betrays higher aspirations (and prices to match); pork belly salad with green papaya and rare kangaroo fillet roast aren’t choices you’d expect from most uni watering holes.

In a rush (we’re lunching before Grey Gardens at the Seymour) we pick a couple of their standards.

Actually, noodlies, Sydney food blog ordered the 200g grain fed black angus rump more out of curiosity. Would student types pay $20 for 200g? Or in other words, $100 per kilo pub steak – that description might be a little cheeky, but it’s the unit pricing equivalent. In any case, this is double the $10 steaks offered elsewhere.

Or in other words, $100 per kilo pub steak.

It’s a handsome looking thick, steak with a crusty sealed outer revealing a tender and juicy centre, medium rare – exactly as ordered. The gravy which is described on the menu doesn’t materialise, but that’s not a bad thing, this beautiful piece of meat should with just a pinch or two of salt and pepper. It’s a shame the plain chips and average salad brings you back to earth. It also takes a while to arrive.

Pizzas at $18 is relatively more reasonable and the peri peri chicken comes with plenty of chunky chicken pieces, the sauce hums nicely without being over powering. Lovely soft think crust. It’s a pub so they’re probably more relaxed with timing. Ours took around 15 mins. There wasn’t anyone at the bistro counter, staff from the bar come to take your order, so it can be a wait. There was a mix up with the pizza which was quickly rectified. But if you have higher aspirations, that should reflect in the efficiency of service. To be fair, the staff are lovely and helpful.