First Judges’ Comments 2017

Food lovers award-winning hotel in Bendigo

Dining at the Brougham Arms in Bendigo is a thoroughly satisfying experience in a comfortable and congenial environment. There’s a variety of seating and tables are well spaced. Staff were thoroughly professional and attentive to the slightest of customer needs, always with a good disposition and sense of humour yet never obtrusive. Food service was prompt and the chef is clearly highly competent offering interesting varieties of richly textured taste sensations.  A delightful feature is the attention to detail. Each dish is presented on distinctive plates, sometimes textured, others not, different shapes, sizes, and colours. Food highlights included; Marinated Kiwi Calamari in a wonderfully sharp parsley, burghul, sesame and lime sauce.  Crispy Fried Chicken Ribs brined in buttermilk, with chipotle mayo, smoked chilli salt and grilled lime.  Grilled Barramundi Fillet served on a white bean puree with roasted vegetables, chorizo crumble and House semi-dried tomatoes.  Slow Cooked Beef with pumpkin and jasmine rice fried shallots and B&B herbs in a wonderfully piquant red curry sauce.  Smashed Pavlova with sweet labna and blood orange granita, hazelnuts and a toffee shard.  And Sheep’s Yoghurt and Vanilla Bean Pana Cotta with Butterscotch figs.  All looking and tasting as good as they sound.  There was a great selection of wines, craft beers and ciders in the extensive drinks list (much of it local), and good advice available from the staff, and the coffee was well above average for a hotel.  The Brougham Hotel offers real value for money in a setting that is both comfortable and tastefully fresh.  No visitor to Bendigo should miss the experience – but book because the locals are already onto it!

Special Strengths

Comfortable and congenial. Variety of dining spaces. Unobtrusive and helpful customer service. Excellent variety enjoyable dishes. Good choices local wines and beers. Good coffee. Very good value for money.

2017 Awards

The Finalists for the Central and Northern Victoria Territory Golden Plate Awards will be announced in October.  The Winners , including for the Victorian State Awards will be announced in November.  Follow these announcements here and on Facebook.

2016 State Awards

• FINALIST Best Hotel Dining sponsored by Comcater P/L.

2016 Regional Awards

• WINNER Best Hotel Dining sponsored by Comcater Pty. Ltd.
• HIGHLY COMMENDED Peter Watson Memorial Award for Best Chef (Rory Brown) sponsored by Garuda Indonesia Airlines and Comcater P/L.
• HIGHLY COMMENDED Best Value for Money sponsored by Bendigo Tourism
• FINALIST Best Menu of Local Wines, Beers and Ciders sponsored by Bendigo Tourism

• 2016 Judges’ Comments

The Brougham Arms enjoys the reputation as one of Bendigo’s best hotels, with standards of foods better than most pubs and restaurants with creative and interesting dishes attractively plated and generously portioned,. The service is friendly and quick and the wines and beers the cream of local producers. The former Head Chef Greg Egan created a new benchmark for the Bendigo region and now the baton has been passed to Rory Brown. The 2016 menu was sensational with lovely dishes, specials and Chef’s Selections, beautifully presented, with crockery that compliments each dish, full of interesting flavours and ingredients. The Brougham Arms drinks list was extensive with a good choice of local wines and local beers. The customer service was very good with staff well informed and happy to give advice and answer questions.  The food at the Brougham was very good value money with interesting and creative dishes made with quality produce, presented well and plated with care and attention to detail. Those who enjoy traditional pub meals would be be happy with the prices.

PREVIOUS AWARDS

• 2015 Best Hotel – State Winner
• 2015 Best Hotel – Regional Winner
• 2015 Best Chef – Greg Egan – Regional Winner
• 2015 Best Restaurant – Regional Winner
• 2015 Best Customer Service – Highly Recommended
• 2014 Best Chef – Greg Egan – State Winner
• 2014 Best Chef – Greg Egan – Regional Winner
• 2014 Best Hotel Dining – Highly Commended