STM Restaurant Review: Acres of fun in a family-friendly space at Quarter Acre Hotel in Applecross

The first thing we see is the sandpit. Cue a collective sigh of relief as the kids speed off to the play zone.

They’re happy, we’re happy.

The Quarter Acre Hotel bills itself as a family-friendly neighbourhood watering hole and that’s exactly what you get. The beer garden, formerly a carpark, has high walls blocking pub noises from suburban Applecross, while punters can’t hear or see passing traffic.

It transforms the deck into a sanctuary dotted with umbrellas and picnic tables. Greenery reaches up the walls, party lights twinkle overhead and catchy tunes are kept to a low volume. Both in its decor and its clientele — all ages — it’s clear the joint is straddling the line between trendy and approachable, and that’s quite an art.

Staff — warm and accommodating, young and attractive — are eager to wheel heaters into place or bring water to the table. Orders are taken at various points along the long bar and settled on the spot. Easy.

The bloke who serves me says they’ve had only one slow day since opening.

The mates behind Quarter Acre, Miles Hull (who ran Little Creatures and the Alex Hotel) and Clint Nolan (behind Henry Summer, La Cholita and Sneaky Tony’s), chose the area because they felt it lacked good food and booze. Their take is pub food that’s a step above. The all-day menu is a multicultural mix with Western sensibilities. Think chicken parmies, steaks and burgers, with Asian spice, miso and wasabi popping up, along with Middle Eastern hits, from hummus to falafel and fattoush.

The kids’ fish, chips and salads ($11) arrive first. Hull, a father of three, knows what families need, and there’s even a healthy option on the kids’ menu.

Our crispy squid ($15) makes a poor first impression. The batter, crunchy in parts, gluey in others, falls off the seafood, which is better minus its oil-soaked jacket. A five- spice dusting is barely detectable and nam phric sauce is too sweet and too vinegary. Another mistakenly arrives 10 minutes later and looks far better.

Six prawns for $17 seems expensive when they’re the size of my pinky. Skewered and grilled, their taut exterior lacks char scars and smoke. But dragging them through mild chilli sauce, crunchy puffed black rice and ground nori equals textural fun.

Texture is MIA in two pork tacos ($14). Soft shells wrap soft meat, soft, cubed pineapple and a cream drizzle. I wouldn’t get that again. I would go for repeats of the miso salmon ($29). Delicately cooked and topped with crisp skin, it loves its underlay of wasabi pea puree and tart Asian salad.

A slab of sirloin ($36) is done just right — crisp, charry exterior, crimson insides and crowded with hand-cut chips and a leafy salad.

Ice-cream sundaes ($6) distract the kids momentarily before their spoons turn to our velvety chocolate mousse ($12), topped with peeled mandarin segments and crushed pistachios.

For families, drinkers and those sticking to mains, Quarter Acre is a great suburban option.

QUARTER ACRE HOTEL

Address: 767 Canning Highway, Applecross

Phone: 6142 3552

Open: Daily, 11.30am-late

Web www.facebook.com/quarteracrehotel

Bookings: No

Licensed: Yes

FLEUR’S VERDICT: 12/20