We're rapidly drifting towards the opinion that Glebe is Sydney's top area for pub culture, and a recent Saturday visit has served to strengthen this. Our second pub of the afternoon, The Excelsior, while rather unprepossessing in decor (in stark contrast to the cluttered madness of the Friend In Hand) is a pretty darn good pub. We were in the market for food, mostly, and of course Sydney has gone $5 meal mad over the last while, with competition being very intense in our local stomping grounds of Surry Hills. Well, the Excelsior has managed to beat them hands down, with a large selection of good food, very well presented. Choose from Grilled or Tempura Fish, Chicken Breast or Schnitzel, Steak or Lamb Shanks. Sophie went for the Tempura Fish, myself for the Lamb. Sophie was enthused with the salad dressing and impressed with the serve size - I was impressed with the quality, having had worse Lamb Shanks for more money more than once! Having determined we really liked the place, we hung in Drinking James Squire and reading the paper for a few more hours. Jason, the licensee, stopped by and we had a chat about the place. They're quite a big sports pub, with an ongoing soccer war with the Nag's Head, and tonight a minibus full of locals is off to watch the super-12, which is gracing the big screen. Live music also features very prominently, and there's a growing emphasis on functions, with plenty of choice if you're booking a party. The service is friendly, the food is good, the beer is cold and it does what pubs are supposed to do. What more do you want?
review by: Jason