The Elimatta Hotel

We stopped for lunch on a Monday and had a very below average meal. The prices were high, so we thought they must reflect the quality. We were wrong. The steak in the $33 steak sandwich was chewy and grizzly, and the photo below shows the oil we squeezed out of the onion rings. The $33 chicken parmy meal came out soggy. We ate half and left. The waitress asked if we wanted a takeaway container, and we said no. I was so unhappy I could have hurled. The other photo shows what the $5 “jug” of sauce looks like.

They were very busy, so the food took almost an hour to arrive after we ordered. It was good, and the prices were reasonable. The bottleshop selection was limited.

We arrived for our 12:30 booking at 12:15 and were told the Elimatta Hotel bistro was closed for a function and our reservation had been cancelled. That was a real letdown after I’d called the afternoon before to arrange a work Christmas lunch and farewell. We work in tourism, so getting everyone’s schedules together before Christmas took a lot of organising. I’d given my name and contact details, and was told the booking was fine, though there’d be a set menu for the Melbourne Cup, which we were happy with. Thankfully, kind staff at a nearby venue found room for us at the last minute and served a lovely meal to our colleagues, some of whom had travelled from Campbell Town. We’ve eaten at the Eli many times and recommended it to plenty of people for its meals and group gatherings. After the way we were treated, I won’t be recommending it anymore.

We had a lovely view from our table by the window, and the service was wonderful. The meal was the best lunch counter food we’ve ever had, with generous portions. It was a bit expensive.