The Cardinal, Victoria

A bland pub with no atmosphere, particularly now that they've turned the back of the pub into an airport lounge. However, it is their senseless glass policy that I felt compelled to write about after a jaw-dropping experience that I had last night. After ordering two pints of the pure brewed lager, the bar woman went off in search of two pure brewed lager glasses. After about two minutes she returned with one glass and then resumed her search for another, stopping to talk to other customers on the way. After a few more minutes without luck, I said that I would be happy with a normal pint class. "Oh no" came the reply, "it's company policy that only the right glass can be used for the particular beer", even though there were plenty of normal glasses available to use. Another couple of minutes searching on the bar and in the dishwashers (talking to other customers on the way again), and no pure brewed lager glass to be found. A customer-unfriendly Aussie bar woman standing nearby said that I could have another type of lager, for which they could use a normal pint glass, but if I wanted pure brewed lager I would just have to wait. "Rules are rules, and I am not risking my job just to serve you a drink". Er, sorry, serving drinks is your job, and if you don't have enough glasses to implement your farcical policy, then do the obvious thing and use another glass. The other bar woman then miraculously found one of the prized glasses on the bar. She gave this dirty glass a quick rinse and was just about to pour the drink into it when I had to ask her to wash it out properly with washing up liquid. The company policy on hygeine was not explained. Ten minutes after the whole ordeal started, I had my two pints. Ten minutes later we left, never to return.

29 Oct 2011 10:18