Harts Victoria Hotel, Footscray

43 Victoria Street
Footscray
VIC 3011

Despite having lived around the corner we'd never had dinner at Harts, but on a cold Friday evening we decided to give it a try rather than take a longer walk.

In the bistro section wood features heavily in the décor, which has a familiar traditional feel. The walls are adorned with historic images of Footscray including this selection of the Doggies and the Whitten Oval.

The menu promises "the best quality meals at a great price"...

...and covers plenty of Aussie pub classics.

When ordering as well as our table number we were provided with a couple of rolls.

The bruschetta hit the spot for the other half.

I had the veggie burger which was sat on top of baby spinach, tomato and pickled cucumber, with cheese and guacamole up top. The upside down assembly and slightly dry bun made it tricky to eat, but enjoyable nonetheless.

The porterhouse came with a decent serving of chips and salad along with a very thick red wine jus. I

The meal came in around $45 with drinks extra, so pretty good for a pub meal these days. Harts isn't quite as old-school as the Buckingham used to be, but is still a great old suburban pub.

Bad Boys Melbourne

57 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
VIC 3000

Seeking a good spot for a quick lunch not far from the office we decided to try out Bad Boys, which occupies the spot on Punch Lane just behind 57 Lonsdale Street previously occupied by Piadina Slowfood and Satchmo's Den. I've seen it very busy here, especially on Fridays and days on which eating outside is a pleasant prospect, however it was a bit quieter on the Tuesday we visited.

With it being fairly chilly, we found ourselves spots inside after ordering at the counter. As the interior space is small, the layout hasn't changed much.

The decoration has been updated with a wall of superhero murals.

Linda thought about the Hell Boy special before deciding on the Cheesy Boy featuring a wagyu beef pattie, double cheese, gerkin and onion with tomato ketchup and mustard. It certainly looked like a good example of the classic cheeseburger and it seemed to be enjoyed.

I chose the 'Magic Mushroom' burger. The mushroom was stuffed with haloumi and feta before being crumbed which enhanced the flavour and ensured plenty of moisture. The rocket, caramelised onion and tomato relish rounded out the challengingly proportioned stack well. The only small negative was that the height made it a bit of a challenge to eat.

At $9.50 a burger or $15 for combo with a soft drink and chips Bad Boys offers decent value for some great burgers. I know where I'll be heading next time I fancy a burger near the office, and now I can see why people queue out the doors...