The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

White Oaks Saloon Bar and Dining

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

Howdy: The interior of White Oaks Saloon nods to the wild west.
Howdy: The interior of White Oaks Saloon nods to the wild west.Darrian Traynor

American (US)

Saloons originated in America's old west where they were often the first structure built in a frontier settlement, even if their walls were canvas and a plank slung between barrels did for a bar.

They acted as town hall, employment office, entertainment precinct and dating agency, and their barkeeps were known to cut good (or passable) liquor with cheaper ingredients such as gunpowder and turpentine to give them extra kick. Some saloons became grander, timbered, decked with the batwing doors that get a workout in westerns, and supplied with diversions from pool tables to pianists.

White Oaks is a fond butter-on-the-lens recreation of a saloon with an exuberant approach to spirits (barrel-aged cocktails!) and keen southern and Tex-Mex snacks for ballast. It's friendly and snug without a gold-digger or gun-slinger in sight but I'm happy to let authenticity slide: we don't spit tobacky round these parts and it's nice to toss back drinks feeling pretty confident there's no turps on tap.

Advertisement
Texas caviar: Black-eyed peas, cilantro, jalapenos, tomatoes and bell peppers.
Texas caviar: Black-eyed peas, cilantro, jalapenos, tomatoes and bell peppers.Darrian Traynor

There are batwing doors, though. Push through them, cowboy-style, to the toilet.

The food does the job. Made-to-order bluecorn chips taste like sustenance not filler. Pulled pork lolls with coleslaw on brioche buns. Fried chicken has a spicy twang but is dry (boneless bites are hazardous).

Texas caviar salad confounds because it's written in American on the menu ("cilantro", "bell pepper") but that actually makes this black-eyed pea chopped salad with coriander and capsicum more cultural.

White Oaks' house-made key lime pie.
White Oaks' house-made key lime pie.Michelle Jarni
Advertisement

There's hot sauce aplenty to jazz up the food and chilli made its way into my cocktail too: the "Beer and a Smoke" with mezcal, lime, fennel bitters, a splash of red devil and a slug of beer.

White Oaks is a marvellous mish-mash of the wild west but it's highly likeable even though – or perhaps because – the only shooters come in shot glasses.

Rating: Three stars (out of five)

Continue this series

Citibank Dining Program Victorian restaurants
Up next
Woolshed Pub

Woolshed Pub (Dining Room)

Every time I eat in Docklands I think maybe this will be the restaurant that lets me love it.

Previous
Tagliatelle with prawns and crayfish bisque.

The Baths: Melbourne bayside dining at its best

Goodbye starched tablecloths, hello smart-casual seafood restaurant.

See all stories

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up
Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement