That’s meant with endearment and the utmost respect. It’s a little tired, slightly worn, and seen better days – if the walls could talk, they’d probably ask for a beer.
Basically, Last Chance does what it says on the tin and dishes out live rock. Plus, with Shane at the helm, Last Chance is putting on bloody good counter meals too – a huge reason to be a big part of Melbourne’s drinking scene.
When I dropped in for tea, Chef Roger was in the kitchen on the ones and twos. Roger’s menu is a good blend of classic pub fare and dishes you’re more likely to find in a bistro than in a public bar. He kept the room flowing, pumping out a mixture of souvlakis, parmas, pappardelles, steak sangas, salads and burgers.
I ordered the five-hour lamb. A slow-cooked hunk of shred-on-your-fork and melt-in your-mouth goodness. This lamb was juicy and dribble-inspiring. To make things even more tantalising, Roger served it with crispy steamed bok choy and fresh chilli – the perfect partner for the rich meat. I was pretty chuffed with my choice and my only thought was that it could’ve done with a little more kick. I was flanked by a couple of lads that maintained their reflexes and went for the Last Chance parma. “Above average and no regrets”, one of them managed to blurt out. Keep it up, Roger.
There plenty of live music joints where you can get a feed. But the taste-to-cost ratio at Last Chance can’t be ignored. Neither can their beer tap that simply says: “Rock n Roll Draught”. For a no-nonsense joint that’s well worth your time, make Last Chance your first choice.
Words by Ryan Najelski
