Mosman Rowers

The Mosman Rowers’ is situated on a prime piece of heritage waterfront land in Mosman.  The club started in Circular Quay in 1873 but now has its very unique and special location in Mosman Bay.

The view from Mosman Bay

Looking across to the Mosman Rowers’ from Mosman Bay

The clubhouse is a rustic weatherboard building that has a balcony overlooking the very pretty bay and it’s a great place to sit and enjoy a drink on a Sunday or any sunny afternoon.  It’s also a kid-friendly club and as such, there are no poker machines or other gambling devices so families are very welcome.

Mosman Rowers

Mosman Rowers

Being set in such a special location, and being a club that welcomes families, and being within walking distance of where I live, you would think I would be a regular visitor.  I’m horrified to announce that when I went there a few days ago, I hadn’t actually been to the Mosman Rowers’ for about 15 years.  I’m not sure I know how that happened.

Open for breakfast on weekends

Open for breakfast on weekends

Last Sunday afternoon I slipped into my thongs and walked to my friend Annie’s house and together we walked with our boys down to the Mosman Rowers’.  It was a beautiful day for a walk and it’s also an easy walk as it’s all downhill.  When we arrived at the Rowers’ I threw off my thongs and slipped into something more elegant.

An impostor in his 'Nobody knows I'm Elvis' t-shirt

Greeted at the door with a guy in a T-shirt, ‘Nobody Knows I’m Elvis’

If you’re not up to walking, there is a ferry service in Mosman Bay so you can arrive by water.  The club also has a courtesy bus and if you book a day ahead they’re very happy to come and collect you to bring you down to the Rowers’.  The courtesy bus is also available to drive local patrons home and this is a free service however they do suggest a $5.00 donation to the Club’s building fund.

The view from the Rowers'

The view from the Rowers’

We sat at an indoor table and looked over the menu.  I was pretty impressed with the selection as it’s quite varied and there are a lot of options not typically seen on club menus.  There are a lot of shared plate dishes and so we ordered a few.  You order at the bar and then relax at your table and the food is brought to you – none of those annoying buzzers!

The view from the balcony at the Rowers'

The view from the balcony at the Rowers’

We started with the salt and pepper squid that was served in a chip-fryer basket.  It was a generous serve for the price and the squid was tasty, spicy and very tender.  This was Alfie’s favourite.

Salt and Pepper Squid:  $16.00

Salt and Pepper Squid: $16.00

We then tried the goats cheese and basil stuffed mushrooms with tomato marmalade which were delicately bite-sized and the tomato marmalade with the mushrooms worked so well with the dollop of goat’s cheese.  I thought these are a great snack if you’re wanting something to enjoy with a glass of wine.

Goats Cheese and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes:  $14.00

Goats Cheese and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes: $14.00

My favourite dish on the shared plates menu was the arancini balls with lemon zest and aioli.  They were generously sized but I would have loved a little more aioli that I thought was sparingly served.  The risotto balls had a lovely crunchy coating and the risotto was flavoursome and ‘to the tooth’.

Arancini Balls:  $14.00

Arancini Balls: $14.00

Next we tried Rocky’s famous curry bites with mini papadums and mint yoghurt.  If you’re trying to eat elegantly I would avoid these as they’re a little messy but the curry is wonderful and full of spices and the meat tender.  The papadums were crisp and crunchy but typically, snapped in an unpredictable way which can lead to a mess.

Rocky's Famous Curry Bites:  $16.00

Rocky’s Famous Curry Bites: $16.00

After the shared plates had been digested, Annie ordered the steak sandwich which is chargrilled scotch fillet with sauteed onions, cheese and homemade relish.  It was a very generous steak sandwich piled high with fillings and the steak was extremely tender and cooked, as requested, medium-rare.

Steak Sandwich:  $18.00

Steak Sandwich: $18.00

I ordered from the pizza menu and thoroughly enjoyed the MeDel Terra Bianca with fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, garlic, truffle oil, thyme and sea salt.  This was one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had.  The base of the pizza was light and crispy, there was a good balance between cheese and fillings and a most wonderful aroma from the truffle oil.

Del Terra Bianca Pizza:  $18.00

Del Terra Bianca Pizza: $18.00

Gelato is available and Annie’s boy ordered chocolate gelato that arrived as three large scoops and this was devoured before I had the opportunity to capture it.  Gelato is $12.00 and made by Gelato Cart.

And then of course, Elvis turned up and serenaded us as the sun went down and wine o’clock arrived.

Elvis in his leathers

Elvis in his leathers

Annie and I were very impressed by the friendliness of the staff at the club and found the food to be of very good quality.  It was freshly prepared and was brought to the table within a reasonable time of ordering.  Memberships are available and Annie and I both bought a five-year membership for $150.00.  This entitles you to 10% off all food and beverage orders while also helping to support a club on heritage-listed premises.

The inside bar

The inside bar

While I thought the club-like carpet should be torn up in favour of floorboards and while the chairs are cumbersome and awkward, I believe this is a club that serves fabulous food with great value for money in a unique and extremely picturesque setting.

The covered verandah

The covered verandah

Verdict:  Well worth a visit.

Mosman Rowers‘:  3 Centenary Drive, Mosman 2088

Ph:  02 9953 7966

A beautiful view

A beautiful view

 

 

Comments

  1. I would happily put up with the cumbersome chairs for the fabulous food. Great club.
    Have an awesome day Charlie.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  2. What a tasty meal! Your pizza looks absolutely amazing. I might just have to try to make it myself.

  3. You gotta love a club that serves food like this AND Elvis serenades….. how cool is that!!!! Lovin’ the dress code too….. all round thumbs up from me.

  4. Beautiful view and the food looks tasty. But I agree that the interior needs a make-over.

  5. WOW 15 years Charlie… I lived in Sydney for 16 and went there many times, including a few weddings 🙂 I love that it is on the water with no real traffic noise… nothing really like it anywhere else 🙂 I’m glad that you will be going there more often 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Oh and say hi to Elvis for me! Liz x

  6. I think I would have been pleasantly filled with just the appetizers (the squid and arancini were my favourites) … leaving room for a taste of dessert but the pizza and the steak were both very appealing. It looks like a great place to go and now that you’ve got a membership, I’m sure you’ll be visiting more often. 🙂

  7. Wow I must go back too as it’s been a while. The food looks fab. So lucky you can walk
    Carolyn

    PS was that your Elvis????

  8. Wow, nice pictures Charlie…and food looks delicious, I would love to try the squid…
    Have a great week dear 😀

  9. I would totally go for this delicious food, and in a fresh and relaxing environment? All adding to the ambience 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  10. Looks like a great place on the water. I had the exact same thoughts about the carpet though. The food looks fantastic. I know I would enjoy everything you ordered and Mr. N and Miss A would certainly agree with Alfie’s favorite. They love calamari!

  11. With that lovely menu, I think it’s definitely worth a membership! Your pizza does look amazing!

  12. How wonderful that the club is walking distance from your home. All the dishes sound and look delicious, I am intrigued with the tomato marmalade, must look for a recipe on the internet

  13. Wow what a gorgeous place to spend the afternoon with a glass of wine and just relax 🙂 I think the membership is of great value too for $150 for 5 years and most importantly you’re also helping to protect a heritage listing!

  14. What a fantastic afternoon you had … food looks wonderful, great entertainment and I love that this venue has no poker machines!

  15. Wow, a nice and refreshing view from your balcony it is! How I love to taste that salt and pepper squid. They look huge and tasty.

    ~Do drop by and say hello 🙂
    Gourmet Getaways

  16. That salt and pepper squid looks amazing. You will probably go more often now after such a good rap and of course your membership.

  17. The view is lovely, the food looks good, the prices are great, you can take the family, it’s walking distance- why have you waited so long to make this place your local Charlie? So glad you rediscovered such a gem and hope you make lots of yummy memories there too 🙂 xox

  18. I want Elvis!! Don’t let him leave the building!

    You probably never went to a live Elvis concert but you sit there applauding for ages, Elvis leaves the stage and immediately over the PA system they say, “Elvis has left the building.” Then everyone boos.

    That has nothing to do with the Mosman Rowers – what a lovely spot and you haven’t been for 15 years? Tsk. I hope you’ll be seen more often at such a nice place for families.

  19. What a fun place! I am confident I would have enjoyed the food, judging by the items you’ve shared with us. I have some similar thoughts at times about not taking advantage of many local establishments with excellent reputations and interesting color! I don’t know why I’ll sometimes travel 30 minutes or more and then ignore a place I’ve previously enjoyed much closer to home. You’ll have me thinking about where I need to revisit! Elvis was a nice touch as well!

  20. Dear Charlie,

    I’ve walked past this place many times whenever we do the Cremorne Point walk. This is such a beautiful part of Sydney and the food looks very nice and honest. I especially like that steak sandwich and a bianca pizza too.

  21. Looks like a wonderful clubhouse and so accommodating to provide transportation if you choose. Hello, Elvis! How fun is that?!

  22. this all looks delicious and is making me very hungry. (no breakfast yet and it is almost lunchtime) I love arancini, and those mushrooms look so good.

  23. Elvis and great food, sound like a winner to me. I love salt and pepper squid if it is good properly and is tender.

  24. The “Nobody Knows I’m Elvis” t-shirt made my day, but I’m with Alfie on those squid–they look wonderful!

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  1. […] about a month ago when we went to the Mosman Rowers for dinner, Shinji came along with Fiona.  She and I had a great chat and found out we both did […]

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