Chancery Lane Bendigo, location of The Dispensary
The Dispensary in Chancery Lane offers everything you would want on a cold autumn night. It's a bar, cafe and a very cool place to be on any night, really.
Walking into the relatively small space with tables and bar stools around a well-stocked bar, the atmosphere reminiscent of times past, you can't but feel as if you have arrived. This is where you are meant to be. The music, a mix of blues, soft rock and all the old favourites associated with bars, keeps the atmosphere alive but without the loudness often associated with similar types of restaurants. Marble tabletops with large white napkins set the scene for your first course.
A well-stocked bar
But first the drinks: a book of cocktails, aperitifs and numerous craft beers is produced for your perusal. The cocktail list takes a long time to get through; cocktails old and new, sweet and sour, potent and mild line its many pages. The wine list, composed of several pages, lists bottles of wine from Australia, France, Spain and New Zealand and offers a large choice in types of wine as well as price point. If you can't make up your mind you can always ask the friendly waiters or you can order one of the wine by the glass specials listed on the board.
The dishes on the relatively small menu are made of excellent ingredients and are expertly cooked. Cured kingfish with coconut was delicate and full of flavours. A still-pink duck with spicy Szechuan eggplant provided a contrast of tastes and spiciness not usually associated with eggplant but was delicious nonetheless. Looking at the other dishes being served a sense of fine, well-selected ingredients and dishes prevailed. The fries as a side dish tasted yummy too.
Delicious food. Image:https://www.facebook.com/DispensaryBendigo/photos/
The Dispensary is open 6 days a week, Tuesday to Sunday with breakfast served on the weekend
