The Esplanade Hotel (Busselton)

The Food
The Esplanade serves hearty pub food at reasonable prices. They have two vegetarian options: vegetable lasagna; and vegetable filo. However, the filo is almost always unavailable. Vegetable lasagna reminds me of the days I first became vegetarian and would eat the hideously bad frozen meals available in supermarkets. Fortunately, the Esplanade’s lasagna is far better. With chunky vegetables, perfect sauce and a cheesy top served with beer battered chips it is always reliably good. For an entree, a complimentary salad bar is available. The soup often contains meat, however, on my latest visit it was white onion and garlic which was a beautiful start to the meal. The salad bar is limited in its options, and some do contain meat, however the mains are on the larger side so there is no need to go wild with the salad anyway.

Non-Vego
The mains are simple but very enticing. Huge chunks of steak are accompanied by chips and your choice of sauce. My dining partners have always come away satisfied and happy with their meals.

Atmosphere/Service
The Esplanade is quite drab in its appearance. The simplicity of the food and its presentation is equalled by the appearance of the main dining area. Orders are placed at the bar and this results in waiters buzzing around when the place is busy trying to find the table the food belongs at, often doing two or three laps. However, as the meals are relatively cheap, the lack of service is forgivable.

In General
The Esplanade is an old reliable favourite that always produces simple, enjoyable meals. If you are looking for a dining out experience, perhaps try somewhere a bit more scenic (The Goose/Equinox) or somewhere with a bit more of a lively atmosphere (The Vasse) however if you are just after a good meal at a reasonable price then the Esplanade is definitely a good option.

Food 7/10
Value 8/10
Atmosphere 4/10
Service 4/10