Pub brunch at The Henson

Posted by Hendy - seasoned cyclist, peaty whisky drinker, coffee Instagram-mer

For a brunch venue that's a little different to the growing number of cafés in the inner west, one weekend a friend suggested a newly-renovated pub, The Henson in Marrickville, previously known as the Henson Park Hotel.

Photo collages of Henson Park and  surrounding Marrickville area at
The Henson,  Illawarra Road, Marrickville 

Located near Marrickville's Henson Park which hosts various sporting events, The Henson is one of the more family-friendly pubs in the area.

The new renovations feature an outdoor, upcycled hipster-chic bar and spacious beer garden extending into a kids play-pen, in addition to the more traditional but updated pub inside.

The Henson's courtyard

Long black

The Henson's menu is extensive, if not eclectic, and caters to various taste buds from 11am daily; that lunch-brunch kind of time where schooners are optional.

The menu features starters that wouldn't look out of place in a restaurant, along with tacos, burgers and mains that span from tempeh to koftas to kim chee nasi goreng.

Kumera fries, nigella, tahini yoghurt

To kick off brunch, I ordered the kumera fries. Served in a plastic basket with a side of milky tahini yoghurt, lime and a sprinkle of nigella seeds, the sweet potato fries had a soft texture with the occasional crunch.

Knuckle Sandwich - wagyu brisket, fennel slaw, swiss cheese, smokey mayo on rye & chips

I could not resist the wagyu beef brisket on the menu, labelled as a Knuckle Sandwich. Comprising tender wagyu beef brisket, fennel slaw and swiss cheese bedded on rye bread, the sandwich reminded me of a good ol' Reuben sandwich with a twist.

The toasted rye worked well with the tender brisket and the fresh, crunchy slaw, served together with potato chips – making for a solid winner at brunch.

Blackened barramundi burger, coleslaw, tomato, dill pickles, tomato/beet relish & chips

The blackened barramundi burger was layered similarly to the Knuckle Sandwich with slaw, pickles and relish on a burger bun.

Served with more fluffy chips in a basket, the barramundi burger opened up to a grilled fillet of barramundi, slightly dry on the outside, followed by the crunch of the cabbage slaw and the tanginess of the pickles and relish. It was, sadly, no comparison to the Knuckle Sandwich.

Lamb koftas, flatbread, labne, fennel, chickpea olive salad, tahini & beetroot

Arriving next to the table were the lamb koftas, served with flatbread; a bowl of fennel, olive, beetroot and tahini; and small balls of labne yoghurt cheese.

The koftas were a tad dry, saved by a dollop of tahini dip, while the other sides freshened up the dish.

½ kilo buttermilk chicken wings, verde picante

To finish off the brunch run, I ordered the buttermilk chicken wings – a mixture of winglets and drumlets. Generally, I tend to avoid fried items in the morning as they tend to bog you down, but with baskets of the wings flying past all around, it smelt too darn good to pass up.

The fried chicken had a lovely texture: starting off floury, then with crunch followed by the juicy innards, while the verde picante hot green sauce served alongside packed an additional punch. I didn't have a beer at brunch but these wings would go very, very well with a nice cold one.

The Henson has done remarkably well with its recent renovation, catering for people of all ages with pub food that is fresh and different, especially for a pub brunch.