Like
other sites in this blog, Gosford will no doubt get multiple entries
considering the large number of venues within a three-block radius of
the waterfront. Not including restaurants, there are over 20 places
where you can get a coffee in the CBD, including two at the train
station if you so desire.
The venue for this post, the Central Coast League Club, of which I've been a member of for over fifteen years, currently has three internal areas where you can get a meal. Prior to Covid, it was home to a rather decent all-you-can-eat buffet, which has long since moved out and has been partially replaced by a pizzeria. Upstairs you can find a Chinese restaurant, neither of which I've ever dined at, but Archies Bistro on the ground level (the main focus of the post) has been an irregular haunt of mine, especially on Central Coast Mariners' match days seeing their home ground is next door. Their menu has improved significantly since I first joined the club, and even my MH support group prefers to dine there on occasions seeing it's just a nice place to eat and we've always been able to get a reservation.
The club is currently undergoing renovations which is temporarily confined to the southwestern corner, so you won't be disturbed. There are plenty of options, from kids' meals to larger meals designed for two people. Lunch and dinner are well catered for, and if you just feel like a snack or a coffee, then you can sample the wares of the adjoining coffeeshop. You do need to order at the counter, but they'll bring your order to you, even if you're not seated in the immediate area of the bistro.
I couldn't help myself and opted for the chicken schnitzel as I have so many times before. (BTW, if you intend to go to a match across the road and decide on a pre-match meal but want something quick, I recommend the Archie burger which will see you through until fulltime.) As for the schnitzel, it was rather thick and perhaps a tad dry, but with the large amount of salad (probably just a bit too much) and the fries I found myself once again having been defeated by the meal and couldn't finish off what I had been desiring all week. The crust of the schnitzel by the way was better than anywhere else I had eaten this year, though overall it wasn't quite as good as the fare at the Kincumber Hotel. Be advised, you don't have to be a member of the club to dine there, but membership does give you discounts on drinks and food. My meal, with a large scotch and dry on tap to wash it down, cost around $35 all up. Without the discount it's over $40.
The venue for this post, the Central Coast League Club, of which I've been a member of for over fifteen years, currently has three internal areas where you can get a meal. Prior to Covid, it was home to a rather decent all-you-can-eat buffet, which has long since moved out and has been partially replaced by a pizzeria. Upstairs you can find a Chinese restaurant, neither of which I've ever dined at, but Archies Bistro on the ground level (the main focus of the post) has been an irregular haunt of mine, especially on Central Coast Mariners' match days seeing their home ground is next door. Their menu has improved significantly since I first joined the club, and even my MH support group prefers to dine there on occasions seeing it's just a nice place to eat and we've always been able to get a reservation.
The club is currently undergoing renovations which is temporarily confined to the southwestern corner, so you won't be disturbed. There are plenty of options, from kids' meals to larger meals designed for two people. Lunch and dinner are well catered for, and if you just feel like a snack or a coffee, then you can sample the wares of the adjoining coffeeshop. You do need to order at the counter, but they'll bring your order to you, even if you're not seated in the immediate area of the bistro.
I couldn't help myself and opted for the chicken schnitzel as I have so many times before. (BTW, if you intend to go to a match across the road and decide on a pre-match meal but want something quick, I recommend the Archie burger which will see you through until fulltime.) As for the schnitzel, it was rather thick and perhaps a tad dry, but with the large amount of salad (probably just a bit too much) and the fries I found myself once again having been defeated by the meal and couldn't finish off what I had been desiring all week. The crust of the schnitzel by the way was better than anywhere else I had eaten this year, though overall it wasn't quite as good as the fare at the Kincumber Hotel. Be advised, you don't have to be a member of the club to dine there, but membership does give you discounts on drinks and food. My meal, with a large scotch and dry on tap to wash it down, cost around $35 all up. Without the discount it's over $40.
P.S: I made an additional visit to the club the night of the AFC cup match against Stallion Laguna on Oct 4, just to refresh my memory of the Archie Burger. I stand by the original assessment that if you just want a quick bite and something simple yet substantial to eat, this is just the thing. However, the menu advertises 'thick cut' chips, which I can definitely say they are not. Perhaps that's just an oversight and it hasn't been updated. Whatever the case, the burger was quite filling and saw me through a rather miserable wet and windy night in the stands, with the scoreline registered by the home side being extremely satisfying.
Links correct at time of posting.
Photograph taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2023.
