Samson Beach Tavern — Restaurant in Point Samson

If you're vegetarian and have looked up the menu here, you'd probably just choose another venue as there's not a single vegetarian main listed, but if you ask the bar staff they'll surreptitiously pull out a vegetarian menu from under the counter on its own clip board. The menu is not long and included the garden salad which is a side dish on their regular menu, a pizza and a vegie burger.

I decided on the vegie burger as the pizza sounded quite plain and I couldn't find a single review out of 300+ on Google that mentioned pizza, good bad or otherwise.

To be honest, I want expecting a lot. Like what sort of restaurant can't even put a single vegetarian dish on their regular menu? Are they worried it will sully the meat dishes somehow by being printed on the same page? Do they really dislike vegetarians and want to discourage them from eating there? ...I really don't understand the separate hidden menu???

So I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it. It was actually a pretty decent vegie burger. The burger itself was made from lentils and had a good texture and flavour. The burger also contained beetroot, caramelized onion, tomato, lettuce and sweet chilli mayo. The bun was tasty and held together well till the end. The chips on the other hand were very average, but all together not a bad meal for $20 (compared to other meals here which start at $25).

So while I wouldn't necessarily recommend this pub to a vegetarian, I would say don't dispair if your omnivore friends want to go here for a meal, you'll be able to find something vego.

Edit: I went back for a second dinner as we stayed 2 nights in the attached caravan park, and my omnivore partner wanted to go back.

This gave me an opportunity to review the vego menu (I forgot the fried rice in my initial review) and try something different.

So it turns out that the 'pizza' option was actually 'pizza sub.' I ordered this as it seemed least worst option after the vegie burger. It was basically cheesy garlic bread plus extra toppings, including surprise pineapple which was not mentioned on the menu.

I feel like this would be perfectly at home on the kids menu; maybe something to share as an entree/bar snack between consenting adults, but not something a self respecting adult would order as a main meal (I only did it for you dear reader). Pros: Filling, cheap, didn't taste awful.

Reviewing the menu also revealed another possible reason they don't have the vego options on the main menu: they're embarrassed by 3 out of 4 options: a side salad, a kids meal (pizza sub), half a meal (veg...

They throw out enteess and mains together. $99 2 ppl. Buzzer not delivered. But miss a main. I feel rude eating but I do. Takes 40 mins for second fishi grilled. So chef is unaware of the mistake, or deliberately making the staff suffer. It was quiet on meals bout 2 other tables of 2 dining, others had finished. Could be second theory chef had turned grills off, hence the wait. Pan grill? The bill proved we had ordered 2 fish but had 1x somehow charged for the ghost fish. So not our poor communication. Tried to make it all come out as one poi system seperates entree main. Had a lunch there oysters out first. Clearly have to ask up here. Hedland same even dessert. No apologies, free soft drink. Blame the POI. European waitress with super model looks I dont think that face can show regret. By recongising an issue it can lead to escalated outrage and poor reviews. I was told in a work venue, wait for them to complain or it plants the seed. Order your entrees on a seperate buzzer is my suggestion. Put a time on your mains. Or its all over the shop for fine dining prices with plastic wobble tables and find the cutlery behind annoyed bar flys. The venue is 5 star silver service potential. View is majestic. Potentially games or dance area. Private...

Have visited this tavern for lunch twice this week (August 2024). The first time, my partner had fish and chips which he said was okay. I ordered the Australian prawns/chips and salad. The battered prawns were small and overcooked, was dried out. The salad was almost non existent. Went there again today, for lunch, thought I’d give it another go, as it’s in a beautiful location. My partner had a fish burger, which he again enjoyed. I ordered the curry of the day, which was supposed to be a Thai red chicken curry. Now the chef has obviously never been to a Thai restaurant, as red curry is supposed to have coconut milk in it, be slightly sweet, a little bit of heat and delicious. What ever was served was definitely not Thai red curry. It didn’t even taste like it had red curry paste of any kind and definitely no coconut milk. It was a very brownish red colour, more like a spicy braised chicken in beef stock. The chicken was very dry. The meal was inedible. I did eat a little of the rice, which was okay. I’m sorry but I won’t be back. And it was overpriced, over $80, for 2...