The Forbes Hotel
You may not believe it but there are places in Sydney that do have civilised lunch for around $10 (that is, not a food court) if you’re after something a bit nicer to catch up with your friends, rather than the usual grab your lunch and stand around stalking a table before you realise half your lunch hour’s gone.
The Forbes Hotel is just off George Street, on the corner of York and King, and was introduced to me by my former colleague as a place she used to take her clients who didn’t give her any business! haha. Anyway, you get the whole table cloth and waiter and glassware experience in their restaurant on the third floor.We had the beef and mushroom lasagna ($12), and the spaghetti amatriciana. I found the lasagna a bit too fatty, but I suppose that’s what lasagna’s meant to be like! It was difficult to find the noodle amidst all the sauce, and it was slightly over cooked. I enjoyed the spaghetti though. Just enough bite in the pasta, and the perfect chilli kick. It was a huge mound and very filling ($11.50), with shallots, fresh tomatoes and bacon strips providing quite a substantial meal. I couldn’t figure out why some tables received complimentary bread though and why we didn’t. (well it wasn’t on the menu!) but found the staff to be very polite and eager to please.
Tables next to us were enjoying the lobster mornay – an absolute steal at $22.50, which was a special of the day. It looked like a meal and a half! Same with the steak served on a bed of potatoes with a rich looking jus ($22.50). With most of the pastas under $13; the main meals under $22.50, and desserts at $7.50, you can definitely afford to come here often to escape the bullring of the foodcourt.