Last month, the Lansdowne Hotel in Chippendale underwent some major plastic surgery. One if its shiny new features, with barely any wrinkles, is a new American Diner-style restaurant; Phoenix Diner. The overall ambience and decor of the restaurant may not scream typical American diner. There’s no black and white vinyl flooring, red bar stools and booths, tacky country music or a waitress named Dorris (much to my disappointment) but the menu seems true to form.

They’ve got starters like pretzels and mustard, pork crackling, jalapeño poppers, chihuahuas (mini hot-dogs) and buckets o’buffalo wings ($12). The wings themselves didn’t have much flavour, but the celery ribbons with bleu cheese sauce, bbq sauce and F’n hot chilli sauce made up for it.

The burger, with 12 hour smoked and braised pork, slaw, cranberry jam, brie, char grilled apple and rocket is an interesting flavour combination. The pork is soft, and the brie nice and gooey, with a great sweetness of the apple seeping through.

The ruby ribs; smoked lamb ribs, braised in Texas smoke sauce fall off the bone and are nice and tender. The sauce was sticky but could have more flavour. The chips are fat and golden, the best kind.

The dessert menu has your typical New York cheesecake, churros and even a secret sundae.

If you’re after generously sized American style food at a decent price with a side of pub trivia head to the Phoenix Diner at the Lansdowne.

http://www.thelansdownehotel.com.au/menu/