Bob Hawke’s Leisure Centre Serves Up Retro Vibes and Damn Good Chinese in Marrickville with a new menu

When Bob Hawke’s Leisure Centre launched in March 2022, Marrickville’s dining scene got a whole lot more nostalgic with a brilliant mash-up of new old-school Chinese restaurant charm (Lucky Prawn) and beer hall reverence to Australia’s most legendary larrikin Prime Minister. It’s now a neighbourhood favourite. We return as we heard the menu has a new innings.

The Vibe

Walking into Bob Hawke’s Leisure Centre is like stepping through a time portal. To my left is an iconic skyscraper-sized, black and white beer swigging image of Bob Hawke who dominates the space. He is beer in hand, with a more than a sprig of wirey chest hair, proudly welcoming all visitors to his temple of beer and fun. 

To my left, I spot banquet seats and high tables. To the right, retro dining tables and chairs are set out in classic formation. If you’re lucky enough to snag one of the round tables with lazy susans, you’ve hit the jackpot. They’re wildly popular with groups. Overhead, paper lanterns sway gently, and the wallpaper alone makes me feel like I’ve genuinely stepped back in time to grandma Lawson’s place. 

Lucky Prawn is were the food action is. I watch the chefs at work. But the main drawcard? That glorious brown and gold bar, stocked with the full range of Hawke beers that rotate seasonally, while the favourites are always on tap.

Beers to Match the Mood

The brown and gold bar isn’t just for show, it’s a shrine to beers with the silver towers behind,where it’s all brewed. They also have the 100kw rooftop solar farm which is one of the largest of any city-based brewery in Australia, providing power to the operations downstairs, and the cool rooms. The core range includes Hawke’s Lager, Patio Pale Ale, Mid-Lager, and Half XPA. Rotating taps enable us fellow hopheads to flex their muscles. The Mid Larger was originally brewed as Hawke’s Underdog, in honour of Australia’s ’83 America’s Cup win, its really lovely – a mid-strength lager winning many gold medals. I also really liked the Half Pacific, a 1.75 per cent ABV pacific ale with notes of passionfruit, peach and orange. Head Brewer Brodie French said the Hawke’s Half Range was first inspired by National Sales Director Stavros Yiannoukas who set him the challenge of creating a flavoursome beer that contained 0.5 standard drinks in a tin. They have nailed it.

Lucky Prawn – Retro Chinese Food

Opening the trifold paper menu feegives me an instant wave of nostalgia. I am back in Strood, Kent where our favourite pick was prawn toasts,  and sesame honey chicken balls! My heart practically melts with happiness. This is Chinese restaurant dining as it should be: generous, flavourful, and utterly satisfying.

The menu reads like a greatest hits album of Chinese dining. We start with prawn toasts. A single white slice of bread chopped into four crispy, golden, triangeles which are packed with flavour. The san choy bao hits all the right notes with its balance of textures and freshness thanks to big shells of iceberg, you can’t get more 80’s than taht. However, it is the sesame chicken which rocks my world. The batter is a bad ass. It’s got a real attitude, with a hard crispy shell shattered into bite size slices and is cooked to perfection, while the eggplant is silky and rich. I can never miss a salt and pepper calamari moment and this one is tender and beautifully seasoned.

We top it up with fried rice and an amazing sweetcorn omelet which reminds me of Thai street food. It’s chopped into sections. Its glorious with juicy sweet interior and crispy fried edges. XO King prawns have a deep scallop favour and the snap peas add freshness. My dining partner, Wendy is celiac and unlike many asian places this menu is almost 70% gluten free which is epic. Almost all the mains are GF and some of the starters. Happy days.

The Verdict

Bob Hawke’s Leisure Centre, 8-12 Sydney St, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2204Marrickville.