What happened to Pugg Mahones?

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of the Shaw Davey Slum.

After 15 weeks of demolition and build, what used to be home to Pugg Mahones in Carlton has finally opened its doors as The Shaw Davey Slum. “The Slum”, as it has been affectionately termed, is unique in style, presentation and represents great value for money.

This is Anna Carosa and Stewart Koziora’s (Retail Savvy Group) 3rd venue and they are breaking the rules of design and price point whilst respecting the site and heritage of this iconic Carlton venue. 

The name ‘The Shaw Davey Slum’ is a play on words, based around a report on Poverty in 1958 written by two commissioners named Shaw and Davey; it was known as the windscreen survey (because they didn't get out of their cars), with recommendations to demolish areas of Carlton they deemed to be ‘slums'.

Crispy pork belly

This dish consisted of slow roasted pork belly pieces with crispy salty crackling served atop wild roquette dressed in a house made green apple and honey cider dressing, accompanied with a housemade apple and cranberry compote.

Stuffed field mushroom

A delightful dish of roasted giant field mushroom which was stuffed with a finely chopped mixture of macadamia nut, mushrooms, shallots and herbs that were sautéed in butter. It was also topped with goats cheese and served with baby spinach and a house made balsamic glaze.

Mega Chicken parma

The mega chicken parma was indeed MEGA. A large piece of chicken breast fillet was breaded with crunchy Kellogg’s corn flakes and topped with a house made Napoli sauce and a combination of Gruyere and mozzarella cheese.

All this for a mere $20!

Surf & Turf

For again, just $20, the Surf & Turf comprised of 200 grams of tender grass-fed MSA graded eye fillet beef cooked to our liking and was accompanied with garlic prawns, crispy pancetta, steamed broccolini and a house made Australian bush pepper Hollandaise.

Sweet potato chips

Background: Mulled Ribena

Foreground: Anzac biscuit ice cream sandwich

The Mulled Ribena was a lovely winter treat which was made from Ballantines, Ribena, red wine and orange juice which had been infused with cinnamon, star anise, cloves, honey water, orange and lemons.

We concluded our visit with a fun Aussie twist on a classic of ice cream sandwiched between two pieces of Anzac cookies. 

The venue also features a retractable rooftop bar (open Friday from 5pm with Dj’s upstairs starting at 7pm) which gives the space a more casual, outdoor feel than its lower level. 

The second level begins as you walk up the staircase past a stunning Swarovski crystal Chandelier and make your way to the 13 meter long bar, custom-made with concrete and sea shells from numerous beaches around Melbourne. A raised dance floor area with Beatles and Pineapple images are a throwback to the 1960’s In Australia.

Whatever direction you're heading - whether you're winding down or partying up, The Shaw Davey Slum are able to cater to your needs with a compelling value proposition.