Paul Fishbeck menu collection, 1955-2015.
Collection Number: 8418

Notes from the collector: I am grateful when places date their stuff. The menu is one sheet about 12 inches by 6 inches and has all the old favorites and I guess was expensive for its day. Salmon was $13.25, filet mignon was $15.75. Something unusual? COOW WOOW – "America's First Mixed Drink" made with rum - $2.75. Has anyone ever heard of it? They said they made their rolls from flour and meal stone ground at the Wayside Grist Mill, Mass. Meal tax – 5%. Barnie and I and some of our kids stayed overnight in an upstairs room which was quite quiet. That was probably because Henry Ford, after a visit, had the highway moved some half mile away from the Inn. A nice thing to do. Longfellow would have probably done the same if traffic in his day was a problem.

Notes from the collector: I image a lot of you have been there over the years. Now the Hotel School does a lot of "joint" training/teaching with the Institute which makes sense. We ate in St. Andrews because we couldn't get into the upmarket dining rooms or we didn't have the money or only wore sneakers that day. Smoked tuna steak was $6.50 apple strudel $2.00 and Kona coffee $.75 so perhaps someone can put a date on that menu. I think we were on our way to see my cousin near Ogdensburg, New York, near the Canadian border. Stopped to see Chuck Laforge at Rhinebeck, but he was out of town. Ogdensburg is the home of Frederick Remington, the painter and sculptor of the wild west. If you go to the 21 Club you will see a great deal of his work in the lobby.

Notes from the collector: The pink lady as it is affectionately known. The first time Barnie went to the U.S. was with her mother and they had a break from the ship, the SS MONTEREY in Honolulu. Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 1952 was $3.00. Only French wines on one page. Another with California wines – all $3.00. Prime Rib of Beef at $6.25 included hors d'oeuvres, soup, vegetables, salad (with 1000 island dressing I am pleased to see) dessert cheeses and demi tasse. The menu was not dated, but it was before Statehood as it said a Territorial tax of 3.5% would be included. Matson, the company I worked for at the time, sold their Hawaiian properties to Sheraton for peanuts as I think they needed the cash and to pay my salary. A note at the bottom of the menu says to inform the head waiter if you are expecting a phonecall. How times have changed and not for the better I would suggest.

Notes from the collector: Where my future wife and mother-in-law dined while travelling on a Matson Ship. I am not sure if I mentioned Matson owned the major four properties on Waikiki before selling them to Sheraton.

Notes from the collector: Of interest is the note on the price of coffee going through the roof. Fifteen times the cost of tea.

Notes from the collector: Very well done historically with reading material on the back. Every American should go there at least once as it represents the best of America.

Notes from the collector: How such a historical place could get into such trouble. Believe they are now closed and looking for someone with expertise and knowhow. The other tavern, Fraunces in New York City is also an icon of Democracy and if in financial difficulty should be bailed out by the government, any government for all to see at its best.

Notes from the collector: Stayed one night as we arrived in town early and our hotel across the road was full. Would have slept in the car if I had known at the time the Gestapo used it as headquarters during the war. A good article on the property in AD years ago. Hotel Meurice in Paris is just around the corner from the Intercontinental which is just around the corner from the Ritz. I believe Ernest Hemingway was the first to enter it after the end of World War II. A man with impeccable taste.

Notes from the collector: Now closed due to cost burden of employees benefits. Operated by Smazathy , a good friend of the Hotel School. Was privileged to see his extensive library. Probably the best private collection of culinary material in the country and was told he knew the contents of every book. What a shame. Note the menu is rather ordinary for such a wonderful establishment. Shows what is really important - the food, decor and service.

Notes from the collector: One of the leading properties in the country. Simple, but adequate menu. Plenty of reading material to pass the time. Note Robert Trent Jones mentioned, went to Cornell.

Notes from the collector: Note to use of stickers to promote "Special Today" But why three? I"ll have the roast beef at $3.85.

Notes from the collector: I can't even comment.

Notes from the collector: Note both the Captain and the Chef get a mention. Note the old company has a new owner, The Pacific Far East Line virtually doing the same run. And this menu dates from October on its way from Nuku'alofa to Wellington. A new menu was printed every day by the two printers aboard. Passengers sat at assigned tables each evening for the entre voyage. So if you embarked at San Francisco and returned to San Francisco you had six weeks (42 days) with the same passengers doing the same. And you had the same waitress for the entire trip. That is usually. On one trip I was on a particular one didn't turn up for the evening meal and some passengers asked where she was. The new one said the other one jumped overboard during the night!

Notes from the collector: A very successful restaurant chain started and developed by three hotelies which went nationwide before running into problems. The theme was to do with railroads and three or four old freight cars were joined together to make a very attractive layout. The menu is I believe from the original property in San Francisco close to the Embarcadero. I went to another much larger operation in Universal Studios where the company had brought out from England what appeared to be an entire train station/waiting room.

Notes from the collector: An old menu judging by the prices. A classmate Bumps Baldauf was the Manager before he opened his own establishment.

Notes from the collector: Located on the head of the Old Port about fifty feet from the fishmongers with their fresh catch of seafood. The restaurant was primarily a seafood place and actually had one person going around the dining room helping customers open their oysters, crack their crabs, shell their lobster, etc. It was in 1977, we stayed just yards away at a hotel overlooking the port with a view to the unfolding dramas on the sidewalk. The first night a couple of men were seen to be arguing by the cafe in front of the hotel. One picked up a table umbrella and stabbed the other fatally. The police arrived in some sort of van, opened the rear doors and threw the dead man in rather roughly. Who needs television on holiday. My wife had bouillabaisse by the way later in the cafe.

Notes from the collector: Operated in the Pacific from 1940 to 1965 when it became Air New Zealand. The early planes were flying boats made by the English Company Shorts who were the first company to make production aircraft. My wife's father used to fly on these planes from Wellington or Auckland to Sydney and land at Rose Bay. (my wife's maiden name!) The planes only carried some seventeen passengers but in luxury and style.

Notes from the collector: A main dining room menu on board our voyage to Alaska and back to Vancouver in 1990. You can see the menu is Day 4 so they had a separate menu for each of the seven days. The back page gives a good summary of Holland American Line.

Notes from the collector: On board breakfast is served on Monday, the 8th of July 1957. Note Dolly Varden Cakes - somewhat of an institution. A pretty comprehensive menu on a short trip across the Tasman. This was my wife's first time on a ship, but not the last.

Notes from the collector: The cover page says "Home of the Original Caesar's Salad" If this is correct then this is a treasure. I have no idea where I got this menu nor the date. But it looks like it is from somewhere around the fifties or the sixties. Maybe someone can throw some light on both the origin and the date. The menu is certainly balanced and lively with a wide variety of wines, but none from the northern neighbor.

Notes from the collector: I combine these two since I got them more or less together on our sojourn to England. They are from around Coventy as one says. A friend and his wife took us to that area where we rented a car to go touring. He used to work in the area in automotive sales, but lamented now there were no major English car manufacturers owned by the English. The year was 1998. And the menus were certainly indicative of the forthcoming season. To digress - we stayed with our friends for a few nights in their quaint village called Ashby St. Ledgers which like most of England is filled with history. The Manor House was apparently the site of the hatching of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 with Guy Fawkes in attendance. A long time ago the Manor House was a gift to a nobleman from William the Conqueror. The church in the village dates back to the middle ages and open to the public for inspection. A bit unnerving walking down the aisles knowing there were people buried under the stone flooring. Our friends lived there some ten years and the neighbors still called them Mr. and Mrs. Smith.   old port

Notes from the collector: Breakfast menu and Dinner menu - both very involved and expensive. Probably in the late eighties when we did a grand tour of the U. S. and spent some time staying with a fraternity brother who was born in New Orleans and is the only person I have even known who has always lived at the same address. He organized a "swamp" tour and it felt like we were in the middle of the Amazon until a plane flew over and someone said we were just pass the airport. He took us up the Mississippi River and showed us a bridge spanning the river. He said to look closely and note there were not any approaches to the bridge. A local politician promised a bridge if elected, but said nothing about the approaches. We stopped at Oak Alley on the way and the place is famous for being in plenty of ads due to its magnificent tree lined avenue from the front gate to the house. A commercial was actually being filmed the day we were there so we helped ourselves to ice cold drinks set out for the filming crew. It was very hot!

Notes from the collector: Not a menu as such, but indicates the high level of everything they attempt. Built in 1902 it is the largest timber building in New England. I think I got that right. It was the site of the Bretton Woods Conference in the 1940's where the free world leaders and or finance ministers worked out the monetary system to be adopted after WWII. As the location was so remote I suppose it was selected for security reasons. We read or were told that during the days before cars became popular several passenger trains arrived each and every day bringing trainloads of tourists summer and winter. We stayed across the main highway in one of the properties and had a rail line run behind. Waiting for dinner we took a short walk along the tracks which were still in place and then rolled down the embankment to the highway. At the exact spot we found a plaque almost hidden by bushes which indicated a railroad named something, something, and Ogdensburg. I mentioned another line which had Ogdensburg in its name, being the hometown of my Dad. The other marvel in the area is the Cog Railway which runs to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak east of the Mississippi I recall. The highest winds in the U. S. were recorded there in the thirties. The other notable fact is the railway was the first to adopt the technology of using cogs on such mountains. We beat the Swiss by one year!

Notes from the collector: A fun place in busy area of Paris. The English translations seem to be hidden away for only some items, but it doesn't matter in gay Paree.

Notes from the collector: No menu, but an early postcard of the first, I think, operation in Georgetown. The company now has say ten or more operations covering D. C. and outer areas. The last time we were there we encountered a bomb scare with a package left on the street. The police told everyone to vacate the restaurant via the rear entrance as the fun was over. I asked the waiter if we still had to pay. Unfortunately he said yes. We became a little nervous in the drama as we were dining with two fraternity brothers and their wives. One was the first U. S. Ambassador to Albania, a country which had just come out of the cover of communism and a very poor country.

Notes from the collector: The owner had been in the movie industry mainly in design and it could be seen in his designs. I think he also ran the Tavern on the Green in Central Park. Sorry did not obtain a menu.

Notes from the collector: A family style restaurant on a busy thoroughfare near downtown Melbourne. From memory, the price changes on the menu were handmade and pretty ordinary, but a new government raised wages overnight by some thirty per cent! I talked to the owners years later and he said they lost half a million dollars in their first year of business because they had no idea of how to run a restaurant They made a fortune selling a large wholesale business and decided to open a restaurant. They didn't seek any help so suffered the consequences.

Notes from the collector: Menus from a recent trip taken by my friends, John and Helen Babcock who live in the next town on the map - Flinders. They have sailed on the SS Nautica around the British Isles, Ireland and a touch of Norway. The smaller menus are from different days noted at the top so you can see where they went. The two larger menus are from the specialized dining areas with meals at no extra cost. I think it is important to mention this as most shipping companies charge something for the specialized dining areas claiming the menu is better, the meals are prepared in a separate galley, etc. etc. Some of these claims are true, some are not. Note on the main dining menu Jacques Pepin has Signature dishes. Most companies have induced a leading chef, be it an American or a Frenchman to do some consulting and add his name to the culinary delights. Usually a male by the way. Their services may include a voyage or two each year to reinforce their activity. A good idea especially if the voyage is a culinary one. The ship is one of the Oceania Cruise Line which bought the Nautica from the Renaissance Cruise Line when it went bust. They had eight almost identical ships taking about 684 passengers. It is easy to identify their origin as such. We went on one several years ago named the SS Pacific Princess and found the size very pleasant. New ships are being launched now which carry around 5000 passengers, Yes, that was five thousand. A veritable city in itself. I recall the Pacific Princess had a main dining room with two sittings for dinner, a bistro/cafeteria for the three meals, a small food area by the pool and maybe one specialty restaurant. The new mega ships have almost twenty restaurants/ food area/ places to eat perhaps at an extra cost. So on a seven day voyage you rarely have to eat in the same place twice. On traditional ships there are two sittings for dinner, whereas the more adventurous are offering dinner between say 5 pm and 10 pm which suits more people as they are not tied down to a specific time. I recall on the Pacific Princess one could eat say ten hours per day, whereas newer and larger ships one can virtually eat around the clock. That is if you want to gain fifty pounds in a week! And if the meal areas are closed there is always room service. I know of people who go on cruises for the experience and never get off the ship in port. And nowadays many lines do not require people to dress for so called formal nights. If they do, a reefer jacket or a dark suit will do in most cases. Whereas when I went to sea every night was formal and I mean formal except the first night (unpacking) and the last night (packing). On my first trip or two I had to spend an hour each morning in the baggage room in case passengers wanted to change some item. And the cases were not suitcases, but trunks. And very heavy. Note the prices for wines on the main menus. A Napa Valley red for $93 doesn't sound like any bargain which it should be due to being outside most zones for excise taxes. I guess it cuts down on drunken passengers. Also a health warning to cover themselves in case of a problem.

Notes from the collector: Lafitte's Landing – circa 1989. On the Mississippi some 50 miles north of N. O. One of my fraternity brothers is the only person I know who has always lived in the same house except for his university ears. When we were staying with him he suggested this place. A nice short drive, good food and a bit of sightseeing on the way. We stopped at Oak Alley where an automobile commercial was being filmed. We helped ourselves to the refreshing beverages on the porch. Further on, Tim pointed out a fairly new bridge and asked me what I saw which was slightly different. My eyes must have been on vacation too as I couldn't see anything unusual. Tim said the local candidate for some office promised to get a bridge for the locals across the mighty Mississippi. Tim said have another look and note there are no approaches! The candidate said he would get the bridge, but didn't say it would have any approaches! Louisiana has always had a fascinating political background going back to Huey P. Long in the early part of last century. Now the restaurant – the chef and owner was selected by President Reagan to go with him to Iceland when he had a meeting with the Russian President!The Australian and American Association dinner at the Hilton Hotel sometime in the 80's. I got to carve the turkey at our table. The detail on American Culinary Heritage is very detailed and thoroughly interesting.The Fijian – breakfast menu. Bottom cup of coffee – 25 cents gives one an idea of the date. I was shown the second kitchen currently at that time not in use. Just as well as all the pots hanging up were rusted. The Kon-Tiki, Sheraton Portland, 1959. A hotelie, ex fraternity brother Ross Bell '57 was the Sales Manager when we were living in Portland. Ross was the head of the Army ROTC Corps at Cornell and thought he would make the Army his career. After being posted to Alaska he soon changed his mind. Tropical themes were very popular back in those days. Maybe the musical South Pacific added to their appeal. Note a daiquiri was 85 cents and a stinger $1. Ross went on to manage the Sheraton Universal and then the Sheraton at the LAX.And to top things off one of the best at the time. Restaurant de la Pyramide in Vienne, France between Lyon and Marsailles. The day we stopped there for lunch was the day they were closed, but the next best thing was to get a copy of the menu. Madame Point ran the restaurant after her husband died. Hand written adds a bit of class and a set price was probably way ahead of its time. 150 frances then about $30. Expensive, not when it is one of the great restaurants in the world. The book on Mess. Point is in the Hotel School Library and certainly worth reading. Paul Bocuse was just one of the apprentices who gained from working there. About 1977.

Notes from the collector: Need an hour to read the menu.

Notes from the collector: Very trendy

Notes from the collector: A Melbourne institution. on the beach front. They must be confident about their reputation to charge $140 for a lunch.

Notes from the collector: A nautical theme. Note the back of the calling card. The tenth coffee is free. A good marketing idea so customers keep the card rather than throw it away.

Notes from the collector: An expensive winery restaurant with small portions with large prices. The Dineaid card is a good idea; it only added $2 to the bill.

Notes from the collector: Coded as the voyage is repeated several times during the summer. Note there is always the hamburger available. Also a profile of the two main players on the ship.

Notes from the collector: Must be thirty to forty years old.

Notes from the collector: I first went to Clyde's over thirty years with my cousin's son for breakfast. It was the only one then. Now is a well established chain of high quality food and run I believe by a hotelie. The last time we went to the "original' in Georgetown with a couple of fraternity brothers there was a bomb scare on the street and we were evacuated. The fact one of them was the first US Ambassador to Albania wasn't a consideration I guess?

Notes from the collector: One of Thomas Keller's properties and just down the road from his landmark restaurant. Obviously not everyone can afford to eat at the later so he saw an opening for "reasonable" prices in Bouchon. Our only complaint was the fact the tables were on top of each other and getting up was a real challenge. The menu covered all the bases one would expect from such a professional. We went there say three or four years ago with an old friend.

Notes from the collector: A local property. Reasonable prices in a pleasant spot in a winery on the Mornington Peninsula. Most of the restaurants down here are way overpriced and attract the visitors and not the locals. Good idea on the wine - have half glass of each. For children - call them little people rather than children.

Notes from the collector: Although not a menu the brochure gives an indication of the style of food and the ambiance of the property. We stayed here by chance and when we checked out of our four-hundred-year-old room I noticed a brochure on the desk for the taking. It was our introduction to the Relais and Chateaux chain of great properties around the world. Stayed in the late seventies from memory.

Notes from the collector: Described previously.

Notes from the collector: In its day, probably the best restaurant in Chicago. No menu, but freshness was their secret. From memory, all seafood flown in daily from either coast.

Notes from the collector: Around the late fifties or early sixties. Everything on the men to please everyone. Coffee – 15 cents! Cocktails not priced - Why? Signed by the owner for friends of ours we met on the ship.

Notes from the collector: Probably early sixties when we lived there. Pretty ordinary to change some prices with a pen, but maybe they were being clever, as the prices went down, not up! Recommended by various guides, including Duncan Hines, who was the guru when I was young.

Notes from the collector: amazing operation. There were some eight or more places to eat in the "basement" of the Berne railway station. There was what was really a small hotel underground for the staff only – some thirty to forty rooms. The owner, Fritz Haller gave us a tour. French and German would have covered most of the customers, and prices need some calculating.

Notes from the collector: Maybe Oakland, California. The menu is supposed to show elegance.

Notes from the collector: Very well-thought-out menu in German. Print very small. Prices in Hong Kong dollars from memory. About ten to one?

Notes from the collector: Four of us had four sandwiches, one each, and one bottle of wine –$100!! But it was a fun place. There was a small dining room, but as the sun was shining everyone ate outside. They had a huge lawn where most people sat on the grass! This might not work in North America, but New Zealanders are pretty tough. Right on the harbor, so a perfect position in good weather.

Notes from the collector: This was a club dinner. I used to belong but thought ten years was enough. Priced around $50-60. The great thing about functions if that you know exactly what to plan and especially if it is a fixed contract. Note there was no choice of the main course which is somewhat unusual.

Notes from the collector: The menu explains itself. With the full menu on the blackboard.

Notes from the collector: We stayed in the Holiday Inn (American), dined in the Main restaurant (German) in an Asian city. I think the price in US dollars, was say $10. Very expensive menu cover, but could be used for other events.

Notes from the collector: At that time probably the most famous restaurant in Munich. I think it sat about one thousand customers. The changed in the menu handwritten show they are confident in their operation and the menu covers a multitude of dishes. So why change menus for the sake of fussy customers.

Notes from the collector: Dining experience – although not a menu it highlights the breakdown of the kitchen staff required to prepare about ten thousand meals each and every day at sea. Who else can afford a full time ice carver! Both of the pictured gentlemen on the cover attended either a hotel or catering school. Most have done so in Italy and both have been with Princess for a long period of time saying something about the company! Each voyage they put on a cooking demonstration which is part education and part entertainment.

Notes from the collector: It is noted the year was 1963 but not certain. I was manager of a nearby hotel and probably went there around that time. Note the steaks were not cheap for that time, but other items relatively cheaper. Lots of info on the menu confusing those who only wanted to order a meal. "Minimum service charge for small children" How many would you like?

Notes from the collector: A full set of menus from our recent trip to New Zealand and return to Melbourne. The easy way to travel. The voyage, to use maritime language, was for thirteen nights. The ship makes about six or seven exact same voyages each summer. So the menus are exactly the same each time. This system has numerous advantages as you can imagine. The main galley prepares some nine to ten thousand meals each day. In the information sheets I sent some time ago the ship told the number of staff involved in the preparation of meals. With computers the number of each item served can be recorded exactly making ordering much more precise than in the old days. Percentages of each item ordered can be used for further purchases using the entire summer voyages as a guideline. Nowadays a ship turns around in about ten hours so everything has to be delivered and stored to a strict schedule. Thus many of the staff have to work harder while in port than at sea. I recall the ships I served on had two or three days in San Francisco to take on goods for the next voyage. The new provisions for our latest voyage would have been loaded in Melbourne where everything would have been available and goods would be of a high standard determined by shore visits to the various providers. The only item I saw being taken aboard on the cruise was fuel in Auckland, New Zealand. The menus – The clue for each night is at the bottom of the page with Italian Night, English Night, etc. etc. It seemed to be the Head Waiter's job to see the waiters used the correct ones for the particular night. The menus are well balanced with three appetizers, four soups and salads, and six or so main courses. No one went hungry. The mains included a pasta, a vegetarian, a fish or seafood, and one or two red meat and or a poultry dish. Some dishes used to be flambéed at the table as did desserts, but with current concerns this has been done away with. And if there is nothing to one's liking for the night, then one can always choose one, or two or three of the items on the left hand side of the menu. After the three courses, one is presented with a dessert menu which again offers many choices and old regulars. We often just asked for ice cream, which of course, changed daily and was entirely made on the ship, I never noticed many passengers ordering any of drinks on the left hand side of the dessert menu. There was a comprehensive wine list in addition to the above mentioned.. In order to please light drinkers, one could have just one glass and the waiter would mark the bottle and one could have more the next night. Everyone on the staff tried their best to please and if one didn't want, say Brussels sprouts, then one could ask for something else. I don't think menus have changed much over the years except perhaps healthier, smaller portions, but not too small, and notices to warn of eating undercooked items and reference to allergies and diet requests. The dining room had separate breakfast and lunch menus of a much simpler style, but still with daily specials. In case one couldn't wait for the dining room to open there was always the buffet which had everything anyone could want and was open about eighteen hours each day. In addition there was a restaurant which served only pizzas and also a steakhouse open for evening meals at a slight extra charge. If getting from one's stateroom to the dining room proved too difficult there was always room service, twenty-four hours a day. The main dining rooms had two sittings for dinner – the first about 5:45 and the second about 7:45. Now there is a trend to have open seating from say 5 PM to 10 PM which allows to dine when the please more or less. We first came across this on a Norwegian Line Ship and it worked well. If one went to the dining room and your preference was not available, you were given a beeper and when a table was available they gave you a buzz. Usually only five or ten minutes. No problem since you weren't going anywhere.

Notes from the collector: Friends of ours recently went touring in the U. K. and they asked what they could bring back. I said menus of course, and told them where they would end up. They brought several from quaint pubs and inns. …hamburger in every shape and form seems to take over the market over there. And most places seem to be very concerned the customer doesn't sue for any breach of nutrition. Our friends had Chinese takeaway one night and were asked if they wanted chips and gravy (commercial) with the food. All very exciting.Menus include: Emirates Airlines, Best Pizza and Kebab House, The Boat Inn, The Buccleuch Hotel and Restaurant, The Famous Star Hotel, Dumfriesshire, The Fox and Pheasant Inn, Cumbria, Marston's Inns and Taverns, Nith Hotel, Dumfries, Old Success Inn, The Roebuck Pub and Dining Room, The Sycamore Tree, Longtown, Trees Café, Wheeler's of St. James, Dunfries, Scotland.

Notes from the collector: When I started this journey I thought I was sending pieces of paper or cardboard with words written or drawn on them. I didn't know how I even obtained many of the menus let alone when or where. And I only had some idea of the dates. Only since I have been obtaining them more recently have I realized it is about people rather than paper. When I ask for a copy of the restaurant's menu I get some very interesting replies – too busy, okay if the boss isn't looking, why do I want it, etc. When I have the chance to tell someone where it is going the response can be completely different. For example - Late last year Barnie and I went to a small town for a few nights. There was an Accor resort in the town of Creswick, just out of Ballarat, one of our provincial cities. Good mining country and find the area fascinating. Ballarat even had a stock exchange during the gold rush days. One night we ate at the American Hotel, and had quite a reasonable meal for a country pub. After the meal I asked the manager if I could have a copy of his menu and told him where it would end up. He got quite excited and said to hold on a minute. He gathered all his menus. He was a hometown boy and had never heard of Cornell. Told him about the Ivy League and had heard of Harvard! He asked if we would like to see the rest of the property. There were guest bedrooms, a function room, and more. He even pointed out the outbuilding where the gold was held before being shipped to Melbourne. The rooms were covered with prints of Norman Lindsay, a hometown boy. Originals would be worth a fortune as he was very successful. The two original American owners were involved with Cobb and Co. a stagecoach company which covered the east coast of Australia and a cinema company. The town of Creswick had seen better times since the gold rush days, but now a very successful woolen mill with a retail outlet and a great patisserie on the main street. The passenger rail has been brought back top life for a couple of times each week. We just spent four days in what is called the High Country some one and fifty miles north east of Melbourne. We ate in four different restaurants and found them all satisfactory and a lot of fun. Menus as follows- The Bright Brewery. A good concept. You order and pay at the counter. You get your own silver from a bucket. The food is delivered to your table. Outside tables when the weather permits. Alpine Hotel. A bustling property. Same concept as the Brewery. A bit of everything on the menu. Even Moet at $110.00. Established 1864. Tahbilk Restaurant in the Tahbilk Winery. This is a favorite of ours, only about sixty miles north of Melbourne on the Goulbourn River. It is the oldest winery in Victoria and some of the oldest vines of a particular variety in the world! We have been going to this winery for about forty-five years now and pick up a couple of cases each time. The menu is several sheets, but I grabbed the main one.

Notes from the collector: The setting would be hard to beat. We went there on a weekend and it was packed. Around since 1885 which is ancient for Australia. The daily menu is stappled to the history so there is no wastage. I believe the cooking oil is changed every day rather than strained and reused. A time and motion study exercise. The prices are not cheap, but freshness comes with a cost. A great operation going strong. A surcharge to be the labor costs on weekends.

Notes from the collector: A very good true Italian restaurant down the cost from our abode. And not too expensive for the quality. I usually sit so I can watch the people in the open kitchen and one can tell everything is made to order. A surcharge applies on public holidays because of our crazy wage structure. The owner brings out young staff from Italy and provided accommodation so they can get a feel for our culture. And they all seem happy. the restaurant is in one half of an old hotel which is good for for both parties.

Notes from the collector: A very old hotel at the end of the road on the Peninsula. Sweeping views of the Bay, outdoor dining and atmosphere. One orders at the counter, but the food is delivered to the table. I couldn't grab the full menu. Been going there for almost fifty years. Some very good meals, some ordinary depending what is the day of the week. Always can be a problem with different staff on different days.

Notes from the collector: A true French Restaurant in the closest town. Reasonable for the quality served. Small and rather noisy, but not pretending to be anything more than a French bistro. The town. or better village, now has two pizza come Italian, one Chinese, one pub, one Asian, and a bakery serving meals. Quite a choice.

Notes from the collector: Finally. one owned by a fraternity brother, Don Clark'54 who was always in the hospitality business. Think it was in the 70's on a visit to DisneyWorld. Note other locations mentioned. Have to be pretty confident customers like this one. Menu slides into a very flash jacket embossed in gold. Don was talking about Key Man insurance the day I met him. Fairly new concept I recall. Interesting wine list.

Notes from the collector: An old friend of ours, the widow of a previous Director of ASIO, one of our intelligence agencies, went on a voyage last summer and kindly brought back several different menus from the ship. The best two are the first and last night's menus cleverly included in a booklet about the history of the company. You will note at the top is a Royal Spa Selection and I had no idea what the figures next to the item meant until I wised up and looked down below to see they were calories/fat/fibre! Someone said no one goes on a voyage to worry about the diet, but there will be a percentage who do nowadays. First time I have seen such figures. The Cunard ships are class ships and what level of cabin one has determines which dining room one dines in. Our friend was one step down from the top. If you look at the menus carefully you will see they lean toward being American. Main courses are entrees and many items will be familiar to Americans. As an excursion in our senior year took the class on the Queen Mary we toured the galley, but failed to provide us with any menus! The Queen Mary is now a floating hotel in Long Beach, California.

Notes from the collector: A very busy menu when restaurants tried to cover all the bases. I have no idea if I ever went there or someone gave it to me, but looked like the sixties, but there is a 77 at bottom of first page. Enough salads alone to sink a ship. Mentioning air conditioning and "free Parking" are interesting. Three cheers for Hollywood!.

Notes from the collector: Room Service menu with 1963 on the cover – the year the hotel opened. We didn't dine in any official restaurant due to my condition so this had to do. Note kid's menu being very reasonable and wine the same, except Tattinger Champagne.

Notes from the collector: Another room service menu for comparison. Minimum order required and a $4 charge for delivery. What about picking it up yourself? Steak not cheap or wines. Only one Victoria wine and Knappstein from outer space! Not a flash hotel but only across the street from the train station where we caught the train to Sydney.

Notes from the collector: Speaking of trains, this is the menu for on board consumption. There are no sit down dining rooms on the east coast trains that I know of, but at least one can get a decent sandwich,main meal,glass of wine or a beer. And headache and pain relief materials.