The Vic’s bistro is back with Cassandra and Tim’s return

Winning team at the Victoria Hotel, Cassandra Jones and Tim Wright have returned to one of Orange’s most historic pubs.

 The traditional family venue has welcomed the two back as lessee and head chef after the pair ran the bistro together for many years.

 “CJ’s @ the Vic” is looking to open next Wednesday, June 16 with a good, solid bistro menu that will include many favourites from their previous time at the eatery.

 “I’d like to have a big opening,” Tim said excitedly at the prospect of getting back in the saddle.

 “Cassandra will be the lessee and I am the chef; I was here for 16 years and really enjoyed it. I’ve been a chef for 35 years; I’ve basically been here for a large part of my life,” he enthused.

 “I just like the place; I love the family atmosphere. I’m trying for quality, pub-style meals,” Tim explained.  “We’re going to offer weekly luncheon specials, bar specials, and a great new menu.”

 “I love doing steaks and chicken, we’ll have starters, kids meals, specials, burgers, lunch meals, and pizzas.”

 Getting the basics right, week-in and week-out, is they key to success in this most exacting of industries, Tim believes.

 “The key is, it’s a good venue, good food, good service, and good value for money,” he explained. “We’ll start-off with a pretty basic menu and go from there, it will be trial and error for a little while.”

 “We’re going to have a suggestion box and we’ll be changing the menu every week. The secret is to give people what they want.”

 The restaurant area has also been refurbished since the two last worked together with the new “O’Rourke Room” created to allow privacy, access, and adaptability for groups ranging from private parties, work functions, to regular club meetings.

 The new lay-out allows for functions both large and small with sliding doors and an adaptable layout providing for events ranging from small meetings to large social gatherings.

 “The way we’ve redesigned it, you can have meals, drinks, and rest rooms all in the same location without having to go the main bar… we’re also introducing a coffee machine so that everything will be self-contained,” Licencee Craig Wright explained.

 “With the new function room, we’ll also be doing functions, private events, whatever people want,” Tim added.

 “CJ’s @ the Vic” will start-off doing lunches and dinners from Wednesdays to Saturdays to test demand.

 For Cassie, this is also a home-coming, having been in the catering industry for 15 years, half her life, after starting-off waitressing.

 “I asked Craig about it and was excited when he said it was available. I worked with Tim 10 years ago and now we’re back,” she said.

 Established as a traditional travellers’ inn in 1922, the hotel was built on the site of the former “The Coach and Horses”.

 For more than 62 years — from the mid-1920s to the late 1980s — the hotel was owned and run by the Ryan family until the retirement of publican John Ryan with Terry Bouffler then taking-up the licence.

 The O’Rourke family took-over in the late 1990s and have remained committed to upgrading this iconic local hotel that is soon approaching its 100th anniversary.

 “It’s a great place and I like the people that come here; it’s one of the last workers’ pubs left,” Cassie said.

Return as lessee of the bistro has been a welcome home-coming for Cassandra, who recalls fondly her years in the hotel.

 “It’s good to be back, yes definitely!” Cassandra said in conclusion.