The Tap Inn - Beef with Mushroom

The Big Divot, as it is described on the menu in Mulligan's Bar at The Tap Inn, Kent Town, is a plate hanger. While the hanging was minimal on my plate, it was certainly hefty in size. At $16.80 for the schnitzel and an extra $2.20 for the sauce (half a star off), the meal would have to have been exquisite, earning it a bonus star, to score the maximum 5 star rating.
The schnitzel itself was close to top shelf, well crumbed, well cooked and a quality cut of beef...you will here no complaints here about the schnitzel. The chips were also plentiful and of a tasty nature so once again full marks in that area.
Last time I dined at the Tap Inn for lunch our mains took a full hour to arrive at the table, so wasn't I quietly surprised when the meals arrived after little more than 10 minutes and topped with a lovely toasted piece of bread (bonus half a star). Salad is normally a stumbling block for most high scoring meals in my book and the Tap Inn's salad was neither here, an asset to the meal, nor was it there, a blight on the plate leaving it still poised for top marks.
Then comes the kicker...once again a great meal is ruined by lack of sauce to "plate hanger" ratio control. I payed an extra $2.20 for sauce damn it and they can't even give me enough to go around! While I had issues, I did notice that my fellow diner, whose schnitzel appeared larger, had quite a smattering of sauce all over...alas I can only review what I am served (minus 1 star). The sauce was far buttery than most other mushroom sauces served in these parts and contained a few mushroom halves which were rather well enjoyed.
The Tap Inn Big Divot is certainly a little pricey and supersized for a lunch time meal, but if you are looking for a filling, enjoyable, dinner meal I say "Why not." and have a round of golf while you are at it.

Price: $19.00

Rating: 4 starts.

The Caledonian - Chicken Parmigiana

The Cally; a Hotel - Motel - Bar located in Hamilton Victoria. That's right, Schnitzel Lover moves interstate!

Plain on the outside but good looking on the outside, the Cally is a fine place to eat or sit back for a brew with mates. Moving there after drinks at the Hamilton Cycling Club (after eating this many schnitzels I assure you I'm not fit) I was pleasantly relieved to find schnitzel on the menu... Not being familiar with local tastes and all.

Prompt service was a fairly big plus, it wasn't long before the Chicken Parmigiana was placed before me and boy, was I impressed!

My eyes were instantly drawn to the salad, definitely the most varied and best tasting salad I have had with a schnitzel! So good it almost make me think I was being healthy ordering the meal!

The chips were a slight disappointment; the taste was okay but they were a bit soggy.

The parmigiana itself was great. The sauce covered the entire schnitzel and there was plenty of ham and cheese to go with it. A noted flaw was that the cheese was slightly undercooked, whereas a nice change was the spring onion added to the topping varying the taste.

All up the meal was very good, this is definitely one of the most complete meals (chips, salad and of course schnitzel) that I have encountered. It's just a shame I can't remember how much I paid for it!

Price:

Rating: 4 stars

Cooper's Ale House - Beef with Mushroom

If you are a fan of the Cooper's Ale House schnitzel then please turn away now. This is in no way a rave review. Supposedly in the top 3 schnitzel eating venues in Adelaide and scored highly by other Schnitzellovers, the Ale House immediately lost 1 star as salad cost an extra $1.50 on top of the all ready pricey meal. It can be debated and debated but I review the quality of the whole schnitzel meal and I am not going to pay extra for the green stuff.
The meal, when it arrive, looked very unattractive, Just a big slab of schnitzel with a dollop of mushroom sauce in the middle. People, please, if you are going to serve a large schnitzel your toppings/gravy/sauces need to be relatively increased (minus 1/2 star).
While I don't have much to say about the actual schnitzel, which in itself is saying something...if you follow me...I didn't feel the need to stuff the last 1/4 into my stomach and so left some behind (which is very un-usual, and no I wasn't feeling ill). The chips were bland and soggy (minus 1/2 star).
Final Verdict: the most overrated schnitzel in town.

Price: $18

Rating: 3 stars.

General Havelock - Dirty Gringo Chicken

Schnitzel Lover had a rather successful visit to the Havey earlier this year, managing to award their Two Pints, Two Parmi's deal a full five stars. Since then the meal has jumped up two bucks in cost... but I'm not reviewing it today.

Looking for something new to try I spotted the Dirty Gringo. No, I wasn't checking out the dirty bloke in the corner, I was checking out the schnitzel!

I was equally impressed and disturbed with the meal as it arrived. The dish looked great but it didn't look like a schnitzel!

 

 

So as not to dwell on the unimportant, the salad and chips were both tasty, plentiful and above standard pub fare.

The chicken schnitzel was covered in a delicious mix of toasted corn chips, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. There was plenty of of this topping as well, easily covering the schnitzel. The taste itself is hard to describe but I can say for sure that it is fantastic!

So what prevents this from being a perfect meal? Well I honestly don't know, I guess there is just something in my mind telling me not to give it the full five stars. Regardless, you can't go wrong with a Dirty Gringo... well... maybe you can.

Price: $17.40

Rating: 4.5 stars

Slug 'n' Lettuce Tavern - Chicken Parmigiana

Despite sounding like several items you may find in the base of a well used shopping trolley the Slug is a better pub then the name suggests.  Predominantly wooden, and hence brown, the bistro is not a bad looking place to eat either.  My one hope sitting in there that the food matched neither the name or the location.

Surprisingly I chose to purchase a Parmi for tea.  It wasn't long before the meal arrived and it's appearance didn't surprise me.

Overall the appearance and quantity of food was average.  The salad was ok but the chips were sub standard.  Given how simple chips are it is always surprising how they turn out wrong.

The schnitzel itself was a much better eat.  The chicken was nicely cooked and the crumbing was quite well done.  The cheese melt and accompanying ham were better than average whilst the sauce was tasty and plentiful enough to cover the meal.

Overall the Slug does an alright schnitzel.

Price:

Rating: 3 stars

Mawson Lakes Hotel - Mawson Mega Chicken Parmigiana

BIG SCHNITZEL ALERT!

The Mawson Lakes Hotel is quite a nice eatery. The bistro is large and well furnished and the other areas, from my brief look, appeared to be of the same high standard. During recent years the Mawson has become infamous for its dangerously large schnitzels, somewhere eclipsing the Earl of Leicester along the way.

Upon arrival I immediately ordered the Mega Chicken Parmigiana and after some meal ordering amusement I took my chair in the bistro. Today, there were four Schnitzel Lover associates in tow, of which three were aiming to devour mega schnitzels.

I wasn't disappointed when the meal arrived... it was big! Clearly the schnitzel was two standard schnitzels joined together, but I didn't mind. The size of the meal made it necessary to forgo the chip rescue in favour of beginning the meal itself.

Cutting in and taking my first bite was a joy to behold, the chicken meat was delicious and perfectly cooked whilst the slight crunch to the crumbing was just right.

The cheese covered the entire meal and was toasted to an excellent golden brown. The chips were above average and were found in a decent quantity under the mega schnitzel.

Size-wise, how does it compare to the Coopers Ale House? pretty well actually. The Ale House schnitzels often feature a larger surface area and cover more of the plate. The Mawson Mega instead provides a thicker schnitzel which, without having the luxury of weighing the meal, makes the two equal in my book.

Problems with the meal? Maybe the cost of $19.90 (plus $4 for parmigiana topping) is a bit too high for some, but with the standard meal costing $15.90 why wouldn't you upsize when you're getting double the schnitzel? Further to this, the cost of the meal includes access to the salad bar in the centre of the bistro, which is far superior to paying an additional $2 at the Ale House for a crappy salad.

If you can eat big schnitzels this is worth paying for.

Price: $23.90

Rating: 5 stars

The Orient - Beef with Mushroom

There is no substitute for quality meat when it comes to a schnitzel and at the Oriental they use quality meat. The beef schnitzel down the road at the Alma seems like paper thin cardboard in comparison. Despite a mix up with the order I still received my "moo" schnitzel with mushroom sauce in reasonable time and when I saw the thickness of the schnitzel I was glad I didn't order the 500g "Sumo" schnitzel for $6 dollars more. It was unequivocally the best schnitzel I have had and although cooked to with-in a second of being overcooked the meat was still tender while the breading was a shade darker than perfection.

So what let the meal down...well it wasn't the chips, they were stock standard what we have come to expect from real Schnitzel contenders, or the mushroom sauce, which was tasty and well portioned but still out of it's depth when compared to the Daniel O'Connell. It was the salad. Some places seem to not put too much stock in delivering a good side of salad. The Orient tries to add an asian flavour to its meals (obviously derived from the name) but its orient inspired salad was un-attractive and not fun to eat (half a star off). I ended up leaving half of it behind, which was mostly grated carrot.

A final note: the meal was very nicely proportioned and I left satisfied and uncaring that a few seagulls around poached a chip or two from my plate.

Cost: $16

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Stepney Cafe - Chicken

Expectations weren't high going into this meal and for the $7.80 (bonus star), it didn't have to be great to get an average rating.
I was assured by the owner that he makes all his schnitzels himself at home...and it showed. The breading on this particular schnitzel was definitely home made, tasty and the best part of the meal (plus half a star). Unfortunately the chicken was, in my opinion, a thigh fillet and not breast which one has become used too in these times of healthy eating and cash to burn (minus a star).
The chips were slightly above average standard fare, though fewer in number than I would have preferred (minus half a star). Honestly the meal would have been better if the salad (as cheap as they come) had been replaced with some more chips (minus a star).
Overall the size of the meal was quite meagre, which I suppose was reflected in the price (minus a star).
Adding all that up and you get an above average meal. Just don't expect to be filled to the brim if you haven't eaten for a day.

Price: $7.80

Rating: 3 stars

San Giorgio - Chicken Parmigiana

San Giorgio is a busy little corner restaurant located about halfway down Rundle Street. The interior of the restaurant is quite welcoming and the sight of staff moving about eager to please guests was something I'm certainly not used to.

It had been a while since my last schnitzel, so long that I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Thankfully the Giorgio menu featured a Chicken Parmigiana.

I was surprised by the meal placed before me. Rather than chips and a salad, San Giorgio provided roast vegetables. The carrot and zucchini were both wonderful whilst the potato was passe.

The chicken schnitzel was tasty. The meat was chicken breast butterflied to create a wider piece of chicken. The sauce and cheese both covered the majority of the schnitzel and complimented the taste of the chicken well.

Sadly San Giorgio is asking diners to pay too much for this meal as neither the vegetable or schnitzel component is large enough to deserve the price tag.

Price: $18.50

Rating: 2.5 stars

Coopers Ale House - Chicken Kilpatrick

BIG SCHNITZEL! The Ale House is known for it's big schnitzels, but thankfully the chef knows that it's not only the size that counts.

Sitting down for a meal with a few mates on a Saturday night was a pleasure. The majority of the table were aiming to take down a big schnitzel each. My current plan is to eat through the Ale House chicken schnitzel menu, to further the goal I went with the Chicken Kilpatrick.

The schnitzel was simply huge and covered the great expanse of the plate. The tasty chips, buried under the chicken behemoth, were quickly rescued and then quickly consumed.

Again, the schnitzel was cooked to perfection. The crumbing was a golden brown and a fulfilling crunch accompanied each bite. The chicken meat was spot on, not too dry and not too moist, Just Right (TM).

Sadly the meal was let down by the topping. The Chicken Kipatrick, a combination of BBQ and Worcestershire sauce, lacked the BBQ and Worcestershire sauce.  A slight saucy tang was present but not in a high enough quantity.  Topping issues prevent this from being a 5 star schnitzel.

Price:$18

Rating: 4 stars

The Wellington - Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

The Wellington has become a regular spot for Schnitzel Lover. Birthdays, going away's and schnitzels have all been good reason to attend.

First things first, a shout out to the Schnitzel Lover that suggested combining a parmigiana with gravy. I watched in awe as Simlin took up the request and was quite impressed by the outcome.

Back to the review. Given the high level of cheese intake I have due to my schnitzel diet I decided to move away from parmigiana for a change and instead hit the mushroom gravy. After ordering it didn't take long for the staff to bring us bread rolls, which always helps to make the wait for the main seem less than what it is.

I was neither impressed nor displeased when the schnitzel was placed in front of me. The salad and chips were both up to their regular standard as was the size of the schnitzel

Unfortunately the gravy was misplaced on the plate, there was more gravy underneath the schnitzel, drowning the chips. The gravy was reasonably tasty but doesn't match the famous Dan O'Connell mushroom gravy.

As far as location, beer and feeds go the Welly is a good place but for me the schnitzel just can't seem to break the 3 star mark.

Price: $17

Rating: 3 stars

The Alma - Beef with Mushroom

All rumours were that the Schnitzels at the Alma were quality.  I was very disappointed.  The price was standard so that is an immediate tick in the right box.  There is nothing worse that an establishment pricing a schnitzel out of the pub food price range.

The first thing I noticed when  my schnitzel came out was that the sauce was sparse across the top of the schnitzel - half a star off.  Moving on, the eyes fell on the chips which looked very dark in colour and certainly tasted overcooked - 1 star off.  More disappointment was to follow as the schnitzel itself was thin and of poor quality - 1 star off.  The saving grace of the whole meal was the salad as it was possibly the best salad ever.  It had plentiful tomato, cucumber and gourmet lettuce without the disgusting, cheap salad dressing.

So it certainly wasn't a must have Schnitzel but it was serviceable.

Price: $15.95

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Wellington - Beef Parmigiana with Mushroom

Schnitzel Lover gets many recommendations for the best schnitzel or new twists on the humble schnitzel. One suggestion that came through was that a Parmi with Gravy was awesome...needless to say I had to investigate.

The Wellington seemed like a reasonable place to try this Parmi experiment as I am extremely familiar with their Schnitzel quality. The theory behind the Parmi and Gravy combination is that it makes the schnitzel juicier, so I ordered a Beef Parmi and asked for Mushroom Sauce on the side.

After pouring the Mushroom Sauce over the Parmi I tuckered in and boy was it good. The taste was unique and can only be described as the Skittles of the Schnitzel World...a party in your mouth and everyone is invited! I can only describe it as layered goodness of the finest beef schnitzel, ham, tomato sauce, cheese and mushroom sauce...mmmmmmmm. *Drool*

The chips (much has all ready been written about them) as per usual were excellent and my only complaint was the pile of been sprouts on the salad...I hate been sprouts, half a star off.

The first place to put this Schnitzel on the menu will surely be onto a winner...so if you are bored of the old, plain Schnitzels then you surely need to try the parmigiana with gravy!

Price: $18.95

Rating: 4.5 stars

Ed Castle Hotel - Chicken Parmigiana

The Ed is located on the west end of town. The front bar is fairly old school yet the dining area whilst the dining area appears to be more modern.

I hit the Ed on a Friday night, looking forward to a few brews and some live tunes when low and behold a 10 buck menu, with schnitzel, appeared! Although I had eaten a Hawaiian schnitzel for lunch earlier in the day, I could not ignore the call of a 10 buck meal.

After ordering in the restaurant, I returned to the front bar with a plastic beeper that would flash when the meal was ready for collection. After staring at the beeper for what felt like an hour it went off and returned to collect the meal. Initial impressions were good.

The salad looked fresh, was dressed and tasted quite good. The chips were okay but the serving size was small and their placement under the schnitzel was pointless given the available plate space.

I quickly moved onto the schnitzel and was pleasantly surprised. The schnitzel was reasonably thick without being over crumbed. The meat itself was good quality and the crumbing was crisp without being burnt. The tasty topping was nicely spaced over the entire schnitzel and at the same time avoided the problem of over saucing the schnitzel.

At 10 bucks this is a fantastic meal but doesn't quite reach the perfect score. Chip placement under a schnitzel when plate space is available should incur a slight penalty, plus there are a few slightly better deals out there which I've eaten but not yet reviewed.

Price: $10

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Elephant - Chicken with Gravy

Never have I had a schnitzel that was as bad as it looked... I should end the review there.

The Elephant is a busy establishment just off the main street. The innards of the pub are nice but on the evening it was probably too busy to have a meal in. I was situated at a table near the foot of the stairs and it felt like a nice little enclave at that point.

The Elephant boasts a moderate 250g "choice cut... crumbed by us – eaten by you". How very unfortunate for me. This choice cut is probably the worst schnitzel meat I have ever eaten. 250gm? Who are they kidding? There were two tiny schnitzel pieces. They were thin, bland, and you needed both a steak knife to cut it and a strong jaw to chew it.

There was more gravy than schnitzel on the plate. The gravy was unique but far too overpowering in taste and quantity. The salad? Poor, a bland mix that would be okay if it had been dressed.

The only saving grace was the tasty chips, but I'm not writing a Chip Lovers blog.

Price: $13.90

Rating: 0.5 stars

Brahma Lodge - Chicken Parmigiana

The Brahma parmigiana wasn't a bad meal the first time around. Moderately priced and an average size it satisfied the lunch appetite well but compared to other locales it just didn't cut the grainy mustard.

Enter the new menu, enter the newly renovated lounge bar, enter Schnitzel Lover to tell you how it is.

In what seems to be a common problem with Brahma schnitzels the order is not entered correctly or some mix-up occurs in the kitchen. I asked for the Chicken Parmigiana with Salad, but no salad was delivered. At least the average salad was replaced with chips that were a vast improvement on my Kilpatrick visit.

Schnitzel Lover Simlin later informed me that the salad is pretty much Brahma default. Asking for the meal with salad ends up sounding like asking for the meal without salad.

The schnitzel itself was again thick, tasty and crumbed well. The Brahma manages to provide just the right level of tomato base to the schnitzel so as not to overpower he chicken flavour. The cheese topping ran a bit to the side as the schnitzel was placed on a slant, but this was overlooked in the face of the incredible bread triangles.

Price: $15.40

Rating: 3 stars

Brahma Lodge - Chicken Kilpatrick

Did anyone say new menu?! After going through some building renovations the Brahma has finally renovated its pub menu, but in terms of schnitzel... was this for the best?

Yes, it was... wait don't go, read the rest of the review!

Initial impressions were good. The Big Bar Schnitzel, as it were, was a decent 350g beast on paper. Unfortunately, gone was the option to select a parmagiana without having to pay an additional fee. For this reason I chose the kilpatrick.

I was much relieved, when the schnitzel arrived, that the Brahma had not sacrificed their legendary bread triangles during the menu cull, they were better than ever.

The salad has been vastly improved. Not to say that it's fantastic just that the previous was quite poor. The chips sadly remain the same, almost soggy in form and only okay in taste.

The schnitzel was impressive, one side of the meat was almost an inch thick. The taste was good and the crumbing was nice and crispy without being over cooked. The kilpatrick topping was new to me but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A mix of BBQ and Worcestershire sauce, the topping was sweet but tangy, the only disappointment being the small size of the bacon pieces floating on top.

Overall the schnitzel experience was an improvement over previous visits but unimproved chips and an average salad don't quite justify a 5 buck price increase.

Price: $15.40

Rating: 3 stars

Brahma Lodge - Beef with mushroom

Under new direction in the kitchen and with a price increase I headed back to the Brahma for a schnitzel...hoping for a good one based on Lodan's experience. The meals came in minutes as usual and on first inspection the salad looked as crap as usual but with a few extra slivers of red (capsicum) and green (celery)...it would be nice if there was a wedge of tomato. So moving on from the purely decorative salad the schnitzel itself was actually quite good, the chips serviceable but what would the meal be with out the patented Brahma Bread Triangles. Where else can you make a chip butty and even throw in a little gravy! Bonus star for the Brahma.
The tendencies now-a-days is "bigger is better". I don't agree and to me this schnitzel was probably 50-100g too large and while the gravy wasn't bad it was not in the same league as The Daniel O'Connell mushroom gravy.

Price: $13.90

Rating: 3 stars

General Havelock - Chicken Parmigiana (Two Pints Two Parmi's Deal)

On my last visit I spotted what could be one of the finest schnitzel deals around, Two Pints and Two Parmis for 18 bucks! Was it too good to be true?

At one point it seemed like I wouldn't have a mate to share the deal with thanks to odd numbers at our table, this did not concern me. After further talks we organised a split and off to order we were. From memory, the pints on offer consisted of draught, pale and dry, not bad. I grabbed my beer and sat in hungry anticipation. It wasn't long before the meal arrived.

At first glance I was impressed, but it soon dawned on me that the schnitzel covered one of the smallest portions of chips I've had. Oh well, they tasted good. Tasty but standard salad.

The schnitzel was moderate in surface area but lacked a little in depth. The cheese was melted well and the sauce combined well with it to give a good overall taste. The chicken was cooked well but the crumbing was a little soft for my liking.

Overall, this schnitzel deal is fantastic. When splitting with a friend you get an above average schnitzel with a free pint for only 9 bucks. For this it gets maximum points. But be warned, at it's standard price (16.40) it's only an above average schnitzel.

Two Pints, Two Parmi's Deal

Price: $18

Rating: 5 stars

Daniel O'Connell - Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

My last visit to the Dan did not go well. I was kicked outside on a 35 degree plus night and had an average schnitzel. The latter was partially my fault, many had recommended the mushroom gravy but I stuck to my guns and went the chicken parmigiana. After two 4 star reviews from fellow Schnitzel Lovers and further recommendations it was time to return to the Dan.

We found ourselves in the Lounge Bar of the Dan. Not a bad spot, made better by the ability to order from both the bar and bistro menu. As always I asked the staff for a menu and, prior to reading it, ordered a schnitzel. It wasn't long before the almost legendary chicken with mushroom arrived at my table.

The Dan serves up some of the finest chips in SA. They were seasoned and cooked very well and just taste good. The salad was fresh, well dressed and presented nicely on the plate.

Moving quickly into the schnitzel I soon discovered what others were raving about... the gravy. The gravy looks like a GB but tastes fantastic. The Dan's mushroom gravy almost definitely consists of some form of pureed mushrooms cooked into the sauce from the start. This is far superior to the all too common plain gravy with a few mushrooms thrown in you'll find elsewhere.

The other aspects of the schnitzel weren't as grand as the gravy. The schnitzel was only an average size and for the price it would be nice to see something a little bigger. Also, I was unfortunate to discover a bit of chicken vein in the meat... not meal ending but briefly off-putting. I guess this points to the schnitzel not being reconstituted which I suppose is a good thing.

If you're a mushroom gravy lover then the Dan is the place to be... otherwise you may be better looking elsewhere.

Price: $15.90

Rating: 3.5 stars

Brahma Lodge - Chicken Parmigiana

Conveniently located near my work, the Brahma is one of the two feasible pub lunch options I have. The Brahma's look is a bit hit and miss at the moment. A much needed upgrade has improved the restaurant and function areas but has done little for the bistro or front bar.

On a busier occasion than usual I took my meal in the bistro, a chicken parmigiana that I've had a few times before. I was presented with the plate after a moderate wait. I immediately noticed that the chips were taking up more of the plate space than normal... the salad was missing. I questioned this and was then brought out a bowl with triple the usual amount of salad.

Hit and miss again, the Brahma salad looks and tastes exactly like something pulled straight from the packet. A little bit of dressing would vastly improve it.

The chips were standard pub fare. An interesting feature is the Brahma bread triangles. The triangles are famous and amazing to all that know them, they are especially useful when used to mop up the plate after a schnitzel with gravy.

The schnitzel itself is fairly tasty. The tomato base covers the schnitzel without providing an overbearing presence. The cheese looks like it has been melted in a microwave but despite this it tastes good. The crumbing is a little too moist, however the chicken to crumbing ratio is pretty good. Cutting into the meal I noticed that the meal was formed of two smaller schnitzels... it's always best to leave the customer thinking that it is one piece.

For the price, it's not a bad meal, but don't expect too much of it.

Price: $10.90

Rating: 2.5 stars

Fountain Inn Hotel

Located on Glen Osmond Road is the surprisingly spacious and well designed Fountain Inn. Enough rambling, I ordered their well priced, $14.50, Chicken Parmi with salad. Unfortunately I received a chicken parmi boarding on having burnt edges with a side of vegetables. The chips were ok, but no seasoning to speak off left them quite bland. Despite the negatives, working my way around the edges of the parmi, leaving the most tendor and topped centre piece till last, I finished on a good note, surprisingly slowing down by the last tasty mouthful.

Price: $14.50

Rating: 2.5 stars

Roulettes Tavern - Chicken Parmigiana

Take two for the work local. Earlier this year the Roulettes Chicken Hawaiian scored the mid-point 2.5 star rating, the parmigiana was in the firing line this time around.

The service at Roulettes is consistent; despite being busier than the previous visit bread rolls were served up and gave me something to chew on in preparation for the schnitzel.

I saw the welcome sign of schnitzel leaving the kitchen with the salad following shortly after. The Roulettes salad was good, as per usual, and had plenty of that tasty dressing I've come to know and love.

The parmigiana was about the same size as the Hawaiian. The ham and cheese were standard but a little better done than the previous visit. The tomato base was tasty but the amount cause the topping to dominate the meal too much. The most surprising part of the meal was the cost, up two bucks 50 on the last meal. Whether this was due to taking the meal in the bistro is still unknown to me. All things considered the Roulettes Parmigiana a moderate meal but suffers for the unsubstantiated price increase.

Price: $17

Rating: 2 stars

General Havelock - King Beef Havey Schnitty

A General with a pub and schnitzel topping named after him; after I go to schnitzel heaven I hope I'll be be given a similar treatment.

The outdoor seating and front bar gives the Havelock plenty of room for someone looking for that after work brew. The bistro was practically empty, perhaps due to the ineptitude of some staff... Yep, never has it been more difficult to order a schnitzel. At least I had a good laugh as the staff failed several times in their attempts to understand the phrase "Chicken Havey Schnitty" that my mate said pretty clearly.

Anyway, I'm normally a chicken man but when some place names a meal the "600g King Beef Schnitzel" I take it as a challenge. I chose the Havey topping to go with the 600g monster; an intriguing combination of cheese, mushrooms, bacon, & BBQ sauce.

The prompt service was a welcome surprise after the ordering amusement seen earlier. The presentation of the schnitzel impressed me and I found myself anticipating my first bite.

The chips and salad were standard pub fair, nothing to get excited about. The schnitzel though was tasty and cooked well. The bacon and mushrooms formed an excellent combination and were the best part of the meal.

Sadly the schnitzel failed during the later stage of the meal as the sweetness of the BBQ sauce became too prominent. Furthermore, at 20.40 the schnitzel was a little overpriced with the size and quality not matching the similarly priced Coopers Ale House Mediterranean. All up a good, but not perfect meal.

Price: $20.40

Rating: 3.5 stars

Coopers Ale House - Chicken Mediterranean

The Ale House, what I regard as the current schnitzel heart of South Australia. A corner pub in central Adelaide, the Ale House is well located for all but the most distant schnitzel lover. The house offers three dining choice depending on what you after. The front bar has enough seating for a few groups to get a counter meal. The restaurant is nicely furnished and caters to the more sophisticated. The bistro is as simple and unadorned as can be...

There were multiple schnitzels on the menu but I had my eye on one from the beginning. The idea of eggplant continued to intrigue despite the flop at The Gov. The Ale House would look pricey to a newcomer but soon they find out what they're in for.

BIG SCHNITZEL! A healthy serving of tasty chips is, as always, quickly rescued from underneath the monster bird. Disclaimer: Schnitzel not blurry in real life.

Golden brown, the schnitzel perfectly walks the tight-rope of under-crisp to burnt crumbing. The quantity of the tomato base was perfect and provided great coverage to the schnitzel. Semi-dried tomatoes added a sweeter taste to the meal. The marinated eggplant slices were thick and delicious, not overcooked and rubbery as was found at The Gov. The bocconcini cheese was well spread out over the surface of the schnitzel. Struggling to find a fault I noted the lack of salad, which due to the meal size is provided in a separate bowl for an extra buck fifty.

Price: $18

Rating: 5 stars

The Wellington - Chicken Parmigiana

Kicking off a buck's night with a schnitzel is a daring bet. Too big and you'll be bloated for the rest of the evening. Too bad and you'll be heading home sick before having a drop.

The Wellington is a good looking pub. A nice open bar with nice lighting and good furnishings were a welcome site. The fully enclosed beer garden allowed for outside eating without sacrificing the comfort of the indoors.

The salad was good, nice fresh greens and an almost whole tomato, it's about time. Negative points went to the long sprout like things which were difficult to pick up and eat after throwing back a few pints.

The chips were very tasty with good chip seasoning becoming a feature in North Adelaide. Cut to the chase, Chicken Parmigiana! The cheese was tasty and melted well without being overcooked. The ham was plentiful and the sauce covered the majority of the schnitzel. For the price it was a little small and left my stomach underfull. The smaller size made the topping too prominent in the schnitzel's taste. Overall, the meal lacked balance.

Price: $17

Rating: 3 stars

The German Club - Chicken with Gravy

The Germans are often noted for their love for beer and schnitzel, so how does the German Club on Flinders stack up to its major schnitzel competitors?

The GC is a nice place to go for that Friday after work beer. Lovingly adorned with German memorabilia and featuring live traditional music the GC has an atmosphere that almost can't be beaten. The previous schnitzel I had here was a disappointment but when I saw a 2 buck price increase and heard word of a new kitchen I had to give them a second chance.

The schnitzel was promptly made and was awaiting me at the kitchen window. The chips were large, well seasoned and the serving plentiful. The yellow colour is due to my poor phone camera.

The schnitzel was well-cooked and had maintained its crispness on the top and bottom, a welcomed surprise. The schnitzel was a good size too; thick and with a large surface area. The gravy was a little watery but did the job. At $10 bucks this is a great schnitzel.

Price: $10

Rating: 4 stars

Daniel O'Connell - Chicken Parmigiana

"The best mushroom gravy in SA" I had been told by several friends. So what did I get? A Chicken Parmigiana (of course). It was a hot night in the city as I walked into the Dan, an Irish pub in North Adelaide. The bar looked nice, welcoming but the best part was the AC. Moving into the dining area I encountered my first shock for the evening: Schnitzel Lover Segregation... we don't serve your kind here, move out to the beer garden if you want a schnitzel. Given the outside temperature and the fact that the restaurant (a glorified bistro) was almost entirely empty, this was an extremely poor move made by the establishment.

The serving of the parmi was on the slow side, made more evident by the semi empty dining areas. The meal was well presented, making it more difficult to believe we were kicked out of the restaurant.

The salad was tasty, the chips were crisp and well seasoned and I thought I was onto a winner. Was I ever wrong. The cheese was overcooked, making it difficult to remove a piece of schnitzel to eat without taking the entire topping off with it. The sauce was canned peeled tomatoes and could have been modified a little to make it look like some effort had gone into preparing it. The worst thing? Gristle! The first occurrence in over 50 schnitzel battles. The price, small serving size, poor service and low quality schnitzel make this difficult to recommend.

Price: $16.90

Rating: 1 star

The Wellington - Beef with Mushroom

I like the Welli. Nice pub, and generally excellent schnitzels. Despite being at the pricier end of the schnitzel market, history told me that it would be well worth it.

When it came out it looked delectable, mouth wateringly good, but a first bite of the fine, fine schnitzel tasted rather strange. In fact I would say that the mushroom sauce tasted burnt. It wasn't a huge drama as while the taste wasn't what I was expecting it was still palatable (1/2 star off). The chips as always at the Welli were to die for with a similar sweet flavouring to the Dan but not quite as strong and the salad was full of grate produce but was a little soggy and not as fresh and crispy as I would have liked. (1/2 a star off).

Therefore on this occasion I would say that the Welli Schnitzel didn't live up to its hefty price tag when compared to others out there and near by.

Price: $17

Rating: 4 stars

Daniel O'Connell - Beef with Mushroom

What can I stay? It was a stinking hot night and despite the restaurant being completely empty bar one table the waitress kindly told us to bugger off outside if all we wanted was schnitzels, because they were not on the restaurant menu.
Outside even though it was 8pm, boy was I working up a sweat just sitting there. Half a star off. Apart from the extremely hot weather the beer garden was a gorgeous place to eat on a warm night. Service was a little slower than I would have liked considering the lack of patrons but the meal was worth the wait. I had a beef schnitzel with the much raved about mushroom sauce. The sauce did its fans justice and was full of mushroom flavour. A true mushroom sauce rather than gravy with mushrooms thrown in. The schnitzel itself was well proportioned, well breaded and perfectly cooked. Every mouthful was a joy to eat and the chips were crisp and seasoned with a wonderfully sweet flavouring which was perhaps a tad strong in parts.
Now for the negatives. The salad was ordinary. Doesn't anybody do a good salad? The lettuce was sparse and withered, there was too much onion and it probably would have been better to leave the tomato out as it was green and crunchy. Half a star off.
For those that eat just the Schnitzel and Chips, you cannot go past The Dan for a a beef schnitzel with mushroom sauce!

Price: $15.90
Rating: 4 stars

Daniel O’Connell – Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Why did I go to the Daniel O’Connell? Because I heard they have the best schnitzel in Adelaide! Specifically, I was told it was the best due to their mushroom sauce. Looking at the menu was pointless, I went there knowing I would order a chicken schnitzel with mushroom sauce with high expectations. I wasn’t disappointed either. The schnitzel was cooked perfectly, and yes, the mushroom sauce was very impressive, I don’t even like mushrooms, but was prepared to try this sauce and was rewarded (unlike the pepper sauce I tried recently!). The chips were well above average, seasoned and cooked to perfection. The service and the salad were both standard. My only complaint was the size of the schnitzel, although I didn’t leave hungry, it was no struggle to finish.
Price: $15.90
Rating: 4 stars.

Earl Of Leicester Hotel - Chicken Bulls Bollocks

Legends of the Earl's massive schnitzels have been told since the dawn of man, but how does the Earl stack up to its modern day competitors?

Being somewhat of an Earl regular I knew what to expect when I rocked up to the bistro, an open plan eatery with plenty of seating. The Earl always sounds like its fuller than what it is, normally due to the crowd of dudes trash talking over big schnitzels.

Size is the Schnitzel's strong point. The schnitzel sat atop of a decent serving of tasty chips (which were quickly rescued to prevent sweating) and covered a fair portion of the plate

 

The topping is comprised of cheese, shredded ham and spicy salami along with the standard tomato base. The schnitzel itself was cooked well, not over or under done. In terms of taste the Earl Bulls Bollocks can't be faulted, but compliments don't come gushing either. The salami gave the meal a bit of spice but other than that the Bull Bollocks is your standard parmigiana.

For what it is though, a big schnitzel, the Chicken Bulls Bollocks does the job. Its fills you to the brim with schnitzelly goodness and you won't need breakfast the next day.

Price: $18.50

Rating: 3.5 stars

Roulettes Tavern - Chicken Hawaiian

Roulettes... conjures up images of gambling doesn't it? Good news is if you're gambling with schnitzel then you'll wind up braking even.

Conveniently located next to the Parafield Airport Liquor Store, Roulettes Tavern is a large bistro and gambling hot spot featuring a modest front bar. The tavern is nicely themed with airport paraphernalia to match its location.

Roulettes features prompt service; damper rolls are brought to the table immediately after ordering and the schnitzel's salad is served shortly after.

 

Fresh and well dressed, the salad makes the kind of impression you want to make on a first date. The Chicken Hawaiian is of good size. The ham and cheese was the standard fare but the pineapple helping is quite generous. The lack of a tomato base for the topping left the schnitzel a bit dry for my taste, but the pineapple made up for this somewhat. The chips were crisp and tasty but be warned, the type and quantity has changed a few times in my recent visits so you can never be sure just how much you'll get.

Price: $14.50

Rating: 2.5 stars

Lord Melbourne - Chicken Hawaiian

Lord Melbourne, North Adelaide. Chicken Hawaiian, tender but average grade of chicken.

Price: $8.90

Cafe Uno - Chicken Schnitzel with gravy

Right, my second entry… Chicken schnitzel at Café Uno… Well firstly I was told off for moving the table away from the table next to it, and I mean right up against it. So off to a good start… not. It was a pretty warm day and the air con could have been working better than what it did. The waiter was a slimy little freak who had no idea about customer service. The schnitzel finally came out and luckily I asked for the gravy on the side! OMG I have never seen lumpier gravy!!! It was in what looked to be a desert bowl and there was enough there for about 5 people. It was tasty in an odd way, pretty gluey in texture and lumps a plenty. The schnitzel itself was average in size, quite dry and the salad was pretty lame. Overall a cheap made schnitzel with a price too high for the quality.

Price: $17.50

Rating: 3 stars

The Gov - Chicken Schnitzel with Diane Gravy.

My first blog, ever! Okay here goes... I am a huge fan of the Schnitzel, so much so that when dining at a venue with a schnitzel on the menu I don't need a menu and people know what to order for me without asking. My fav would have to be a chicken schnitzel with gravy. You would say this would be an easy task to supply, apparently not. For some unknown reason people these days are getting dumber and dumber and for whatever reason are unable to cook a simple schnitzel. So I am here to write about my experiences related to the beloved schnitzel for you to possibly use as a reference of where to eat a great schnitzel. I’m sure there is a place that does it, and I’m going to find it! So we went to the Gov for best of fest and the Chicken schnitzel with Diane gravy caught my eye. It came out in good time, gravy wasn’t all that great, lacked flavour. Chicken was somewhat dry and over cooked to say the least. Not their best work, and for an Adelaide fav, they should have put a bit more effort in.

Price: $15

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Gov - Chicken Parmigiana with Eggplant

Dimly lit, well serviced and nicely furnished, The Gov Bistro makes a good spot for some evening feasting... unless you're looking for a high quality schnitzel.

The addition of eggplant to the tomato and cheese sauce initially attracted me to the choice I made but I was immediately disappointed. The schnitzel placed before me was overcooked, borderline black around the edges.

I began to eat, each bite adding to my disappointment. The schnitzel was over breaded and the tomato base lacking resulting in a dry schnitzel. Furthermore, the eggplant slice was rubbery and too thin.

Why stick chips under the schnitzel when there is more than enough space available on the plate?

The best part of the meal was the salad, enough said.
Price: $16.50
Rating: 1.5 stars

The Gov - Beef with mushroom sauce

Well it was certainly different. The meals came out in a timely fashion for a large group table, which was nice, while the candles around the place made for an intimate setting.

My Schnitzel was well enough proportioned though I struggled through the last quarter and there was an okay salad. The surprising feature of this schnitzel meal was the mushroom sauce. It was white. The sauce tasted like a cheese sauce with mushroom mixed through. I was a bit hesitant at first as to what this new found sauce was going to taste like but it was refreshingly different. The chips were standard pub fare and weren't too soggy or plentiful in nature, while the schnitzel itself was a little over breaded.

Price: $15
Rating: 3 stars