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