Daniel O’Connell – Beef with Mushroom

Management changes, culture changes, staff changes...the time comes when you have to re-review to make sure that quality is still being produced. Previously I went to the Dan O’Connell in North Adelaide with super high expectations of a mind altering schnitzel meal and left, well, disappointed after sampling only a 4 star meal. Admittedly back then the meal only lost 1 star due to lumping us out the back and limp salad...those things can’t be too hard to change surely...especially as this time we booked a table in the lounge bar.

The schnitzel looked gorgeous on the plate and while it was at the upper end of my size threshold, it wasn’t the over whelming, stomach cramping, dinner plate size of some of the “mega” schnitzels. It was golden, it was crispy, it wasn’t too thin and it was topped with a creamy mushroom sauce distinct from any other mushroom sauce encountered on South Australian schnitzels.

The portion of chips, though hidden for the most part under the schnitzel (which is the bane of some schnitzel lovers existence, but not this one) was plentiful, crunchy and well flavoured. Unlike their last disaster, the Dan O, pulled the rabbit out of the hat this time and delivered a fresh, colourful, well dressed salad, which added the final touches to this already perfect meal.

What can I say, at this price, at this time, this schnitzel would get my vote as the best schnitzel meal in South Australia.

Summary: The complete package.
Price: $15.95
Rating: 5 Stars

Where:
The Daniel O’Connell
165 Tynte Street North Adelaide

Windy Point Cafe – Beef With Lemon Butter

Decadence, pure decadence. Fancy going to Windy Point Cafe and ordering a schnitzel! Well, they don’t call it a schnitzel, it appears on the menu as “almond & marjoram crumbed beef fillet with greens, mash & lemon butter” and it was washed down with a couple of glasses the finest sparkling. In reality the dish was a schnitzel stack as there were three crumbed, thin pieces of beef stacked on top of each other served with the mash, a rather think stalk of what looked like broccolini and lemon butter. No chips or salad in site. As a side note, we did order a bowl of fries on the side which were needlessly plentiful, cooked well and seasoned sweetly.
On first inspection I thought that the lemon butter would make the schnitzel (“crumbed beef fillet”) soggy, but as I took my first bite I was in heaven. The taste explosion in my mouth from the almond and marjoram crumbing was sensational and the beef was pure molten goodness as it just melted delicately and deliciously whilst I masticated gracefully trying to stifle an audible groan of delight. Bonus star! As for the rest of the meal, I was glad that the lemon butter didn’t detract or over power the tastiness of the beef crumbing and mashed potato has always been on my last meal plate so it is hard to get that wrong for me. The green stalk however was far from satisfying or inspiring (half a star off) and was akin to an undressed salad of lettuce leaves and a solitary cherry tomato.
How much for this decadent meal you ask overlooking the fine city of Adelaide from the woody slopes of Belair? $25.50 (1 star off) At least five dollars more then I would have valued the meal at. I guess you are paying a premium for the view (which was excellent sitting next to a floor to ceiling window overlooking Adelaide) and the service (which was faultless...my glass was never empty).

Summary: The perfect place for a romantic schnitzel dinner.
Price: $25.50
Rating: 4.5 stars

Where:
Windy Point Cafe
Windy Point Lookout, Belair Rd, Belair 5052