The Astor - Chicken with Gravy

I thought after my last experience I would go with the good old traditional favourite, surely a pleaser. They didn't take all that long for our meals to arrive, after all it was a Friday night and looked to be reasonably busy. On first inspection the schnitzel was almost black in some areas and the gravy was lacking. They really need to up the anti on the amount of gravy and decrease the frying time of the schnitzel. A good schnitzel is juicy, not dry, and with enough topping to allow each mouthful of schnitzel a hit of flavour. Maybe next time I will find the perfect Schnitzel!!

Price: $12.50

Rating: 3 stars
(one for the flavour of the gravy, one for the quantity of the schnitzel and one for the salad, even though there was only a few cubes of cucumber and tomato to find amongst the lettuce).

Where:
The Astor Hotel
437 Pulteney Street, Adelaide

Schnitzel Encounters - Chicken Aussie

I had high hopes this was going to be the king of all schnitzels, after all look at the name of the place!
When it arrived all I could smell was the onions with a side of bbq sauce. I was dissapointed to find that even on the first cut the schnitzel was burnt and even so well cooked on the edges that there were solid edges of chicken in this schnitzel. On further inspection the onion was so huge that it was 'sliced' at over a cintimetre thick, still with the woody core attached. This wasn't just one of the slabs of onion, but two!! I found the bbq not to be a pleasant piece of a masterpiece, but intead an over the top ingredient to what should be a perfect topping. The chips however were of good quantity, good seasoning, and tasty.

All in all, a dissapointment, but hopefully if I was to adventure there again it would live up to expectations.

Price: $17.90

Rating: 2 stars
(one for the chips and one for size factor)

Where:
Hotel Crown
2 Ocean Street, Victor Harbour

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

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 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

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

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

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