01/05/2010 - Tonsley Hotel, Tonsley SA - BIG ASS PASS

Tonsley Hotel (Chrysler Bar), 274 South Road Clovelly Park SA 504

It was a cold Sunday night, a perfect night for the kitchen staff to phone it in.  I was at the Tonsley with my wife and my friend Ed, who was heading to China in a few days.  I thought I would load him up with traditional aussie fare for the flight.

Although it was dark, I could see that the Tonsley, like most of Adelaide's pubs, had undergone extensive renovations.  It was now in the lower tier of the highly acceptable pubs around town.  As it was out near Flinders Hospital, it was a out of our territory somewhat, and added a sense of adventure to the meal.

I stuck to the script.  A Chicken Parmi and a pint of flavorful beer, probably Coopers.  The Parmi was about $19, which is becoming standard these days, what with hefty overheads due to all the renovations.

I wasn't expecting much, but Ed assured me the meals were good.  Yeah, I've heard that before.  This time however, I'm glad to say that Ed was not lying.  The Parmi came out and looked good straight off the plate.  It was thick, and just enough to not make me cringe that it wasn't hanging off the edge of the plate.  Thickness is nothing if it's not cooked correctly though, and I'm happy to report that it delivered big time here.  It was succulent without being too juicy and certainly not dry.

The sauce was tasty and had a hint of spice that I couldn't place.  Anybody who reads this blog knows that I love some adventure in my parmi's, and this one had me intrigued.  Just the right amount of Cheese and Sauce as well, not over-cooked, but still beautifully tanned on top.

The chips were thick, although the only mis-step coming in the fact that they pretty much all buried underneath the carcase of the bird, which rendered them a little impotent.  The salad was bountiful and fresh, which was very surprising for time of day.

I was ridiculously satisfied, and bonus points had to be given for the timeslot - they could've taken the night off and fed me the seconds, but no, they stepped up and delivered a great meal. 

10/10/2010 - Holdfast Hotel, Brighton SA - VIP PASS

After a string of failed winter meals, I was looking upon this dinner as somewhat of a dour sense of inevitability.  'Let's get it over with' was just one of the cliche's I think I unleashed on my wife on the way there.  Don't get me wrong, I was heading there to see friends, and that I was looking forward to.  The food however, had me terrified.  What new depths could Adelaide pubs plummet to?

As we arrived, I noticed the decor had changed since I last frequented the establishment.  Granted, the last time I was here Justin Timberlake was Rockin' his body and George Bush had just proclaimed 'Mission Accomplished' in the gulf.  It was a while ago.

I dismissed the surrounding with the ease of a man with one thing on his mind.  Even my friends seemed to be more of a distraction than source of enjoyment.  Finally, the food arrived.

Hells Bells.  This looked good.  Here I was, lost for words.  I bit in to the delicious-looking schnit, hoping it wasn't just a sauce covered mirage, and my word it tasted awesome.

Everything about this dish was done well.  The crisp chips, the well-presented and not overly big salad.  The schnitzel had it too, from the tasty sauce and well-cooked cheese, to the lovely, thick and natural tasting fillet of chicken.  Kumbaya, my lord!

Look, if you want a great, open venue with the finest Japanese lager on tap (Asahi, my favourite), you will not do much better than here.  The food is great (and that wasn't just from me), and the room, although loud, creates a relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for a light meal with just about anybody.

A big double thumbs up from the Schnitzel King!

Next time:  Does the Gilbert Hotel's Chef cook as well as they say?

The Schnitzel King is coming back.

The Schnitzel King has been quiet of late, due to sickness and helping with Pure Funk Dance, my wife's business.  Here's the plug, if you want to learn Hip Hop dance, dance classes at Pure Funk are the way to go.  Now that's out of the way, expect some new posts real soon!

10/8/2010 Emilio's Pizza & Pasta, Darwin NT - FAIL

I'm on holiday and I'm in Darwin, so I expect two things.  One, there are a ton of tourists, and two, that food is really expensive.  I am right on both counts, but in the case of the expensive food, even I was not prepared for what was served up at Emilio's.

My mate recommended it, so I happily dished up my $30 (you read that right) for my Chicken Parmi and Chips.  Unfortunately, what I failed to understand is that in the Territory you are just happy that something is served up, regardless of how much it cost.

 The Schnitzel came out and instantly my heart sank.  It looked overcooked.  I was right.  They'd used a thinner fillet of chicken and overcooked it.  The sauce was unspeakably awful, it tasted unlike any parmagiana sauce I'd tasted up to this point in my life  The cheese was like rubber.

The salad was plentiful and fresh, which was a surprise, but the chips were wide yet thin, a strange combination that did not add anything to the fact that they were also floppy and lifeless.

This was my first Darwin meal and the less said about it the better.  Avoid the Schnitty's here at all costs. 

King out.


Emilio's Pizza and Pasta

20/3/2010 Robin Hood Hotel, Norwood SA - PASS

I spent all of Saturday digging dirt and transporting it into my backyard with a wheelbarrow. So, at the end of the day when it was time to head to a birthday dinner at the Robin Hood, you could say I was hungry.

I was also expecting the worst. Let down so many times before by the pub staple, I hardly expected to find much better fare here, but I did.

I had just tucked in to a ice cold pint, when the unassuming Chicken Parmi found its way to my table (remember what i've said previously about unassuming schnitzels).

Lets get to the point. It tasted sublime. The sauce was well-cooked, tasty and not burnt, and the chicken was succulent, but not to the point wear the juices were still coming out of it. Wonderful.

The cheese was melted perfectly, toasted a little on top and the salad held a good proportion of mixed veggies. And the chips, oh the chips! They topped off the dish and filled me up too.

The birthday was great, and not just because of the food, but the food just elevated the occasion from fun to memorable. Check this place out, you will not be disappointed.

The surroundings are also very casual and well-placed, allowing atmosphere to permeate, and encourage interaction (we caught up with several old friends just by making eye contact across the bistro). A great summer pub.

7/3/2010 - Victory Hotel, Sellicks Beach SA = PASS

After a nice sunday afternoon of wine tasting, their was no better place than the Victory Hotel to lay waste to the rest of the day (and a few bottles of good wine).
Given the exquisite sea views, great tipple and entertaining company, I knew it was time for the Schnitzel King to officially kick off the schnitty season.
Schnitzel season rolls through from the start of March until the end of November, and considering we were already in the second week of March, I thought I better get to it.
The Schnitzel came out and on first viewing was a little disappointed. This was because I had seen two beef schnitty's come out earlier and my chicken parmi seemed to be 2/3 the size!
Never mind, there were plenty of crispy chips and loafy bread slices to fill the gap.
Beyond the size the schnitzel was assuming, but this is a good thing. When you notice something about a schnitzel, it's usually the burnt crusty cheese on top or the large piece of cold ham hanging off the side. There was none of that here.
Digging in, I realised that all I needed to know about this parmi was contained in that first bite.
The chicken was thick and succulent, not too undercooked and with a light crispy skin. The cheese on top was beautifully melted, just the right thickness and hot as Megan Fox with a backpack.
However, there was the sauce. There was plenty of it to be sure, but where was the taste? Did I get too used to Mama Semmler's homemade relish to be able enjoy it? No, it just wasn't there, it was bland.
That said, the rest of the chicken (and don't forget the chips) was so well done, that I was willing to accept the so-called sauce.
I've said it before, you could do a lot worse than get a schnitty here, especially when the chicken is cooked as well as anywhere I've tasted so far on my parmi travels.
See you next time.

7/1/2010 - Cafe Primo, Henley Beach SA = FAIL

I eat at Cafe Primo from time to time, and have always found their food quite excellent, which is surprising for a cheap franchise restaurant. So, I headed to my sisters birthday lunch with a little excitement. It had been a few weeks since the last schnitty, so I was hanging out for one as well.

I must say before I start, that everyone elses meals looked and tasted delicious, so it seems that I may have been the 1% dud meal. Nevertheless, I give no favours, and can only report on what I was served.

The schnitzel parmi appeared quite delicious from all appearances, and indeed, the chips were quite a nice start. Not perfect, but you know, good enough.
I tucked into the schnitty and it hit me straight away - the sauce was bland, it had no taste.

From there on down it got worse. The cheese too had no taste and wasn't really melted appropriately. Even worse was the ham, a thick slice of which sat coolly atop the schnitzel and absorbed all of it taste. I don't get parmi's so I can taste the cold piece of ham sitting on top!

The schnitzel itself was fine, crisp and a good size piece of chicken, well within the good value range for a $17 meal. The toppings however were enough to drag this poor meal into FAIL status.

It's a case so close yet so far this time!