Adelaide Casino (Schnitzel Challenge)

http://www.adelaidecasino.com.au/

Yeah that’s right, you read the title – a Schnitzel Challenge! Of course we were going to be there.

For the month of September, the Adelaide Casino has had a special on big schnitzels. For the price of only $12.50, patrons are challenged to consume 18 inches worth of beef schnitzel – very good value – especially when you consider that a pint is also considered in that price. Not as good when you realise it’s a pint of Carlton… this schnitzel reviewer recommends swapping it for a coke.

So an insanely big schnitzel for a very good price. Good start. And the schnitzel did not disappoint. The looks of concern on the faces of the guys as the schnitzels were put in front of them said it all. 18 inches is a lot of meat, although the schnitzel is considerably smaller in one dimension than the other, which does make the challenge doable. And you’re going to want to finsh the meal, as it’s the only way to get the free t-shirt which is for anyone who completes the challenge.

Of course a big schnitzel is an enjoyable challenge when it tastes good, but if the schnitzel is low quality, a meal like this could be torture. Thankfully the casino schnitzel was quite edible. Maybe a little tough, a little chewy, and the crumbing broke off easily – but this is fairly standard for a beef schnitzel, and this was about the middle of the road.

Accompanying the meal are fairly tasty chips and a decent salad covered in a lot of dressing.

All in all, this is a challenge every schnitzel fan should attempt. It may not fulfil every criteria, but that much meat for this price is worth the visit. As I write, there are only a few days of September remaining, so if you’re a schnitzel lover and you haven’t got to the cas yet – you better hurry.

Taste 3/5, Size 5/5, Sides 3/5, Value 5/5, Experience 2/5
Total 72%

The Cremorne

http://www.thecremorne.com.au/

Located in the heart of Unley, the Cremorne has a lively yet swanky feel to it. The bar and restaurant areas are both well presented and spacious, and you feel like you are surrounded by a higher class of people. Even though they’re still all getting drunk. Since the re-development, the Cremorne has a very modern feel to it, and provides a great environment for a casual night of dinner and drinks without having to head into town. I figured that a schnitzel at such a classy joint would have to be of the highest quality, especially at dinner time on a Saturday night. And at $18, I was hoping so. The meal was well presented, with quality chips and a generous salad. The schnitzel had a good texture, and a herb-encrusted crumbing, which gave it a little something different. But aside from that, I was unimpressed. The meat was not particularly flavoursome, and the size certainly didn’t blow me away. Like so many other schnitties I’ve eaten on this journey, it was ok without being special. Certainly not one that I would rave to my mates about.

The Verdict: Not bad, but a little bland. Nice place to eat and drink though. Taste: 3/5, Size: 3/5, Value: 3/5, Sides 3.5/5, Experience 4.5/5.
Total: 68%

Prince Albert Hotel

http://www.princealberthotel.com.au/

I remember like it was yesterday. In fact it was.

Tuesday marks another cheap day in Schnitzel reviewing land and today was no exception. Tonight we hit up the Prince Albert Hotel on Wright St.

Lured by rumours of a $5 schitnzel, we knew that this offer was way too hard to pass up.

We ascended onto the hotel, hungry and tired after our current days work/uni/general chilling to discover that the rumours were true. A $5 schitnzel…. Was it too good to be true…?

It was. Under the main headline littered the small writing of the terms and conditions.

“With the purchase of a beverage, and extra for sides.”

However all together still not a bad purchase for a chicken parmi with chips and salad for between $13 and $17, depending on your choice of beverage.

The hotel itself is not bad, we sat on the high table due to the ‘restaurant’ section being full, the staff were friendly, and most of all there was no annoying ‘greatest R’n’B songs of July 2011’ played at ridiculously high levels. Not to mention, the fact that they have both golden ale and Adelaide hills cider on tap, was definitely a step in the right direction.

Now to the schnitzel. I guess none of us were surprised that for our measly fiver we wouldn’t be getting a schnitzel the size of a small adult’s head. That being said the schnitzel was not too badly cooked, having a nice crunch (until the decent parmigiana sauce soaked it through), the salad was nice (albeit a little small) and the French fries that accompanied it were a decent addition (while the majority of us would have rathered chips) that did remind us a little of McDonalds.

Overall by no means a bad schnitzel, especially for a fiver (plus everything else), but nothing to write home about (unless it was your first schnitzel in Australia).

Taste 3/5, Size = 2.75/5, Sides = 2.75/5, Value = 4.5/5, Experience = 3.75/5
Overall = 67%

Rat & Parrot

http://www.findonhotel.com.au/

Probably the less said about this one, the better. Maybe I picked the wrong night to go, who knows? The schnitty was small, bland, unsatisfying. The chips, minimal and of poor quality. The pub atmosphere wasn’t bad at all – it had that typical British pub feel to it, and the fact that it was a quiet weeknight made it a good place to kick back and have a chilled out dinner discussion. But since my mate’s salt and pepper squid didn’t seem any better than my meal, maybe this is a place to just go for drinks.

The Verdict: Stay away fools!

Taste 3/5, Size 2/5, Value 2/5, Sides 2/5, Experience 3/5
Total: 48%

Coopers Alehouse

http://www.coopersalehouse.net/

Ok, we’ve teased you (and ourselves) for a bit, but ask anybody where you get a big schnitzel in Adelaide, and ‘Coopers Alehouse’ will always be the first place suggested. If we had rated schnitties in this fine city without paying this place a visit, we would be mere amateurs. Hacks. The Rebecca Blacks of schnitzel rating, if you will. It was always going to be a case of when, not if, we descended on Carrington Street for a nibble at one of the alehouse’s plate-hangers. And when our orders arrived, nobody was let down. I’m not sure how the waiter managed to get the meals out of the kitchen, to be honest. I’m pretty sure the door wasn’t six feet wide. My point is, these schnitties are humungous. My chicken schnitzel was practically as wide as my chair (the actual weight is estimated at around a kilogram). Matt’s beef parmi was, quite frankly, ridiculous. A huge beef schnitzel topped with a thick layer of sauce, a mountain of bacon, and enough cheese to feed Wallace and Grommit for a week. As far as size goes, the standard was definitely set tonight. The taste was pretty good – obviously the meat was processed, since you don’t see too many 800g chicken breasts. The chips were ok without being extraordinary – but since they’re hidden underneath the colossus hunk of crumbed meat that completely covers the plate, it’s no surprise that the chefs don’t go all out on chip quality.

The sense of achievement (tinged with disappointment, guilt and heartburn) as I finished that final mouthful was monumental. What a manly meal to eat. No surprises that the Alehouse schnitty immediately ascends to the top of the leaderboard.

The Verdict: You know what you’re going to get with the alehouse. A schnitzel of gargantuan proportions, fit to satisfy even the most insatiable of hungers. Definitely a winner.

Taste 4.5/5, Size 5/5, Value 4.5/5, Sides 2.5/5, Experience 4/5.
Total: 82%

The Crown Hotel, Victor Harbour

http://hotelcrown.com.au/

Strictly speaking, this is not an Adelaide restaurant, and so it’s eligibility to be declared the winner of our quest is highly questionable. But we were in Victor Harbour, we were hungry, and Maccas was not going to cut it. And the big sign reading ‘Schnitzel Encounters’ outside the restaurant indicated that these people knew what they were doing. The menu advertises a small schnitzel for $8, a large for $16, and a mega schnitzel for $20. No prizes for guessing what we both ordered. As it turned out, the mega schnitzels actually comprised of three small schnitzels all heaped on a plate together with chips. The schnitzels themselves were nothing special – thin, fairly bland and definitely processed to some degree. But this was a classic case of quantity making up for low quality. How often can you boast that “I just ate three schnitzels for dinner!”? Or four, as it was in my case. Another advantage of the three-schnitzel system is that, if you wanted, you could order three completely different schnitzels in the one meal.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was quite nice – a very friendly environment, with some nice beach views. Consider also that there was a salad bar available to select from, and the value for money rating is inevitably high.

The Verdict: If you prize quantity over quality when it comes to what you put in your mouth – and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing – definitely give the Scenic a shot next time you’re down south. Perhaps not one for the fine food connoisseurs out there, but you can bet that you won’t leave hungry.

Taste 2.5/5, Size 4/5 (Marks off for having multiple small schnitzels instead of 1 big one, also for the lack of thickness), Value 4/5, Sides 4/5, Experience 4/5.
Total 74%.

The Alma, Magill Road

www.almatavern.com.au/

Any pub owned by Crows legend Mark Ricciuto is worthy of respect based on reputation alone, but how do the schnitzels at the Alma stack up? Value for money seemed a bit average from first impressions - $19.50 for a 350g schnitzel, $32 for the 500g. For once, my economic sense rose above my gluttony, and I went with the smaller option. As it turned out, the 350g option was not particularly impressive. Certainly nothing to sneeze at, but nothing to be intimidated by, nonetheless. The taste was quite pleasant, although nothing about it – the size, the texture, the chips, the salad – was extraordinary. To be fair, we were there on a Monday night, with pretty much nobody else there – it wouldn’t be surprising if the chefs put in less effort for the smaller crowds.

Judging the pub atmosphere was a bit difficult on a quieter night. With all of the big screen televisions tuned in to various sporting events around the globe, I can imagine that this would be the place to be on the night of the big game (assuming you weren’t at said game). On that Monday night, it had a chilled feel to it – the music was of good quality, and at reasonable volume, allowing conversation without needing to shout. And the bartenders seemed like pretty good guys. I’ll definitely give this place a go on a Saturday night sometime soon.

The Verdict: It was ok. Everything about the Alma was ok. Maybe a little expensive – I certainly wouldn’t be rushing back to try the $32 offering. Sorry Roo, I still love you.

Taste 4/5, Size 3.5/5, Value 3/5, Sides 3/5, Experience 3.5/5.
Total 68%