I’ve been to the Hotel Richmond on many occasions, mainly for drinks. While walking through the Mall, I noticed they had lunch specials on, so I felt this was the perfect opportunity to taste what they have to offer. The thing I love about the Richmond is the grandness of the place which is accentuated by the high ceilings, the open plan layout and the large furniture. The decor is a mish mash of old, modern and bohemian, and with so many places to sit, you feel like you’re spoilt for choice.

As I do at every hotel/pub, I ordered the Chicken Parmi. The waitress at the bar gave me two knives instead of a knife and fork, so this wasn’t a good start. The meal came out 15 minutes after ordering and the meal was well presented.

The chicken was the right thickness, a bit small in diameter and slightly undercooked. The Napoletana sauce was perfect as it was rich in texture and had suitable coverage over the schnitzel. There was a generous amount of mozzarella cheese which had spent the right amount of time under the grill as it was a light golden brown.

The chips were French Fries that could have spent a bit more time in the deep fryer. The fries were a bit soggy and seemed to suffocate under the weight of the schnitzel. The salad was nice as the vegetables were fresh and crisp. The amount of dressing on the salad was perfect.

The service was good and the atmosphere was very relaxed. The undercooked chicken was a real show stopper for me, and it’s a mistake that shouldn’t be made in any kitchen. A great place to come for drinks, but I’d have second thoughts about eating here again.

WHERE: 128 Rundle Mall, Adelaide