There’s so much history behind the Rob Roy Hotel in Adelaide. Having undergone so many renovations over the years, the place still retains it’s character. The architecture of the time is one to marvel at; the arched framing in the main doorway, the cast iron balustrades, the draped corrugated iron roof and the dentilation on the eaves are all noteable features. The interior has been modernised, however the venue still retains it’s old world charm.

The venue itself is quite spacious with seating available in just about every part of the hotel. The outdoor seating alone can cater for up to 70 people. Upon entry, there are gaming rooms to the left, the main bar in the centre, a function room to the right and the restaurant towards the back of the premises. The bar is renown for it’s extensive selection of single malt whiskies, while the restaurant serves all your traditional pub fare.

Tonight, I ordered the Chicken Parmi. The dish came out 20 minutes after ordering and all meals came out at the same time. The meal was nicely presented and was one of the best parmi’s I’ve ever had. The chicken was tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. The schnitzel was generous in both size and thickness, and cooked to a beautiful golden brown. The Napoletana sauce was rich and tomatoey in texture and had appropriate coverage over the schnitzel. The mozzarella topping was generous, and every bite of the schnitzel was so soft and creamy.

The vegetables in the salad were fresh and crispy. A vinaigrette dressing was used on the salad with the perfect amount applied. The chips were really well cooked; nice and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. The chips weren’t too thick and weren’t too thin, but just right. I even liked how some of the vinegar from the salad dressing mixed in with the chips. It just gave it a whole new dimension.

For dessert, I had the Cappuccino Cheesecake. This had to be the best cream cheese cheesecake I’ve ever had. At $5 a slice, it represented great value for money. The cheesecake was so silky smooth. It wasn’t sweet at all, but it still retained the intense cappuccino flavour. Each bite of this cheesecake was heavenly. I don’t remember eating anything so good in my life.

The staff here are very friendly and the service was pretty good. The atmosphere is vibrant, and the venue can get quite loud, particularly when there is a live band. Other than that, a perfect dining experience and a wonderful time had by all. I can’t recommend this place enough. I literally live metres away from this place and will make an effort to come here more often.

WHERE: 106 Halifax St, Adelaide