I’ve driven past The Hope Inn on many occasions without really taking much notice of it. It was only recently that I noticed their weekday meal deals being advertised, which is a good way of getting my attention. The menu looks about as traditional as the establishment with steaks, burgers, pizzas and your traditional pub fare.

When I entered into this place, I walked into the sports bar and that was about as far as I got. To me, it looked a bit dated, particularly with the patterned carpet. Natural lighting wasn’t too much of an issue with the sun shining through the windows on both frontages.

For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. The dish was ready 15 minutes after ordering and was average in presentation.

The chicken schnitzel was thin and small, and it’s crumbed coating was soggy and fell apart quite easily. The chicken was slightly over cooked. The napolitana sauce was generously applied but it didn’t have much flavour to it. Sitting on top of the sauce was a thin slice of ham and a good portion of mozzarella cheese. The cheese was thick and gooey, but it could have been browned more on the surface.

The salad was fresh and crisp, and it was lightly dressed with a vinaigrette dressing. The chips, on the other hand, were soggy, and suffocated by the weight of the schnitzel.

The staff were friendly and the service was good. The atmosphere was relaxed, although this place seems to attract the older crowd. As far as pricing goes, some of the meal deals are cheap. Burgers are $10 on Monday nights, schnitzels are $10 on Tuesday nights and steaks are $10 on Wednesday nights. With that being said, you get what you pay for.

WHERE: 348 Port Rd, Hindmarsh