When a friend suggested we eat at the Henley Surf Life Saving Club, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Set in a modern building just off Henley Square, the upstairs dining area has magnificent high ceilings and breath taking views of the sea. The menu isn’t as spectacular with a small selection of snacks, light meals and larger pub dishes.

To start off, we had the Oysters Kilpatrick. The oysters had spent too long under the grill, to the point that the bacon was dry and crisp. While the amount of bacon was generous, I also thought it made the oysters too salty.

For my main, I originally ordered the Chicken Schnitzel Parmigiana. As I was just about to eat this dish, I find a strand of hair resting under the schnitzel. The waiter notices me inspecting my dish and tries to resolve the issue. Instead of getting a replacement dish, I ask for their Beef Burger. The waiter agrees to my request without too much fuss.

About 10 minutes later, the Beef Burger arrives. It’s a fairly decent size but not the best looking burger I’ve ever seen. The beef patty has good thickness and is the same diameter as the bun. It’s well seasoned and tender, but it falls apart too easily. I suspect they didn’t put enough egg and breadcumbs during preparation. The bacon was crisp and salty, and balanced by the sourness of the pickles. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, while the egg was fried until the yolk was cooked all the way through.

The burger came with a side of chips that were cut to a medium thickness. The chips were a little on the soggy side but adequately salted. The chipotle mayonnaise was delicious and complemented both the chips and burger.

My friend had the Chicken Salad which was served with dukkah and date labneh balls, fennel, orange, red onion, semi dried cherry tomatoes, salad green and dressed with lemon and olive oil. While I didn’t actually try this dish, my friend told me it was rather average.

The staff were friendly and the service was generally good. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was on par with a cafe. We came here on a Thursday night which is $12 schnitzel night (extra for additional toppings), which is fairly good for it’s prime location. The dishes that I did have were average and the hair in my schnitzel didn’t help.

WHERE: 246 Esplanade, Henley Beach