The Great Chicken Parmigiana Review (or Not)

When we arrived at Dicky Beach on Friday, instead of our planned Friday night pizza (aka Weber Baby Q style), Dean and I were so tired after packing everything up, travelling up the highway towing our mini home, and then setting everything up again at the Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park, that we decided we would go to the Dicky Beach Surf Club for dinner.

Dining out will be somewhat of a luxury as we travel around, but – maybe, just maybe – we could try to allow ourselves a meal out every now and then. This is of cause totally dependent upon where we are and how the finances are going considering we have permitted ourselves a specific amount of money each week.

Last Friday night, however, we were tired, rather thirsty and quite hungry, and after waiting more than an hour just to get a table, there was only one meal I wanted to sit there and enjoy.

A Chicken Parmigiana

And for once, Dean decided to order the same. I don’t think we waited too long for our meals to arrive, but when the did, they were so spectacular, I had to take a photograph mine.

This was the Dicky Beach Parmie that the menu claimed to be “Our Famous” and it came with crispy bacon, avocado, and hollandaise sauce. The photo doesn’t do the plate of food justice, nor does it really show the sheer enormity of what arrived on the plate. Dean’s immediate thought was that …

“We should have only ordered one, and not ordered garlic bread.”

It certainly was spectacular and real chicken breast, not processed meat. The outer bread crumb was fresh and had the perfect balance of crunch to match the crispy chips that had been dusted with chicken salt. I’d never come across that before, but it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, even thought the salad looked amazing, it was warm. The tomato and cucumber were wilted and the pasta had dried on the surface. A sure sign the salad had been pre-made and sat on the plate too long waiting for the ‘ordered’ main to be added.

The sad state of the salad though was completely overshadowed by the Parma itself. It was the biggest Parma I have ever been served and Dean was curious to know the size of the chicken it came from. Perhaps it was a (not so) distant cousin of the Dodo.

I only managed to eat half of mine (the half without the bacon) and then sat there watching over Dean as he almost fell into a food-induced coma while he slowly but surely worked his way through his Parma and chips only. He decided to leave the salad as it would “take up too much room” in his stomach and, I must admit, I didn’t eat much of my salad either because it was not very nice at all.

I guess I should explain my affinity for Chicken Parmigiana.

I have been eating them for years. Dean remembers me ordering one when we were dating, so you see it really is my go to meal. In most cases ,Dean and I dine out at a local pub or club and usually it’s on the menu, and (in my opinion), it’s pretty hard to get wrong. Although I’ve eaten a few that should have seen the chef slapped, most have been really good, but one in particular was nothing less than exceptional.

In 2010, Dean and I were holidaying in Victoria and staying at a little B&B about half way along the Great Ocean Road. I can’t remember the name of the place we stayed at, but I certainly remember the Parma I had for dinner the first night we were there. It was so wonderful that I ordered it for dinner again the following night and even managed to convince Dean to order one.

I’m sure (actually, I’m certain), as we travel around Australia, we won’t be able to afford to eat anywhere too expensive (or swanky) and therefore, we will find ourselves eating in a local pub or club and I think it’s past due for me to review this wonderful dish I enjoy so often.

I don’t want to be seen to be stealing ideas from others such as Tim and Brook who have been hunting for the best Chicken Parmigiana for the Discover Downunder program on the Nine network, and I know there are most likely many others out there writing and blogging their own Parma reviews.

But I do love a good Chicken Parma and may find it difficult to change my pub or club go to meal. Therefore, I will continue to order them whenever they are on the menu.

What I would like to know, and what I would like you to vote for, is whether or not I should write: