Pub with no grub: Punters demand Brompton bring schnitty back

The Brompton hotel is leaving the humble schnitzel off the menu now it’s had a million-dollar revamp and not everyone’s happy.

Crumbs! – taking schnitzel off the menu does not pass the pub test.

Reopening this Wednesday after a million-dollar revamp, The Brompton hotel can now boast an in-house Michelin-trained chef in Andrew Wandless.

His grand plans include having crumbed chicken Kyiv on the menu – instead of schnitzel.

“It’ll have 110g of garlic butter in there, so that’ll keep you going,” Wandless, 35, told the Sunday Mail. “It’s not pretentious, it’s not fine dining; it’s good honest cooking.”

The Brompton’s chef Andrew Wandless with his signature crumbed chicken Kyiv, while duty manager Emmy Thomson holds a martini. Picture: Emma Brasier

But while the crumbed chicken Kyiv sounds yummy, a pub with no chicken or beef schnitzel is not to everyone’s taste – judging by the reader comments on theadvertiser.com.au, where there’s been an outcry.

It’s understandable, when you consider how much South Aussies love a schnitty and search for the best ones in town.

Blokes, in particular, have been vocal about the lack of what’s considered a pub grub staple at The Brompton.

Steven simply says, “A pub with no schnitty? Yeah, nah”, with Bruce also laconic about his lack of enthusiasm: “Let me know when it reverts to a pub with a snitty (sic) night”.

A typical chicken schnitzel with chips and salad. Picture: Supplied

Kevin has more to say: “Don’t call it a pub if it doesn’t serve pub food. During the week retirees and seniors often choose the pub for lunches and will be looking for honest old school pub food. Bangers and mash, fish and chips, Pies and Snitty (sic).”

Then there’s Glenn, who cannot understand how The Brompton’s owners could possibly think leaving schnitty off the menu would be good for business. He writes: “A pub with no schnitty is a bankrupt pub. Nothing wrong with adding some more glamorous dishes, but remember you are a pub and there will generally be someone who likes the safety of a schnitty for a meal at a pub.”

A schnitzel with mushroom sauce. Picture: Supplied

A number of readers think it won’t be long before the schnitzel makes a comeback. They include Brendan, who is counting down the days. “Give it a week before they add schnitzels,” he writes.

Nick writes: “A pub with no parmi?! That’s like a Chinese restaurant with no fried rice! They’ll add it to the menu within 6 weeks or they’ll annoy so many people they’ll be closed in a year. A silly decision probably made by a vegan …”

But one of the most cutting comments just has to come from Benjamin, who’s deconstructed crumbed chicken Kyiv sounds an awful lot like a gold old schnitty: “I’ll have a chicken kiev please – but not stuffed with garlic butter, oh and please leave the chicken fillet flat, don't roll it. Still crumb it and fry it thanks. Oh, and then cover it with mushroom gravy. Chips and salad thanks. Perfect.”

The Brompton’s Josh Hillary says having crumbed chicken Kyiv on the menu, rather than schnitzel, will give the hotel “a point of difference”.

“Kyiv is everything that a schnitzel really is – it’s a unique twist on it, rather than a traditional pub schnitzel,” he says, adding The Brompton will still be serving favourites such as “a great burger”.

Mr Hillary isn’t ruling out the return of the schnitty either, saying: “We are open to listening to the community.”

Originally published as Pub with no grub: Punters demand Brompton bring schnitty back