Earl of Leicester

There are two eating areas at the Earl of Leicester Hotel, Leicester St., Parkside. Liars' Restaurant & Courtyard is good for fine dining and an extensive menu and Lucky Leicester's Bistro for quick meals and the salad bar. The hotel is famous for its huge schnitzels. The Marmaduke family visited the Bistro recently. The junior Marmadukes each had the small schnitzels. Lady Myrtle and I chose the barramundi. Of course I accompanied my meal with a hot chocolate.

The first pleasant surprise was that the Earl's hot chocolate fits into that three dollar category that I have mentioned in previous postings. The second surprise is that the extras include a white marshmallow, a pink marshmallow and a fortune cookie. The glass was small and came with a napkin wrapped around it. As mentioned earlier the napkin is essential for keeping one from burning ones fingertips on such a drink. Good waiting staff can perform a feat of origami that defies gravity by wrapping a napkin around the glass in such a way that it stays half way up the glass without falling off. I have also observed this at the Duthy Street Deli. The chocolate came with the usual froth and sprinkle of cocoa. The taste of drink itself was watery and unsatisfying, but the fortune cookie was a good innovation.

The Earl of Leicester also provides complimentary coffees and hot chocolates in their poker machine lounge. This comes in ceramic cups with a thin froth and you can help yourself to a biscuit in the shape of bear. The hot chocolate is not too bad and better than the Highway poker machine lounge complimentary hot chocolate. The machine uses Jolt coffee and mixes.