Mrs Parma's

In my lifetime I must admit that I have had my fair share of chicken parmigianas. Good ones, bad ones,  pub ones, expensive ones, servings as big as my head...

It was a day in November when I decided to take one of my good friends, who I will name Blue Shoes, out for his birthday. He chose to eat at Mrs Parma's after hearing good reviews about it. I beg to disagree... Mrs Parma's is located on the Parliament Station side of town which is relatively far if you're in the heart of the city. All the feelings of depletion (walking to the restaurant from Melbourne Central was tiring) and hunger were all blown away as we entered the ancient looking place.

Print screen of the restaurant homepage. I think it looks so cute! 

Nice jugs, Mrs Parmas.

Hot days + Cider = Perfection. 

The day we went to dine at Mrs Parma had gorgeous weather so we decided to treat ourselves with a lemon lime and bitters that tasted too strong and Cheeky Rascals cider. Rekordelig is not the only great cider out there! Get on it! Cheeky rascals is the bomb.

Since opening in 2006 by two passionate chefs, Mrs Parma's seem highly successful and thoroughly enjoyed amongst every one who dines there. They are probably oblivious to their surroundings because they are enchanted by the HUMUNGOUS SIZE of the parma. With that being said, I was certainly not impressed. I asked for tomato sauce and was charged 80c.................. for a small serving of tomato sauce. That's like refusing to serve tap water at a restaurant. 

Secondly, that little bowl of chips (pictured above) was for both of us. I love my fries, especially when it is smothered in chicken salt. But seriously??? Blue shoes is a big eater and I'm not going to lie, I am too. When we saw that being served I was thinking in my head, I think they forgot to bring out the other bowl. But they didn't forget. For the price I was paying for the parma, you would definitely think that the sides would be equally as big. 

I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Go to a pub on a Tuesday night, it will be cheaper and the servings will be very much the same. The salad and chips will be on your plate as well so you're not obliged to share with the person you are dining with. Mrs Parma's is good every once in a while and feels more like a tourist attraction more than anything else. Make sure you make a booking, as seats fill up really quickly! We went on a Wednesday afternoon and were fortunate enough to have all the bookings much later than when we arrived. Overall I would probably rate it at a 6/10 which is generous of me. The waiters were prompt and friendly which is always something good to look out for. I hate rude waiters.

This is a cute little section they have on the website which is worth reading. 

Ten different Parmigiana’s feature on our menu with daily specials.Our Chefs are trained in the art of Parmology – an often neglected discipline - to ensure the perfect parma. So everyone can enjoy Melbourne’s best Parma we cater for gluten free, egg free and vegetarians.

The Art of Parmology - Invented, taught, trained & perfected by the chefs at Mrs. Parma’s…

1. Size Matters – 230g chicken breast hand crafted to the perfect thickness for guaranteed even cooking.
2. Crumbed Daily – coated once in our special crumb mix daily to ensure crispness.
3. Traditional Napoli – Imported Italian tomatoes enhanced with onion, garlic and herbs then slowly simmered for hours.
4. Quality ingredients – award winning mozzarella and the finest ingredients sourced for sauces and toppings
5. Sides to compliment – crisp salad with tangy dressing and quality chips. Sides are never placed under the Parma to avoid wilted salad and soggy chips.
6. Love – prepared and cooked with love. Never processed, never frozen and never, ever deep fried.
7. Best enjoyed with a cleansing beer.

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After Mrs Parma's, we walked back to Melbourne Central with bloated stomachs and tired legs. But "there is no room for dessert" was said by no one, ever. The hungry hippos headed up to Cupcake Central (my only cupcake fix in the CBD) for a chai latte and vanilla latte. Aren't the cupcakes so cute??? Mine was a green tea and Blue Shoes got the red velvet which is a total crowd pleaser. You can never get sick of it, no matter how sweet it is! The flavour is rich and although it is full of colour, delicious in taste and appealing to the eye with the cute little love hearts on top.The picture below is one of my favourite photos that I have taken on Instagram. I love the colours of the flowers and the objects inside it. 

Mrs Parma's

Address: 25 Little Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria

Contact: 9639 2269

Hours: Monday – Friday 11am till late and Saturday & Sunday 12pm till late

Price Range: $$$