Chicken Parmesan or "parma" is a Melbourne pub staple that we've enjoyed on many occasions. It's a rare pub that doesn't serve it.

A few weeks ago we caught a special on TV about a group of guys who go around and rate the best chicken parmas in Melbourne (no doubt in defiance of their doctor's orders). Turns out the best is just up the road from us. So we went and gave it a shot the other day.

I don't know what we were expecting. How good can a chicken parma actually be? It's not like they make it with ambrosia. It was good enough, I guess, but paroxysms of culinary ecstasy eluded us.