THE AWARD-WINNING SCHNITZEL AT STO LAT
On Tuesday, 15th July, the Polish Club Ashfield’s Sto Lat Restaurant won first place for its Pork Schnitzel in the 2025 Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards. Sto Lat’s classic Polish comfort dish stood out from among 200 participating clubs across NSW.
So, what makes our Pork Schnitzel so special?
Head Chef Steve explains that pastured Berkshire pork from the Bangalow region is specially chosen for its natural sweetness and tenderness. Each schnitzel is a generous, succulent off-the-leg cut, tenderised, marinated, and crumbed by hand in a secret blend of spices. It’s then fried to crispy, golden perfection and served with braised red cabbage, mushroom sauce, fresh herbs, palate-cleansing greens, and a creamy, buttery mashed potato – “just like Babcia (Polish for Grandmother) used to make”. By going back to our Polish roots with this much-loved classic, the Sto Lat culinary team has elevated the humble ‘schnitty’ to award-winning status.
So, when Mike Dalton from Channel 9 News asked, “Who’s got the best schnitty in Club Land?” – the answer was clear: Sto Lat Restaurant at the Polish Club Ashfield.
Come and try our schnitzels for yourself – available in chicken, veal, and of course, pork. Whichever you choose, you can be confident you’re enjoying the best schnitty in Club Land!
We’re open Wednesday to Sunday, and we look forward to serving you our prize-winning schnitzel or one of the many other delicious Polish and European dishes on our menu. Bookings are recommended to avoid waiting – we’ve been swamped since our secret got out!
Wow. I've cut that in half. Look at that. What a schnit! Look at the size of it! Has a bloody good skin. That's a REALLY good schnitzel!
Doesn't matter how many different things you try, sometimes the classics, they still hit the spot, don't they?
THE PORK SCHNITZEL – TRADITIONAL POLISH COMFORT FOOD
In Polish, the pork schnitzel is called kotlet schabowy, which translates to “pork cutlet” (kotlet meaning cutlet, and schabowy coming from schab, meaning pork loin). It’s one of the most classic dishes in Poland – usually breaded, fried, and served with potatoes and a side of cabbage or pickled vegetables.
Today, kotlet schabowy is synonymous with comfort food for many Poles, often ranking alongside bigos and pierogi (Polish dumplings also available on the Sto Lat Menu and in our Polka Deli & Cafe) in “top Polish dishes” lists. It’s served in restaurants and cooked at home. It even features as a pub favourite similar to the Aussie schnitty – although in Poland, it’s more often paired with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, or buckwheat, rather than chips.
YOUR LOCAL CLUB PERFECT PLATE AWARDS
ClubsNSW runs the annual Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards to celebrate the exceptional quality and variety of food offered at registered clubs across New South Wales, while showcasing the culinary creativity of their in-house chefs. In 2025, the competition drew entries from 171 clubs statewide, with 200 separate eateries submitting their “Perfect Plate” creations across thirteen categories.
