Meatmother

168 Swan St
Richmond, VIC 3121
http://meatmother.com.au/

I’m not one for TV, as I usually prefer to spend my time reading and sleeping. Still, a show will manage to grab me every now and then, and for the last two years (see I told you I wasn’t into TV), that show has been Breaking Bad. I’m currently finishing the dregs of the final season, and by the time this post comes out, I’ll probably have seen the whole thing. Yes I know this is meant to be a blog post about Meatmother, but I have Breaking Bad on my mind (SPOILER ALERT: the two people who haven’t seen the show yet, skip to the next paragraph now) – Walt has just blackmailed Hank, whilst Jesse has found out that Walt was the one who poisoned Brock. Stuff is going down, even by Breaking Bad standards, so you’ll have to excuse me if this post is a little rushed – I’m keen to find out what happens next.

I popped into Meatmaiden last year, and having greatly enjoyed my meal there, I’ve been looking for an excuse to go back. And whilst I’ve yet to make a revisit, its progenitor, Meatmother, seems like just as lovely of a lady.

Unlike its suave offspring, Meatmother is a lot more casual. Nestled along the bustling segment of Swan Street, the small downstairs bar opens up to a dark and comfortable eatery in the loft.

On our waiter’s recommendation, we started off with the Burnt Ends ($15), aka the off-cuts of what I’m guessing is the wagyu brisket. Smothered in a sweet BBQ sauce, these bite-sized pieces of brisket were campfire-smoky and absolutely delicious. Being, well, burnt ends and all meant that the meat was quite inconsistent, running the gamut from 100% fat to dry and chewy. But as long as you know that going in, you’re going to have a whale of a time with these.

Having already had our beef fix with the Burnt Ends, we opted for the main of Smoked House Sausage with Sauerkraut ($20). Made in-house, this sausage was satisfyingly meaty, its richness emphasised by the sweet tomato and onion relish. The sausages were however also extremely salty, which was disappointing given how delicious they were.

Our waiter suggested the fried chicken ribs, but I exceeded my own expectations and ordered the Charred Broccoli ($9) instead. I was rewarded with crisp fronds of grilled broccoli, slathered with yoghurt and drizzled with lime, and with the added crunch of chopped almonds for good measure. It was refreshing yet indulgent, fitting in with the rest of the meal whilst still managing to be reasonably healthy.

I did however make sure not to leave without trying the famous Mac and Cheese ($9) this time. You can smell this stuff a mile off, the cheesy, chewy crust hiding a perfectly seasoned centre of gooey macaroni.

We were more than happily done by this point, but the kitchen had accidentally made an extra serve of the Black Eyed Peas with Roasted Peppers ($8), and we were the ones who reaped the benefit. Compared to everything else we’ve had, this was on the boring side, tasting like a simple salsa with black eyed peas thrown in.

Having tried both restaurants, I have to say that I prefer Meatmaiden just a smidge. Although the food at both places are extremely similar, I feel that my meal at Meatmaiden had a bit more pizzazz. But if you’re after some gourmet BBQ meats and delicious sides, then both ladies are equally smokin’.

Rating: 13.5/20 – mother knows best.
This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.