THANKS to a plethora of “dude-food” cooking shows hitting our screens, smoked meats and BBQ restaurants have become increasingly popular in Australia.
While meat lovers north of the river can fill up at popular BBQ joints like Porky’s in Northbridge and Side Door BBQ in Highgate, those south of the river now have their own slice of Americana at 3230 Smoke + Grill.
This fresh, uber-modern restaurant in Jandakot serves smoked beef and juicy brisket, behemoth burgers and crunchy fried chicken.
The food here is so good, you won’t mind licking the meat juices as they cascade down your arm.
As a part-time food writer, I’m conscious of my ever growing girth, so I suggested to my dining partner Jesse that we share a burger and the beef rib.
My best pal scoffed at this proposal, and reminded me I’d have more to write about if we ordered a burger each. Well played.
Jesse can’t eat anything unless it’s topping the Scoville scale, so he chose the Flamin’ 3230 burger ($15).
The beef patty was perfectly cooked with a rose-pink middle and char-grilled exterior.
Bringing the whole meaty symphony together was the gooey cheddar and smooth swiss cheese.
Perhaps subliminally influenced by the KFC across the road, I ordered the Spiced Bird ($15): a skyscraper of American cheddar, tasty slaw, chipotle mayo, and a thick, crunchy chicken fillet with moist flesh. An absolute delight.
And now to the hero of the day—the beef rib ($22.50).
The size of a brick, it’s the kind of thing you’d imagine Wilma carving from a brontosaurus for Fred Flintstone’s din-dins.
The rib is rubbed in 3230’s signature spice blend and slow cooked for ten hours, making it ridiculously tender.
My only complaint was that it wasn’t seasoned enough, but that was easily fixed by a few crunches of my salt cellar.
For months I was trying to work out the origins of 3230 in Smoke + Grill’s name.
“You wouldn’t believe it,” says restaurant owner Justin Richards.
“32 and 30 where the ages of myself and my business partner, Kerwin Ludewick, when we decided to start this business two years ago.”
I love it! A sweet, sentimental branding of a monumental milestone.
by MATTHEW EELES
3230 Smoke + Grill
5 Armadale Road, Jandakot