Fill up on Ribs and Burgers at Northcote Plaza
With a visual like this, does Ribs and Burgers in Northcote even need an introduction? One of three locations in Melbourne (the others Hawthorn and Craigieburn), this restaurant has a great, light-hearted vibe to it.
The R&B combo shows off these medium cooked lamb ribs that are so soft and beautiful (you can see the glaze shining). The combo gives you the chance to try out both a beef and a chicken burger, as well as your choice between lamb, pork and beef ribs.
If you don’t handle spice well and are looking for good hearty tastes, the Sublime Chicken, marinated in lemon and herbs, is the way to go.
Everything, including the menu, is presented creatively and Ribs and Burgers offers takeaway as well as dining in. The warm down lights are a pleasant contrast to the natural light coming in from the front.
Crunchy Doritos smack-bang in the middle is how to make your burgers stand out. The Nacho Grand contrasts that crunch with jalapeño chilli and a soft patty and bun.
The décor has a fresh, almost nautical, feel to it with plenty of natural light and its navy and white colour scheme. A mixture of booths and tables break up the restaurant area. Butcher diagrams and measurements decorate the walls and hung up are black and white photographs depicting the ancestors of the founding family, giving patrons a rich sense of heritage.
The onion rings are salty and crunchy—less battered than a lot of other onion rings, making us feel better about polishing off the whole bowl!
Shakes and burgers often go hand in hand and the thickshakes were a real highlight of the meal. Two out of three (Milo and Apple Pie) we can testify are great, and there’s also a Vanilla Malt waiting to be explored. The Milo harks back to childhood days of hanging out at your friend’s house on a hot Saturday afternoon, only for this one your straw needs to be twice as wide. The chef and our host, Tim, really wanted us to try his ‘baby’, the Apple Pie shake. Lightly dusted with cinnamon and with real pieces of apple swirled through it, it had the potential to develop a cult following of dessert lovers.
The Adult Thickshakes, a White Chocolate and Raspberry Rum and a Bourbon Cookie Wild Turkey shake, are so thick you can barely pull them through your straw (but trust us, they are worth the energy!) and served in old school jars with handles. The bourbon shake even has a choc chip cookie as a garnish.
The menu also has a premium quality beer and wine list, as well as more than just your regular soft drinks.
The wings are a good mixture of sweet and spicy, with the aioli to balance. Among so many meats, the salad accompanying the wings is refreshing and timely—and cold like you’re craving at this point in the meal. There are a range of other salads on the menu, including Butcher’s, Cabbage and Chicken.
Last month’s special at Ribs and Burgers was the Pocket Burger, highlighted by a mixed mayo and tomato sauce. As tasty as it is cute, this pocket rocket (pun intended) is perfect for someone on the run or those of us with a smaller appetite.
We left this place well and truly full and satisfied—with even an Apple Pie shake for the road.