Joe’s Taste of the South

The inspiration for the latest “Taste of the South” menu at St. Kilda’s Joe’s Bar & Dining Hall is simpler than expected.

“Hamburgers are done to death”, says co-owner and chef, Andrew Blake.

“It was an opportunity to do Texan, Southern food—something no-one is doing properly (in Melbourne).”

And Blake means it. The highlight—pork ($34) and beef ($26) barbecue ribs. It’s serious in Southern flavour—a black steam engine of a smoker machine cooks the ribs to chargrilled tender perfection.

Marinated deep with black label barbecue (beef) and Texas mop sauce (pork), it’s cooked over specialist red gum or apple wood for an intense flavour. (But their brisket burger is on offer, if that’s what you’re craving.)

Bringing tastes from Mississippi to Florida, there’s also Joes’s twang on Southern fried chicken (JFC, $14) and chilli con carne ($16). Their Jambalaya del mer ($18) is a hearty meat alternative—a well-seasoned seafood bowl held together by creole tomato rice.

Cocktails are a little boozy, but inevitably you’ll be moving to James Brown tracks playing in the background, or maybe even strike the courage to enter Joe’s chilli-eating contest on Sunday (4pm)—winner takes home $300 and a voucher.

But enjoy your drinks and food out back in the beer garden while watching the smoker machine in action; its backyard-feel is chilled and reminiscent of summer barbecues.

Taste of the South menu runs on Saturday, March 29 – Sunday, March 30.

Joe’s Dining Bar & Hall
64-66 Acland Street, St. Kilda, 3182
(03) 9525 3755
www.joesbar.com.au
www.facebook.com/joesbar.stk