The Meat & Wine Co Southbank: Pork Ribs
Although the Rib Appreciation Society is based in the Geelong region, on a Thursday night last week I ventured out to Southbank in the Melbourne CBD on the hunt for good ribs. I received a recommendation to try the ribs at the Meat and Wine Co on Southbank. Being the ever diligent member of the RAS that I am, I felt it was my duty to try these ribs out and report back.
On entering the restaurant, I was surprised to see how busy it was on a weeknight at 7:30pm. Since we had not booked, there was not an available table and we were directed to wait at the bar. If you plan to visit this venue, be sure to book a table in advance. While waiting, we shared a bottle of wine amongst the four of us. By the time the bottle was empty, a table became available (around fifteen minutes).
If you are awaiting a table, the staff walk around with a sign displaying your name to let you know that your table is ready. Therefore it is important not to drink too much, so that you still have the capacity to read the sign (otherwise you may miss out on getting your table!).
As we were seated a waiter came over to provide us with complimentary water and take our drinks order. It is always a nice touch to have water poured for you as you sit at a table. You know it’s a fancy place when there is a separate drinks waiter and food (i.e. ribs) waiter!
The menu is quite extensive. As far as the ribs go, they have all the major players – pork, lamb and beef. These are all available in half or full racks. There is also the option to order a platter of ribs if you wish to try more than one type of meat.
All ribs are served with crunchy chips and each come with a sauce to suit the flavour of the meat. The beef and pork ribs are slow cooked in barbeque sauce, whereas the lamb ribs are char-grilled with a lemon, herb and mustard marinade. The writer sampled the pork ribs and therefore this review will be based on the pork ribs. Others dining with me ordered steaks and they all thoroughly enjoyed them.
The rest of the menu is also quite extensive, with a focus on quality meats (as you would expect from the name of the establishment). Also, for those who have special dietary needs (e.g. allergies, halal), they do offer a range of food that will suit your needs that are clearly marked on the menu.
There is also a customer loyalty program with different options available. In addition to the usual discounts/saving offers that most loyalty programs provide, you can also choose other options which include benefits such as a boxed personalised hand crafted giraffe bone knife to use each time you dine in.
PORK RIBS
I ordered a half rack of pork ribs slow cooked with barbeque sauce. Usually when having ribs I order a full rack, however, I wanted to save room for dessert as they looked delicious. Much to my surprise, the half rack of ribs was as big as a full rack that I have eaten at other establishments. Sadly, there was no room for dessert but it is always nice to receive a generous portion of ribs!
The meat was tender and falling off the bone. The sauce was excellent, with smokey flavours that perfectly complemented the meat. The only complaint I had was that I would have preferred a little extra sauce to be able to dip my chips in (but that is just a personal preference and there was an adequate amount of sauce to cover the ribs). The chips were beautiful and crispy, with the portion size of the chips being perfect.
A half rack of pork ribs cost me $39, which is at the higher end of the scale. However, as I stated, the portion sizes are generous and it is quality meat so I felt the price was reasonable value for what you get.
Venue Details
- Address: 3 Freshwater Place Queensbridge Square Queensbridge Street, Southbank VIC 3006
- For other locations (Hawthorn Vic and New South Wales, please visit the website)
- Website: http://themeatandwineco.com
- Phone: (03) 9696 5333
- Hours of Operation:
Sunday – Thursday: 12noon – 10pm (lunch/dinner)
Friday – Saturday: 12noon – late (lunch/dinner)
Pros:
- Selection of ribs to choose from (pork, beef and lamb all available in full rack or half rack)
- Quality of meat and portion size
- A Ribs Platter, which allows you to try all types of ribs in one meal
- Friendly and attentive staff
- Loyalty program
Cons:
- Not in Geelong
- On the more expensive side
- You need to book in advance
Think you know where the Best Ribs in Melbourne are? Why not let us know below.
- BBQ Pork Ribs on the Weber Q - July 28, 2020
- Sticks and Stones Cafe: Pork Spare Ribs - February 28, 2015
- The Meat & Wine Co Southbank: Pork Ribs - December 2, 2014
The Meat & Wine Co Southbank: Pork Ribs
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Serving Size
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Tenderness of Meat
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Sauce on the Ribs
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Value for Money
