PLATES YOU HAVE TO TRY FROM CLEAVER & CO

I have never felt so greedy than when I recently went to Cleaver & Co in The Brickworks at LynnMall. The sound of sizzling scotch fillet on the grill… The smell of smoked beef brisket… The sight of bacon maple butter dripping off ribs, stacked high on hot plates. Piles of delicious, glorious, meaty meat. I could have pretty much eaten everything.

While I’m not one for millennial food fads, I’m definitely not putting a house deposit down anytime soon. If your eating habits are anything like mine and you enjoy far too much smashed avo on toast on your lazy Sundays, then you’re going to want to try this place.

After gouging myself on many menu items, I felt it was only fair to share my favourite plates with you. Without further ado, here are the top 5 dishes from Cleaver & Co that you’ve just GOT to try!

Macaroni. Cheese. Cheesy sauce. More cheese. Deep fried in a ball and served with chipotle aioli for dunking. Holy cheesus, they’re good! The kind of gooey-pull-them-apart-and-Boomerang-it-for-the-‘gram sort of good. Sorry, I was going to take one for you guys but I was far too excited and I ate them all before I remembered. They’re also designed for sharing, but the two of us know that’s not gonna happen.

Cheese. You’re probably most definitely seeing a bit of a trend here. Couple it with the golden vegetable king (potato) plus bacon and we have the holy matrimony. These croquette-esque style bites are mashy, melty, mouthwatering and every other positive M-alliterative word under the sun. 10/10 would love.

Ever heard of rashuns in a burger? Well, tasting is believing and you better believe me when I say this burger is unmissable. Hot carved pork belly, house-made coleslaw and tangy BBQ sauce make this burger a stand-out on the C&C burger menu and definitely the best in the west. Did we mention it has CHIPS INSIDE in the burger?!

It’s probably about time to talk about the smoker. So, once upon a time, C&C got this smoker, and it was the best thing to happen to meat ever. Reader, meet your new slow-smoked fantasy. The beef brisket is truly tasty, having been in Betsey the smoker (yes, it has a name) until the meat is so tender it’s falling apart, and served with rich, thick gravy. If I didn’t sell you on the brisket alone, it also comes with boss slaw and mac and cheese. Nom.

Betsey really is the MVP here for delivering us the aforementioned house ribs as well as the brisket. You may be thinking, “ribs are ribs no matter where you go”, but these ones really are exceptional. Smoked long and slow for 14 hours, served with bacon maple butter, buttery corn cob and crispy chips, she’s a beauty, mate. Strong willed people can order a ½ kilo slab, but for the rest of us normal people, the 1 kilo’s the way to go.

While these are my 5 favourites, honourable mentions must go to the jalapeno bombs (jalapenos stuffed with gooey deliciousness) and the Snickers Sundae, accompanied by oreos, peanuts and caramel – mmm, mmm! You don’t have a soul if this dessert doesn’t get you going. And, if you are green-inclined, C&C also has a “Cleaver Garden” menu, featuring gorgeous and fresh meat-free salads.

Fried mac and cheese, burgers with rashuns inside, smoked ribs… What do you have to lose? Cleaver & Co is open midday – late, 7 days a week, for lunch, second lunch, dinner, and second dinner. See you in there!