Cattle & Co.

With the temperature rising and the days getting longer, it can only mean one thing! Summer is coming!! And nothing says summer like a quintessential BBQ!

In my (humble) opinion, the best BBQ’s contain three things; alcohol, great company and even better food! Whilst the formers are easy to organise, often delicious food takes time and articulate planning to execute.

But there’s no need to despair, as situated in the hotspot of Kings Cross lies Cattle & Co. a restaurant which brings a new meaning to the word barbecue.

Launched by friends Bhrij and Asif in April 2016, Cattle & Co. was created to serve as a platform for dishing up barbecue food in a casual dining space.

On board came head chef, Dexter, who instantly fell in the love with the idea and delivers his menu paying homage to his roots in Jamaica.

Head chef Dexter and I

But what makes the restaurant so unique you ask? Most definitely their ability to smoke meat in-house! Yes, you read correctly – Cattle & Co. smokes all of their meat slowly for glorious amounts of time on site. The depth of flavour this brings to the meat is uncanny. Below shows Dexter in action with the smoker.

Dexter has crafted his menu carefully whilst drawing in influence from his mother, who is an amazing cook in her own right, Dexter adds the flavours he grew up with and likes to experiment in the kitchen. Particularly as his older brother is also a chef, so Dexter likes to constantly challenge himself by thinking of new innovative dishes.

With so many tempting things on the menu it was proving to be too difficult for me to pick a couple of starters. Lucky for me, Asif was kind enough to create a platter to ensure I could taste it all. And I’m so glad as it was all so delicious!

The platter consisted of four of Cattle & Co.’s starters; Buttermilk Wings, Baby Back Ribs, King Prawns and Deep Fried Squid.

Starters

The king prawns were succulent and delicately spiced so the addition of their sauces were definitely needed for me.

King Prawn

The Baby Back Ribs were meaty and full of flavour, whilst the deep fried squid had a wonderful spicing. But for me the star of the show was definitely the Buttermilk Wings. Smothered in their buffalo sauce, this appetiser adds the heat I always crave; definitely not for the faint hearted.

The starters whet your appetite but the mains are what you really came for. From burgers to combos to platters this is a meat lovers dream! My companion opted for the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Slaw and Sweet Potato Fries, as clearly the wings left a desire for more! But here the addition of slaw with the hint of apple added a touch of freshness.

I asked Dexter for recommendations of a main course and he assured me that the 911 burger, Pork Combo or Ketter Platter are not ones to be missed! Presenting the Pork Combo – St. Louis pork ribs with pulled pork, slaw, BBQ sauce and choice of fries (I urge you to get the Cajun fries). This was amazing! A feast at its best – in fact, the pork ribs were the best ribs I’ve probably ever eaten! They literally melted in my mouth, a sign of great technique with a long smoking process that drew out the flavour. I would definitely recommend this dish!

Pork Combo

A closer look at those pork ribs

Coming up at Cattle & Co. will be some exciting additions to the menu. Dexter has informed me that the menu varies according to the season, and for summer we can expect to see the use of purple carrots, courgettes and wild garlic. I can’t wait to see how these will be incorporated. Forking Around With Food can also exclusively reveal that there will be a surf and turf dish on the menu soon with the use of chocolate to give it that something extra! So watch this space!

Finally to end I will say this, the relaxed atmosphere and great drinks will draw you in but the exemplary service and food will keep you coming back for more. Whether it’s a first date, catching up with friends or the end of a long week, Cattle and Co. is the place to be this summer.

Grazy Stupid Love and French Martini

Thank you to the Cattle and Co. team for a great experience 🙂 see you soon!