Fire, smoke and brimstone charcoal – is there anything more glorious than a good barbecue? Le Bon Ton in Collingwood is serving up American style barbecue and sides, and we took a trip for some of that deep south.
Crab Cakes – Gulf style with streaky bacon, bell peppers, celery & Old Bay aioli, $16.50
The Smoker’s Lot, $49
Onion rings – Beer battered & jerk seasoned, $10
Potato Salad with spring onion, fresh dill, pickles and mayo, $8.50
The Smoker’s Lot is a fantastic tasting platter to begin with, if not a bit on the measly side. The meats were not particularly mind blowing, but it was of a very decent quality. If this was just based on the meats alone, I think The Erko comes out on tops. The Onion Rings were an extremely pleasant surprise – super crisp and light, with a killer aioli on the side spiced with the all-famous Old Bay Seasoning. They also brought a pretty strong potato salad game too, with pops of acidity from the pickles cutting through the creamy potatoes and mayo.
Service wise, it was polite, if not a bit absent, which I can understand because there didn’t seem to be many members of staff around for a packed outdoor AND indoor area. You get more bang for your buck if you’re sharing with friends, and it’s a great atmosphere, especially if you’re sitting outdoors.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get my hands on some potato salad.
This meal was paid for independently
Le Bon Ton
51 Gipps St
Collingwood, VIC 3066
Phone: 03 9416 4341
Website: http://www.lebonton.com.au/
