Fine-dining chef courts fast-food business
Celebrated Adelaide chef Nigel Rich, best-known for his work in fine-dining restaurants, has opened an American-style sandwich shop in a city food court.
Slo Moe's Smokery co-owners Nigel Rich and Darren Lange.
Rich, who also runs McLaren Vale restaurant The Elbow Room, will serve slow-cooked barbecue-meat sandwiches at the new Rundle Place basement eatery, Slo Moe’s Smokery.
He has teamed up with wine-barrel and barbecue importer Darren Lange and marketing executive Rob Pocaro to open the shop.
Slo Moe’s Smokery will offer a selection of American-southern-style sandwiches including the Texan Tycoon (12-hour slow-smoked beef brisket), the Capitalist Pig (14-hour slow-smoked pork) and the Bamba Lamb (14-hour slow-smoked lamb).
Sides include dishes such as Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Smokey Cowboy Beans, Wood-Fired Corn Cob and a choice of slaws.
Slo Moe’s Texas Tycoon.
Rich has previously run the kitchens at d’Arry’s Verandah, Jolley’s Boathouse, Universal Wine Bar, The Oxford Hotel and Jarmer’s Restaurant.
“We don’t have a fancy menu,” he says of the new venture. “We really only cook five items – beef, lamb, pork, chicken and fish.”
All the smoking will take place in offset smokers imported from the US by Lange. These are fired with red gum and different types of wood, including recycled hickory whisky barrels, to add flavour.
Huge digital screens mounted above the servery at Slo Moe’s display the menu and pictures of meat cooking on a southern-style wood-smoked barbecue, to give diners an idea of what goes on behind the scenes.
“We can’t use the smokers inside Rundle Place, so all the smoking will be done at The Elbow Room,” says Rich.
“We’re kicking off with beef brisket with a salt and pepper rub, pulled pork and whole lamb shoulders, and we’re playing around with different types of wood.”
Slo Moe’s Smokery is the first stage of a business plan, which includes food service, self-catering, an events division and a new restaurant.
“Low and Slow and Curious Squire do American-style barbecue, but I don’t think anybody is doing traditional offset smoking in the city,” Rich says.
To celebrate the launch of Slo Moe’s Smokery in Rundle Place basement, the public is invited to have a free sandwich valued at $11.90 today (April 29) between 11am and 3pm until sold out.
