Overview
One of North Fitzroy's most legit barbecue houses, Bluebonnet Barbecue, is taking their show on the road after launching their very own food truck. The truck, a 1970s C1300 named 'Mabel' by previous owners, was salvaged by Bluebonnet owner Chris Terlikar after years of neglect in an open paddock. Mabel has gone through many reincarnations, most recently acting as a delivery vehicle for Princess Laundries. Now, hand-painted with barbecue mantras, the old girl is back in action and ready to serve up some damn tasty barbecue plates and sides.
Mabel will tow one of Terlikar's hand-built smokers, turning out a menu that will focus, not surprisingly, on barbecued meat plates — think black Angus brisket, oak smoked chicken and Berkshire pulled pork. And since you can't have barbecue without the requisite sides, they're serving up some Bluebonnet classic like their apple and kohlrabi slaw with a poppy seed vinaigrette and their russet potato salad with blackened jalapeno crème fraiche. If you can't get enough of the house-made barbecue sauces, they'll also be available to purchase by the bottle (or two) at the truck.
For Mabel's big unveiling on Saturday April 1, at Melbourne's permanent food truck park Welcome to Thornbury, the team gave away fifty free barbecue plates. If you're now kicking yourself because you missed it, the truck will all around town this month, including back at Welcome to Thornbury this Sunday, April 9, at the Four Pillars cellar door April 7-9 and the Boogie Festival April 14-17. Unfortunately, the freebies were a one-time only event, but this barbecue is certainly worth paying for.