The BBq Father, Exmouth (WA) by Benny

Enter a restaurant with BBQ in the name and the very strong expectation is MEAT: large slabs of barbequed meat, mostly ribs, with deep, smoky flavour and sticky, intense glaze. Also on the plate will be potato and a token salad, and the menu will have a simple token dessert. It’s all about the meat!

BBq Father delivers (and, no, that's not a typo). The veal ribs are huge, smoky and sticky. The pork belly crackle is a highlight. Potato comes in the form of huge succulent chips; the salad is a large serve of coleslaw drenched in a creamy mayonnaise. Smoked beef brisket and smoked pork ribs round out the main carnivore options.

How does it rate? Good, but not the best that we have sampled. The veal is a little fatty, and some edges of the pork belly are a bit dry and chewy; the mayonnaise is a bit gluey; but even though the dessert option is limited to one – it delightfully turns out to be excellent home-made gelato. We chose a combination of pistachio and lemon, an excellent palate cleanser after the heavy dose of meat.

The real surprise is that despite its name, the best dishes are not off the barbeque. Our table is near the kitchen and even as we enjoy our meaty offerings we are distracted by the quality and quantity of pasta and pizzas gliding by to other diners. We resolve to return, and are glad that we do.


Paccheri alla mediterranea

Two visits later and we have enjoyed Maccheroni alla calabrese, Maccheroni alla salsiccia, Paccheri alla mediterranea and Spaghetti allo scoglio. The first two are tomato-based sauces with calabrese and salsiccia sausage respectively from the special $18 Wednesday pasta menu; the latter two are tomato-based seafood dishes from the everyday menu that make the marinaras I have eaten elsewhere seem insipid.


Spaghetti allo scoglio

Flavours are intense and satisfying; serving sizes are generous; so generous that we (reluctantly) do not further indulge in the gelato. (Note that staff are happy to wrap leftovers in foil for diners to take away.)



Verdict: we loved it (especially the pasta dishes)

Overall
Service is friendly and quick – just what you expect from a family restaurant. The pizzas look crisp and thin, of generous size with tempting toppings, but unfortunately our stay in Exmouth ends before we can return to sample them. All the menu offerings seem to also be available for takeaway.