Barbecue Comes To Cheshire – Hickorys Smokehouse, Poynton – Reviewed

I love a good smokehouse. All that barbecued meat and the all American sides remind me of the time I have spent in America, so when Hickory’s opened in Poynton, I was extra excited to have a smokehouse on my doorstep!

Hickory’s is on the site where the Vernon Arms used to be and boy, what a change! The site is bigger with a real ‘Deep South’ feel with wooden furniture throughout, lots of light and the cutest outdoor seating area complete with a train for the kids to sit in. There is a cinema playing kid’s films too so the whole place is extra family friendly.

Hickory’s invited me to their trial run just before they opened. The whole idea was to try the food and ‘test’ out the staff. Obviously they were all new to the whole thing too so it is a great way for them to learn the ropes before they threw open the doors. I warn you, there was a lot of food.

We were welcomed with a cute bag of popcorn, which you can see popping at the door when you enter the building. We chose sodas, Grape for me and Blueberry Lemonade for my friend. They are sweet, as you would expect, but lovely and refreshing and the perfect thing to sip on whilst looking over the vast menu to try and pick the food.

The persuasive wait staff encouraged us to order three starters. I know, three. But the menu is huge and it was really difficult choosing three, never mind two! We went for Frickles, Corn Dogs and Burnt End ‘Popcorn’ Bites.

The frickles arrived on a really cool plate with the accompanying South Carolina BBQ dip suspended above. If you don’t know what they are, frickles are whole pickles that have been deep fried so they combine the sweet vinegary goodness of pickles with a seasoned crispy batter. The different flavours just work and they took me right back to my favourite BBQ joint in Harlem. The dip was creamy and light, which was nice change from the usual sweet sauce that these come with.

I was so excited to see corn dogs on the menu as I’ve never seen them on a menu outside of the States. Hot dogs have been skewered on sticks then encased in a cornmeal batter before being fried and topped with crispy onions, bacon bits and that delicious South Carolina dip. I really love the batter on these and it has an almost cake-like consistency. A portion of these is best shared as they are seriously filling.

As filling as the corn dogs were, the burnt end popcorn bites could simply not be left alone. Standard burnt ends have been lightly spiced then deep fried. They’re slightly chewy but the most moreish thing I have ever put in my mouth and we were still nibbling on them despite declaring how we had no idea how we would entertain our main courses.

The main course, like the starters, was no mean feat either. We went for the Smokehouse Platter as it really did include a bit of everything Hickory’s has to offer with upgraded fries, Mac N Cheese and Mallow Mash. Phew!

The smokehouse platter includes Texas-style beef brisket, maple glazed baby back ribs, pulled pork, beef rib, Kansas-style pork ribs, Korean chicken wings and pork, jalapeño and cheese sausage. As if that isn’t enough, it comes with a side of fries, slaw, pickles and Bourbon gravy to dip it all in. The sausage is seriously juicy and my favourite thing on the plate, along with the humungous beef rib. If I didn’t know better, I would say this had come from a dinosaur as the bone was massive, with the meat just falling off, it was that tender.

The upgraded fries are worth it, topped with gooey cheese and chilli for an extra kick. We also tried the Barbecue Pit Beans with huge chunks of brisket amongst the tomatoey beans. They were so delicious and definitely something I would order again.

The mac n cheese had a seriously thick and stringy layer of cheese on top but the macaroni cheese underneath is actually in a really light sauce, which balances out the dish well. I absolutely loved the mallow mash, which reminded me of Thanksgiving in America. The sweet potato mash is well seasoned and creamy, meaning it isn’t overly sweet so doesn’t clash with the melted marshmallows on top. It was delicious and I converted my friend who wasn’t sure before she tasted it. She’ll definitely order it next time!

Yes, we were stuffed, but the dessert offering was just too good to ignore so we shared a PB&J Waffle and a Smores. The waffles were crispy and light yet filled with peanut butter and jam so very decadent. They are then piled high with chocolate sauce, popcorn and crushed M&Ms. Very delicious yet very rich. Probably not the best choice after such a heavy meal. The same could be said for the smores but I love them so much! Crushed ginger biscuits and melted chocolate are topped with marshmallows then slowly melted for the ultimate gooey treat. Just like straight off an American BBQ and worth it.

The new Hickory’s is welcome in Poynton and if you can’t finish your meal, they’ll happily pop it in a bag for you to bring home. I had the most incredible lunch the next day and was the envy of the office. I can promise it won’t be the last time.