Have you heard of Hickory’s? Until a friend suggested that I visit this newly opened restaurant in Huddersfield, the name was a new one to me.
The first Hickory’s opened in 2010 in Chester with a small number of branches following in the Northwest. Last year they rode across the Pennines into Yorkshire and celebrated the opening of the Horbury branch in Wakefield.
In June, the Huddersfield Hickory’s opened at a former Greene King pub. The expansion of this southern states-themed restaurant is an ambitious one: the aim is to have over 75 restaurants opened across the country.
In a time when diners might be cutting back on eating out with the cost-of-living crisis, this rapid expansion might seem a tall order. Although, having found a niche in the market it appears that their expansion plans might not be as far-fetched as you might think – on arriving at the Huddersfield Hickory’s the car park was almost full and the restaurant itself was very busy – not bad for a Monday evening.
Houston to Huddersfield
If arriving blindfolded, you might be fooled into thinking that you had somehow ended up in Texas – the restaurant resembles an American ranch house and only the cool wind blowing, and the leaden sky would hint that you were in Huddersfield and not Houston!
Once inside, the Deep South theme continues; the bar area is styled like a long saloon, cosy corners give way to a wide expanse of wooden floors and the smell of their smokehouse classics wafts in the air. The Huddersfield branch, in true American style, is copiously large with separate dining areas so that it never feels claustrophobic.
The restaurant owners have put a lot of thought into the in-house design of Hickory’s, including many novel touches; the menu is printed on a double-sided newspaper, a small movie theatre shows children’s movies, and, if the weather is fine, a huge play area outside will burn off any youngster’s excess energy.
The owners have certainly also been influenced by American standards of service – a jug of water was brought to the table within five minutes of being seated and a small bag of popcorn placed on the table provided a welcome touch. Staff were friendly and attentive; a discretionary 7.5% service charge is added to the final bill – all of it goes to the staff plus a contribution to Cash for Kids.
Whilst the kitchen roll left on each table might seem a homely touch, napkins might have been a better choice.
Mighty fine dining
The drinks menu is an extensive one with signature cocktails beginning at £7.95. Besides the standard beers and ciders, a Hickory Pale Ale costs £5.50 a pint with US craft imports costing £4.40 upwards for a 330ml bottle.
For another great American alternative, the freshly made milkshakes are thick, creamy and smooth. My Big Bad Biscoff (£5.50) was so satisfying that I could not finish off my dessert.
Being a cheese lover, I can recommend the smoky bourbon bacon bites (£7.50) that come served with a deep and rich blue cheese dip which was perfect for dipping the bite-sized chunks of eight-hour smoked bacon tossed in bourbon.
My partner chose the classic corn dogs (£8.25). When they arrived I wished I had ordered them as they looked so tempting, dipped and fried in a cornmeal batter and served with South Carolina barbecue sauce, crispy shallots and bacon bits.
Mains included my Cowboy Steak served with skin-on fries, Hickory’s pepper sauce and a large mushroom (£24.99). That might not sound too cheap but the serving was generous, and is the price normally charged for a rump steak. My partner decided on the roast sea bass fillets served with Deep South potato salad, black bean and sweet corn salsa, and cilantro crema (£18.75). Nicely presented and again with a good-sized helping, she would order it again.
Something a little sweeter
The dessert menu is not as expansive as the main, probably just as well as you may not have enough room for anything else to eat, given the American-sized portions. Think waffle plates (£7.25) and frozen custard (£4.50) for those who have a sweet tooth. My Alabama chocolate fudge cake (£7.99) could be a dieter’s nightmare, but the combination of butterscotch sauce, rich chocolate sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and rocky road pieces, for me, was a dream.
Diners can also try the Sweet Texas Pie (£7.50), a combination of pecan, chocolate and fudge, topped with whipped vanilla cream – a delectable feast indeed.
By the time we left, the young families had departed and a mix of young and older couples arrived.
For somewhere to dine that is out of the ordinary with good food and service to match, Hickory’s Smokehouse is definitely somewhere to consider visiting – a fine dose of Americana, Southern cuisine and ‘swell’ for any occasion.
Hickory’s Smokehouse, Bradley Road, Huddersfield HD2 1PZ
