I don't know how this steak place escaped me. The staff said Smith Butcher and Grill Room
has been open since March. Hidden behind the parking lot and with no signage at all,
it certainly does not want to be found. I must admit I love it for that.
The Bar
Wine nook
Deli
Steak Room
Everything at Smith screams steak, including the couches!
More seating
Semi-open kitchen
What a pleasant surprise to see Chef Steven Scudder, formerly of Bistro Mondo, at its helm
It was a bit chilly at our table and the kind staff at Smith handed us shawls to keep us warm
And this bottle of Layer Cake kept us even warmer.
I really enjoyed the chocolate and black currant flavors of this California wine.
Complimentary snack of oyster rockefeller
Big Eye Tuna Poke
Big chunks of local tuna tossed in a mixture of wasabi, calamansi and avocado, and topped
with caviar. A nice way to start our meat-laden dinner.
A Little "Cheeky" - a cheeky name for my favorite non-steak dish of the night.
Braised veal cheeks open ravioli stewed in shiraz with mushrooms and wild spinach.
The meat was exceptionally tender and oh so flavorful!
And then, the main event. A platter of steaks from different countries.
Charolais filet mignon, chilled and air flown from France
Matsuzaka beef, chilled and flown in direct from Japan
Grass-fed, 45-day dry aged sirloin from Ireland
The steaks come with your choice of sauces. I like mine as it is,
or sometimes with a dab of mustard or horseradish
Choose your weapon
This reminds me of The Steak House at The Intercontinental Hong Kong, where diners are
asked to choose from the handsome selection of knives, pretty-colored sea salts, and the
biggest collection of mustards I have ever seen. Check out my post here.
The French steak was the leanest and most tender, the kind that I don't really care for.
The Matsuzaka needs no introduction. You know how much I loooooove fatty Japanese beef.
Can't have too much of it, but I'll have it every chance I get. Lol. I just wish the kitchen grilled
the steak over higher heat to bring out more of that precious flavor.
The Irish steak was the biggest surprise. I'd never had it before Smith and it tasted beefy
and macho, the kind of steak I imagine Channing Tatum would love. Of course, like me,
Channing would have wanted it a little more bloody.
Our healthy friend Marco had the chargrilled Norwegian king salmon and was quite happy with it.
However hungry you still are, I advise against ordering the plateau de fruits de mer
It had (previously frozen) lobster, tuna sashimi, a teaspoon of oscietra caviar and a lot of ice
Oysters, mussels, tiger prawns
At P2,800, you are better off ordering another steak
Or four of the Smith Burger
"Toasted British bap, with gooey melted mature cheddar, sharp and English just like my nature, caramelized maui onions, sweet, tart and sticky, and of course premium selected hand cut aged
beef ground with just the amount of fat for full flavor, sun ripened tomato from local farms,
and our secret sauce." - SMITH
It was good burger. If it came with blue cheese, I would be back for it often.
We had two desserts which you can skip.
Belgian white chocolate macadamia cheesecake
White, milk and dark chocolate mousse with wild strawberries
Both forgettable.
Smith is still on its soft opening stage and I see a lot of potential.
I love the concept and ambiance, the meats are good quality and the service thoughtful,
but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Most importantly, it needs better desserts.
I will be back and next time I'll come with a group and reserve this space. I get some sort
of cheap thrill knowing the cows are watching while I eat my beef.
Tel: +63927-3759467, +63915-4295167
Smith Butcher and Grill Room Website
Smith Butcher and Grill Room Facebook Page
Smith Butcher and Grill Room Instagram
