‘Steaks of the nations’

This is not just a steak house, let’s make that clear. That’s why its full name is Smith Butcher and Grill Room.

I had the same misconception about having only steak when I visited Smith Butcher and Grill Room for the first time. The restaurant is indeed making waves through word of mouth.

Before I had my fill of steaks, my friends and restaurant owners Tom Hines and Dixie Mariñas told me to start with something other than the steaks. I obliged and was so happy that they recommended the smoked ahi poke, a tuna dish that I last had in Hawaii. This was followed by succulent and juicy crab cakes (served either pan-fried, the American version; or coated in bread crumbs, the European version).

I also had a taste of the restaurant’s Caesar salad, which was reasonably priced considering it was served with a tail of slipper lobster. The three-way scallops dish (smoked, ceviche and pan-fried with Iberico ham) was something I could have skipped, but gladly took, anyway.

Smith has its own climate-controlled aging cabinet that houses meats from five continents. You can choose your own cuts or the restaurant’s own bespoke steaks. I wanted to try everything so I ordered the off-menu “Around the World,” a selection of the steaks available at that time.

The steaks I tried that night included the grade M12 Japanese Matsusaka, the 45-day dry-aged US rib-eye and prime Angus tenderloin, Argentinean cube roll, Australian Wagyu, 45-day dry-aged Irish sirloin and French Charolais. Chef Steve Scudder cooked all the steaks to perfection (I asked for rare). This was truly a carnivore’s dream dish.

The Japanese beef was so fatty that one might want to share this and order perhaps the more grassy French Charolais or the superb Irish sirloin, also to be shared. I could not even finish the delicious sidings or partake from the cheese trolley but if there was just one top choice for dessert, it would be the ménage a trois — a trio of white, milk and dark chocolate mousse. Oh, I also tried the yoghurt cheesecake with white Belgian chocolate, another favorite of mine.

The restaurant has several plans including an online butcher soon. It also plans to have an SSS (Smith Steak Society), which will cater to 25 members a month. These members will be entitled to a steak-keep of specially imported cuts of beef that they can consume within a month. Smith also has a private dining room that can accommodate eight to 12 people as well.

(Smith Butcher and Grill Room is located at ACI Building, 147 H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, call 0906-3100674, 0915-4295167 or 545-7675.)