With its cozy yet sleek interiors and innovative Asian-inspired menu, the newly-opened Oak & Smoke promises a soulful dining experience for those who love a good grill selection.
Sequestered within the ground floor of Pacquiao Mansion in Salcedo Village is the newly-opened Oak & Smoke (O/S), the latest restaurant in Makati for those with a hankering for all things smoked and grilled.
Stepping inside, guests are greeted by sleek yet inviting interiors. The most noteworthy features are a tall, slanted glass ceiling and an elegant hanging installation that mimics the silhouette and movement of smoke. The transparent roof looks spectacular during the daytime, letting in a generous amount of natural light. Yet there are ample light sources for the evening, ambient but not too dim, just enough to allow its guests to settle in comfortably for dinner or drinks. The restaurant also has two cocktail bars, one inside and the other in the restaurant’s outdoor area—which is surprisingly spacious, and offers a relaxing, verdant tropical garden for those who like dining al fresco.
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Asian Flavors, Global Influences
Oak & Smoke is the brainchild of seasoned chefs Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen, an amalgamation of everything they have learned while working in some of the world’s finest kitchens.
“O/S is really the birth of what Sean and I like to eat and how we like to eat,” Anna shares. Shaped by the French and California-Italian influences of San Francisco, she hails from Michelin-starred contemporary Californian restaurant, Madera. While she was its chef de cuisine, the restaurant earned its very first Michelin star—which was a significant accomplishment and life-changing experience for her.
“It gave me the chance to work with the finest ingredients and work with extremely talented people,” she explains. “What I hope I can imprint on O/S is to deliver a consistent, high standard of discipline to my cooks who I want to see move further in their careers.”
Sean has also worked in renowned restaurants for two decades, namely Maya, Liquid Laundry, KU DE TA, and Cannery. His long-term visits to Asia have helped him develop a discerning palate for the continent’s cuisine, as well as a love for its many cultures. Anna and Sean’s culinary techniques, while different, perfectly complement each other, yielding a well-rounded selection of dishes that feature balanced flavors and captivating contrasts. “We’re only scratching the surface of what can and will be,” Sean adds.
The Heart of the Hearth
The beating heart of Oak & Smoke is its selection of grilled and smoked dishes. There’s an entire section on the menu with skewers cooked using binchotan, a special type of white oak tree charcoal that originates from Japan’s Wakayama prefecture. Characteristics that make it particularly exceptional are its long burn time, minimal smoke and flame, and extremely strong and constant heat that yields full flavors—making it one of the most coveted charcoals in the world.
By recommendation of the professionals at BarrelPro—which designed their custom grills and smokers—the chefs also use sampalok [tamarind] wood. The long burning hardwood is easy to find and offers a tantalizing, slow-smoked flavor. It also does not attract termites, making storage far easier.
On the scope and versatility of Southern cooking, Sean expounds: “It’s cooking with wood, fire, and smoke. Southern food as a whole is thought to only be BBQ, ribs, brisket, etc. It’s actually a lot more—cajun, creole, low country, gullah, and soul. I like to think I dabble in soul food […] What we do at O/S is take the idea and elements of BBQ and smoke and apply it to different flavors. We use sampalok wood to smoke sauces, some proteins that enhance the dishes we serve, and basic seasonings we use.”
Smoked and Grilled
Sean and Anna recommend Oak & Smoke’s binchotan skewers for anyone trying out the restaurant for the first time. Each one represents the flavors of a particular Asian country. The Octopus with gochujang [Korean fermented chili paste] honey mustard and zucchini kimchi takes inspiration from Korean cuisine; the Chicken features the flavors of Indonesia’s sweet and spicy Ayam taliwang [a chicken dish usually covered in addictive “sambal,” a hot relish made of vegetables or fruits]; and the Blue Marlin with miso-yaki [a miso-based grill glaze], furikake, puffed rice, and wasabi is a delicious medley of subtle Japanese flavors.
Even dishes that are not grilled feature smoky elements. Take the Prawn Toast, with its smoked quail egg, citrus Kewpie, kabayaki sauce, and black tobiko [fish roe]. There’s also the creamy Charred Cauliflower, which features smoke doenjang [Korean fermented soybean paste] garlic cream with lemon-parmesan crumble; and the Smoked Salmon Nori Chip with house-smoked salmon, beet, passion fruit, miso, sesame, perilla leaf atop crunchy seaweed chips.
Not to be missed is Oak & Smoke’s Ribeye (served with gochujang-grain mustards, yakiniku steak sauce, three-pepper citrus salt, roasted garlic mustard, and fried garlic chips on the side); and Frenched Pork Chop (incredibly tender bone-in chop with roasted grapes, pickled onion, and lychee hoisin).
More Dishes to Try
Other must-try items include the Shrimp Garlic Noodles, with its perfectly bouncy egg noodles cooked in crab fat lemon butter sauce, cherry tomato, and cilantro for an umami explosion; as well as the Grilled Eggplant & Whipped Feta-Tofu, a refreshing starter dip of cucumber, radish, peanut, and strange flavor sauce, served alongside golden fried mantou [a Chinese bun].
The restaurant serves masterfully-made cocktails, spirits, and libations by principal mixologist Louie Frigillano, who draws from his experience at Raffles Singapore and Burnt Ends. The restaurant’s desserts are also showstoppers, namely their Banana-Miso Tres Leches: light and sweet without being cloying, it features caramel chocolate cream and red miso milk crumb with a sprinkling of candied cashew and drops of kaffir lime for a balanced, tangy twist.
Whether you are planning to unwind after a long day at work or looking to enjoy some quality food with loved ones, Oak & Smoke offers complex flavors free of pretenses that will leave diners feeling thoroughly satisfied.
Oak & Smoke is located at the G/F, Pacquiao Mansion, 324 HV Dela Costa Street, Makati City. Operating days are from Monday to Saturday, 5:30PM to 10:00PM. The bar is open until 1:00 AM. For updates follow them on Instagram @oakandsmoke.ph.
Photos courtesy of Oak & Smoke (unless specified).
