MeatSmith

MeatSmith
167 - 169 Telok Ayer Street

https://www.meatsmith.com.sg/

Beef Short Rib (SGD $48)

Serious American Smokehouse Barbecue

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $51 per person.


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Established since November 2014 and operated under the Burnt Ends Group by founder-chef David Pynt, MeatSmith is their American Southern barbecue concept, serving up righteous gourmet cuts that are flawlessly marinated and smoked. No wonder the daily dinner queue remains at 30 minutes or more, even after you've made advance reservations (don't expect seats without reservations). The combination of hearty plates, convivial atmosphere, and warm service makes every visit to MeatSmith a memorable experience.

Ambience at MeatSmith is modern industrial casual. Warm lighting, metal grates, and large chalkboards complement the wooden panelled walls and smooth concrete floors. The sturdy wooden furniture is decent but not built for comfort (as they want quick turnover), meant for quick meals. There's usually a 30-minutes or more queue here, and the walkways are cramped. Both indoor and outdoor seats are limited, and dining time is capped at 2 hours. I find the best time to arrive is either when they first open for the day, or 1.5 hours before closing, in order to minimise the wait.

Service at MeatSmith is warm, friendly, and attentive. Knowing that the long waiting time is probably the low point, staff endeavour to make guests comfortable during the wait, offering chairs, drinks, and providing frequent updates on table availability. They demonstrate excellent product knowledge on the menu, able to describe dishes in detail. I note they politely hurry diners to complete their meals with gentle reminders, but this is a delicate balancing act to prevent upset. They also clean up quickly when diners leave, resetting and preparing tables efficiently for the next guest.

Food at MeatSmith is focused on American Southern barbecue / rotisserie cuisine, at least for the Telok Ayer outlet. Gourmet cuts of meat are marinated, smoked, and prepared flawlessly daily, a testament to the consistency here. Following the onset of the pandemic, the menu has been reduced to focus on popular or signature dishes, but there remains a good range of beverages. Portions are sized for communal group dining, with platters being the most value for money. Prices are upper mid-range, budget about SGD $51 per person for a meal with drinks here.


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MeatSmith Signage

MeatSmith Exterior

MeatSmith Interior

Kitchen

Table Setting

Chalkboard Takeaway & Catering Deals

Queue

The Cocktail Dead Man's Whisper (SGD $18) features a blend of Sailor Jerry spiced rum, lime juice, blackberry juice, crème de cassis blackcurrant liqueur, and ginger ale, garnished with mint leaves. This has a refreshing fruity sweet herbal boozy flavour, rather nice thirst quencher. Good!

Cocktail Dead Man's Whisper (SGD $18)

Cocktail Dead Man's Whisper

Loved the Smoked Mozzarella Cheese & Prosciutto (SGD $15), with its deep smoky cheesy savoury salty sweet flavour. The chewy mozzarella cheese and stringy prosciutto / dry-cured ham are glazed with sweet soy sauce, resulting in a yummy appetizer. Highly recommended!

Smoked Mozzarella Cheese & Prosciutto (SGD $15)

Smoked Mozzarella Cheese & Prosciutto

The MeatSmith Coleslaw (SGD $6) is fresh and crunchy, with bright vegetal sweet flavour. I like that there isn't too much sauce here. The medley of white cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, raisins, and spring onions are a delight. Good!

MeatSmith Coleslaw (SGD $6)

MeatSmith Coleslaw

The Corn Bread With Smoked Butter, Assorted Pickles (SGD $15) features soft crumbly moist corn bread with bright grainy sweet savoury flavour, so addictive. The pickled carrots, pickled beetroot, and pickled jalapeno slices all have bright vegetal sour sweet flavour, though less distinct than their fresh counterparts. Good!

Corn Bread With Smoked Butter, Assorted Pickles (SGD $15)

Corn Bread With Smoked Butter, Assorted Pickles

Corn Bread With Smoked Butter, Assorted Pickles

Our unanimous favourite was the Beef Short Rib (SGD $48). Served in a thick, creamy onion puree with bright vegetal sweet earthy notes, the large beef short rib is coated with a black pepper crust. The beef meat yields so easily, and has a tender juicy chew, with robust meaty savoury salty peppery spice flavour, holding a smoky aroma. The accompanying mesclun salad (spinach, mizuna, chard, tatsoi, tango) is crisp and crunchy, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, resulting in a bright zesty sour sweet bitter vegetal earthy herbal flavour. So delicious. Highly recommended!

Beef Short Rib (SGD $48)

Beef Short Rib

Beef Short Rib

Beef With Onion Puree

The F1 Wagyu Beef Hanger Steak Set (SGD $38) is great. The wagyu beef hanger steak has a moist tender chew to texture, and is dotted with salt crystals, which result in a deep meaty savoury salty flavour. Good on its own, you can also choose to dip it into the tangy sour sweet spicy mustard barbecue sauce, or the vegetal sweet herbal chimichurri. The accompanying mesclun salad (spinach, mizuna, chard, tatsoi, tango) is crisp and crunchy, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, resulting in a bright zesty sour sweet bitter vegetal earthy herbal flavour. Highly recommended!

F1 Wagyu Beef Hanger Steak Set (SGD $38)

Salad With Mustard Barbecue Sauce & Chimichurri

F1 Wagyu Beef Hanger Steak

F1 Wagyu Beef Hanger Steak

Beef Hanger Steak

The Meat Platter For 2 (SGD $90) offers a good sampler platter for sharing, with most of the popular smoked meats here. Some were great, others less so, but overall, this is good value for money, though you'll need to be 'in-the-know' to ask for the right cuts. Served with a tangy sweet savoury barbecue sauce, and a sweet savoury spice curry sauce (which tastes similar to the version from a well-known fast food brand).

Meat Platter For 2 (SGD $90)

Meat Platter For 2

Barbecue Sauce

Curry Sauce

Part of the meat platter, the Fried Buffalo Wings feature chicken drumlets or winglets with tender moist chicken meat, coated in a rich buffalo wing sauce, which is boldly sweet sour spicy in flavour. The spicy kick fades quickly, and doesn't linger on the palate, but the initial bite is sharp and enticing. Worth ordering!

Fried Buffalo Wings

Fried Buffalo Wings

Part of the meat platter, the Beef Brisket is large and meaty, tender and moist, with robust meaty savoury flavour. The usual cut is lean and can be slightly dry towards the centre, though it's tasty enough, and will appeal to the health conscious. Regulars will know to ask for the fatty cuts of beef brisket instead, which will have a more succulent, juicy bite. Good!

Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket

Part of the meat platter, the Pork Ribs were a disappointment. The pork ribs meat was tender and came off easily from the bones, but the marinade was overly intense in sweet savoury salty flavour during our visit. A bit too much for us. Could be improved.

Pork Ribs

Pork Ribs

Pork Ribs

Part of the meat platter, the Pork Belly Burnt Ends was alright. The pork belly meat has a nice balance of meat to fat, but bordered between dry and moist. It lacks the crisp skin which most Singaporeans like. But the spice coating lends decent flavour, as does the creamy gravy. Could be improved.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Part of the meat platter, I liked the Pastrami Burnt Ends. The pastrami beef meat is smoky meaty savoury salty sweet in flavour, with a firm moist chew to texture. The char on the surface lends a slight crunch, while the creamy gravy offsets the richness of the meat. Good!

Pastrami Burnt Ends

Pastrami Burnt Ends

Pastrami Burnt Ends

Part of the meat platter, we all loved the Brisket Spring Rolls. The exterior spring roll pastry shell crunches beautifully to reveal the moist stringy shredded beef brisket meat within, which has robust meaty savoury salty flavour. Served with a delicious sweet savoury spice curry sauce. Yum. Highly recommended!

Brisket Spring Rolls

Brisket Spring Rolls

Brisket Spring Rolls

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We also had the opportunity to try the food from MeatSmith during the May 2021 Heightened Alert, when dining-in was not allowed. The delivery from MeatSmith travels well, with the food arriving warm and in a decent enough state, both visually as well as edibly.

The Corn Bread (SGD $5 for 2 pieces) was as good as usual, soft and crumbly with bright grainy sweet savoury flavour. It's still moist enough too. Pair the corn bread with the luscious honey butter for a rich buttery sweet floral flavour. Highly recommended!

Corn Bread (SGD $5 for 2 pieces)

Corn Bread

Honey Butter

The MeatSmith Coleslaw (SGD $5) remains as good as before, fresh and crunchy, with bright vegetal sweet flavour. The medley of white cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, raisins, and spring onions are sufficient for an individual, but can also be decently shared between 2 people. I find it helps to chill the coleslaw awhile to make it more refreshing. Good!

MeatSmith Coleslaw (SGD $5)

MeatSmith Coleslaw

Felt the Kale & Persian Feta Salad (SGD $12) was a tad expensive, with the portion being no bigger than their coleslaw. But it's tasty and I love it. The crisp leafy kale has bright vegetal sweet bitter herbal flavour, contrasted by the crunch of almonds with nutty flavour. A lemon vinaigrette lends zesty tangy sour sweet flavour, while crumbly feta cheese lends sharp milky cheesy milky flavour. Worth ordering!

Kale & Persian Feta Salad (SGD $12)

Kale & Persian Feta Salad

Astounded by the Smoked Spiced Cauliflower (SGD $14), which features a large, whole head of cauliflower, rubbed with spices and smoked. The spices are mild, lending only a faint spice flavour to the natural vegetal sweet flavour of the cauliflower. Generally mild all around, without punchy flavour. The side of tomato cashew relish helps here, lending bright vegetal sweet nutty flavour. A unique and messy-to-eat side dish. Could be improved.

Smoked Spiced Cauliflower (SGD $14)

Smoked Spiced Cauliflower

The takeaway Pork Ribs (SGD $30) fared better than the dine-in version. The pork ribs meat was tender and came off easily from the bones, and remained relatively moist. The marinade was deliciously tangy fruity sour sweet spice savoury in flavour, thanks to the rich spiced apple cider barbecue glaze. I did wish the pork ribs were more meaty and fatty though. Worth ordering!

Pork Ribs (SGD $30)

Pork Ribs

Pork Ribs

We got the fatty cuts of Beef Brisket (SGD $36 for 200g) for takeaway, and it was so good! The beef brisket was large and meaty, tender and moist, with robust meaty savoury flavour. The moisture and smokiness is locked in by the wrapping. Drizzle the thick barbecue sauce over for added bold tangy sour sweet savoury flavour. Highly recommended!

Beef Brisket (SGD $36 for 200g)

Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket

Barbecue Sauce

The Pulled Pork Sandwich (SGD $16) features fluffy soft potato burger buns with bready sweet flavour, which sandwiches a generous portion of tender juicy shredded pulled pork with meaty savoury salty flavour. Garnished with crisp red onion rings with sharp herbal vegetal flavour, and crunchy pickled dill cucumbers with mild sour sweet vegetal flavour. Dressed with a creamy dijon mustard and barbecue sauce, which lends bold tangy sour savoury sweet flavour. Yum. Highly recommended!

Pulled Pork Sandwich (SGD $16)

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Pulled Pork Sandwich

The Pastrami Beef Sandwich (SGD $20) features fluffy soft potato burger buns with bready sweet flavour, which sandwiches a generous portion of chewy juicy beef pastrami slices with meaty salty savoury peppery flavour. Garnished with crunchy purple cabbage sauerkraut with tangy vegetal sour flavour, and gooey emmental cheese with mild cheesy salty flavour. Packs bold, punchy taste. Highly recommended!

Pastrami Beef Sandwich (SGD $20)

Pastrami Beef Sandwich

Pastrami Beef Sandwich

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