The Smoking Joint, yes, pun intended (whatever the pun may be). With smokehouses around the metro, The Smoking Joint doesn’t really have to try in setting itself apart from the rest. With rustic-industrial interiors, even a vintage-elegant feel, if you may; this meat place has their own smoker within the site, just at the back of the restaurant.

Serving smoked low and slow meats that actually taste good as much as it looks appetizing is something The Smoking Joint should be really proud of! A cursory glance at the menu also reveals they don’t only offer smoked meat, but a well curated selection of wine and craft beer, not only local, but imported, as well.

Almost turning two, Tony Fernando, in collaboration with Chef Dino Dizon, use imported beef and ribs, but of course customizing their meals in accordance to the Filipino palate, hence their bestsellers being ribs and brisket, and their Corned Beef Sisig being able to make it once to the Top 15 Dishes of Philippine Inquirer – a humbling achievement surely worth mentioning.

For teasers, we had Gumbo Soup and Chili Soup, both with Flat Pan de Sal. First, we are going to talk about the Gumbo Soup with Flat Pan de Sal. Gumbo is actually a popular classic Louisiana dish that tends to be heavily seasoned but is not typically the burn-your-mouth-tears-in-your-eyes spicy. No worries, because as we have mentioned, The Smoking Joint made sure that their food is fit for the Filipino palate and so this Gumbo Soup of theirs will just give the right kick of spice you probably need in your life. Plus, with the Flat Pan De Sal, it’s a starter you’re going to enjoy.

While The Smoking Joint’s Chili Soup is not only spicy, but an exciting and bold dish altogether. Like the typical Filipino who enjoys dipping their Pan de Sal in hot coffee, try dipping The Smoking Joint’s Flat Pan de Sal in their Chili Soup – a combination you’ll thank the universe for.

Speaking of Chili, next would be The Smoking Joint’s Chili Dog. With soft buns, tender hotdog, topped with flavorful chili, among other stuff, this dish is already a winner, but is just an avenue for more smoked and meaty fun!

Another sandwich we have for you is their Dip & Roll with Fries Sandwich. It’s a bit heavier dish than the Chili Dog, especially with the yummy, crispy fries that anyone would probably enjoy. You can also have this sandwich with your choice of either cheese or gravy.

Now, let’s move on to The Smoking Joint’s tacos – which we got to try all five variants! From Pulled Pork Taco, to Burnt Ends Taco, to Sisig Taco, to Duck Taco, to Salmon Taco – each one is a must try as all tortillas are homemade.

The Pulled Pork Tacos were scrumptious and great. Made from fresh meat that is smoked to perfection, it is a tender adventure that we were so glad to munch on.

If you haven’t tried The Smoking Joint’s Burnt Ends Taco, then you really have to try it now! This one barely made it long enough for us to take pictures and be able to show it to you.

For a classic Filipino dish, get yourself some Sisig Tacos. You’ll absolutely make a mistake if you’re going to walk away from indulging in a salty-sweet-savory treat for your palate, like this one.

Want to try something more different? Order The Smoking Joint’s Duck Tacos. Every bite of this delectable hand-held delicacy is worth every penny for that soft, lip-smacking goodness!

For our last taco dish, The Smoking Joint certainly is leveling up their taco game with their own Salmon Taco. Loaded with flavor and packed with spice, this taco variant might just be your new favorite taco for taco Tuesdays or Thursdays or even for any day, just sayin’.

 

Enough with all that blah, right? Let’s go shoot for the real stars of The Smoking Joint – their smoked meats! We got to try some of their not-so-new-anymore smoked meats selection – bacon strips and smoked liempo.

The saying “Bring home the bacon.” doesn’t apply to Smoking Joint’s smoked Bacon Strips because if you are like us who think eating bacon is a special occasion and you should celebrate it by eating bacon, then there will be no more bacon to bring home, especially if it is Smoking Joint’s Bacon Strips, if you know what we mean.

If you can’t stop yourself from having more meat, then that’s fine, because The Smoking Joint has more for you; one of which is the Smoked Liempo. Liempo itself is already heaven like, and so imagine tender, luscious smoked liempo right at your fingertips… Why don’t you close your mouth a bit; you’re about to drool.

And if that didn’t even satisfy your cravings, then here’s The Smoking Joint’s All Meat Platter for the hungry, meat fanatic you! Take pleasure in having as much brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, sausage, and bacon as you want, no one is going to judge you – well, no one has the right to judge you, for that matter. Although, if you think you can’t rise against this meat feast, then no worries, this is good for 4-5 people.

As there are a lot of dishes to fill not only our tummies, but yours as well, here in The Smoking Joint, it’s no surprise there are also a lot of beverages one can choose from, as we have mentioned prior. One of which we got to down is some Engkanto Craft Beer, and as engkanto is a word that is of relation to enchantment, charm, or spell, this craft beer will really charm you into drinking more of it as time passes by. You can get yourself an Engkanto Craft Beer, either a Lager or a Double IPA, here at The Smoking Joint.

If you are lucky, while you’re devouring loads of meat and downing those meat with any beverage of your choice, sometimes they have live entertainment which makes the place even more attractive than it already is. They support artists such as Electric Tuesdays, a great local band here in the Philippines.

The Smoking Joint is still cooking up a lot of things for you so be sure to check where the smoke is, because as what people say, “Where there is smoke, there is fire.”, and The Smoking Joint is definitely on fire with all the mouthwatering dishes they have and they will even be having soon.