Beach Dreaming: Smoke Boracay D'mall

It has been almost a month since I've felt sand ooze through the in-betweens of my toes and on this Sunday afternoon, I cannot help but miss it. I am in my usual short skirt and slippers and I feel that I am more suited sitting on a damp sarong than on this dry coffee house couch.

But since I do not have the luxury to hop on the next ro-ro or plane out of the city, I will instead post a long overdue review of Smoke, a restaurant in Boracay known for serving affordable and delicious home-cooked meals.

It was my second night in Bora with the best friend and we were meeting up with my Bora-living friend, N, (don't you just envy her?) for dinner and some drinks. She suggested we meet up at Smoke.




We arrived earlier than N did and because I have no patience whatsoever, I started ordering up a storm.

First up, was a Beef with Ampalaya (bitter gourd) rice bowl. Now, before those noses start curling, I implore you to give this veggie a chance. Ampalaya cooked well is actually quite divine and is not as bitter as you imagine at all.


And this, was well-cooked ampalaya. It melded well with the oyster sauce and balanced the saltiness of the beef. It was my favorite dish that night.



I also ordered a serving of the Lechon Kawali. It was served with rice and a bowlful of lechon sauce. It was served hot off the stove, almost burning off my greedy tongue. It was crispy and it took me forever to convince myself not to eat the fat.



Lastly, I ordered the Beef Salpicao Rice Bowl. Described as spicy, it was not as hot as I expected it to be. If you like your salpicao with a strong olive oil and soy sauce taste, then this isn't really the salpicao for you. Smoke's version is garlicky and has a thicker sauce than usual. It works well as a rice topping.




When N and her boyfriend saw what I had ordered I think they thought I was slightly insane. I'm pretty sure my best friend did (as she was vocal about her concerns for my mental health). But it's hard not to get carried away with meals that only cost around 120 each. Besides, it's Boracay and a vacation. It called for a bit of excess.


I miss the beach.