Smoke & Spice — Restaurant in Davao City

I was really looking forward to trying Smoke and Spice after seeing some enticing videos across social media. It’s rare for me to go out of my way to try a new place, but this seemed worth it. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to the hype.

We ordered the Rathian platter, a side of their best burger, and tallow fries. I was disappointed to find out that the meats aren’t even smoked on-site; they’re prepared in a different location (Toril) and then transported to this branch in Juna Subdivision, where they’re reheated. I actually saw the staff pull the meat out of the freezer, already cooked, and just reheat it in the oven. Unsurprisingly, the meat tasted dry, lacked the smoky flavor I was expecting, and didn’t have the charred texture you’d get from fresh barbecue. There wasn’t even a hint of spice or smoke aroma, likely from the meat being stored in the freezer.

Initially, the staff told us the meat was fresh, but after a few questions, they admitted it was from two days prior. Compared to other spots I’ve tried, like Fat Cow or Steak Unlimited near San Pablo Church, this just didn’t measure up. They cook their food fresh on-site, which makes all the difference in quality.

Overall, while the ambiance was fine, it didn’t have that inviting, wow factor. I’d give it a 2/5 and would only recommend it if they served meats freshly smoked on-site instead of reheating pre-cooked,...

After months of planning to try smoke and spice, I had finally managed to drop by today during lunch. The staff was nice since at that time I was the only diner around.

The place is good, and I ordered the smoked beef belly and the hotdog for takeout.

The beef belly is good, just enough to satiate my curiosity with their meat. The meat is tender, but i was expecting more, and their sauce is okay. But I was really expecting a more flavourful meat and sauce.

The hotdog I brought home is huge, spicy, and grilled just enough. And I like their mustard sauce on it.

So overall, it was nice to finally try their menu, but I am not yet done since I must try...

Went to Matina Branch. We ordered the brisket burger, sausage, mashed potatoes, and pickled cucumber. Pulled pork sandwich was not available today.

When our order was served it looked sad... not instagrammable so to say. The hotdog was served in a cut-in-half box on the plate. The brisket burger had soggy buns. Coleslaw didn't go with the burger. Didn't even taste their homemade bbq sauce. The beef was dry and only had hints of smokeyness. The mashed potatoes were bland but the serving was good for the price. I requested for the bbq sauce and only then I had a taste of their sauce which was 🔥🔥 I only hope that I tasted it in the burger 🤣😅 It was a not so...