SMOQUE bistro — Restaurant in Tagbilaran

Dine in & Take out Great for romantic dining (Valentines Day is coming so not sure if their is any tables left unreserved), family, groups events, and just to treating yourself Pros: Food presentation, food is quite good (will explain in cons as well), service, & cleanliness (from cups, plates, ice, floor, tables & even the washroom), restaurant smells pleasant & has beautiful ambience Cons: Food was salty in an odd way it was baffling... -smash burger was beautiful in presentation and the taste would have been perfect had it been a little less salty -Lengua was cooked very well and fork tender as advertised but the sauce was over salted -Fish and chips the fries were salted perfectly but the battered fish so salty it was inedible as it was. Had to chop it up and incorporate in plain rice to help dispense the saltiness -Chix and chips was perfect though and would get again (salted perfectly both fries and chicken) except the skin was left on when cooking which made it oddly greasy. Would give some heartburn. -Truffle spaghetti pasta was oddly chopped up into being 2inch long pieces? Why? Was easier to eat with a spoon than fork. Flavour was there. -drinks are very well done and would come back again for drinks. Cocktails to various ice teas and coffee based drinks are beautiful and tasty.

Had thought maybe the food was salted so that customers would order more drinks, but water is free and the drinks here are so GOOD that it can not be the reason so...

I'm assuming they salt the food according to local tastes. There is bottled water now to drink, but in the past well water was still quite salty that parents of yester year would deem the food seasoned perfectly.

Next time I come here I'll just ask for my meal to have less salt. :)

*Forgot to mention price point and have to say it is accurate for what you are getting. However technique for cooking the fried food so that it is less greasy is also needed. Too much fried oil in food can cause heartburn...

We had a great time dining at this restaurant, everything we ordered was truly enjoyable!

The baby back ribs were a standout, generous in portion, perfectly sauced, and paired with a good amount of house salad and flavorful fries. The crackling pork belly was also impressive, with just the right level of crispiness, complemented nicely by the rich truffle sauce.

We also tried the cheese puff barchow, which came in a hearty serving. It was delicious and went perfectly with their house marinara sauce, which we absolutely loved. As a nice touch, they also served soft bread at the table.

The ambiance of the place is elegant yet welcoming, fancy, clean, and with a romantic atmosphere, making it great for both couples and small groups. There are plenty of tables and chairs, so seating wasn’t an issue.

Parking is conveniently available right in front of the restaurant, which is always a plus.

They offer a selection of cakes for dessert, a sweet finish to a satisfying meal.

The service deserves a mention too, the staff were friendly and attentive, regularly checking in to make sure we were enjoying the food.

Overall, we loved the experience and would definitely come back. Highly...

Was looking for a place to have lunch and we were recommended to this place.

The place looks very modern and has that industrial experience going on.

Anyway, the staff were very attentive and efficient.

We ordered the calamari, pork belly, chicken parmigiano, dragon fruit juice and watermelon shake.

While waiting, we were served a complimentary bread with garlic butter. It was really good. The bread was warm and the garlic butter was its perfect partner.

The drinks arrived first. They were pretty and sweet.

Next was the calamari. It was a pleasant surprise that it was paired with a spicy suka. It was good. The breading was light, and the squid was soft, chewy and just fresh. We also liked that the head of the squid was included.

Now the pork belly. It looked pretty. However, I got confused about the taste. There was a lot of things going on. I actually forgot that I was eating pork because it got buried in all the dressing and jus.

The chicken parmigiano was so rich and overwhelming that we easily tired of the taste. The slaw did nothing to cut its richness. We wished there was some acidity there that would have cleaned our palate and balanced all...