Smoke Resto

Trying to find a good yet pocket-friendly place to eat along the famed White Beach of Boracay Island is like looking for a needle in a haystack. To be fair, there are new places all around the new D'Mall that are more affordable than the restaurants on the main beach, but if you're looking for something different from what you can normally get here in Manila, try out Smoke Resto. It's a bit of a walk from the beach, but it is so worth it!

I first discovered Smoke way back in 2005 on one of my spur of the moment trips to Boracay. My cousin was still living in the island and she introduced me to the "cheap" alley where great meals are waiting to be explored! Back then, however, it was much cheaper than today. However, for about Php 80-125, meals are still cheaper than in the beachfront restaurants. It was so cheap, in fact, that one year, we ate almost all our meals there for the duration of our stay.

My favorite order is the Beef Salpicao, now priced at Php 90. It is a bowl of rice topped with tender beef strips, slightly spicy and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I love the flavor of this dish. It is not too salty nor too plain for my taste. This time however, I ordered the stuffed squid with vegetables. I would have preferred the squid to be grilled and seasoned a little more, but when dipped in soy sauce and vinegar, it was pretty good. I enjoyed the huge serving of vegetables though.

In the past few years, the menu of Smoke has grown a lot. I have yet to try many of their new dishes. I can't wait to go back to the island to do so!

Smoke Resto is located a few meters away from the Hey! Jude RESORT (not bar!).