Lavelle Road
On Invitation
Smoke House Deli Presents its Spanking New Menu
Wednesday, March 01, 2017ruthdsouzap
Just when you think that you have had it all at Smokehouse Deli, they go and get a new menu with over 35 dishes. So in case you are planning on passing Smokehouse by, think again. It promises a whole new experience and then some. We were invited to partake of an expansive tasting at a Chef's Table. There were close to 20 dishes and so this will make more sense as a photo experience. So buckle up... or wait... don't... because with how much you will want to pack in from this menu, Joey pants are what you should be considering.
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What Smokehouse is definitely known for are its potent cocktails - each one of them innovative, spot on in terms of flavour and in general, perfect partners to a long meal. Since these were concocted specially for our table, you won't find them on the regular menu.They come with a variety of alcohols as the base, notably, the in-house steeped vodkas that have an interesting flavour profile. When you head there, make sure to ask for in-house flavoured ones. The barmen are always happy to stir, shake or mix up ng to suit your preferences.
To begin the array of appetizers was the Panko Crusted Kashmiri Chilli, Cottage Cheese and Corn Flat Bread - open faced sandwich meets pizza is how I would describe this one. A pleasant mix in the toppings, but I would pass it on for the next one.
Crunchy, gooey and cheesy is the simplest way to describe the Crunchy Mozzarella Fritters and Cheese Powder. They have a crunchy exterior that deliciously gives way to molten mozzarella. The cheese sprinkling over it, comes with a slight spice touch, peri peri perhaps. This is one for repeat orders.
The Prawns Fritters and Spiced Mayo and while the marinade was a nice one, the slightly excessive cornflour coating is what did not work. Feedback given, that is sure to have changed by now, making this a good dish to go with.
What totally rocked the show in the appetizer department was the Smoked Black Pepper Chicken. Juicy chicken, the perfect hit of smoky pepper with some roasted greens to go with it. Most of the appetizers came with dips of their own which worked by and large. But for the chicken one, there was hardly anything needed. A good dish to order if you plan to nurse a beer or a sweet cocktail for a while.
Roasted Sweet Corn Soup with Sour Cream and Truffle Oil came up next, but unfortunately, the truffle oil did not shine past the strong flavours of the sweet corn. The textures of the soup were great and with a little bit of tweaking this should work too.
SHD Tomato, Boccocini salad, Queen Olives, Pesto Vinagrette is a good one to opt for if you want to pacify yourself into believing you are not over indulging . A substantial salad with some good flavours, its the vinaigrette that makes this salad a great one.
If there is only one dish that you are going to order when you come here, then let it be the Potato Gnocchi, 3 Cheese Sauce and Roasted Vegetables. Soft down pillow-like potato gnocchi sit in a sauce of three cheeses- Emmental, English Cheddar and Parmesan. The cheese crisps add an another layer of texture and the dish can only be described as a dish that you will want to go all "my precious" on.
The next dishes up were the two risottos, both of which worked in terms of the flavour. The Mascarpone Risotto had a lovely creamy touch from the mascarpone and the pepper encrusted chicken on the second one gave it just the balance it needed. 
Slow Roasted Cauliflower and Mascarpone Risotto
Pepper Crusted Chicken and Rosemary Risotto
If you are looking for a whole meal in a bowl, then you have good options to look through here as well. The Half Roast Rosemary Chicken and Wild Mushroom AOP makes for a hearty meal. The chicken is moist and is fragrant from the Rosemary. The wild mushroom adds a lovely rustic touch to the dish. The poached egg is what makes it all come together in a filling way. This is that comfort dish, which paired with a cold beer is all you need and the end of a long day.
The Slow Braised Belgian Pork Spare Ribs and Apple Slaw packed together all the right ingredients - braised pork sitting in a jus of its own, a tart apple slaw. This is a big dish and has some good flavours, but its also a dish that you may want to share with someone, lest you get bored of what you are eating.
A really nice dish was the Bhetki in corn sauce. An unusual pairing, at least for me, to see corn with fish, but a pairing that really worked well. The stuffed chilli that comes along with it, adds to the texture and flavours of this dish. A good pick for the pescetarian or just about anybody.
A really nice dish was the Bhetki in corn sauce. An unusual pairing, at least for me, to see corn with fish, but a pairing that really worked well. The stuffed chilli that comes along with it, adds to the texture and flavours of this dish. A good pick for the pescetarian or just about anybody.
Half Roast Rosemary Chicken and Wild Mushroom AOP
The Slow Braised Belgian Pork Spare Ribs and Apple Slaw
Pan Grilled Fresh Bhetki and Jalapeno Corn Sauce
Among the desserts, the Lemon Molten Cake worked really well for me considering I am a sucker for all things with lemon in it. The Prune Crumble has a heavy chocolate mousse that you have to get past to get to the quite nice crumble at the bottom. The tart base cracks easily making this a dessert that will have you lick up the spoon at regular intervals. The Lemon Tart while being really nice did not stand out in terms of being special in any way...but then at times, that is what you are looking for - a simple dessert with no fuss. And the Milk Cake is that dessert that you order, if you decide that its going to be the only one for the day. Enough said!
White Chocolate and Lemon Molten Cake
Prune Crumble Tart Tart with Dark Chocolate Mousse
Milk Cake and Toasted Hazelnuts
Lemon Tart, Orange Mascarpone Cream
Smokehouse Deli has ensured that your choices on their menu are aplenty and enough for at least a dozen or so visits. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike have some great choices. So if the idea was to pass it by, its time to rethink it.
