Oak & Smoke: A new, modern Asian Grill
There’s a new restaurant that’s the talk of the town. Oak & Smoke (O/S) opened in Salcedo Village, Makati, where chefs Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen whip up magic in the kitchen.
The indoor area of the restaurant and cocktail bar sits under a slanted glass ceiling, the setting where an installation piece mimics the shape of smoke. Outside is a tropical garden in the middle of the city for al fresco seating.
“We wanted O/S to be a gathering place for those who live around us,” says Anna. “We want the space to be comfortable enough that you can have a quick meal or a glass of wine after work. Or also make it special enough that you want to celebrate your milestones with us.”
Sean adds, “I want guests who dine with us to see us, to know that what we are doing here isn’t a cookie-cutter cutout. It’s got a living vibe to it. What we are building is a lifestyle, a true, chef-driven concept where the chef is there every night, and we are hands-on with curation.”
The menu at O/S chronicles the culinary pursuits and passions of both chefs. Anna’s journey was shaped by the French and California-Italian influences of San Francisco. She worked at Michelin-starred Madera, where she learned to appreciate farm-to-table ingredients.
“Madera is a place where I was immersed in what California cuisine is really about. Being its chef de cuisine and gaining its first Michelin star in the first year was a huge accomplishment and there was a lot of pressure… it gave me the chance to work with the finest ingredients and work with extremely talented people. I can’t be prouder of the crew, who I am still in touch with. A chef is truly only as good as the cooks that help them realize their vision. What I hope I can imprint on O/S is to deliver a consistent, high standard of discipline to my cooks, who I want to see move further in their careers.”
After Madera, Anna moved to Shanghai, where she and Sean founded Blue Plate Consulting.
Sean says, “The contrast between our cooking styles is evident. I paint with broader strokes and Anna uses a finer approach. I tend to play with smoke and fire. Our menu incorporates elements of smoke in our dishes, be it in smoking almonds, pork jowls or salmon. We want to be known for these hints of smoke and cooking over coal and wood. So, anything that has to do with grill, smoke, and fire, that’s me.”
In the kitchen, binchotan from Japan is at the heart and hearth of O/S. It is a special type of charcoal from Japan that emits minimal smoke, brings maximum heat, and intensifies flavors.
Sean’s in-depth understanding of Southern food explains the ingenuity of this cooking style. “It’s cooking with wood, fire, and smoke. Southern food as a whole is thought to only be BBQ, ribs, brisket, etc. It’s actually a lot more: Cajun, Creole, low country, Gullah, and soul. I like to think I dabble in soul food… What we do at O/S is take the idea and elements of BBQ and smoke and apply it to different flavors. We use sampalok wood to smoke sauces, some proteins that enhance the dishes we serve, and basic seasonings we use.”
Having spent 20 years of his career working in top restaurants like Maya, Liquid Laundry, Ku De Ta, and Cannery, Sean has developed a palate for Asian flavors.
“O/S is really the birth of what Sean and I like to eat and how we like to eat,” shares Anna. “The cooking techniques and principles are where we draw from Californian and Southern cooking. But the flavors really stem from the life we have lived in China and our travels around Asia.”
Both chefs suggest: “For first-time diners, try the dishes from the binchotan, especially the Blue Marlin and Octopus.” Other must-try dishes on the menu include Prawn Toast, Uni Pasta, Rib Eye Steak with gochujang-grain mustard and Yakiniku steak sauce, as well as the Charred Cauliflower in smoked doenjang garlic cream. Both advise, “Make room for dessert. Especially the Banana Miso Tres Leches and 520 Wo Ai Ni.”
My personal favorites aside from the binchotan items were the noodle dishes (uni or shrimp) where Anna does not use pasta but a noodle from Taiwan that has a bite to it… just the way I like noodles! I also fell in love with the pork chop cooked with grapes.
Cocktails are made by mixologist Louis Frigillano. He lends his expertise and vision of bespoke cocktails to O/S, drawing from his experience at Raffles Singapore and Burnt Ends.
Anna ends by saying, “Having an Asian-inspired menu is both challenging and exciting for me. There are a lot of textures, flavors and unique ingredients. China, for example, hands down has the most intricate cooking methods, from oil blanching to velveting to their knife skills. There is so much science behind it that to a geek like me, makes cooking more interesting… that’s where we are at with O/S, trying to figure out what are the Asian flavors we are familiar with and how to either present them differently or be bold enough to marry them with Western techniques.”
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Oak & Smoke is located at the G/F, Pacquiao Mansion, 324 HV Dela Costa Street, Makati City. They are open from Monday to Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bar is open until 1 a.m. Check out @oakandsmoke.ph on Instagram.
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