The Place A new relatively new restaurant made its silent entry into the Lavender and Jalan Besar enclave recently. Opened less than two months, Red Eye Smokehouse is an American style barbecue restaurant which specialises in its BBQ meats, by the team behind Riders Cafe at Bukit Timah Saddle Club. I find the idea of a BBQ meat joint in this part of Singapore refreshing, given that this neighbourhood has been dominated by cafes for the longest time (think Aeiou, The Refinery, Bao Makers, Two Bakers, The Bravery, Chye Seng Huat). Somehow I like the bare, no-frills minimalist look of Red Eye Smokehouse, which is also consistent with its self-service ordering concept. Look over the various meats at the counter, pick, choose, decide how many grams for each meat and pay. There is no service charge though tipping is encouraged.

*Red Eye Smokehouse is part of our list of 22 Top Food Hunts in Jalan Besar Neighbourhood.

The Food Smoked meats, you get the idea. It’s almost like a buffet style, except you pay for how much you eat. The signature US Angus Beef Brisket ($15/100g) is smoked from 365-days grain fed beef, which we simply have to try. We decided to go for a good mix of meats, hence the US Chopped Pork ($12/100g), Pork Jowl ($9/100g), Sriracha Chicken Wings ($8/6 pieces), Smoked Chicken Thigh ($6/piece), topped off with some sides such as the Broccoli Salad ($8) and Onion Rings ($8).

Overall, we were most impressed with the Smoked Chicken Thigh, which was so tender and succulent surprisingly. Unfortunately this was a special for the week, but make very sure you order Chicken-anything when you next visit Red Eye, I am quite certain you will not be disappointed. As for the Beef Brisket, having smoked for over 10 hours, it has a strong char flavour, best to have it along with the homemade sauces – Sweet & Tangy or my favourite Smoky Chipotle sauce.

We had high expectations for the Pork Jowl, but it turned out to be our least favourite. Too singular in taste (read: bland), and a tad too fatty (read: jelly), not giving much flavours without dipping these in the homemade sauces. On this, skip the Onion Rings as well as it was too soggy; with the Broccoli Salad providing refreshing mix to have on the palate after so much meat.

If you can stomach more, get a small serving of the US Chopped Pork, and have this with buns served. The mix of textures makes this a very comforting bite. As a side, Sriracha Chicken Wings was close to phenomenal. Better than most BBQ Wings I have had, these wings have the intense BBQ sauce flavours, with the slight spice.

Rants Expect a loud crowd. It’s an American fare anyway. But if you keen for a night of meats and some beers, Red Eye Smokehouse is probably the place.

Will I Return Again? Red Eye Smokehouse is one restaurant which has a strong focus and angle, that is smoked meat. The concept is a refreshing take on the meaty scene in Singapore, and we definitely had a hearty meal slicing those meats. Great space at the city fringe for a good American gathering.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Red Eye Smokehouse
1 Cavan Road
Singapore 209842
Tel: +65 6291 0218

Opening Hours
Wednesday to Friday: 5pm to 10pm
Saturday to Sunday: 12pm to 10pm
Closed on Monday & Tuesday

Ranted by The Ranter