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Brian Kennett
Amateur Chef and Traveling Foodie Extraordinaire
MeatSmith by Dave Pynt at KF Seetoh's Makansutra Gluttons Bay Review
MeatSmith at KF Seetoh‘s Makansutra, Gluttons Bay Hawker is sadly closed. We believe a victim of Covid-19. The stall is still there and empty, including that damn-fine Gaucho Grill. I might sneak in there one night and have that away in a LaLaMove. Clearly the Michelin Star Chef & Owner, Dave Pynt is focusing his attention at Burnt Ends in Singapore, and soon to be Harrods in the UK.
What a pairing just reading this title. The Singaporean legend leading the preservation of Singapore’s StreetFood, Mr KF Seetoh, paired with Michelin Star Chef Dave Pynt. BUT paired with a hawker at Makansutra Gluttons Bay down at Esplanade. Can it be? MeatSmith by Dave Pynt at Makansutra Gluttons Bay is that concept which is one of 12 stalls. Chef Pynt has even built a Gaucho Grill in there. This is not your average hawker, but not quite to the scale as his Burnt Ends establishment with his 4-tonne brick ‘kilns’. But still, in a hawker, a Gaucho Grill is impressive.
Away from the Burnt Ends brand, Chef Pynt has now opened 3 restaurant versions of Meat Smith at the likes of Telok Ayer and Little India, and this wee little place @ Makasutra Gluttons Bay. Despite his Michelin * he is plating food here that is of that quality, but absolutely not in that price bracket. This is hawker pricing ladies and gentlemen for Michelin * food, and cheap beers to accompany it from the drinks Uncle. Can it get any better? I’ll challenge you on that.
This is MeatSmith by Chef Dave Pynt at Makansutra Gluttons Bay.
Kids for what I am about to order we will be needing that plate, those chopsticks, and that spoon, please. Can you bring them over to the table?
Seetoh be proud my friend, Gluttons Bay is impressive, seriously impressive. We loved our time here and will be back again, and again. Wifey went local BBQ crab and the kids and I went hard on Western BBQ from Chef Pynt and MeatSmith. I had to. That’s why I dragged them here in the 1st place ha ha!!! Imagine this place at night with all those lanterns lit, yep it is spectacular. For us that have lived here a while – it is quite a tourist and Ang Mo haven. Just saying like. Still SHIOK though!!!
Two young lads at the helm. I spoke to them both. They were very proud to be part of Chef Pynt‘s empire and this young lad in the photo has worked at all MeatSmith‘s and Burnt Ends too. And there is the hand-made Gaucho Grill – a thing of beauty. If that had wheels I’d have had it away for ChillaxBBQ. I kid you not!!!
Like Supermarket Sweep. Start your engines kids, we’re going in. Get those trays lined up. Excuse me lady don’t stop here, move on, we’re going to be a while!!!
The order is in. We are waiting eagerly. The icy cold Singha is really helping my nerves though. This hawker is super clean, and the loos, goodness me – are some of the best loos I have seen on The Red Dot. Why on earth am I talking about loos on a food blog? Anyway, they were very nice.
BOOM!!! Yes please, we’ll have the meat platter for $20. Yes, folks TWENTY Dollars only for this mound of food. See what I mean re Michelin * food at hawker pricing. It is bonkers.
On this incredible MeatSmith platter, the Special today, we got;
- BBQ chicken chop with salted egg sauce;
- Buffalo pork belly. This had been slow cooked for like ever, charred, and then basted in Buffalo wings sauce!!!;
- Char Siew Ribs. Off-the-charts good. Again slow cooked for an age so the meat is super flavoursome and falls off the bone;
- Cheese sausage. This is an underplay statement. We think some sneaky Paprika in there so almost mild Chorizo with the most amazing mustard dipping sauce; and
- Finally, some ingenious pickles that almost act as a palate cleanser.
Yeah, we ordered another two hulking MeatSmith ribs. How could I not be right? Look at those beauties.
MeatSmith BBQ smoked pork wontons. Yep let’s have two plates of them, please. Ollie described this well. The inside is super juicy but almost pate-like. Also, it comes with a little Indian spice hint in the pulled pork. But then dip in the relish and you get about another 10 flavours slapping you in the face, and then the crunch of the casing hits you too. Amazing beer food snack attack.
Wifey goes BBQ crab from another stall. She said it was absolutely delicious and super fresh. But she did say next time she wants them to keep the baby and send her the Mum to eat. (I think she means it was a little small…)
I just had to show you the inside of the MeatSmith Char Siew pork rib. That is smoked to perfection. Moist, smoky, porky goodness. #bestribs
There you go, folks. My little overview of Meat Smith by Dave Pynt @ Makansutra Gluttons Bay. Chef Pynt and Seetoh you are legends. Both genius concepts live in harmony next to traditional Singaporean hawker fare. Long may this be a success because we’ll be back for sure for more. Well, we do have 9 more stalls to chow down on right? It was an amazing dinner that the whole family loved.
My friends reading this if you want to visit an amazing hawker experience look no further than Makansutra Gluttons Bay as it is genius. And whilst there spend less than $50 to feed your entire family on Michelin * food. Where else in the World apart from on Red Dot. #SHIOK. Get your bum down to Esplanade, it opens at 1700 every day, and – ENJOY!!!
Chef Dave Pynt
Chef Dave Pynt is well-known in the food industry, especially in Singapore. He is the chef-owner of Burnt Ends, a cutting-edge Australian barbecue eatery that has won acclaim around the world for its unique twist on the classic barbecue. Nearly ten years after it first opened, Burnt Ends is still a well-liked location for foodies. It is currently ranked #59 on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Chef Dave Pynt gained knowledge of “nose-to-tail” eating while working at St John Bread and Wine, one of the reputable establishments he worked at before establishing Burnt Ends. He also collaborated with Chef Nuno Mendes at the Loft Project, a pop-up restaurant that featured a rotating lineup of chefs.
Chef Dave Pynt uses a custom-built, four-ton, dual cavity oven that he fuels with apple and almond wood that is obtained sustainably, which distinguishes his style of cooking. He can prepare food in the oven by combining grilling, smoking, and roasting methods to produce meals with robust, complicated flavors.
In addition to his work at Burnt Ends, Chef Dave Pynt has been acknowledged as one of Asia’s top chefs, winning the chef’s choice honor from Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018. He is a well-known character in the culinary world thanks to his commitment to using premium ingredients and cutting-edge cooking methods, and Burnt Ends is a must-visit location for anyone interested in trying his distinctive brand of barbecue.
What does MeatSmith have to say about themselves?
Texas. Kansas City. North and South Carolina. Singapore. Meatsmith is proof that real-deal barbecue can exist outside of America's traditional barbecue heartlands. Meatsmith Telok Ayer offers American smokehouse barbecue with international flavours set within the historic Chinatown precinct. Meatsmith Little India is Singapore's first restaurant serving Modern Indian Barbecue. With its colorful façade and street artwork, this outlet fits perfectly at its home, Campbell Lane in the heart of Little India.
