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Friday 17 January 2020

L.G. Smith Steak & Chop House:

“It is All about the Right Mindset”

ORANJESTAD — #1 of 15 best steakhouses on TripAdvi- key, bourbon, gin, port and
sor, #4 of 46 of fine dining on TripAdvisor in Aruba and cognac; and/or herbs such as
#8 of fine dining in the Caribbean …. It all applies to lavender, sage and sweet bay
L.G. Smith Steak & Chop House. There is more: the ONLY leaf, among other ingredients.
restaurant where you can indulge in AUTHENTIC Wa- The unexpected presentation
gyu steak from the Kobe region in Japan. And to top it of each drink is what takes the
off; impeccable service in a setting where the classic cocktails to the next level, in-
school meets contemporary attitude. “It is all about the corporating all the trends of
right mindset”, says Heidi Michiels, restaurant manager modern mixology. “Cherry
of L.G. Smith Steak & Chop House. on the pie is our service, we
make no concessions about
One wall in the restaurant carries an artsy face with: that.” For both manager and
Attitude is Everything. Well, the staff of L.G. Smith Steak chef, there is only one answer
& Chop House chooses the right attitude. “We are hon- when we ask their favorite
ored by the recognitions on TripAdvisor, a reward after dish: “Wagyu from Japan! It is
years of hard work and dedication and a goal set to simply the best and a unique
become #1. And we did it, “says Heidi. What makes this offering on this island.”q
steak & chop house stand out? According to the com-
ments they receive from guests it’s the service in combi-
nation with the high quality food. “This is a team effort,
without a successful team you cannot achieve this. We
believe in consistency and passion for the job.” Unique
detail is the Butcher Table; they bring their fine steaks
and salt to your table to choose from. The restaurant
itself has a city-like vibe and a styling where old school is
respected while the new world is discovered. A DJ plays
chill lounge music to complete the confident setting.

Miracle Meat Man
The ‘miracle meat man’ behind the kitchen delights is
executive chef Sebastian Cechet from Uruguay. “We
invest in very high quality products, a good example is
the Kobe beef which is authentic Wagyu from Japan,
the ONLY one on the island. Not everybody knows what
this is so let me explain. The Wagyu is a Japanese cow
and there is a certain region in Japan where they raise
this cattle to a certain standard, in this case the region is
Kobe. There is also Wagyu raised in the U.S. and Austra-
lia, either is a full-bred Japanese cow or a cross- breed
between Japanese and local cow, both are not au-
thentic from Japan but still great meat.” Every Friday
night the restaurant has its HaiKobe night, where you
can enjoy the real thing against a price that gives great
bang for the buck, says the chef. “Our supplier in the
States informed us that in the U.S. one pays minimum $
25 per ounce while our price is $ 15 per ounce, quite a
difference.”

USDA-certified Angus Beef
The restaurant offers several beef programs, among
others the prime steaks; USDA-certified Angus Beef, and
there are options for fish and seafood. The chef contin-
ues explaining the dry aged experience; how they give
their steak its unique flavor. “Before our prime cuts make
their way to your plate, we place them inside our dry-
aging chamber for 30-60 days. This dry-aging process
allows natural enzymes inside the steak to break down
muscle tissue, tenderizing the texture and accentuat-
ing its flavor. Venture inside and taste one for yourself.”
Naturally there is a broad wine menu with choices from
all over the world and the most awesome Craft Cock-
tails, such as WATER, SMOKE, MIST & FIRE. Each cock-
tail is carefully crafted to perfection and incorporates
fresh organic juices, local Aruban aloe; premium whis-