The neighbourhood around Jalan Besar isn’t exactly known for its culinary prowess. Outside of the select coffee shops whose main features are their Instagram-to-customer ratio, it’s somewhat barren. Which is exactly why it was the perfect spot for Red Eye Smokehouse to open up shop just 6 months ago.

Tucked away between apartment buildings and engineering warehouses, having taken over an old Wah Joo Seng International Trading storefront, sits this no-nonsense, straight-shooting, American BBQ inspired joint. From the creative minds behind the Riders Cafe at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, they stray from the contemporary and refined, to the much more barbarian and carnivorous seen here at Red Eye. If you’re having trouble finding it, trust your nose. The scent of smoked and cured meats fill the surrounding streets. Its rustic minimalist aesthetic, with exposed lighting and simple wooden tables, invokes the feeling of coming to rest after a long day of sweating in the farmhouse, or getting back home hungry from the factory. Weary faces and sore muscles fade into the background as the chef behind the counter starts slicing a fresh cut of meat.

Appetizers aren’t needed at this restaurant, they just prolong the wait for the main event. Which is why the BBQ Nachos felt so out of place. Manufactured chips covered in brisket, beans and a mix of BBQ sauce and sour cream only reminds us of the fact that we’re not yet eating the good stuff. 

But when they pull out the meat – all is forgiven.

The U.S. angus brisket is made from beef that’s been grain fed for 365 days and only then smoked. As the meat hits your palette, you’re transported to the banks of the Mississippi, caught somewhere in between watching a campfire, and eating it.

The chopped pork is perfect if had in a sandwich, but on its own fares just as well, without any of the distractions. The added surface area helps to increase the flavour of the juices, especially when paired with either of the two house sauces provided on each table –  the smokey chipotle, or my favourite, sweet & tangy.

The Sriracha smoked chicken wings work especially well, having paired the American classic with a hint of Asian spice, which brings together as unlikely of a duo as Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. Now, as dated as that reference might be, Shanghai Noon still holds a special place in my heart, and if you disagree, you just haven’t watched it recently enough.

It wouldn’t be barbecue without the sides, and Red Eye Smokehouse has plenty. From the fluffy and sweet maple corn bread, to the utterly refreshing coleslaw, to the sweet potato fries, they all excel in cutting the intensity of the meat, offering the tastiest of respites that has you wondering if you could order entirely off the sides-menu.

(Spoiler: you could, but why should you have to choose?)

What better way to wash it all down then with a crisp, cold brew. Treat yourself to the complete experience by cracking open a can, or 4, of Budweiser or opt for something with a little more ‘oomph’ like the Brew Dog Punk IPA brought in from Scotland.

True to its heritage, Red Eye Smokehouse means for its diners to have an authentically casual experience – that is to say, they don’t take reservations. They know that there will always be an audience for good BBQ, and so far, Singapore seems to agree.