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COMPASS MAGAZINE, May 2006

Diners keep returning for 'hearty food' at Smooth 5-7, Lane 50, JingCheng Road

-- By Douglas Habecker Translated by Crystal Kuo

What's striking about Smooth Bar & Grill Restaurant is the fact that its local and foreign patrons come back again, again and again. Dutch owner Hendrik Frijling--also well-known for his Fatty's restaurants--says that it's very common for foreign business people to stop in almost every single night of a multiple-week stay. He also has Taiwanese customers who come twice a week for the Pork Knuckle alone.

This helps confirm the fact that, for the past three-plus years, Smooth has filled a very big niche in Taichung by offering an excellent variety of Western cuisine for reasonable prices, in a comfortable, classy ambiance suitable for relaxing or more formal gatherings. The warmly-lit interior, decorated with dark woods, warm colors and lots of black-and-white photos, is very inviting, as are the relaxing sidewalk tables. The classy bar is also perfect for a before or after dinner beer, cocktail, apertif or coffee. As a result, Smooth also gets booked regularly for large parties of up to 150 people, to the point that Hendrik has to block off the street outside.

"This isn't fine dining; it's just good ingredients and tasty food, with a certain ambiance where [customers] feel comfortable. We're not too elegant and not too expensive. People will go one time to a fine-dining place and five times to me," says the owner, adding that his proximity to hotels and late dining hours (the kitchen open to midnight) are convenient for busy business types, who make up 60 percent of his clientele.

Smooth's large menu encompasses typical American, British, German and Italian specialties, with Hendrik focusing on "hearty food". The Pork Knuckle (NT$620), joining other German items like Wiener and Jager Schnitzel, features a wonderfully-crispy shank of meat, surrounded by piles of mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. Other entrees include various steaks, veal and lamb chops, many pastas, Fish and Chips (NT$430), Hungarian Beef Goulash (NT$420) and the all-time favorite, Osso Buco (NT$590). A newer favorite is the Pacific Dory (NT$520). A big portion of the tasty fish is covered with clams, vegetables, potatoes, and a very tasty, smooth and creamy sauce made with cream, cayenne pepper, masala wine and vegetables, cooked together.

Despite all this, Hendrik says that the menu is "basically a suggestion", allowing diners to ask for personal changes and requests to suit their tastes. As their needs continue to be met in such ways, there's little doubt that diners will continue coming back for more at Smooth.