Blacky and Kelly Smith know what they’re doing when it comes to food. At one time they owned Caffeine on M.L. King Boulevard, which opened in 2005, and Blacksmith’s, which opened almost 18 months ago in St. Elmo. Last year, they combined the two, settling in the St. Elmo location.
I recently had the chance to sample dishes from both menus, as the restaurant now offers a combination of both eateries’ specialties. It’s an eclectic menu with a full selection of dishes ranging from burgers to bison, chicken to duck. Blacky Smith really knows how to dish it out.
THE EXPERIENCE
Our order: Philly cheesesteak spring rolls (($6), Salmon Romesco ($16), Turkey No. 1 sandwich with pommes frites ($9).
Our appetizer took nearly 20 minutes to arrive (more on that later) but was so good, I quickly gobbled it down. I love it when chefs do creative things with spring rolls, and this Philly cheesesteak version fit the bill. The thick dipping sauce was a wonderful complement to crispy rolls stuffed with tender beef and seasonings. Two spring rolls are cut on the diagonal so the appetizer can feed four but is perfect for two. I strongly recommend these.