Having gone to The Smith last Friday night, and not being too impressed, I was inspired on Monday night to check out a restaurant with a similar name; Smith's.
Smith's comes to us from two veterans of the NYC restaurant industry, Danny Abrams (The Red Cat, The Harrison, The Mermaid Inn) and Cindy Smith (Raouls), along with chef Pablo Romero (Bouley).
I walked into the not too crowded restaurant around 7pm. There are a few tables up front near the window with a view of a quiet Macdougal Street. Then there is a narrow, white dining area reminiscent of a train car, with a mirrored ceiling. It is modern, but quaint. Past this dining area is the bar, with black and grey walls. It had a sexy vibe that made me think of the restaurant Allen & Delancey, but with a tad calmer feel.
The bar was not crowded at all, so I picked a seat and the bartender Kylie was there to cater to all my culinary needs. After perusing the New American menu I decided on an appetizer of the Steamed Egg, a side of Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, and an entree of Roast Lamb Saddle. I also went with a half bottle of a Stephen Ross Pinot Noir 2006 ($32).
The Steamed Egg ($8) came with creamy Anson Mills polenta and gorgonzola. This was a very unique dish. I'm not sure I have tasted anything like it. Kylie recommended I mix up the egg into it. I really enjoyed the saltiness and the creamy texture of the dish. It was simple, yet tasty.
Kylie had recommended the Brussels Sprouts which were brought out at the same time as my Roast Lamb Saddle. The Sauteed Brussels Sprouts ($8) came with toasted almonds,and were some of the best Sprouts I haver ever encountered. I think Brussels Sprouts are making a comeback in the restaurant industry. We grew up hating them, but today chefs are coming out with some really tasty ways of serving them. Here at Smith's they serve a bowl of the leafs of the sprouts, with the addition of toasted almonds, giving it that perfect balance of texture.
The Roast Lamb Saddle ($27) came with a tomato red pepper ragout, parmigiano puree, and pesto. The lamb was perfectly cooked and great. The parmigiano puree was a great compliment to the juicy lamb and I truly loved the dish. It was the perfect way to serve lamb.
I decided to take a look at the dessert menu even though I was not too hungry and had started doing magic to people in the bar (what a surprise). The one dessert that caught my eye was the Warm Chocolate Brownie with peanut butter mousse and candied sauteed peanuts ($8). Once Kylie mentioned she had to have it once a day, I knew I was meant to order it.
The dish came out while I was entertaining some cute girls at the bar, so I had to take bites in between each magic trick. But each bite was fantastic. The brownie was warm and not too sweet. Dipping a piece of brownie into the delicious and creamy peanut butter mousse was heavenly. And the addition of the candied sauteed peanuts gave the dish a sweet added crunch I enjoyed immensely. This was a great dessert.
I had a great time at Smith's. The food is great and the people are nice. I will definitely be coming back to this Smith- it's the perfect West Village spot.
Smith's
79 Macdougal St. (between Bleeker and Houston)
New York, NY 10012