The Smith

"There’s something happening, and I’m not sure that any of us are ready for it. Slowly but surely, new and successful restaurants are opening in the East 50s. Some people call this area Turtle Bay, and some people call it Midtown East. But almost nobody calls it a great part of town for dinner. So why are restauranteurs investing in a place that most people only visit for work or intramural beer pong tournaments? Because this is officially the final frontier. New York City has become so food obsessed that even Midtown East has cool restaurants. And if this is the final frontier, The Smith Midtown is the Starship Enterprise. We wrote about the original outpost of The Smith very early on in the history of The Infatuation. We’ve always been impressed with the upscale diner atmosphere, the solid menu, and the success that the restaurant has had with the young-drunk-lady-types. But when we walked into the new Midtown restaurant, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. This is not just a reincarnation of the cozy original East Village location. This is a giant, glaring beacon of recession-proof dining capitalism - a multi-million dollar room built for people that are just a few years too old for the cool parts of town, but a few years too young to be staying in on Friday night with the kids. And they are absolutely killing it. We soured a bit on the original Smith recently because the food had fallen off, and it had become too overcrowded to warrant any more visits. But this new location is perfect for where it’s been placed. The food is better than what the East Village location is serving right now, even though the menu is exactly the same. The room is constantly bumping (waits are frequently an hour or more), but in a more “adult” manner. What that adds up to is one of the best options for dinner you’ll have at your disposal if you find yourself in this area. Food Rundown Raw Bar The only difference between the new Smith and the old Smith dinner menu is this giant raw bar selection. There’s something about white tiles in a restaurant that makes us want to eat shellfish, and there are a lot of white tiles here. Oysters are the way to go, obviously. Ricotta Gnocchi With Truffle Cream A staple from The Smith menu. We’ve always loved it, and we always will. The Smith Bar Steak We’re starting to learn that the best way to avoid a disappointing meal here is to keep it simple. This bar steak is an easy pleaser, and if you order it along with the full menu from the raw bar, you get a suit for free. They call it the “business class special.” OK, maybe they don’t, but they should. Bacon-Wrapped Apricots A play off bacon-wrapped dates, better known as Devils on Horseback. We like it better with the apricots and couldn’t believe how good these were. Baked Pretzel With Spicy Honey Mustard The pretzel is tasty, but that honey mustard is so spicy it will take the white off your teeth. Dip with caution, or forever regret it. Braised Lamb Shank A big, beautiful hunk of meat that’s only available on Tuesdays. Get it if you can. Spaghetti & Meatballs When we first saw this ridiculously huge bowl of pasta, we thought it was a joke. It’s fairly delicious, but it’s almost like someone’s playing a prank on you. Nobody needs that much pasta." - Chris Stang

"You don’t go to see Chappie in theaters because you think it’s going to change your life, but because the theater is dark, the popcorn is (hopefully) fresh, and you pine for the days before YouTube when it was the only place to see trailers for the movies you were actually excited about. And sometimes, you might want a similar thing out of a restaurant. Maybe you’re looking for a place to hold a graduation dinner, or you want to focus on helping someone through a breakup without getting distracted by the delicious, fiery ramen in front of you. When this is the case, The Smith is a good place to keep in mind. The Smith is a chain, with multiple locations in New York and DC. We don’t have anything against chains - a road trip hasn’t really begun until you’ve stopped at Culver’s for cheese curds - but at first glance The Smith manages to look more like Etta than an upscale Red Robin. There are big windows that open up to the sidewalk, subway tiles everywhere, and giant mirrors on the wall, which, in addition to making the space feel even bigger, make the busy waitstaff look like Agent Smith multiplying around Neo. But then you open the menu and see 15 different appetizers, six different sides, a section for both “Salads” and “Big Salads,” and basically everything short of an onion ring tower with sparklers on top. All of this sets you up for a dining experience where what’s happening at the table, not on it, is the focus. photo credit: Sandy Noto Like the first person to die in a slasher movie, a lot of the food at The Smith makes what feels like easily avoidable mistakes. The cast iron pizza lacks a crispy bottom edge, and the middle falls apart when you pick it up. The potato chips, sitting under a heavy blue cheese fondue, lose their crunch after about two minutes. The simpler things - not the dressed-up attempts at fine dining - tend to work best here. The skillet mac and cheese isn’t going to blow your mind, but it will more than satisfy your desire to take down as much dairy in one dish as you can. And the Burger Royale is actually excellent: griddled patties that are well-seasoned and juicy, with a heaping order of thin-cut fries that you can fill up on until it’s time for dessert. The Smith wants to please the largest group of people possible and will probably do a fine job at that, as long as you know to skip bland dishes with fancy names and stick to more straightforward things like the chicken and the mac and cheese. Like a summer blockbuster, it’s a nice way to kill a couple hours in the air conditioning. You won’t remember any of the details after you leave, but that’s probably not why you came here in the first place. Food Rundown Potato Chips These chips are covered in a blue cheese fondue. The first few bites are really satisfying: the chips are hearty and have a great crunch. But they get too soggy almost immediately after they’re served. We wish they had a separate cup for the fondue, but overall they’re a fine thing to eat mindlessly while you focus on giving dating advice to your friend. photo credit: Sandy Noto Spicy Salmon Tartare This has a nice flavor profile of lime, avocado, and jalapeno. But the standout of the dish is the delicious crispy rice the salmon is served on. If you come here to meet a friend for drinks and a light appetizer, this is what you should pick. photo credit: Sandy Noto Mac And Cheese This has the consistency of your favorite mac and cheese. It’s lightly charred on top and creamy and gooey inside. As for the flavor, it’s pretty muted, but nobody will be mad they ordered this for the table. photo credit: Sandy Noto Burger Royale This delicious burger, served with thin cut fries, is the best thing on the menu. It’s got two thin patties, bacon, American cheese, and a classic burger sauce. The meat is well seasoned and every bite is worthwhile. Cast Iron Pizzas The pizzas here are more like flatbreads and are a mixed bag. The outer crust is warm, chewy, and airy, while the inner crust is a little too thin to hold up to all the ingredients, which means it gets soggy. photo credit: Sandy Noto Squid Ink Spaghetti Like most of the pastas here, this was a little overcooked, and the shrimp was a bit tough. But we’d go with this over any other pasta because of the light, semi-spicy sauce. Braised Short Rib The short rib is really tender and the texture is great. Unfortunately, it’s also very bland. The cremini mushrooms, fava beans, and carrots are well cooked but turn into an unpleasant stew in the sauce, and the parmesan whipped potatoes don’t taste like anything at all. photo credit: Sandy Noto Brick Pressed Chicken The skin is crispy and flavorful, and the chicken itself is juicy. But like the short rib, the whole thing is just kind of floating in jus for no reason. Sticky Toffee Pudding Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, this has a great sweet and savory flavor. Order this any time you end up here." - Josh Barnett

"The agreeable local chainlet — though often decried as basic — definitely knows how to deliver satisfying comfort food dishes. That unsurprisingly includes mac and cheese. Here, it comes in a miniature cast iron dish and filled with a blend of cheddar, Fontina, Gruyère, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. A stint in the oven develops a satisfyingly crunchy crust." - Alexandra Ilyashov

"An outpost of the New York City-original, the European brasserie is known for its basic wood furnishings, foxed mirror panels and white-tiled walls. The crowd-pleasing carte features a plethora of comfort food, like chicken pot pie, shellfish platters and mussels steamed in Chardonnay. Lunchtime faves unveil rigatoni with wilted pea shoots and tomatoes dressed in parsley-almond pesto, while nightly specials culminate in a Saturday paella. Come on your special day for a slice of chocolate birthday cake, which is always on the menu." - The MICHELIN Guide