We were looking for a place to have brunch before going to the Moma for the Magritte exhibit, and ended up at The Smith, on the Upper West Side. We reserved of course as each time we passed by the place, it was packed. Good move I would say! Yes, it was fairly crowded, outside and inside, and people kept coming in!
I like the place: bright, it has an interesting decor, like a modern brasserie, but with some retro elements. This place is owned and operated by Jeffrey Lefcourt and Glenn Harris who also own and operate Jane on West Houston Street (always packed too!).
As we sat, they brought us some bread (baguette), butter, as well as tap and sparkling water. I admit that it is the first time they brought free sparkling water in a restaurant!
So, we first ordered some beverages. Jodi got herself a tea from Steven...Smith (not sure if it was on purpose...).
I ordered a double espresso. Good, but $7 was a bit pricey! Was there gold in it???
Then, our first appetizer came: hot potato chips with blue cheese fondue.
We could not resist ordering it! Chips and blue cheese pair so well! But we did not foresee that it would be so big! For sure, they were not cheap on the blue cheese either and it was a fantastic start! It is definitely a dish I recommend!
It was served with chipotle salsa, black beans, cheddar and avocado, on top of tortilla. It was ok for me: I prefer when the yolk is runny, mixing up with the salsa and the black beans. Theirs was a bit dry for my taste.
On my side, I ordered the vanilla bean French toast.
Presentation wise, the bananas did not look that appetizing. I also found them cooked uneven. However, the bread itself was delicious! Well soaked in the batter, it was thick and the vanilla taste came through. I also appreciated the fact that they served it with good maple syrup, not too sweet.
At the end, we were stuffed and, even if I did not like everything, I would certainly go back to try some other dishes of their mouth watering menu! Maybe the burger or the lobster roll next time!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
