The Smith
The Smith is absolutely brilliant for expanding to Midtown East, in an area where real estate values are down due to a mid-2000 crane crash. The restaurant attracts an older crowd than the the original location’s largely NYU student crowd. The crowd was bustling with a reminded me of my Syracuse University days.. it was like a fashion show of the latest expensive jeans and expensive strollers. True, I have both expensive jeans and my son’s iCandy (expensive) stroller is better than all those fancy Bugaboos I saw today, but that’s besides the point.
Anyway, we had a reservation but weren’t seated for 20 mins after our res time. With a kid who has scheduled feeding times, it is harder to wait even 20 mins than my pre-baby days. When we were seated, service was really fast, almost rushed. The the food quality was noticeably lower than what I remembered from the Union Sq location back in the day. I used to go all the time – check out my positive review below. The pricing also is now really inflated for the portions/food quality.
My cousin had a ranchero scramble, which was $16. It included chipotle salsa, black beans, tortillas, cheddar, avocado. It looked and tasted so plain. Though the menu says, ”WE SUPPORT LOCAL, NATURAL, SUSTAINABLE & ORGANIC PRACTICES WHENEVER POSSIBLE,” it appeared to not be possible for this dish. The dish looked like supermarket tortillas, runny eggs, Goya beans and avocado, stacked, but not stacked in a tasty looking way, it didn’t blend like some of the rancheros I’ve had in my day. The only way my cousin was able to get some satisfaction from the dish was to pile on the house made hot sauce, which he said was quite good. It came with a free bloody mary, bellini, blood orange mimosa, passion punch or fresh squeezed juice. I sipped the mimosa and it tasted like Andre Champagne and Tropicana. My $18 shrimp salad with avocado, fennel, oranges, grilled onions, frisée, watercress, basil viniagrette could be called refreshing, but I felt the shrimp portion was slightly skimpy and they cut the shrimp in half to make it appear like I was getting more for my money. Also, after I was finished, I felt like I needed to go out for lunch.
If you want a brunch in NYC with a legitimate free cocktail and an amazing bread basket, stick with Primehouse.
With all the above said, the Smith will thrive because it is a scene. They can continue doing what they are doing and the crowds will continue to pour in!
The Smith Midtown - 956 Second Avenue NYC (at the corner of 51st).
***
The Smith has a great variety of food at reasonable prices (even with the recent noticeable price increases on the most popular items). It is a cool setting. Lots of NYUers frequent The Smith. With each time I go, I always say I am not going to rush back but then end up back soon thereafter. It’s a good place for a casual meal with friends.
Start with two bottles or water – flat in the clear bottle, sparking in green. Free premium water is a nice touch. They also give fresh French bread wrapped in white paper.
The Smith constantly delivers a better mac and cheese than others I have had. Love the presentation in a cast iron pan. It is always piping hot, crispy on top and the variety of cheeses makes it really flavorful.
Entrees are hit or miss. My friend recently said of the roasted cod with curried cauliflower, toasted almonds, red pepper romesco ($21). “The cod is bland but when you mix it with the shit below, it makes it better.”
I have always enjoyed the vegetable “bibimbap” – sushi rice, shiitake, spinach, edamame, sunny up egg ($16). My other friend said “it’s the best bibimbap I’ve had outside a Korean Restaurant.”
I’ve also been told the charbroiled chicken with smashed potato and roasted garlic is good.
Don’t forget about the $6 draft beers and inexpensive carafes of wine.
Also, top the night off with a $5 sundae for dessert. Make it special with the birthday sundae and they’ll put in a candle even if it isn’t your birthday.
Rating:
Food – 7/10
Ambiance – 8/10
Service – 7/10
Category:
Food Type – American
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
Wanna go?
Address/phone – 55 3rd Avenue, 212-420-9800
website -ctrnyc.com/THESMITH
menu - ctrnyc.com/THESMITH/thesmithwebsite/menus.html
OpenTable – opentable.com/the-smith
Turkey Meatloaf Rundown
I love turkey meatloaf. I have made it a few times from various internet recipes, but for such an inexpensive dish (even at inflated NYC prices), is it really worth buying all the ingredients, making a mess in the kitchen, then producing enough to eat for a week? This will change when I have a family to feed, but for now, I am sticking with turkey meatloaf takeout and the occassional sit down order. Here are my favorite turkey meatloafs in the Murray Hill area and one to avoid.
Dishes To Go makes a hell of a turkey meatloaf. I typically buy a piece or three on my walk through the Grand Central Market on my way home from work. It is packed with flavor, has great consistency, and no matter how long you put it in the toaster oven to heat up, it is not dry and has a great crust. The tangy and slightly spicy bbq sauce on top accentuates the loaf. Dishes has several locations throughout NYC and plenty more options than turkey meatloaf are available.http://dishestogo.com.
Another turkey meatloaf to note is Energy Kitchen. Their approach is different than Dishes’. The seasoned ground turkey is very flavorful on it’s own, but the marinara sauce on top adds another poweful punch of flavor. The charred preparation scores points with me. Sorry if the photo below doesn’t do the loaf justice. All in all, a nice portion of turkey meat loaf with sauce is 311 calories (everything at Energy Kitchen is under 500 cals). The meatloaf is served in a nice compatrmentalized plate with two sides for under $11. For sides, I like their mixed vegetables (37 calories), sauteed mushrooms & onions (pictured, 34 calories), spinach (30 calories), steamed sweet potatoes (145 calories). Energy Kitchen has locations throughout NYC. Energy Kitchen is typically better as a take out option than eat in. http://www.energykitchen.com.
Josie’s is in my neighborhood. I have walked by for years and never went in. I will continue to walk by because the “Freshly Ground Thanksgiving Natural Turkey Meatloaf, herb-spiced lean ground natural turkey loaf, smashed potatoes, wok sautéed Asian greens, natural au jus & cranberry-apple chutney” I had at Josie’s is clearly second rate to the ones described above (and a lot more expensive). Though a generous portion, they must have used a fat free turkey mix because flavor was non-exisitant. In addition, I got the impression that my meatloaf was microwaved to order. I have no complaints about the steamed “Asian greens” (bok choy) and the mashed potatoes were nice. I also appreciated the cranberry chutney as a way to add flavor to the loaf. The difference between Josies Vs. Energy Kitchen and Dishes is – sauce on the latter two is a nice to have addition to the meal, Josies’ sauce is the only way to get flavor into the dish. http://josiesnyc.com
Karczma Polish Restaurant
Greenpoint is 10 minute drive from Midtown, but a walk down the streets reveals a different world. Often called “Little Poland,” the neighborhood has second largest concentration Polish in the United States after Chicago.
I had the pleasure of having dinner at Karczma Polish Restaurant. The restaurant prides it self on being “the best and inexpensive.” Karczma is full of character, with decorations that resemble an old Polish farmhouse with a wishing well, costumes on the wall, and other authentic decor. Service is friendly and all the young waitresses were wearing authentic polish dresses.
The food is as traditional as you can have. I am not a Polish food expert, but I have had my share of Polish staples. I started with White Borscht in Bread, for $3.50 the borscht came in a scooped out sour dough bread bowl. The soup tasted this tasted of bacon and potato. I enjoyed the saturated bread after I finished the soup.
For dinner, I had the “Plate Of Polish Specialties.” For $10.50, the entree included everything you could desire from a Polish menu, Pierogis, Potato Pancakes, Polish Kielbasa, Hunter’s Stew and Stuffed Cabbage. It was a nice combination of tastes and textures. sweet, sour, crispy and crunchy. The food came out piping hot… It was very filling… I took half home.
Wash it down with an inexpensive Polish beer served in an authentic mug.
If you are in the mood for something different (and filling), I highly recommend a quick trip to Greenpoint.
Rating:
Food – 7/10
Ambiance – 9/10
Service – 8/10
Category:
Food Type – Polish
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
Wanna go?
Address/phone – 136 Greenpoint Ave (between Franklin St & Manhattan Ave), (718) 349-1744
karczmabrooklyn.com
Le Relais de Venise
There was nothing like arriving in Paris and finding Le Relais de Venise. Our email recommendation from a friend of a friend said, “you can have anything you want at Le Relais de Venise as long as it is steak.”
I write this review after realizing that I could relive my France steak experience in NYC and several other locations around the world including London and Barcelona. The ONLY difference between NYC and France (the two restaurants I had the pleasure of trying thus far) was a larger, more modern and spacious NYC location. The food tasted the same, it was presented the same way by waitresses who dress the same and act the same, same wine and dessert… exactly the same!
Here’s the menu….
Within minutes of sitting, we were served our Green salad with walnuts. Crispy lettuce, tangy dressing – the perfect start to our meal.
After we finished the salad, like clockwork, steak and frites were presented on a small plate. The steak was prepared as ordered, it was butter soft but unlike like fillet mignon, it had more flavor and personality. In addition to the natural steak flavors, it is covered in a rich, but not too rich, “secret” green sauce. I wasn’t sure what the sauce was in France and I didn’t venture to ask because I didn’t understand the language. In NYC I asked the waitress what was in the secret sauce….she said, ” If I knew I would tell you.” She said lots of people ask, but they don’t tell her, so she couldn’t tell us. Trust me, it is good!! The frites are thin and crispy.
After we finished what would certainly be enough for a meal, then came serving two of steak frites. That’s the way they do it, so who am I to question why?
We washed it all down with 2005 Relais de Venise – Côtes de Bordeaux – $21.95 (full)/ $11.50 (half). Where can you get a bottle for this price?! Normally house wine isn’t so smooth and easy to drink.
For dessert, they have a full menu, but they steer you to the best items with bold red underlines. In Paris and in NYC, we had Le Vacherin du Relais, which included.
- row 1 – vanilla ice cream
- row 2- crunchy, yet chewy meringue crisp
- row 3 – hazelnut ice cream
- row 4 – another meringue crisp
- row 5 – whipped cread
- covered in rich and smooth chocolate syrup (I am not talking Hershey’s here).
Almost tall enough to fall, but not quite. It only fell when it was attacked by two forks.
After dessert. No check until you ask. Just sit back, enjoy your remaining wine, and talk. No pressure here.
Rating:
Food – 9/10
Ambiance – 9/10
Service – 9/10
Category:
Food Type – French
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
No reservations (but we were able to sit without a wait prime time on Saturday night)
Address/ phone: 590 Lexington Ave (Corner of 52nd street), 1 212-758-3989
China North Dumpling
I had just completed a long run… I was hungry… I only had $3 in my pocket… In all other neighborhoods I wouldn’t even be able to get a slice of pizza. This isn’t the case in the Lower East Side at China North Dumpling.
$3 for 12 fresh and very juicy dumplings! The dumplings were simple …I tasted scallions in the mix and the slightest hint of ginger. I didn’t taste mushrooms or cabbage (common dumpling ingredients). I knew the dumplings are fresh because I saw a lady in the back making them… there also were several large bags of flour up front.
The Hot Cock sauce was watered down.. but how much can I expect for a $3 order of dumplings!
It’s possible that the only thing that has changed about North Dumpling since it’s doors opened many years ago is the duct tape covering certain items on the menu.
Despite the run down interior, North Dumpling seems to be a local hang out. Right after I arrived I would say 12 people from the Lower East side community crowded into no frills establishment. As I left two police cars were in front of the restaurant… No there wasn’t a disturbance on the dark city street… It was just dinner time!
No Rating
27a Essex St (between Hester St & Grand St)
(212) 529-2760
Nooï Pasta to Go
When traveling in France this summer, I wondered why NYC had yet to have a “pasta in a box” establishment. In France these establishments seemed as common as pizza places in NYC. Sure enough, a week or two after my trip on my walk to Grand Central, I came across “Nooï to Go.”
The idea is simple. Pick your pasta, pick your sauce, pick your toppings, box it up and go (or eat in if you choose in their modern 1,700 square foot establishment).
I selected “Bolo” - Bolognaise with bow-tie pasta at the suggestion of Chris, the chief operating officer of Nooï North America, who was working the counter when I visited.
The things I fear about a concept like this were overcooked pasta and flavorless sauce. Both my fears were dispelled at first bite. I truly enjoyed a hearty, flavorful, filling portion of pasta and sauce. The pasta was al dente as advertised… I think it has to do with those fancy automated machines in the back that look like deep friers (for pasta).
Nooï’s offerings are simple $3.95 (26 oz) or 4.95 (32 oz) for pasta and two toppings without sauce.
“Simply delicious” recipes are $1 more and include:
- Tomato Fresca - Tomato, olive oil, basil
- Diablo – Spicy
- Fredo – Alfredo
- “Vodkaya”
“Rich and Tasty” are yet $1 more and include:
- “Bolo” Bolognaise
- Bracnara- Carbonara
- “4 Magic” – 4 Cheese
- Pesto
- Chick’n Champi – Chicken meat with mushrooms and cream
- Bollywood- Chicken curry
- Le Salmen – salmon, cream, leaks and dill
- Lovster – Cream, minced lobster, tomato and sherry
You can get multi grain for $1 extra.
Everything seems simple, yet I found the menu to be too hard to follow. The menu referenced all these “formulas” which would put pressure on me if I were on a crowded lunch line. Too many words, too far away…. it made something very simple seem complicated. This could be solved by a good graphic artist who knows how to do less with more. Even better, invest in some plasma screens that allow you to make ordering more visual.
Also, strangely, the in-store and take out menu made no reference to the types of pasta offered. Even the Wall Street Journal article announcing Nooï deemphasized the pasta…”Nooï’s Mr. Sanchez did say the restaurant will include different cuts of pasta and 12 to 15 types of sauces, ranging from Indian and Mexican sauces to more traditional ones.” I would like to see more about the pasta on the menu – is it made fresh daily ? It it dry? What about those automated pasta machines make it taste so good!? What about the machines cook the pasta perfectly every time?
These nits are minor and can be easily addressed. Most important is reasonably priced, tasty pasta and sauces.
All-in all, I would go back, especially if I was in the neighborhood around lunch time during the winter.
Rating:
Food – 7/10
Ambiance – 7/10
Service – 8/10
Category:
Food Type – Pasta
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
Address/ phone: 370 Lexington Avenue (Btwn 40th & 41st St)
Aura Thai Cuisine
Upon entering the Thai restaurant named Aura, I wasn’t sure when I would see the Aura. It wasn’t in the Lincoln Tunnel approach outside…
And it wasn’t in the mismatched and cracked artwork on the walls.
When I started eating the food, the aura came through… Do you see it in the pic below of my Thai Iced Tea?
In all seriousness. You don’t go to Aura for ambiance. You go for better, more authentic Thai than you get in all the wanna be Thai places around the city. The lunch special is particularly a good deal – even after they crossed out a few of the offerings on the menu. Everyone starts out with some dumplings or shumai (depending on the day). I found the vegetarian dumplings to be tasty… I tasted mushroom, vermicelli noodles. I wanted to ask more about what was inside, but the waitress didn’t look ready to engage in that conversation.
The Aura PAD KEE MAO with chicken, vegetables and fresh basil in a spicy chili garlic soy sauce was so much better than the Thai noodles I order on the East Side ( I wonder if they deliver across town?). The heat came from a variety of colorful peppers (not just a squirt of Sriracha sauce). I ate every bite.
When I got a chance to research the name, Aura, I actually found out that my hunch was only slightly correct. Turns out “the fusion cafe is actually named after the matriarch of the Watanasuparp family, Nora; hence, NAURA.” According to the Aura’s website, “this minor misnomer is intentional and welcomed, though, because the eatery evokes Thai aura and flavor into every dish.” One can assume that the Watanasuparp family owns the restaurant.
Aura or not, you can count on high quality Thai at reasonable prices.
Wanna go?
Rating:
Food – 8/10
Ambiance – 5/10
Service – 7/10 (fast but abrupt)
Category:
Food Type – Thai
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
Address/phone –
462 Ninth Avenue (Bet. 35th – 36th Streets), 212 971-8530
website- aurathaicuisine.com
menu – aurathaicuisine.com/menu.html
The Redhead
update 7/15: http://www.theredheadnyc.com/blogs/news/1748942-bye-bye-brunch-hello-sunday-nights
The Redhead didn’t disappoint for brunch. We were greeted by our server Mike (I bet he wrote the signs below).
Mike was a genuinely nice guy and I sensed his “bring it” attitude as he chatted with us about the “must haves” on the menu.
I had chicken and waffles. From my experience, this dish usually has fried chicken (Amy Ruth’s) but chicken on The Redhead’s was sauteed. This was not a dish that you put syrup on. The barely visible waffle was on the bottom. On top, a chicken mixture containing both dark and white meat (I preferred the dark meat pieces). The mixture of shataki mushrooms, dill, scallions, and shallots produced a very rich gravy. Now that I look at my pic… it is quite an ambitious brunch item for a hot day, but I enjoyed every bite.
Other items enjoyed by the table were the much ligher fruit pancakes with pistachio, strawberries, & raspberries. My cousin described the pancakes as creamier and lighter than most pancakes.
How could anyone not enjoy the Pat LaFrida burger on the menu at the Redhead (and most high end burger restaurants in NYC)?
The Redhead feels genuine to me. The food, service, the “it takes a village” way the Redhead was built described on theredheadnyc.com. “We’ve long dreamed of opening our own neighborhood restaurant, and this is it. Everything has been lovingly crafted by the three of us, with lots of help from our friends and families. Thanks to everyone who helped paint, sand, plumb and build the redhead.”
On that note, as we left, we noticed that the bar totally filled in with regulars chatting it up. Speaking of the bar, don’t forget to check-in on foursquare.com – for the first time I got something for checking in, this spicy Bloody Mary with lots of garlic!
Rating:
Food – 7/10
Ambiance – 7/10
Service – 9/10
Category:
Food Type – American
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable
Address/ phone: 349 E. 13th Street (close to 2nd), 212-533-6212
Web - theredheadnyc.com
Menu: menupages.com/restaurants/the-redhead
Manganaro’s Hero Boy
It was a the special of the day and it immediately caught my eyes. This sandwich, unlike majority of sandwiches at Manganaro’s that were meat based, had vegetables offering color and a distinct taste.
It was composed of a large fresh semolina roll with sesame seeds. The kind of roll that is crunchy in the right places and soft in the right places. It was the kind of roll that held up when the pan jus was spooned onto the bread. Moving on from the roll … The broccoli rabe was very green – very fresh. The greens made me feel a little better about the light and tasty fried chicken cutlet and significant amount of fresh mozzarella cheese. To top it off, it came with house made potato chips.
My sandwich and the sandwiches that my colleagues were eating induced silence in the conversation at the table for a least a minute… Time was needed to take a big bite and enjoy. Conversation resumed soon thereafter.
It wasn’t until sipping my soda that I noticed that I was biting into history. According to the cup, Manginaro’s is the “originator of the 6 foot hero.”
I did some research on the Manganaro website… turns out, “In 1956, with his mother Nina, James Dell’Orto operated the Italian Groceria known as MANGANARO’s. James decided to take this one step further and got the brilliant idea of doing a hero sandwich that would be the first of its kind and called it the Six Foot HeroBoy.”
Manganaro’s is a highlight in the slowly up and coming Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood (just outside the Lincoln Tunnel).
Rating:
Food – 7/10
Ambiance – 7/10
Service – 7/10
Category:
Food Type – Italian Subs
Style – Casual
Price – Reasonable (you can get a $5 footlong for half the price, but it will be half the food with low quality ingredients)
Wanna go?
Address/phone- 494 9th Ave, 212-947-7325
website- manganarosheroboy.net
menu – manganarosheroboy.net/Menu5_1.html
Papaya Dog
We live in New York, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of…. Sometimes after you are making dreams come true at fancy expensive places with small portions, at the end of the night you are hungry. You can always go for pizza, but when you are near a Papaya Dog, I highly recommend you switch it up go for a $2 hotdog and a wide array of unhealthy food at reasonable prices. This review also applies to Gray’s Papaya, and Papaya King…
The dog is better than the boiled dogs you get on the street because it is grilled. Most of these places use Sabrett hot dogs or other quality brands. I am not going to describe this in more detail… After all, it’s a $2 hotdog but trust me, it’s good…
The best part of eating an unhealthy hotdog is you can get all your nutritional needs from one of their sugary drinks.
Wanna go?
Locations throughout the city.
I don’t recommend you seek out a Papaya Dog. You will know when your time to enjoy this NYC treat has arrived!
No rating.