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“The Smith”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	East Village	Moderate	Good

MY DINNER AT THE SMITH
Most times when I review a restaurant, I visit it twice. Once is usually a early on when they’ve first opened, and the second time is usually a few weeks to a couple of months in, to see how they are doing, whether kinks have been worked out, whether the food is consistent, how the scene is evolving, that sort of thing. Ideally, I’d visit a place four or five times before reviewing it, but I’d also have an unlimited budget and boundless amounts of time to do so. Here in the real world, it’s usually two visits, and that’s that.

But that wasn’t the case with The Smith. I have visited The Smith almost a half-dozen times since it opened its doors, and it’s possible I’ll be there again this week for lunch or dinner (and soon for breakfast too). You see, I’ve waited a long time for The Smith— Jeff Lefcourt and Glenn Harris’ new East Village American Brasserie. I’ve lived in my neighborhood (the Gramercy area) for over ten years now and this is the first time I can say I have a really great every-night-of-the-week neighborhood restaurant. My neighborhood is filled with impressive high-end restaurants. There’s Gramercy Tavern, Veritas, Craft and the newly opened Irving Mill (more on this next week). On my block alone, I am lucky enough to have Casa Mono and Bar Jamon. Do I love these restaurants? You bet your heirloom brussel sprouts I do. But are they local neighborhood every night of the week places? No. They’re a few steps higher up the food chain—destination places that are definitely too pricey and too serious for a casual dinner without a need for much thought. (Read: you couldn’t head over after a spin class without a reservation.) I was craving a regular place like this, and finally, my prayers have been answered. Thank you Glenn and Jeff.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who has been praying for The Smith. The restaurant, which feels like a cross between Schiller’s Liquor Bar and BLT Prime with its subway tiled walls and black and white photos, is already packed with couples cozied into café tables for two, NYU kids huddled into high-backed booths, and teams of well-groomed guys and animated skinny-jean-legged women leaning into the long lean zinc bar drinking beers and cocktails like the Hungry Teacher ($9)—a bourbon cocktail similar to the Back Forty, but made with fresh lime and lem ... [more, click below]

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Posted: December 17, 2007

Other restaurants in East Village :
+ Yujin-- Closed   + Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar   + Mermaid Inn   + Five Points   + Lavagna   + Five Points   + Bond Street   + Jewel Bako   + Alphabet Kitchen   + In Vino   + Bao 111   + Chikalicious   + Il Buco   + Hearth   + Lima's Taste   + Mercadito   + Hedeh   + Momofuku   + Una Pizza Napoletana   + Winebar   + Uovo-- CLOSED   + Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction   + Gotham Bar & Grill   + Colors   + Chinatown Brasserie   + Knife and Fork   + European Union-- NEW CHEF; SEE APRIL 2007 Review   + Aroma Kitchen and Winebar   + Stand   + European Union   + Mercat   + Gemma   + Back Forty   + The Smith   + Seymour Burton   + Belcourt   + Graffiti   + The Redhead   + Double Crown    + Apiary   + Joe Doe   + Apiary by guest reviewer Kiri Tannenbaum   + DBGB   + Northern Spy   + Goat Town   + Saxon + Parole   + Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria   + Acme   + Calliope   + Nicoletta   + JEPPNEY by Claire Jaffe   + Feast   

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