<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“Smith's”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	West Village	Moderate	Great

d showered with sliced grapes in the same perky shade of cartoonish green. Now, I’ve had green grapes and then I’ve had Pablo’s green grapes and let me say this: You’ve never had grapes like this—plump and oval, almost bauble-like in size, they’re sweet and tart, and wildly juicy. Later on, I asked Pablo about the grapes, wanting to know their source. He was hesitant with his reply. “They’re not regular grapes,” he said. “I don’t get them from a regular produce guy.” He seemed to content to leave it at that. I was not.

“Really? Well, tell me more. Where do you get them?” I asked, wanting to get a stash for myself. “Look, I got a guy,” he replied. “You’ve got a guy?” “Yeah. I got a guy. A grape guy.” Craig was cracking up. “What do you meet in a parking lot and do your transaction in cash?” Craig asked. Pablo just smiled. “Somethin’ like that.”

The brussels sprouts ($8) might also come from a “guy.” They’re peeled into ruffled leaves and tossed like flower petals into a bowl with toasted shaved almonds. Sounds simple enough, but these rival illegal drugs on the addiction scale. Hopefully they won’t be outlawed anytime soon. Though if they were, I am certain a black market would creep in. And there would really be a brussels sprouts guy.

Scallops here are among the best I’ve had. They’re really fat and seared so they’re nicely caramelized to a sweet-sticky sugary glaze, and served on coins of roasted fingerling potatoes with Savoy cabbage in a smooth gloss of sunchoke puree ($26). The scallops are sprinkled with a toss of sunflower seeds that adds this unexpected and wonderful touch of nuttiness. Cod is also treated to an unusual and really fun preparation. It’s formed into a sort of glorious fish cake and pan fried and set over a mound of black pepper taglioni topped with lemony gremolata ($23).

Once in a while the presentation takes itself too seriously and the food does seem a little too conceptual. This was the case with the grilled rib eye steak. A round of beef glossed in bone marrow gravy (not as heavenly marrowy as I’d have hoped) sits on an austere white plate a few inches away from with three brown potato croquettes shaped like little footballs ($28). This is not to say it wasn’t good, it ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: February 4, 2008

Other restaurants in West Village :
+ Jefferson-- Closed   + La Palapa Rockola   + Sumile   + Babbo   + Tasca   + AOC Bedford   + Home   + The Spotted Pig   + Barbuto   + Numero 26   + Mas   + August   + Alta   + Cru   + Blue Mill Tavern-- Closed   + Employees Only   + Lassi   + Metropol--Closed   + Turks and Frogs   + Bellavitae   + Yumcha-- CLOSED   + Gusto: SEE EARLIER REVIEW; THIS CHEF HAS LEFT GUSTO   + Perry Street   + Home   + Ditch Plains   + The Little Owl   + Cafe Condesa   + Cafe Cluny   + Gusto   + The Waverly Inn   + Morandi   + P*ONG   + Perilla   + Soto   + Market Table   + Centro Vinoteca   + Barfry   + Dell'Anima   + Bar Blanc   + Smith's   + Commerce   + Elettaria   + Bar Q   + Cabrito   + 10 Downing   + Minetta Tavern   + Braeburn   + Scuderia, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Bar Blanc Bistro by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Joseph Leonard   + Bar Henry, by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Kin Shop   + Monument Lane   + Wong   + Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak   + Ristorante Rafele   + Cole's Greenwich Village by Guest Reviewer Claire Jaffe   

Share ! Post a comment