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NYC part one The Smith ( 1150 Broadway location) 8\10

If most people leave their heart in San Francisco, I am certain I left my stomach in New York City and I mean that in the best way possible.

  I have a special relationship with the City after spending 3 years of my early adulthood living on Long Island NY and I was no stranger to the culinary wonders that awaited me when I adventured there for a girls week holiday.

 After  a very long day of travel my friends and I finally made it to our hotel at about 9pm on the first day of our trip. Flight from Toronto had been delayed and put a pin in our original plan to go to a karaoke bar after finding dinner of some sort. We were tired and starving in a city with too many choices when you are that tired and hungry. We did the only natural thing we could, head to the big shiny watering hole across the street called " The Smith"

We were right downtown in Manhattan on 27th and Broadway so the restaurant was hopping at 9 pm on a Monday night. We were greeted with warm service and a seat right away which I thought was incredible luck. As it turns out no not luck this place was huge. I mean huge. the seating kept going  a quarter of a block.

The atmosphere was a combination of old school NYC and new age dining with its big white tiles but tall dark wood wine shelves . the booths felt a little like you had walked into an upscale white spot  but it was obvious by the clientele and the menu that this was no White Spot.

 I started with a glass of Gotham Project Reisling. New York has been going through a heat wave and the city was still thick with the days's heat. The wine was wonderful after the travel of the day.  My friend ordered a drink called a Gatsby a combination of gin  raspberry lemon and white wine. It was as good as it sounds as I had one as well for my second course.

Dinner was as close to comfort food as I could get that night . A shrimp Chowder that was on special . The presentation was really nice with a large shrimp floating on the top of the soup tucked in wth scallion greens and diced tomato.

The chowder itself  was a great size, just enough to take the edge off the booze and the hunger but not enough to leave you full.

Next we ordered garlic mashed potatoes and a baked macaroni and cheese.  It was everything that I wanted it to be that night. I was stuffed.

The potatoes were nothing to really talk about  very basic just garlic mashed potatoes! The Mac and cheese combined at least 3 cheeses that I could taste and little bits of bacon. Baked to a perfect crusty gold ad served so hot you could hardly eat it for the first while.

We drank our drinks and watched the locals  finally after a few we gave in to the carb and wine coma and stumbled across the street to our hotel .

My appetite was whet my senses were heightened and that night I fell asleep starting at the light from the Empire state building outside my window so eternally grateful to once again be back in the magic of Manhattan.

Cheers and Bon Appetit,

Whiskey G ( 8/10)



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