If I’m looking for great food, great drinks, great service, and that consistency each time I visit a restaurant, I head to The Smith in the East Village. I’ve been going since they opened their first location in the East Village in 2007, but they’ve since opened two more locations in NYC. And, it’s no wonder, people really like it here.

I started off with a cocktail, the Angry Apple (vodka, fresh apple, jalapeño, apple liqueur, lemon). This drink is so bomb. It has some of my favorite elements, apple, spice, and, well, everything nice. You have the perfect amount of natural sweetness from the apple, and then the great heat of the jalapeño. Killer combo. 

Then, I ordered their Vegetable Bibimbap (sushi rice, shiitake, spinach, pickled carrot, edamame, bean sprouts, sunny up egg). Now, I know this isn’t a Korean restaurant, so, why would I order Bibimbap at a American Brasserie? Well, because they make a really good one. The flavors are delicious, all the veggie components are dynamic, and the rice is great. One of the best parts of a proper Bibimbap, to me, is when the rice is just right: cooked in the hot pot, creamy from the top of the dish to the center, and then crisp and crunchy along the sides and bottom of the pot. The crunchy rice is where it’s at. 

The Shorts:
Name: The Smith
Location: 55 Third Avenue, NYC
The Long and Short: Would I go back? Well, I’ve been going for the past few years, so…
Would I recommend it? Definitely. There’s really something for everyone there, and I’ve yet to order something I didn’t like.