Burgers and Beers at the Smith

It's kind of fun to say "Oh, I ate at the Smith on Sunday," in a bourgeois and almost blasé voice. The restaurant is a notch below Peels and Cafe Mogador, attracting the most condescending and judgmental but yet so perfect New Yorkers below 23rd Street. That's not to knock them or say that they don't deserve their pedestal - most of them have been chiseled by God himself - but it's always fun to be in their company, even if you are the two ton whale sitting at the corner table admiring everyone else.

A friend and I found ourselves at the Smith last weekend for their Sunday burger and beer special. I don't like beer, but I ordered the most popular one on tap and asked for a rare burger. The fries were a little too salty but that's how I like them. What better way to start the week than with a juicy burger and some serious people watching?



If there is anything to knock, however, it is that the restaurant is a little too close to 14th Street. It is yet another new American restaurant with nice decor but it has a hint of cookie cutter commercialization. I'm not asking for the level of authenticity at the backyard Ukrainian restaurant tucked away off Second Avenue, but I'd like a little less service and dining monotony. There are also two locations in Midtown, perhaps they boost the bottom line, but those are two big blows to their reputation. I still really like the place, but eh.