I went to The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center on a warm spring evening with a few friends.  The restaurant is large and does not have great acoustics.  The large doors open out on to Broadway as they did that evening, and there was outdoor seating on the sidewalk that evening.  The Smith seems like a great place to have after work drinks with a group of friends. It also good for a quick (and most likely noisy) pre-theater meal, although I did not see any options for a pre-theater pre-fixe menu.

Inside The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

It was a busy evening, however, our server was very attentive to our group’s requirements through the evening.   I was very happy with my meal that exceeded my expectations at Smith UWS.  I was pleasantly surprised to know that The Smith supports, local, natural, sustainable, and organic practices when possible.

The menu had many vegetarian options among its bar snacks, appetizers and side dishes.  A section on the menu is called Big salads where each salad is at least $22 – e.g., Roasted chicken salad was $22!!  I chose to go with a couple of appetizers, because I was not very hungry and wanted to spend some calories on a drink and (a part of) a dessert.

I got a sparkling wine cocktail called Sonata No. 5.  Between the elder flower cordial and the local honey, this drink was sweet.  I could not taste the fresh mint or the lavender bitters, but this was a great drink overall.

Cocktail Sonata No. 5 made with sparkling wine, elder flower cordial, mint, local honey, and lavender bitters at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

I got the string bean salad. The string beans were crunchy – almost raw (not that I mind them being raw).  The shredded ricotta salata was tangy and salty the Dijon vinaigrette added a nice flavor to balance the frisée perfectly.  The toasted almonds added more crunchiness in texture.  Overall, a great appetizer salad.

String bean salad with ricotta salata, almonds and frisee at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

The deviled eggs that I ordered next were very pretty and great to eat too. The Dijon mustard offered a mild kick, the cayenne some spiciness, and the snipped chives some color and flavor.  The dish had 3 eggs presented as 6 halves.  While this was a nice dish, I prefer the deviled eggs at Blue Smoke – they are superior in flavor, texture, and presentation compared to the deviled eggs at The Smith. (More about my Blue Smoke experience in another post to follow).

Deviled eggs with dijon, cayenne, and chives at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

One of my friends got the vegetarian bibimbap topped with an egg.  The rice was cooked soft with some freshly sautéed and crunchy vegetables.  My friend thought that this bibimbap was a welcome filling dish.

Vegetarian Bibimbap at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

Another friend got this delicious ahi tuna salad.   The ahi tuna in the salad was a tuna steak seared medium rare, with the firm, pink, translucent center looking very appetizing and appealing.  This is an expensive salad at $ 18, although my friend was very happy with this salad.

Tuna salad at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

We got a sticky toffee pudding topped with vanilla ice cream to share.  The toffee in the cake had caramelized well, while the cake was soft, slightly chewy, and sticky.  Highly recommended!!!

Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream at The Smith Restaurant and Bar near the Lincoln Center in NYC

I would go to The Smith again with a group of friends for some drinks and dinner, knowing that the restaurant can be noisy.

Other locations of The Smith are in the East Village and in Midtown East.