Smoked

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Smoked

Photo: Cititour.com

Contact Info:

Address: 103 Second Avenue
City: New York, NY
Zip: 10003
map: View the Map
Phone: (212) 388-0388

Food Info:

Cuisine: Barbecue

Cititour Review:

In just three weeks, Smoked, the latest entry in New York’s new barbecue craze, has already found plenty of fans. And it’s not just that every Gothamite has suddenly gotten a jones for pulled pork! The hospitality of owners Michael Satsky, Bruce Bronster and Keith Bullock (the pro footballer), the restaurant’s comfortable yet stylish atmosphere, and, especially, chef Kenneth Collins’ beautifully presented, semi-upscale Southern cuisine is a decidedly winning combination. Before you begin chowing down, take advantage of one of Smoked’s superb specialty cocktails, such as the surprisingly not-too-sweet Meet Your Maker (Maker’s Mark, Tuaca, mint and ginger ale), or one of its many beers or wines by the glass. Your palate properly primed, you can move on to one of the menu’s appealing starters: savory sweet potato ravioli napped in a delicious herb butter sauce; a trio of nicely grilled lamb sausages (which actually look and taste more like more meatballs); or three firm mesquite-grilled shrimp set atop a pair of very tasty sweet potato pancakes. (Both the ravioli and the shrimp can be ordered in entrée-size portions.) Since Smoked is a barbecue joint, ordering the ribs is de rigueur. And the baby backs here are fairly tender and moist, with a dryish rub; however, their flavor (and wetness) can be augmented by a trio of sauces (including a superb spicy Carolina hot sauce). By the way, the ribs get an A+ for presentation; a half-rack arrives pre-cut and arranged in a beautiful white dish. If meat doesn’t turn you on, head straight to the first-rate hickory-planked salmon. (Next time, however, we’ll head straight to the fried chicken!) Dishes do come unadorned, so you’ll want to try a few sides: The macaroni-and-cheese is very straightforward – a bowl of spiral pasta in a cheddar sauce – as is the creamed spinach. And whatever you do, don’t miss the excellent cornbread, which arrives freshly made in a cast-iron skillet and accompanied by a dish of sweet maple butter. But most important, don’t eat so much that you skip dessert. It would be a major sin not to dig into the sinfully delicious chocolate mousse mud cake – which is actually a martini glass filled with mousse on the bottom, Oreo cookies and raspberries in the middle, two exemplary brownies on top, and a dollop whipped cream for good measure! The house’s fruit cobbler – peach on my visit – is equally good to the last forkful. Smoked has just added Sunday brunch (including a fabulous sounding short rib hash), and is keeping its kitchen open until midnight on weekends, and up to 2 a.m. on weekends. Is there any better way to set the East Village on fire?

 

Review By: Brian Scott Lipton

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