Smithereens — Restaurant in New York

I was really excited to try Smithereens for the first time given all the excitement from the NYT. While the food was interesting and evidently technique driven, the dishes were unfortunately incredibly salty (coming from someone who normally loves salt). We had the tuna, the buckwheat pancake, the lobster roll, the clam chowder, the black cod with prawns and then the blueberry donut with corn ice cream for dessert.

The tuna dish seemed to have seasoning salt in addition to Maldon finishing salt on top of salted raspberries which altogether made the dish borderline inedible with how salty it was. We had the buckwheat pancake next which was very tasty but also quite salty. The pancake may have been a bit burnt as well but the whitefish salad was very nice on its own. We opted out of having the pancake “Neptune Style” which apparently included caviar which I’m glad for because it would’ve been even saltier. The lobster roll was good, and we understood the effort that went behind it based on the demo videos made but the effort didn’t quite live up to the flavor of the roll (it was a bit bland flavor wise but yet still very salty?). Also for a $38 roll, there wasn’t a ton of lobster and our bun was a bit burnt as well. The chowder and rice I really wanted to like, but I don’t think I liked the fact the chowder was aerated. It made the soup taste less rich and the rice kinda stodgy in comparison. The clams were also very chewy and a mix of undercooked/overcooked and again was really salty altogether. We then had the black cod and prawns which was probably my favorite dish of the night mainly because it wasn’t as salty as the others. The black cod was cooked well but was a bit bland by itself. The shrimp was cooked well too but maybe a tad salty by themselves. The flavor of the broth was quite nice and we really liked the tartness of the greens. Overall a good dish but a bit underwhelming for the high price point. We ended the night with the blueberry donut and corn ice cream. The corn ice cream was fantastic, super rich corn and butter flavor - honestly could stand on its own as a dessert. The blueberry donut was undercooked and a little stodgy. Flavor was okay, a little too tart and also unexplainably salty? The donut dough itself seemed salted so I’m not sure why it had to also have finishing salt on top. For drinks we had the seaweed martini (again extremely salty) and the green swizzle (fine, but a little underwhelming as well).

Overall I really wanted to like the dishes. It’s evident there was a lot of thought and technique put into the concepts, but I think the basic execution could have been better (i.e balance, seasoning, flavor, cook). I honestly expected a bit more as Smithereens seems very chef driven so you’d expect those elements to be perfect.

In terms of service, we sat at the bar and service was okay. Our server, who was also the bartender, didn’t really speak to us, nor explain the menu or dishes in depth. A lot of the food runners as well didn’t really explain the dishes as they placed them in front of us so we had a lot of questions as we ate. No one was rude though and the food came out decently fast. Not sure if we had an off night (last cover on a Tuesday) but I was left feeling underwhelmed given the reputation and especially since we almost spent $300 in total for the...

I heard rumors say this place is really good and worth trying, and it turned out to be a rumor for real. It is the first restaurant that I ate and got me so nauseated and had to throw up in the restroom.

So party of 2, night, actually for my birthday. Was thrilled to try a seafood forward small plate. Got total of 5 plates and 2 + 1 desserts.

Plates: buckwheat pancake with smoked fish There is really no textural difference whatsoever between the pancake and the smoked trout. It is WAY TOO SALTY. I feel the salt is enough to kill the enzymes on my taste buds. I don’t get why would someone put an extra layer of salty on top of the pancake that covers an already super salty smoked fish. The edges were charred and slightly caramelized and were nicer comparably. I actually asked the server if the dish was seasoned correctly and was told it is supposed to be like this. She offered to comp the dish because I didn’t like it but I refused. I felt if I need to pay to say my honest opinion without feeling guilty.

(and I thought this dish’s skyrocketed salinity was an exception, which was not).

charred leeks with aged cheddar & hazelnuts The one of the only two plates I kinda like. Tender soft leeks braised to nice umaniness and with a hint citrusy and covered with cheese cubes and hazelnuts. A little hard to fork but I don't complain. Nice balance of flavors and textures and very creative for sure.

abalone skewers with shiitake Avoid this one at all cost please. Super tiny skewers of abalone with tom of salt again. I couldn’t taste anything but the salt, even the sauce didn’t help. The texture was tender but for the price with that portion and that killer salt level, my friend and I felt offended.

beans with red shrimp, squid & sea urchin Very nice dish. Another one I felt good with. Very umami forward and the beans are stewed to almost mushy so it feels like mushed beans with bounty succulent shrimp and squid with sweet uni. Great for winter kinda of stew dish.

Whole Dover Sole Salty killer again. The fish was cooked nicely with a quite firm texture. However, too salty I really cannot get other seasonings.

At this point I felt there is osmosis going on in my bloodstream and I became very nauseated 🤢 . Also maybe because we sat at the first table by the door. There is no windshield and it is ~15F. No heater and our legs were freezing to death. Anyway, aftermath, I got really sick and had to use the restroom.

Dessert My friend decided that desserts are needed to replenish the nutrients for me.

celery ice cream float Creative, nice try. The ice cream sits in a celery foam, which sits on top of coffee flavored oil. Taste very healthy. It is a neutral or hate thing. I am neutral, my friends didn’t like it.

candied seaweed with licorice & citron Nicest thing I had that night. Actually love this whole dessert. The seaweed is crispy and the licorice and citron flavored cream or mousse. It is like a reconstructed umami and sweet and creamy mille feuille.

Also they gifted me an apple cider donut for my birthday. Sprinkled with sugar and got a semi-airy interior with a crispy exterior. Though I felt it was nice move for the donut but the whole experience scarred me. I don’t recommend this place for their seafood...

The spot presents a somewhat cool ambiance, though it somewhat haphazardly misses the chance to fully conjure the feeling of a cozy cabin or an old New England tavern, perhaps with some more rustic décor and warmer lighting, the atmosphere could be further enhanced. The service was very friendly and quite knowledgeable concerning the various offerings on the menu, and also prompt, with a commendable job rotating out the delivery of plates, ensuring a smooth and well-paced dining experience. The bread was notably good, exhibiting a delightfully spongy and soft interior which was nicely contrasted by a crispy and slightly charred exterior, yet the seaweed butter served alongside was rather bland, unfortunately failing to impart any discernible briny or herbaceous seaweed flavor, instead tasting like a somewhat milky and homogenous butter, lacking any real depth. Progressing to the seafood selections, the amberjack crudo was a fairly standard and uninspired preparation and did not particularly impress, presenting a rather lackluster flavor profile, and similarly, the Spanish mackerel sashimi was also quite ordinary and lackluster, accompanied by a beet sauce that unfortunately lacked any complexity or intrigue, tasting somewhat flat and earthy. However, in stark contrast to these more mundane items, the leeks preparation was exceptionally flavorful and complex; the remarkably tender texture of the leeks harmonized surprisingly well with the pleasingly crispy and nutty hazelnuts and a lively, lemony vinaigrette, creating a truly surprising and herbaceous flavor combination. The buckwheat pancake also registered as a positive item, presenting fish with an almost chewy, jerky-like texture yet remaining surprisingly flavorful and quite tasty, offering a unique and satisfyingly dense bite. The beans with seafood and uni were another highlight, demonstrating a well-balanced and homogenous item with notably tender and creamy beans, creating a rich and flavorful, almost buttery, experience. However, the monkfish entree was a considerable letdown and felt over-executed, appearing remarkably small and lean for an entree and certainly not justifying its price, especially considering the menu's purported ordering by size, and its texture was unremarkable and somewhat dry, with a preference for a buttery and flaky black cod being strongly indicated, even though the accompanying squash on the plate was properly and homogeneously cooked, exhibiting a tender yet slightly firm texture. The puntaril was merely acceptable and somewhat forgettable, essentially a bitter and leafy greens salad that proved somewhat haphazardly chopped and difficult to consume, lacking a cohesive flavor profile. Conversely, the Nashville fried fish collar was excellent, presenting an interesting and delightfully crispy and charred texture with a flavorful and complex paprika sugar and cayenne seasoning blend that was certainly lively and garlicky. To conclude the meal, the seaweed dessert proved to be awesome and ethereal; the combination of seaweed and licorice crafted an intriguing and complex flavor profile that was both fresh and herbaceous, and the donut was equally awesome and cakey, providing a satisfyingly sweet and...