Lots of action, but where are the lights and camera?
Written: Dec 26 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Large, tasty steaks
Cons: Over priced
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| diverpam's Full Review: Smith & Wollensky |
I felt as if I had stepped onto the set of Sex & the City when I walked into Smith & Wollensky. It was a cold December evening and the restaurant was packed with a loud, glitzy crowd. I half expected Carrie and Samantha to be seated at the bar sipping Cosmopolitans. In fact, I think there were the only people not at the bar that night.
We found this restaurant a few blocks from our hotel after it was recommended by the concierge. Walking in on a Tuesday evening at 7 pm with no reservations we were lucky to get a table with no wait. For a non-smoking table the wait was expected to be 30 minutes. There were lots of people out that night in formal attire, with several Christmas parties underway at the nearby Waldorf-Astoria.
Seated at a tiny table inside the bar, we were next to a paneled wall. There were about seven tables in this crowded bar area. We were flanked by a wall of people standing all around drinking, laughing and talking. The atmosphere was certain to be lively.
The waiter quickly brought us a menu (encased in a picture frame) and a basket of bread and assorted crackers with a bowl of butter. When we asked for water we received very small glasses. I also ordered a glass of Merlot, which was very nice.
Food:
The menu featured several types of steaks priced at $32.95. I ordered the Sirloin and my friend ordered the special, a Cajun rib steak. (We found out later it cost $36.95.)
We each had a dinner salad ($8.50 each). The Roquefort dressing was delicious and the salad greens were varied and crisp. It was delicious!
My sirloin steak was large and cooked to my specification. It had a good bit of fat and gristle in some parts, but there was still plenty of good meat to be had. The flavor was very good, with a nice peppery seasoning.
I also ordered asparagus ($8.50), but it was very disappointing. The stalks were very large (not so tender) and had very little seasoning. There was no sauce of any kind served with it. It was a very ho-hum and expensive side dish.
The well-seasoned Cajun rib steak my friend ordered was served bone-in and had a very large area of fat on one side of it. It was not a very good cut of meat.
Although the food was good and we certainly didn't leave hungry, we didn't feel it was worth $120 before gratuity. No wonder those Sex & The City ladies are so skinny, they can't afford to eat!
Service:
The service was generally good, but I had to keep asking for water. Before we left, the place was so crowded the waiter was doing well to get to our table at all through the crowd.
Special Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations:
As we were leaving, the crowd had grown even more massive. We literally had to push our way out of the restaurant as people were trying to push their way inside. Everyone was standing shoulder-to-shoulder or worse. If the fire marshall had stopped by I'm sure he would not have been pleased.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
diverpam
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
Trusted by: 350 members
About Me:
~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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