Whitman's

October 27, 2010 - SBE XII

Location: Corner of 9th and 1st Ave, East Village

SBE Score: 79

We loved the atmosphere, but were disappointed with the backyard burger.


Thank goodness for SBE. It was the perfect Wednesday pick-me-up. We were initially very impressed with Whitman's, which may have contributed to our ultimate disappointment. Maybe Whitman's was having an off night, but we didn't love any dish. Actually, none were spectacular.

On the appetizers - The fried pickles were too sweet and the dressing on the iceberg salad tasted like bottled Caesar.

On the burgers - Brian and Kate ordered 'Juicy Lucys,' and Luke and Leila ordered Upstate Burgers. All hungry, we were dreaming for juicy and flavorful. They weren't cooked to order (medium rare became medium well) and, all over, they were equivalent to summer, backyard burgers, because the patty was less flavorful and seasoned than you expect from an NYC restaurant.



Above: Fried Kale, Iceberg wedge, Fried Pickles

The Results...

Iceberg wedge: 4 [2-6]
Fried pickles: 3.5 [2-5]
Fried kale: 5.75 [1-8] .... I'm calling out Leila - she scored it a 1

Burger Patty: 4.5 [3-6]
Burger Experience: 6.25 [6-7]
Fries: 5 [4-6]





Above: Fries, the Organic Upstate Burger, the 'Juicy Lucy' burger

Below: the inside of the Juicy Lucy (see that pimento cheese?)



Pros

• Awesome service (Really. They were really friendly and attentive)
• Great atmosphere downstairs - the lighting and the acoustics works really well - great as a date place or dinner with friends
• No pretension

Cons

• Cash only. They can get away with it because it's not super expensive, but it's NYC, and almost 2011. Guess we can't complain too much, considering we did like the 'no pretension' thing.

Final thought. We scored Whitman's a 79 because we were disappointed with the burger. However, we all liked Whitman's, and unlike Rare, we would all come back. It's a cool place, so check it out.

Total Bill: $100 (tip included)

There's nothing actually on the website (yet?), but for good measure... http://whitmansnyc.com/

Smith & Mills

October 6, 2010 - SBE XI

Location: 71 N. Moore (Corner of Greenwich)

SBE Score: 89

"I could see how to the untrained eye, these people could be mistaken as hipsters; however, it’s way classier" - Luke

There’s no name on the outside of the building, but you’ll see a glowing red 71 above the door in the window. The kitchen opens at 8:00pm, which we didn’t know, so we were lucky to seamlessly arrive around 7:40, get a table, order a drink, and order.

Unlike SBE X, Smith & Mills only offers one burger: Brioche Bun, Cheddar, Caramelized Onion, Pickled Beets, House Made $15

Burger Patty: 7.5 [7 – 8]

Burger Experience: 8.6 [8 – 9]

Chips: 7.3 [6.5 – 8]

Meatballs (appetizers): 7.9 [7 – 8.5]

Artichokes (appetizers): 8.8 [8 – 9]

Bread and Ricotta (appetizers): 7.5 [5 – 9] …Brian gave the 5, which is weird, because if I remember correctly Brian didn’t stop to breath

Above: Bread and Ricotta, Meatballs, and Artichokes

Below: Same burger...three different shots!!

Overall, we thought very highly of this place at the time, and gave Smith & Mills great reviews. This might have been influenced by the stylish but understated crowd. Other external factors may have been the crisp fall weather – the perfect temperature according to Leila, Luke, and Brian.

Cons:

Seating – low couches and somewhat uncomfortable chairs

Mediocre wait staff, but not over attentive so it’s cool

Burger was slightly too salty (we then went on a long tangent about the perfect equilibrium)

Total Bill = $160 plus tip

http://www.smithandmills.com/