Just when we thought we had finally found our highest rated restaurant here in Dallas, I got news recently that it closed. The closing of Smith & Wollensky came as a shock to me. I was halfway through with my review for it, too. So instead of a review, I’ll make it a tribute.
Here it goes…
The ambiance of Smith & Wollensky was mysteriously inviting. The restaurant itself looked like a mansion or some government building. Basically it didn’t look like a restaurant at all. Even inside it didn’t look like a place to eat until we were led to the dining area. The service was excellent. One server took care of the entire dining area, and he was pretty knowledgable about the food when we asked questions.
The food was excellent. We chose their “pay your age” special dinner where you pay your age in price for a full three course meal. Minimum was $25. Obviously the closer to 25 you are the better the value. Usually at a fine dining establishment like this you expect to pay high prices for quality not quantity. Smith & Wollensky splits it down the middle at a happy medium. The quality is there, but the quantity was unexpected.
Cleaniness is beyond belief, a first for us. I took a trip to the washroom to wash up before dessert, and it was perhaps the cleanest public restroom I have ever seen in my life. It’s more like something you would find at a private residence. Instead of paper towels, they had actual towels for you to dry your hands with. Scented candles made the experiences even more memorable.
The bronze head of a bull over the entrance doors.
Our table.
Pay your age dinner menu. Simple to follow. One of us was over 25, but our server decided to charge us all the minimum. Nice.
We got a variety in our bread basket. The large flat bread stood out, and it tasted more like a large baked chip. One I particularly liked was the sweet corn bread stick. The others were good as well, soft on the inside and sturdy on the outside. With help from a little butter we emptied the basket within minutes.
Salad was perfectly dressed. There was no overrun of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. The bacon came in huge chunks and were pretty intense.
The pizza took us by surprise because was bigger than we thought. It was probably bigger than some of the medium pizzas you’d find elsewhere, and it’s just the appetizer.
Very rich and creamy pea soup. No incidents this time. Whew.
Best calamari I’ve had in a long time. Most restaurants don’t use the tentacles of the squid which I don’t understand because it’s just as tasty and offers a different texture. Hard to say which appetizer I liked best because they were all so good, but if push comes to shove I’d pick the calamari.
The tuna steak was seared on the outside but was medium to medium rare on the inside. With the vegetables it was a pretty healthy dish.
This NY strip steak was cooked to a perfect medium. Nothing else came on this plate because the meat itself needed no complements.
The filet mignon was unbelieveably tender and juicy. It was almost as tender as the tuna steak.
The lamb was served with a slightly sweet sauce. Also cooked medium, it was tender, savory, and somewhat fun to eat because some of the best tasting meat is right next to the bones.
I actually enjoyed eating this cheesecake, and I’m not a cheesecake guy.
Trust me when I say that this chocolate cake was HUMONGOUS. This picture doesn’t do it justice. The four of us barely made a dent in it.
Custard sitting on top of a sweet and sour raspberry sauce.
Three flavors of creme brulee. On the right had coconut shavings on top. The middle tasted like mocha, but my fav is still the original on the left.
There you have it. Our review for Smith & Wollensky that unfortunately doesn’t exist here in Dallas anymore. But if you ever come across it I highly recommend that you give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Smith & Wollensky
Website: www.smithandwollensky.comAmbiance: 9
Food: 9
Service: 9
Cleaniness: 9
Value: 9
Overall: 9
Tags: Smith & Wollensky, steak, pay your age, closed