Blue Smoke | New York City

AMBIENCE
Blue Smoke is kid friendly, so I’d say a casual dining spot.  We were seated on the main floor where there wasn’t any live entertainment.  See the waiters are pretty cute.  🙂

RECOMMENDED TO
Bar Scene, Casual Dining, Groups, Kid Friendly.

CUISINE
American/Southern Soul Food

MENU – $$
Blue Smoke Menu.  Entrees here range anywhere from $12 to $35 dollars… it really depends what you are in the mood for.  Most people will get a drink which will cost you another $13.  The portions are very filling, of course they have to be, this is a Soul Food restaurant so most items are fried. Blue Smoke does offer a Gluten Free Menu.
For 4 people:
5 drinks + 2 appetizers + 6 sides + 1 entree = $172 (including 20% tip)
The drinks drive up the bill at $13 each.

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY EATS… choices below are based on my knowledge of food and nutrition. There is no online nutritional information available for Blue Smoke. Substitute French Fries for a Salad, if possible. Substitute all other breads with whole wheat/grain bread, if possible. Please use your own discretion when making a decision.

MY REVIEW
I was really excited about eating Soul Food… it’s been sooooo long since I’ve eaten Mashed Potatoes and Wings, just classic all American greasy food… YUM!  I know, I know, am I not supposed to be on my health kick?  Like I said, I eat healthy at home, once I dine out, all my logic goes out the window.  Saturday night was Sex and the City night, so it was a treat.  🙂 

We ordered Warm Barbecued Potato Chips for the table… they were really good, but nothing special.  They served us BBQ chips with a side of Blue Cheese dressing.

I decided to order 2 appetizers, instead of an entree.  The entrees looked kind of boring to me, so my girlfriend and I split the Chipotle Chicken Wings and Mashed Potatoes & Onions.  I also ordered a side of Macaroni & Cheese. 

The Chipotle Chicken Wings were slightly spicy and out of this world.  They were so delicious! I have never sat at a restaurant licking my fingers, literally, it was that good.  The wings came with a side of Blue Cheese Dressing. 

The Mashed Potatoes & Onions were amazing too.  They were buttery, delicious, and melted in my mouth with each bite. They were topped off with fried onions… it really doesn’t get any better.

The Macaroni & Cheese came as a huge dissapointment to me!  I was totally expecting thick creamy cheddar cheese topped off with breadcrumbs, however this wasn’t the case.  The Mac & Cheese just didn’t have that thickness in the sauce I desired.  The flavor wasn’t what I had expected. There was nothing southern about it.

I enjoyed a Peach Martini with my meal that was specially made for me.  🙂  The drink was a bit strong, but good. 

My husband ordered the Classic Margarita which was really good, but again, strong. 

My husband also ordered his favorite, Fried Chicken.  He substituted French Fries for the Mashed Potatoes.  The Fried Chicken was really good, typical southern style comfort food.  This entree was delicious!

VERDICT – 4 / 5
I love Southern style, good ol’ American cooking… its greasy, its fried, its comforting! You can’t walk into a Soul Food restaurant when you are on a diet, there is hardly anything healthy on the menu, and if there is, you certainly won’t be tempted to order it.  This place was really good.  The Chipotle Chicken Wings alone are reason enough to come back to Blue Smoke.  On the contrary, the drinks could be a little smoother, not as strong.  There is quite a wait before you get your food served, but it’ll be well worth it.  When you think of classic American Comfort Food, Mac & Cheese automatically comes to mind, so when dining at a Soul Food restaurant, the Mac & Cheese better be amazing.  I’d have to give Blue Smoke a 4 out of 5 because of the dissapointing Mac & Cheese. My theory is enjoy Southern Style Soul Food and work off the fat the next day. 🙂