Sometimes, back away from the stage, is the best seat. But you have to understand Smoke is a small venue and I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. The host's, Tony and Mike, were friendly and welcoming. We thought SMOKE was great in every regard. This is an adult venue but mature teens might enjoy being introduced to a real Jazz club. Next time we might take the bus and a taxi back, just because we like using public transportation. Because we were unfamiliar with the area we took the taxi. Located on the Columbia University Campus, on Broadway at 106th, we took a $10 taxi ride from 57th and 7th in Midtown. What could be better than listening to a sextet led by the likes of drummer Jimmy Cobb (supported by Justin Robinson, Javon Jackson, Mike LeDonne, Eddie Henderson and Buster Williams!) while enjoying haute cuisine? It's definitely worth the trip uptown, which is painless if you take the #1 subway. This time, I had the "cheesecake," which was more of a pudding with some chocolate in the center-and pretty terrific. I have had the desserts a couple of times, which were excellent. Even though dinner is not required at the late show, the kitchen stays open very late and it's almost always possible to get food. This last time, I spoke with an elderly couple sitting next to me, regulars and neighborhood residents, who recommended the food highly, which likely means the next time I am in New York, I will probably have dinner with my music. If you go to one of the first two shows of the evening, it is required that you buy dinner.
I typically go to the late show and have never tried eating at Smoke. If you are looking for excellent music in an intimate club, Smoke is an excellent choice. Regardless of specific location, the fact that they are not in Midtown or the Village might deter some tourists from going to the club and that would be a mistake. They advertise themselves as being in Harlem but they are about 20 blocks below 125th St., so I would say they are really still on the Upper West Side. I love the website, which provided me with a favorite quote: "Smoke is Non-Smoking." I also love the club.
0 kommentar(er)
