Try the creme brulee. TRY IT!
Swifty’s, located between E 72 and E 73 on Lexington, is an Upper East Side gem. Once you step through that door you get an immediate warm welcome from one of the staff members who is eager to help you out. And once you sit down you can see how bright and charming this restaurant is, not only from the very open front portion of the restaurant that is available for outdoor seating but also by the way the tables and everything is set up. On first impression, Swifty’s has a lot going for it and was certainly a good indication that a pleasant meal was ahead.
One of the great things about Swifty’s is that while you are looking at all the great sounding dishes that they have on their menu, your waiter will soon bring out a basket of freshly baked bread that is the perfect way to start off any meal, and a great choice of bread is definitely their olive baguette, although they do have a wide selection of breads. One of the best starters to choose from is the fresh salmon tartare with avocado fries. Typically with salmon tartare, the salmon is very sweet, to the point that the sweetness overpowers the entire dish and you can’t seem to eat more than a few bites. But what was great about this tartare was that along with the natural sweetness of the salmon, there seemed to be a tangy and somewhat tart aftertaste that almost served as a palate cleanser to the sweetness that was there initially. This elevated the dish to another level. The avocado fries were delicious as well. The crunch on the exterior of the avocado was great and then when you bite down and get that natural avocado taste, you will be extremely satisfied. If you are ever unsure on what starter to get, opt for the salmon tartare because you will not be disappointed. To follow, another great starter, if you are a fan of salad is the endive, frisee, and oak leaf salad with goat cheese and lemon dressing. This salad was very light and refreshing and an overall solid salad to go for. The bitterness of the endive and oak leaf paired with the sour house made lemon dressing went very well with the goat cheese and frisee and it turned out to be a very light, but also flavorful salad.
As far as entrees go, a clear winner on the Swifty’s menu was the Black Angus strip steak with béarnaise and French fries. This steak was juicy and tender and full of flavor. And if you order this dish then you have to put the béarnaise sauce right on top of the steak because that sauce has so much flavor in it. This béarnaise was spicy, tangy, and sweet all at one time and paired with the juicy steak made it all the better. The French fries on the side was a good pairing for the steak as well; something to nibble on while you recover from that blast of flavor from the steak. And if you are going for a “lighter” entre then the grilled vegetable taco with an heirloom tomato salad is the way to go. The vegetables are grilled to perfection and have a subtle charcoaley taste to it that really gives it a level of depth. It has a lot of flavor and but also fills you up really quickly which is always a good thing if you’re looking for a good meal.
Lastly, the dessert menu at Swifty’s is always worth a look. And if you have room left for dessert then you have to have the vanilla bean crème brulee. This dessert is sweet, but not too sweet, and is really balanced out with the burnt sugar on top. And the consistency of the custard is just right. There are too many crème brulees out there that have a very yolky and eggy custard and it completely ruins the dessert. However, Swifty’s crème brulee custard is silky and sweet and perfect. And the vanilla in the custard is so present and paired with the bitter burnt sugar actually leaves such a pleasant aftertaste in your mouth after a big spoonful.
Overall, Swifty’s is a restaurant that will always have great food. From start to finish it was the perfect meal and with a friendly wait staff, the Swifty’s experience is one of the best experiences that you could ever have.
