‘Watts for Dinner’: Smith House – a leisurely late lunch in Olde Marco
Our next dining destination is Smith House in Olde Marco. During our first visit, in December 2020, we enjoyed breakfast at the restaurant. This time around we tackled lunch. And thankfully, Smith House doesn’t close at 2 p.m., like many other places (they close for an hour between 4 and 5).
We started with the soup of the day, a creamy mushroom ($9). This was unlike any mushroom soup I’ve had before. It was not mushroom color. At least not the color I generally associate with mushrooms. We all know mushrooms make a great gravy, but this soup was more like a breakfast gravy. That’s not a bad thing. I like surprises. It left me wondering if I should add sausage though. Hmm?
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For my main dish, I selected the grass-fed cheeseburger ($16.50). My receipt actually said it was a “chuck brisket burger.” I’m not sure if that’s the same thing. Either way, it’s served with tomato, lettuce, pickle and onion and on a grilled brioche bun. I added mayo. Mustard and ketchup are also available.
For your side, you can choose fries, house-made chips, cole slaw or a fruit cup. I picked the fries, but they were more like breaded potato wedges. Huge! And lots of ‘em.
I asked for medium-well on the burger. It came more on the well side, but it was a solid effort. No complaints on the taters either – other than I think they should change the name to wedges on the menu, so that expectations meet reality.
My dining companion selected the chicken ranch wrap ($12.75). It features lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese in a flour tortilla with breaded chicken and ranch dressing. It’s also huge.
It comes with the same side options as the burger. He picked the house-made chips.
The wrap is also a solid effort. If I had to take issue, it could have used a bit more chicken. What can I say, I’m a critic. I point things out. I realized we’re blessed that there’s so little to point out.
I will also say this: I was much more impressed with my 2020 breakfast experience. It was exceptional. After all, Smith House started out just offering breakfast. Now, they have lunch, dinner, entertainment, a tavern and a bake shop. That’s a long way in a little time.
One of my breakfast faves? The avocado toast, made on gluten-free seed bread and featuring fresh-sliced avocado, tomato, radish and cilantro and topped with chia, flax and hemp seed. This dish is both a thing of beauty and a health-bomb to start your day. I highly recommend this dish.
From the omelets section of the menu, I had the Xaviar, with features mushrooms, garlic, asparagus and Brie cheese. You can pick your toast, a bagel, croissant or English muffin to accompany your eggs, and either homestyle potatoes, hash browns or fruit as your side.
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First the omelet: absolutely amazing. This is a great blend of ingredients and it was perfectly produced with no breaks or undercooked spots. Two thumbs up!
My dining companion decided to build his own omelet ($9.50), picking red peppers, mushrooms, provolone cheese and a plant-based sausage. First, kudos for offering plant-based options. This dish scored rave reviews.
He also ordered the steel-cut oats ($9) which were topped with walnuts, brown sugar, fresh fruit and
topped with chia, flax and hemp seed. Amazing! These folks know how to make healthy appetizing.
Smith House is an incredible addition to the Marco Island food landscape. From the food to the service and the atmosphere, you won’t be disappointed. Happy eating! And happy new year!
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If you go
Smith House Restaurant & Tavern
- Shops of Olde Marco, 210 Royal Palm Drive, Marco Island
- 239-389-8414
- smithhouse.business.site/