Kittery, the new seafood joint at 305 Smith Street at the corner of Union Street had its soft opening during this past week-end. Chef Joshua Moulton served a limited menu (see above) that included oysters, lobster rolls, steamers, fish and chips Clam Chowder. A more extensive menu will be rolled out tonight.
Kittery aims to resemble a "North Eastern Seafood Shack from Maine" and will feature outdoor seating in the warmer season.
Though the name and chef are new, the owner behind Kittery is James Geritano, who previously opened Sonny's, Union Smith Café and more recently, Diego's at that same spot on Smith Street. Let's hope that Kittery, the fourth attempt, will finally succeed.
Though the name and chef are new, the owner behind Kittery is James Geritano, who previously opened Sonny's, Union Smith Café and more recently, Diego's at that same spot on Smith Street. Let's hope that Kittery, the fourth attempt, will finally succeed.
Did anyone try Kittery over the week-end? Care to give the rest of us a review?
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18 comments:
I hope the full menu will include fried clam strips. I'd go just for that.
Love fried clam strips. Haven't had good ones in a very long time.
I really wish Geritano would divest himself from this restaurant/building. I live right around the corner and would love to have a good neighborhood spot, but I'll never set foot in a single one of his establishments.
It is a shame that the name was displayed for many months with nothing happening inside. This a cardinal rule in opening a business: You don't put the name up until the very last week or two - you increase hype and develop a sense of new interest. It reminds me of the infamous " Jessie's Kitchen " sign on Baltic & Smith. It was hung on an awning and left to rot for over a year. Sadly, it was a harbinger of what was to come of Jessie's. It shows an unpolished business acumen- But, I hope they can swing it this time.
I went over the weekend. Try the bearded clam. It's tasty!
The trash is never kept up properly from Ciro's who share the yard adjacent. There is still piles of stuff in the yard and the trash is too close to the sidewalk and very visable. I will never ever eat here and agree with Anonymous. The summer will bring rotting smelling fish debris. The people who walk by this place every day are not happy. The other Theme Pizza joint, word has it, tastes like frozen pizzs. Oh well. And that huge painted wall is out of context with the neighborhood. Though, it is a sweet logo, it is JUST TOO LARGE.
Geritano is a bum restaurateur with a proven record of aspiring to mediocrity and failing at even that. The only saving grace of his previous joints were the occasional cute waitresses who'd smoke on Union streets before work or during their breaks.
I am apprehensive about setting foot in that establishment as the owner could not even serve decent coffee at Bagels by the Park. Their coffee is the absolute worst. I buy my daily coffee from a regular truck guy in the city so am certainly not a coffee snob.
The Bagel shop has overcharged on every other bill for 15 years, so that has always bothered me, but I think the issue with the restaurants has been two-fold:
1. They seem to start strong and then the food deteriorates--does this man they fire the chef and think they can make as good food with a lesser one.
2. They have a bar filled with their friends--does this mean that they are not paying and so they are losing the bulk of that highest profit business, or just that seeing those guys is something of a turnoff for customers
Hey other anonymous. You know Bagels on the Park serves D'Amico's coffee, right? Are you the mystery 311 caller?
I think I'll continue hiking over the canal to Little Neck when in the mood for this kind of food.
Anonymous 11:37 AM: No, the single sip I had did not taste like D'Amicos as the D"Amicos Sumatra blend I had was superb when I prepared it at home using a french press. You should try it.
I ended up throwing an entire large coffee from Bagel shop after a single sip and never set foot in that place again.
Gemma Robles-Byrne
It makes me so annoyed that other blocks in the neighborhood get solid, inventive restaurants like Arthur, Battersby, Dassara, and Seersucker, but we get stuck with this dreck. Between this spot, Ciro's, and Claudine's (and of course Red Rose and the bagel shop), this stretch is really the "miserable mile." Could these spots be any more tone deaf to the wants and desires of the neighborhood? Sheesh, with the foot traffic this block receives alone, any non-brain-dead owner could make serious bank by opening a decent joint here.
Why are people in this neighborhood so damn mean all the time? comments about the restaurant and the owner as extremely disrespectful.. do you even know what these folks have to go through to build a business? the money and time they invest?
it is time to calm down with the aggressive comments and nourish local businesses instead.
Anonymous 12/14 9:07, I think there is validity to your point. Particularly following a posy that complains about one block having inferior restaurants to those a block on either side (how about walking that extra block). That said, as the complainer about the bagel shop short changing and Sonny's chef changes, my point is I try to nourish their local businesses and they make it difficult.
Dude. Red Rose has been a fixture and they are nice people and the menu is fine. Don't lump them in with the fake eateries you listed. And yes, bagels on the Park serves a bagel niche but that's about it. Wretched place. And qthey have a cat locked in the basement to boot. :(
Yes I agree, but, they have absolutely no ingenuity.
Interesting to know that it's run by the same folks who ran Diego in this spot. We went there a couple of times and one night waited for an hour for a quesadilla. The wait staff were pretty out of it, and it was obvious the place would fail. We tried Kittery the other night, and alas, our entree never arrived, nor did we ever even get an apology before we quit while we were ahead and left. The appetizers we ate were fine, for what it's worth. I wish them good luck.
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