The Smith on the Upper West Side. A bit pedestrian, but the Kale Salad? Fabulosity 

Let’s just say this. The Smith won’t win any culinary awards for innovation. It is not the kind of place where the waiter waxes poetic about foraged mushrooms or fermented foams.

The Smith is a crowd-pleaser, reliable, a little loud, always packed and positioned squarely in that safe zone between not bad and this will do.

But here’s the thing. Sometimes, that is  exactly what you want and sometimes, tucked inside the menu of a restaurant that feels like it was designed by a very good algorithm, you find a dish that hits just right.

Enter the Kale + Quinoa Salad with Roasted Salmon, sun dried cranberries, ricotta salata, toasted almonds and dijon horseradish vinaigrette preferably on the side ($31).

It sounds virtuous and it is, sort of, but it also delivers that rare balance of healthy-ish and deeply satisfying.

The kale is finely shredded (none of that aggressive jaw workout), the quinoa gives just the right amount of what is good for you and the creamy dressing is indulgent without tipping into guilt.

The salmon is prepared to a bit more than a textbook medium-rare with that faint crisp on the edges that says that someone in the kitchen paid attention to my specific order request regarding salmon preparation.

Add a side of classic French fries, hot, a bit salty and extra crispy. It’s the rebel’s add-on. The fries elevate the whole thing from weekday virtuous to weekend indulgence ($11).

I must interrupt myself and state that the initial meal last week was a bust. The salmon was undercooked and cold, the fries were soggy and limp. Everything was wrong and rushed back to the kitchen.

The second round was successful. We happily munched away.

Mid indulgence, the manager came over and apologized profusely. She had recognized us as regulars and also knew the kitchen had screwed up.

She comped the meal which was extraordinarily nice.

Back to the salad. Here is an important tip: the Kale + Quinoa Salad and Fries together are more than enough for two to share.

Honestly, The Smith is not groundbreaking. It is average and just like the name, it is not unusual.

But, on a very hot and humid Tuesday after a dental appointment when you crave good AC and just want something satisfying and dependable with a side of crispy perfection, The Smith’s got you.

Just don’t go expecting a revelation unless it is the realization that kale can, in fact, be craveable.

Additionally, The Smith offers an endless supply of sparkling water which is a nice touch since most restaurants charge a minimum of $7 a bottle for bubbles.

The Smith has Manhattan locations in Lincoln Square, Nomad, Midtown and the East Village. Depending on the day, The Smith opens at 8 and 9am respectively and serves until 11pm and Midnight.