Aquavit Cafe Review

[orthorunner]

Went to Aquavit Cafe last night (note, the cafe in the main space, not AQ Kafe at Columbus Circle) Was really looking forward to it, as it has gotten good reviews. It seems the main complaint is the stiff atmosphere, which did bear out, but it does not feel stuffy or pretentious, more just a bit stiffly awkward. Our waiter seemed to be practically hiding behind a column, peering around it to see when we were finished with a course. Amusing, at least!
On to the food:
Started with "chef's compliment" of a salmon pate served with baguettes; quite nice for a starter, though the pate was hard packed so a bit difficult to manage compared with a typical amuse-bouche
Bread: nothing too exciting, though the herbed butter was nice
Appetizer: got the curried herring. It seemed to be more of herring that was coated in a curry sauce than the infused flavor I would have expected; I should have stuck with my original instincts and gone with the traditional pickled version. By no means a bad dish; well-flavored and well-intentioned, just didn't fully hit the mark. Did not try the other options.
Entree: Went with the hot-smoked salmon, and very happy with the choice. One of the best salmon preparations I've ever had. The skin was a perfect crisp, and the flavor was fantastic, not an overly smoked or salty flavor. The brussel sprouts went well with the dish, though I have to admit the squash puree was a trifle to sweet; I would have liked a bit less sweetness given the salmon preparation.
Also tried the swedish meatballs, with lingonberries and pickled cucumber. A good combination, certainly well-prepared, retained their moistness. However, for some reason they didn't excite me particularly. The condiments were nice to go along.
All in all, while I do mention some misses, I believe this was a dinner well worth the price. The dishes are very reasonable-my salmon was 22 and I believe the meatballs were around 20. Everything had fantastic attention to detail which adds an extra star in my book. If I were to go back I would certainly want to try some of the other herring options as I am sure they would likely meet with more success.
Have never tried the main dining room so I can't compare, but definitely recommend the cafe overall. ENjoy!