Smashing good comfort food at Smash Kitchen and Bar

Fried calamari @Smash Kitchen and Bar

We were celebrating an occasion and decided to go to Smash Kitchen and bar given the many great reviews we saw. I didn’t bother making reservations as I thought that since it was a weeknight at about 530pm, I wouldn’t have to. I didn’t realize they would be so full! The only seats available were on the bar or on the high table which we had to share with other patrons. Not wanting to have to find another place to eat, we decided to just take the high tables.

Service was pretty prompt and friendly until the place started getting more packed. After which, it was a bit hard to get a hold of our server.

We shared several appetizers and mains family style.

We got Fried Calamari which was buttermilk-marinated on a bed of greens with pickled jalapenos. It came with two sauces—tartar and seafood. It was just ok. We all agreed we should have ordered something else.

The Firecracker shrimp, on the other hand, was absolutely yummy! The juicy shrimps were bacon-wrapped and lightly battered—how can you go wrong with that?! There was a hint of sriracha and maple and the shrimps came with crunchy potato hay.

Firecracker Shrimp @Smash Kitchen and Bar

We also got one of DD#2’s favourite--Caesar salad. The dressing was pretty good and for a twist, they used wonton crisps instead of croutons. A bit pricey given this was mostly greens.

Caesar Salad @Smash Kitchen and Bar

They had pizzas on special that day so we got Prosciutto pie. The crust was nice and thin, baked from their coal fired oven. It was topped with mozzarella, pickled eggplant, artichokes, prosciutto and arugula on tomato sauce. Pretty good.

Prosciutto Pie @Smash Kitchen and Bar

For our other main, we shared the Buttermilk fried chicken. It was a boneless  chicken thigh served with gravy, corn bread, coleslaw. The meal also came with a choice of side and we got LA Mac and Cheese. The Mac and Cheese was just divine. It was bacon and herb crusted and so rich and creamy. I wished I ordered a full serving but then again, maybe the smaller portion was better.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with side of LA Mac and Cheese @Smash Kitchen and Bar

We got mini donuts to cap our meal. The mini-donuts (or actually donut holes) were nice and light. These were dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with caramel sauce.

My verdict: I will recommend this place for good comfort food but note that they are on the pricier side.

Indulging at the Cheesecake Factory

30th Anniversary cheesecake @The Cheesecake Factory

Over a year after it opened in the Yorkdale Mall, we finally got to check out Cheesecake Factory without hours of waiting. We went for an early lunch and managed to get seats.

We no longer bothered with appetizers as we wanted to save room for dessert. So, we went straight for the main course. There were just too many choices it was so hard to decide. We think this may also be why orders were

I got the Stuffed Cheddar burger which was a charbroiled burger stuffed with Cheddar and American cheese. It was topped with grilled onions and served on a toasted Brioche bun. Yummy! I shared my burger with the fam so I thought I wouldn’t get full but it was quite filling!

Stuffed Cheddar Burger @The Cheesecake Factory

Grandma got the Monte Cristo sandwich. The French toast had a nice crunch and was stuffed with bacon, grilled ham, eggs and cheese. It was a little on the sweet side for my taste.

Monte Cristo Sandwich @The Cheesecake Factory

Hubby got Crispy Chicken Costoletta. The chicken breast was lightly breaded and fried crispy, golden brown. It had a nice tang with the lemon sauce and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

Crispy Chicken Costoletta @The Cheesecake Factory

The best dish, however, was the girls’ shared order of Pasta Napoletana. Not promoted by the Cheesecake Factory but  I found that this dish was awarded the unhealthiest dish of 2017. But, it was SOOO GOOD. It was a meat-lover’s pizza turned into a pasta dish. It supposedly has a full daily caloric requirement in one dish (hence the “unhealthy” tag). Good thing we all shared it! It had Italian sausage, pepperoni, meatball, mushrooms bacon, garlic with a beautiful tomato sauce and served over Parmesan cream pasta. Did I already say how good it was? We have declared it to be a favourite and will order again the next time!

Pasta Napoletana @The Cheesecake Factory

And as we were already treating ourselves to all the goodies, we still managed to have dessert! In the restaurant, we got the Mango Key Lime cheesecake. The mango mousse was light and was perfect to end the heavy lunch. I am not fond of desiccated coconut so I didn’t enjoy the vanilla coconut macaroon crust as well as the others. 

Mango Key Lime Cheesecake @The Cheesecake Factory

Since we wanted to try so much more, we took home a Hershey’s chocolate bar cheesecake, Tiramisu cheesecake, and the 30^th anniversary chocolate cake cheesecake. 

Hershey's and Tiramisu cheesecake @The Cheesecake Factory

They were all good and the dollop of cream on the side provided good balance. However, the cheesecake flavour did not stand out much in the Hershey’s cheesecake. It was more moist chocolate cake with just the slightest hint of cheesecake. The 30^th anniversary cheesecake was pretty close to the Costco Tuxedo cake. Again, while super yummy, was not outstanding. Tiramisu was also good but then I always expected it to have a taste of cheese. Good thing they have so much more for us to try next time! Of course, at about $10 a slice, not to mention the bazillion calories, it will remain a treat.