I hadn't been back to Smash Kitchen in nearly six years — there was nothing inherently wrong or bad about the restaurant; it just didn't leave me with any lasting impressions. Nothing on their menu was particularly special, nothing stood out, and I didn't think the food wasn't really worth the price. Back then, their menu pretty much consisted of burgers, pizzas, and pastas; in the Markham area, there are now so many restaurants that do those categories better or cheaper, it just didn't occur to me to visit Smash again. But it is the sister restaurant to NextDoor, one of my favourite eateries in the city, and some of my colleagues said that they thought Smash was pretty good. So I decided to check out the menu online and noticed they revamped everything. There are still a few pasta dishes and some burgers, of course, but they definitely streamlined and now focus mainly on Southern comfort food. So when Ronsee asked if I was free for dinner with him and Val this evening, I suggested going back to Smash.
Southern Platter: Buttermilk fried chicken, BBQ pork back ribs, BBQ beef croquettes, L.A. mac and cheese, chicken gravy, creamy coleslaw, and pickled cucumbers
Southern Creole Mac & Cheese: Cavatappi pasta with creole cheese sauce, cajun shrimp, grilled chicken, andouille sausage, grilled corn, pico de gallo, cheese blend, and herb crumble
Pecan Bread Pudding with vanilla crème anglaise, chocolate crumble, banana ice cream
The three of us decided to share the Southern Platter and the Southern Creole Mac & Cheese for our mains. The food was more memorable than before — flavours are on-point, and the portions are generous — but the texture of both the fried chicken and the ribs were definitely on the drier side. The batter on the chicken was a bit too thick and it relied on the gravy for moisture, and the meat on the ribs was somewhat tough and difficult to separate from the bone. The BBQ beef croquettes were excellent and the L.A. mac and cheese was nice and creamy, but we all agreed that the Southern Creole Mac & Cheese is superior — deeper flavours, a good amount of spice, and with the addition of shrimp and sausage, just more well-rounded and interesting to eat. (Although picky eaters and those who don't like too much flavour will prefer the reliable one-note-ness of the L.A. mac and cheese.) The Southern Platter is good if you want to try out all the "Southern comfort" dishes that Smash offers, but note that all the items featured in it can also be ordered separately as well.
The stand-out for us was actually the Pecan Bread Pudding, which had a great moist texture, excellent flavour, and worked exceptionally well with banana ice cream. My conclusion this time around is that the food is decent and nothing was particularly disappointing — plus, the service is friendly and the atmosphere is great for socializing — but it's also nothing to write home about. Not sure if I'd come back for the "Southern comfort" dishes here, but I am interested to see if their fish and chips and other pasta dishes are any good. At least, I'm interested enough that I won't wait another six years to come back.
Smash Kitchen & Bar
Shoppes of Unionville
4261 Highway 7
Unionville, ON L3R 9W6
(905) 940-2000
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