SMASH Kitchen and Bar

I have been wanting to try this place for a while since it is so close to home. Located in the GTA (Markham) it has been the new buzz for us locals. It definitely isn't a place where you can spot it easily since it is tucked away in the corner. The first feeling when I got in wasn't like a normal restaurant but rather it was just a place where people go to. Usually when I step into the restaurant I feel comfortable and excited but with SMASH I didn't feel that way.

As you can see from the first few pictures, the decor was quite interesting. The light fixtures did intrigue me so I did feel the need to take a couple of snaps. I enjoyed the view of the restaurant closer to the inside but not where most of the action happened since we sat in a booth. It was difficult to see the rest of the restaurant and these were really the only pictures that I could get a decent view of something rather than nothing.

I ordered an [angry] lobster linguine. Even though I was very excited to see what the restaurant had to offer, I was very disappointed. There was a couple of lobster pieces in the pasta but it was severely torn apart and did not have the chewy texture anymore. Not sure how often people order the seafood there but it tasted like it has been frozen for a while. It tasted very much like they defrosted it from the freezer and plated it. The bread had a very rubber texture so I was not a fan of that either. 

 The only other dish that I really got to try was the risotto. The taste was very flavorful although the texture of the rice was debatable. Instead of a soft texture it was almost under-cooked. The mussels were not all fully cooked either but it was definitely better than my linguine. Perhaps we all ordered very similar menu items but I was not impressed with the plating. For the amount we paid for I at least expected something more on the dish. 

Perhaps if we ordered steak or salmon it would have looked more appealing but the rest of the dishes looked pretty similar. Most of them had some sort of red or orange colour in the dish and topped off with some sort of rectangular object, either being a meat or bread. Not 100% sure if I would recommend this to anyone but it was definitely a place to try. I would rate this restaurant probably a 1.8/5 stars. The waitress we had wasn't exactly friendly with us either. Definitely made this evening "extra" special with removing our plates without even asking if we are done.

L'Ouvrier/Kitchen Bar

At first we were going to go to another restaurant that was within walking distance. Thinking that restaurants would close their kitchen later than 2 pm we decided to trek there. When we got there unfortunately it was closed! Fortunately down the street there was another restaurant that seemed promising. It was definitely something that was out of my elements but I'm glad we gave it a try. Took a few snaps of the L'Ouvrier close to the Kesington Market. 

Had to take a picture of such a cute little set up! The rest of the decor was very unique to the point where it can be somewhat intimidating.

They had little selection for their brunch menu but for the price that we paid it was pretty worth it. The bill came up to be about $35 including tips and tax. Here is a picture of the smoked brisket sandwich. Wasn't too big of a fan for the mustard but the fries on the other hand was delicious!

 Next up was the wellington beef burger. The patty was very soft! Perhaps some people may not like the texture but it the taste was not as overpowering as you would normally expect from a burger.

I would rate this restaurant to be about 3.7/5 stars. Not quite my favourite but it is definitely something to try if you are around the area. 

And lastly, a furry friend to end off the experience.