Article by:
Darren "DKLo" Susilo
Smash Kitchen serves up comfort food with a slightly modern twist. Found in an old plaza, the deceptively restaurant packs its menu with offerings like mac and cheese, crab cakes, and pizza.
The Ahi Tuna Wontons ($14) brings to mind a beautiful flower with seared tuna, peanut dressing, and a crunchy salad base.
The Seafood Cakes ($15) are some of the densest and most satisfying crab cakes I've ever had. Each cake is packed with blue crab and tiger shrimp, and drizzled with a rich horseradish aioli.
The Korean Fried Broccoli ($6), broccoli cooked in a seasoned tempura batter and then garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. The slightly sweet ketchup that coats the dish evokes a mild gochujang flavour.
The Monster Burger ($18) is a fantastic combination of two patties AND tender brisket, among a smorgasbord of cheese, onion rings, caramelized onions, as well as a fried egg.
The Lobster Mac & Cheese ($22) is served with a lobster tail and prepared with lobster rose - the whole dish is herb-crusted and delicious. It's a heavy entree so one that's probably best shared.
Smash Kitchen runs a special every Sunday night called the Family Platter. An omakase of sorts, the chef selects various ingredients and prepares a large feast that changes weekly.
For $65 we get ribs, fried chicken, corn, sausages, and pulled pork macaroni & cheese.The chicken has a sweet maple syrup glaze and really packs in the flavour.
The patio out back is something of a rarity in Markham. It's a great place to down some of Smash's signature drinks like the refreshing Strawberry & Mint Mojito ($8).
Also worth a try is the over-the-top Fire Cracker Caesar ($12), which comes with Clamato, vodka, pepperonicini and a fried bacon-wrapped tiger shrimp.
Smash also features some excellent white or red ($8 each) sangria that makes a light accompaniment for a meal.
Dessert? They have that too. The Deconstructed Carrot Cake ($7) is served with cashew brittle for textural contrast and topped with crème anglaise.
The mini donuts ($7) are my favourite and come infused with caramel and cinnamon.
