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| - There are multiple pros and cons to this restaurant. In the end though, the food is delicious and that should be what matters most!
The vibe:
-The space that the restaurant occupies is incredible. Huge ceilings, beautiful light fixtures and accent pieces, it's a really trendy vibe with plenty of room for bigger groups. Unfortunately, the vibe of much of the crowd was very corporate, understandable given its location, but they're not on my top 5 lists of crowds. The service was attentive, maybe even somewhat obtrusively so. I won't fault them for that though.
The drinks:
-An intriguing cocktail menu, I ordered the Smokin' Manhattan which had tobacco-infused Rye (basically steeped with a cigar), lovely velvety texture and cigar-like smokiness made it worth the $14. The beer menu was decent but lacking in the stouts or porters I would prefer in the Winter weather.
The food:
-Started the meal with the Fried Chicken Skins, which was a nice greasy nibble before starting an actual meal. Not sized as an appetizer but delicious nonetheless. I ordered the Octopus/Lobster gumbo and split a Hot Mess with a friend who ordered the Jerk Cornish Hen. Overall, the gumbo had good flavour, and while it was a small portion, there was ample octopus and lobster found within it. The Jerk Hen was nice though I prefer my Jamaican seasoning on the spicier side. The star of the meal was the Hot Mess, a diabolical combination of sweet potato, brisket, sour cream, and cheese curds. Delicious and the brisket had a great smoky flavour that made me wish that I had given the smokepit a shot (I've avoided going full-BBQ since a recent trip to Texas made everything pale in comparison). Ended the meal with a Cheddar Cheese ice cream sandwich. Quite peculiar, it was a cheddar cheese blended ice cream within two wafers topped with parmesan-like cheese. The smell was pretty intensely savoury but the taste was great. I think I liked it?
My overall impression:
-A trendy, pricey BBQ spot in a neighbourhood that caters to a corporate crowd. The food makes up for any pejorative aspects of those words. The portions are small and that is somewhat against the whole concept of Southern comfort food but it was nice not feeling completely filled to the brim for once. Overall a 3.5/5 but I'll give it a 4 because it's worth a shot!
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