Sidecar and Toast: A Clear Winner Between the Two

Sidecar Cocktail Lounge

Sidecar was a word we’d heard of for a while, but we barely knew anything about it. After a few weeks of stalking their Instagram, we decided to head to Sidecar Cocktail Lounge for our biweekly date night. We’d learned they were known for their incredible drinks and small plates, but we had to find out for ourselves if they were truly worth the hype.

When we arrived, the outside looked like a ghost town. We questioned if it was truly a Friday night since there hardly seemed to be any nightlife occurring. When we walked inside, we quickly realized where all the people were. The lounge was small but very crowded. Since it’s main function is a bar, we seated ourselves at the only available spot on the bar table along the back wall. Our server came almost immediately and was very helpful in introducing us to the menu.

We ordered our food and drinks within a few minutes, and were pleasantly surprised with how quickly they arrived considering how busy the place was. While we waited for our food to arrive, we took in the scenery and crowd around us. The restaurant acts as the worldwide headquarters for the Royal Rum Society, and boasts a mid-century Miami vibe in their decor. We were in love with the decor and how well thought out everything was.

I ordered the Bajan Holiday and honestly loved it! There was a taste of fruity pineapple at the beginning and a hint of banana that was delicious. The touch of coconut at the finish was refreshing, and with how light this drink is, I would definitely order it again! (Alex stuck to water this time around.)

We ordered a small plate of jerk chicken satay skewers. They smelled amazing upon arrival and looked just as good. They had just the right amount of seasoning and a bite of heat, but the mango sauce on top is what made these really sing. The yogurt sauce underneath also cooled some of the heat and was a delicious addition. We would definitely order these again, but hope to try something new in the future, too.

The Bajan Holiday Drink and Jerk Chicken Satay Skewer

We decided to finish up here and head next door to their sister restaurant, Toast, that shares a kitchen with them. When we walked in, the greeter was missing and we had to wait several minutes for them to arrive. We were placed at a table in the bar, and the manager stopped by to provide menus and let us know our server would be over shortly.

Toast, New American Gastropub

After a drink at Sidecar, I made my way to the restroom and was immediately stopped by a locked door. What appeared to be a restroom with stalls, was actually just one restroom with a door that would confuse most people (including myself), so hopefully by telling you this you don’t make the same mistake I and the three other women waiting made. The restroom was quite dirty upon entering, which made me a bit nervous about the meal to follow. Once back at the table, our server took our order and within a few more minutes our food arrived.

Appetizer of Brussel Sprouts

We were very disappointed with the brussel sprouts. In the entire dish, there were maybe three brussel sprouts and the rest were very crispy leaves. They came with balsamic drizzle and large slices of parmesan that honestly didn’t go well together. After picking at them for a few minutes, Alex and I decided not to finish them.

I ordered the special Bucatini Pomodoro that came with caprese tomatoes and spinach, and I also added chicken to the dish. This was okay, but definitely not a pomodoro sauce. The chicken was also just okay. Not very seasoned, and I decided to skip finishing this meal, as well.

Meatloaf and veggies (left) and Bucatini Pasta (right)

Alex ordered the meatloaf, which from the menu sounded like it would be absolutely delicious. (We know dishes like these are hard to enjoy outside of a home cooked meal, but we had hopes this would live up.) The meatloaf overall was good, but was missing the bacon it was supposed to be wrapped in, as well as the ketchup glaze that should have been on it. Alex asked to substitute the mashed potatoes for extra vegetables. This resulted in a ton of unwanted onions (which he said felt like overkill). All the vegetables were overcooked and under-seasoned, and now extra oniony in flavor. He also ended up not finishing his meal.

It’s rare for us to leave a restaurant still feeling hungry, but that’s exactly what we did this time. While Sidecar felt fresh, new, and exciting, their sister restaurant Toast felt old, outdated, and underwhelming. We ended up having a slice of pizza when we got home to satiate our hunger. While we plan to revisit Sidecar, we don’t think we’ll be heading next door when we do.