Loyalists were “persons inimical to the liberties of America,” as was said by patriots during the Revolutionary War. On their worst days they were often subject to arson and tarring and feathering, but at war’s end many of them—including former slaves—were granted asylum in Canada.
A casual hangout like the Loyalist is legally beholden to have fried potatoes on the menu (there are two versions, in fact); nevertheless its “smokey” potatoes, while not particularly smoky tasting, are a happy surprise, bedded on a fried egg showered with tart sauerkraut, the whole baby spuds’ crispy outer shell jacketing an ethereal interior. That’s not the only apparently boring menu item that turns out to be loaded with culinary purpose. The chicken liver mousse, slathered on toast, has an iron-rich minerality offset by sweet cherry and a blanket of crisp, cool radishes. A panzanella with a gob of fresh cheese and hunks of black-garlic sourdough is summer’s last caress. And that cheeseburger? It has its own Twitter and Instagram accounts attesting to its lacy smashed-patty crackliness and curtains of molten cheese and grilled onions—a sloppy champion of the form.
177 N. Ada 773-913-3774smythandtheloyalist.com
