[Photography by Nathalie de los Santos]
Of course, we started off with the oysters. They have buck-a-shuck oysters between 4-6pm every day, so we ordered three dozen! My mom, Nathalie and Brian are big oyster fans and I enjoy oysters as well – especially since I have recently seemed to have got rid of my allergy to shellfish (woohoo)! My dad, he’s not a big fan of raw food – it’s hard sometimes to please my entire family as my dad doesn’t like the raw stuff (so no sashimi or oysters for this guy) but my mom would literally eat anything from the sea (well okay, not everything but almost everything!).
Back to the review. The oysters. They were marvellous. They are always served with a bevy of sauces, my favourite is the shallot champagne, I also love the freshly grated horseradish served with it – it packs quite the punch!
We ordered the Peacemaker Cobb Salad ($19.75) to share as well and it was mighty in look as well as in taste. My dad really enjoyed this salad on it’s own. There is so much going on in this beautiful salad – lettuce, arugula, bacon, egg, blue cheese, avocado, cracklin, smoked chicken, shrimp, olives, tomato, red onion tossed in a dijon vinaigrette – but somehow all the tastes balance each other out. There isn’t anything too crazy in terms of flavour so this great salad is so filling and great to enjoy.
For dinner, I ordered their Southern Fried Chicken ($18) but instead of mash, I ask for cornbread. Because fried chicken, cornbread and gravy is the best. I have to say that Chewies has got to have the best Southern Fried Chicken in town. Hands down. I have yet to frequent a place that has wowed me as much as Chewies has. I feel awful that I don’t want anything but this whenever I visit, but it’s just that well made (you should try it with their waffles during brunch…amaaaaaaazing!). I wish I could capture the juiciness and tenderness of my chicken, but this is the closest I could get. Beautiful.
I was also thinking to myself during dinner that Chewies should make a Southern biscuit for brunch – biscuit with chicken, cheese and gravy…much like Pinestate Biscuits’ Reggie. I would think Chewies could make a perfect replica of Pinestate Biscuits deliciousness!
Brian and my mom both ordered the Seafood Pasta ($19) – made with scallops, prawns, fresh tomato, garlic, herb and olive oil sauce atop fettucine. This is so much better than the last time we ordered it at the Kits location, the shrimp are bigger and there is much more substance to the pasta.
My dad ordered the Beef Brisket ($18) which I managed to have a little bite of – great smoke taste to it. The beef brisket is smoked in house and served with mash, cornbread and southern slaw. A winner of a dish as well.

I am so happy to have Chewies downtown, it’s so much closer to me and I’ll definitely be back for buck a shuck and dinner with friends! Hopefully they’ll start a brunch service at their downtown location, cuz I’d be there in a heartbeat!
Check out their menu and website here.
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