Kitchen Social - Polaris
Two years ago, Josh took me to Kitchen Social for my birthday. We have tried to return before, only to find it booked with reservations – until this week! Although we only visited once, Josh has repeatedly brought up the restaurant and how delicious the food was. When we returned this week, we made sure to get a reservation to ensure our spot. We called early on Saturday morning, and they only had a 2 pm reservation slot left for the day! We plan to take family eventually and will be calling at least a week in advance to secure a table.
Relatively new to the Polaris area, Kitchen Social opened up in the craziness of 2019. The four owners saw a need for more local restaurants amid the chains that surround the mall. Their idea was to bring the feeling of the Short North to the suburbs. The concept was elevated tavern food in a light, airy, contemporary space. They executed the atmosphere perfectly for what they had envisioned. The white wood, high ceilings, and garage doors to the patio give a feeling of a higher-end restaurant while the prices stay reasonable. Meals range from fifteen to thirty dollars (if you go for the filets).
Looking at the Google reviews, as we always do, people are raving about the appetizers. Naturally, we had to start with one. We chose the cheddar and scallion biscuits, and they were phenomenal! Not only did they come out in mere minutes, but we could not put them down. Imagine cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster but topped with the honey cinnamon butter from Texas Roadhouse. Yes, it sounds unbelievable, but the savory and the sweet bounce off each other in the most delightful way. We skipped the drinks this time since it was the middle of the day. However, we love that they have worked with a local distillery, Watershed, to bring signature cocktails to their menu!
In addition to their regular menu, they also serve brunch on the weekends until three. Most of you know by now we are not big into brunch – just straight breakfast or lunch. So we pushed the brunch menus to the side and found our entrees. My blackened shrimp capellini won the best dish of the meal. The noodles were covered in a creamy tomato sauce, and the shrimp occasionally added a touch of heat. The flavors were spot on; the manager said it’s one of his all-time favorites. Josh tried the new grilled harissa chicken. Although it was good, it wasn’t our favorite dish. The harissa flavor took over mostly, and the chicken almost had a pork chop taste. I don’t know how it happened, and we weren’t mad about it, but not our favorite, and we probably wouldn’t order it again. We loved that the manager came over to discuss it, though. He told us they were trying out the new recipe and wanted to know people’s genuine thoughts about it and what they could change to improve it. We have gone to several restaurants and barely got table visits from the manager, so this was a pleasant surprise! In addition to talking to tables, the managers could be seen bussing tables and running well. As a former manager, I was impressed by the level of service from the managers and wait staff.
They must be doing something right because since 2019, they have grown from one location to three and have two more in the works! Not to mention the fully booked reservations and packed parking lot (pro tip: there is a parking garage beside the restaurant if you can’t find a spot in the lot!). This local business is taking off, and we love to see it. Although Josh wasn’t blown away by his meal this time, we still plan on frequenting the spot with family and friends. Have you tried Kitchen Social yet? Which appetizers do we need to taste next?!
