A whale of a lunch spot - Whalesbone Sustainable

Whalesbone Sustainable Oyster and Fish Supply is one of my favorite Ottawa hidden treasures.

 Located in a nondescript store front at 504a Kent Street (just behind the Ottawa Bus Station), the Whalesbone is an amazing provider of sustainably caught/raised fish (both fresh and smoked), oysters, and a variety of other seafood, depending on what is fresh and available. Don't forget to ask what's in the freezer - this is where I get my sustainably caught ahi/maguro for sushi!  In this day and age, it's hard to find fish that you can feel good about eating...

What you may not realize is that they have an amazing brown bag lunch from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 2pm.  And FREE PARKING!

There is always their thick & creamy chowder chock full of bits and bobs of available sea yummies, as well as sandwiches (regular and supersized) - catch of the day, smoked fish of the day, and my personal favorite, oyster po'boys served up in... a brown paper bag!

The regular size is huge - big soft buns filled with generous portions of fish or fried oysters, slathered in mango hot sauce, mayo, and shredded iceberg lettuce...  gotta eat them while they are hot/freshly made (either on one of the handful of stools in the store, out at the picnic tables, or my usual spot - in my car in the parking lot!).

Today was a new one for me - fresh fried smelts as well as fried calamari and fried potatoes.

Add a gourmet soft drink, juice or Perrier, pour on the hot sauce, and don't forget to finish off your meal (even if you can't eat another bite!) with a chocolate chunk cookie from Bread and Sons - thin and crispy with an impossible amount of chocolate holding them together....

Don't forget to ask for "The Lure" - their lunchtime loyalty card - buy 8 sandwiches get the 9th one!

Love the friendly and helpful staff - I'm going to miss this place when we move... (yes, we are moving....!)...

 

My Favorite Ottawa Restaurants 2016

Here are some of my favorite restaurants (* top picks!) to consider during your stay in Ottawa:

Byward Market

• *La Bottega - 64 George - $ - take out sandwiches and eat in pizza & paninis - hidden gem!
• *Benny's Bistro - 119 Murray - SS - my favorite breakfast brunch spot, French bakery
• *Khao Thai - 103 Murray - $$ - modern Thai food, lovely ambience
• *Kothu Rotti - 408 Dalhousie - $ - Sri Lankan take out - unbelievable flavours - excellent value.
• *Sidedoor - 18 York - $$$ - delicious, finely crafted asian fusion small plates
• Das Lokal - 190 Dalhousie - $$$ - contemporary European cuisine - free parking!
• Chez Lucien - 137 Murray - $$ - cozy bistro with great ambience, good burgers
• Ahora - 307 Dalhousie - $$ - casual Mexican restaurant - downstairs
• Social - 537 Sussex - $$$ upscale/elegant cuisine and ambience
• Metropolitain - 700 Sussex - $$ - French bistro - lots of space - great frites
• Play Food Wine  - 1 York St - $$$ - small plates from one of Ottawa's premiere restaurateurs
• Beavertails - William @ George - $ - quintessential Ottawa treat - sugary or savory pastry 
• Cacao 70 - 51 William - $$ - specializes in decadent choccolate dishes but also serves savoury
• Byward Market Square - $ - in the heart of the Byward market, a mix of small restaurants, bakeries for casual day time dining and touristy shopping opps

A bit of a walk from the Market: - in Sandy Hill

• *Shawarma Palace - 464 Rideau - $ - best shawarma in town - try the chicken shawarma platter!
• *Habesha - 574 Rideau - $ - Homey Ethiopean restaurant - a real gem.

Elgin Street

• *The Scone Witch - 150 Elgin - $$ - locally famous scones served alone or as sandwiches
• *El Camino - 380 Elgin - $$$ - fusion taco / small plates - awesome cocktails and ambience - dark side
• *The Manx Pub - 370 Elgin - $$ - cozy pub with good value, inspired menu
• Datsun - 380 Elgin - $$$ - asian fusion small plates - sister resto to El Camino - light side

Benny's... it's been too long...

D & I decided we should go for brunch at Benny's Bistro.... it has been awhile.  Benny's has a special place in our hearts.

  We've been going for years, even had one of our first Valentine's dinners there (back when they served in the evenings).  Hey, we've even met the original Benny (have YOU?)!

I love going to Benny's because it always feels like a little hide-away, a secret spot that only the inner Ottawa circle knows about, tucked in behind the French Baker.  

As we entered the cozy, bustling space, it made me smile to see a mother with her new born baby and cooing friends/relatives, a shy young couple with his (or her?) nervous parents, a loud table of older, probably long time friends, several young couples with big goofy grins....  a real cross section of life, everyone in the moment - eyes rolling back after a particularly delicious mouthful, smiles and laughter - enjoying a fine meal with special people. 

Scott Adam's menu is always amazing.  As you read each item, it's hard not to start to salivate, and choosing is always tricky.  

D and I threw out our usual "never order the same thing" rule that morning due to this lovely creation that we had yet to try: Confit albacore tuna...

The tuna (which we later found out was from a sustainable fishery - phew!) was brined and gently poached. The perfectly seasoned, soft & smooth texture of the fish mixed beautifully with the poached egg, spicy, crispy chorizo balls, the smoked tomato water and saffron aioli... and then there was the surprise of the crunchy fennel/radish salad at the bottom of the bowl!  I had to ask for a spoon to savour the last drops of these complex flavours.

The wine list is small, but beautifully selected and very reasonable by Ottawa standards (no glass over $13!).  And who doesn't want to start brunch with a mimosa or a Kir royale!

I'd also like to mention our favourite waitress, Jessica, who seems to always be there when we go, and even though we only come in a few times a year, greets us like we are old friends.  Some how she always seems to have our favorite table available for us - she's that good!  Her attentive service, pleasant conversation, and obvious passion for her job completes the entire dining experience.

Fantastisch! Lunch at Das Lokal

Decided to stop by Das Lokal last month for a quick lunch - I used to frequent the Portuguese chicken place that was here before, and even date back to the KFC days of this site!  I had heard good things about this place - German inspired menu - I grew up on schnitzel (but also on sushi!) - so why not?!?

I literally gasped when I walked in the resto.  Gone was the dark, dated, European restaurant look of the 60's... and I was suddenly transported into a northern European/Scandinavian space - light wood surfaces, colourful banners, natural light pouring in - it was the perfect winter getaway.  Our hostess told me about some of the extras they were working on - cute little fire outside, with fur covered seats to curl up in, even a piano that gets played on the weekends.  

I started with an Edelweiss, a lovely cocktail of sparkling wine and St. Germain liqueur (elderflowers).  The perfect mix of sparkly-sweet-floral tones.  Perfect to whet the appetite... So good, in fact, that we went straight to LCBO to buy a bottle after lunch!.

I ordered the Gravlax Tartine, a yummy open face sandwich with burnt orange wild BC coho salmon on top, creme fraiche and pickled onions, served with a side salad and butternut squash soup (sooooo creamy).  Memories of open faced sandwiches in Denmark and Sweden.

Donald ordered the German Burger - a pork sausage burger served on a sweet roll with the requisite mustard, with the same side salad and delish thick cut fries.

Nice wine list, relaxed service - we'll be back soon!  Another huge selling point - Das Lokal has a huge parking lot (thanks to its KFC roots)...  love the Lowertown location.

No web site that I can find, but they are on Twitter.

Benny's Bistro - my favorite Ottawa brunch spot!

Benny's Bistro has been a hidden gem in Ottawa's Byward Market for years. It's a restaurant I recommend to visitors (and many unknowing locals) that want to have REAL food - not the mainly disappointing fare to be found in the Market these days.

Benny is the name of the original owners' daschund, who was known to show up in the bakery from time to time.  Tucked inside The French Baker (119 Murray Street), you follow a long corridor into a cozy room with a black and white checkerboard floor, filled with colourful walls and photos - a perfect spot for an overcast or chilly day. 

Besides the wonderful pastries that you can order from the bakery up front, Benny's has a consistently strong seasonal brunch/lunch menu that always leaves me reading and rereading the list of options (never mind the specials!), agonizing on having to select one lovely meal over another.  Chef Scott Adams is a master at complex combinations of flavours that burst onto your taste buds - it's difficult not to savour each mouthful as you sadly get nearer to that last bite... thank goodness for the never ending bread to soak up every last drop!

 Winter menu 2013







On my most recent visit, I had the roasted quail with parsnip puree, beet and apple salad with crispy brussel sprout leaves and arugula in a duck reduction.  A lovely slow food creation!

My friend had the roasted organic mushrooms served with spinach and ricotta tortellini, baby peas with wild garlic pesto, and lemon creme fraiche... she loved every bite. 

I also love the gravlax and pickerel dishes on this winter's menu - something for everyone!  Great wine list, no nonsense service, fantastic food - what more could you ask for?!?!

Farm to Table @ Savana Cafe

On a chilly November 1st evening, Savana Cafe hosted their first Farm to Table meal with local produce provided by Mariposa Farm and wines from Prince Edward County's Rosehall Run.

Tucked away in a Victorian home on Gilmour, we entered the Carribean-inspired restaurant to experience a very different meal prepared by Savana's chef of 1.5 years, Michael Radford, former sous chef at Ei8hteen.  We started the evening off with a fruity rum cocktail as the restaurant filled - a sell out.

First course:  Butternut squash soup with an  Allegreto cheese foam, served like a cappacino, dusted with a pepita cocoa nib sambal on top.  Amazingly complex flavours - and we were rewarded by the surprise of chunks of duck crackling with each spoon...  very hard not to lick the bowl clean!

The soup was paired with this oaky 2008 Chardonnay cuvee county that beautifully matched the intense flavours.  Donald gave this one 5 stars...

 

 Second course:  Scallop crudo nestled on a strip of laquered pork belly, with radish watermelon and tomatillo chunks.  Wow!  The scallops delicately firmed up by the lime marinade - with the salty pork to balance the acid.  And what's that on top?  Yes, foie gras snow....

 This was paired with a chardonnay musque - not an oak tree in sight - almost sauvignon-blanc-like - fresh and fruity. Donald's rating = 4


 Third course: Beef shortrib ravioli, with beets, bleu Benedictin cheese, beet veal jus, truffle oil and chives.  Unbelievable flavour, from the salty beefy ravioli to the tiny purple skinned turnip on top - loved the veggies in that beet jus...  This was paired with Rosehall Run's Cabernet Franc = Donald's least favourite = 3.

 Fourth course: On to the main (!!?!?!) course - duck 4-ways!  Sherry glazed duck breast, foie gras du canard, duck confit bathed in a salty delicious duck sauce.  The foie gras was served on a slice of heirloom corn bread, with greens, blue potatoes, fried plantain and apple balancing out the plate.

 A lovely pairing of Rosehall's 2008 Pinot Noir - we were all very very happy with this dish. And the wine : 4.

Fifth/dessert course: Any room left?  Dessert was a candied ginger cake, topped with sweetened creme fraiche, with malted milk ice cream, apple compote and pumpkin pudding.  Lots of tropical spice flavours here.

Rosehall Run's Dan Sullivan and Mariposa Farm's Ian Walker.  Spent lots of time with us talking wine and food in Ottawa.

 Ian and chef Michael Radford - looking forward to trying more of his creations.

Here we are before it all happened... we hope this is the first of more evenings like this!

Restaurants in Ottawa's Byward Market

I often get asked for restaurant recommendations for the Byward Market in Ottawa. It's a very special part of Ottawa, and perhaps that's its downfall - as in many touristy areas, there are always loads of mediocre restaurants that live off the tourists that only come to Ottawa once in their lifetime...

The list was made for a meeting, so the choices are quite varied, but we avoided smaller places that were on the outskirts of the market (see some additions at the bottom). These lists are in no particular order.

Decent affordable restaurants :

• Haveli’s: indian $$
• Khao Thai: $$
• Vittoria Trattoria: italian $$$
• Metropolitan: french $$ - $$$
• Milestones: roadhouse $$
• Lapointe’s Seafood $$

Good but expensive ($$$ - $$$$):

• Murray St Bistro: homemade charcuterie a speciality - won a spot on the 2009 best new restaurant list in En Route magazine
• Navarra: spanish nouvelle cuisine
• Domus Café: high end canadian regional cuisine
• Sweet Grass Aboriginal Bistro
• Play Food & Wine: Beckta's resto in the market, but can be inconsistent
• Kinki: fusion sushi

Small venues:

• La Botegga: my all time fav - lunch counter is a hidden gem
• Ahora: mexican fast food
• Benny’s Bistro: cute little bistro with consistently interesting dishes - great brunch

My favs are underlined. Two favorites that are missing are:

• Casa do Churrasco: portuguese food - very home-y, with parking!
• Chez Lucien: A great little pub - great value, but difficult to get into.

"Our" lunch place.... La Bottega Nicastro

I've been going to La Bottega Nicastro, on George Street in the Byward Market, since 1999, and probably once a month for the past 6 years... Nestled in the back of a bustling Italian fine food store, it's one of the best kept secrets in Ottawa.

The concept? Take fabulous fresh ingredients from the in store deli (they also make the best takeout sandwiches in the Market as well), and serve them up a nice menu of paninis and pizzas made right in front of you if you sit at the bar.....

There are also usually a soup of the day, and pizza and pasta specials. Although they serve a few stand alone salads - go for the panini & pizza, which have a very generous salad included!

Two of our favs - Calabria Mia - spicy calabrese salami with goat cheese, roasted red peppers and rosemary and ....

... the Angelica pizza with proscuitto, mushrooms, onions, mozzarella cheese, and drizzled with spicy olive oil.

A bottle of Farnese Sangiovese goes down nicely - very affordable.

Part of the fun is the bustling store, and realizing that many people in the store don't even realize what's in the back!

Finish of your meal with a real italian latte or cappucino - try the canoli and other pastries from Montreal each Saturday morning....

Lunch is served Monday to Saturday 1130 to 3pm. You often have to wait for a table, but it's worth it.... Thanks to Zorica and Carmella (l & r) for all their hospitality!