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

Is spring on its way?!?! A visit to Café Sfouf & la Maison du rôti

Is it spring or have we passed on to winter already?!?   Off to Montreal for brunch - can't believe it is mid-March and the snow continues to fall....

We find a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary, cold, damp, slushy day... Cafe Sfouf at 1250 Ontario Est.  Super cozy, family and student friendly - our charming hostess seemed to know everyone.  A great place to spend the morning or afternoon tucked in away from the cold.  They have partnered with vendors at the nearby Marché St. Jacques - can only imagine the flavours to come this summer!  It must be coming...

Although the regular menu of tartines and soups looked good, we had to go with the lebanese breakfast.  

Ridiculously thick labneh dusted with zaatar (an herb mix including sesame seeds, oregano, sumac, and mint) with a big glug of olive oil, garlicky olive oil laced chick peas, cukes, tomatoes, radishes and olives, a spinach, sumac and onion stuffed bread, with freshly toasted pita.  Dessert was meghle, a lebanese spiced rice pudding with strong cinnamon flavour, topped with coconut, almonds, and pistachios.  Top that off with an amazing turkish or allongé coffee and the signature "sfouf" - a golden tumeric semolina cake topped with a pine nut, served with each hot beverage.

Before leaving town, we had to make a stop at La Maison du Rôti, 1969 avenue Mont-Royal Est.  This gourmand destination is a must-visit on any trip to Montreal, but make sure you have a cooler if it isn't a frigid late winter day!  It will get warm, one day, right?

 The store is full of beautifully cut and displayed meats, poultry, and cheeses, as well as gourmet foods from a myriad of cultures.  They also provide hot prepared foods as well as fresh and frozen meals that would wow any foodie.  There is usually a vendor providing samples - today was no exception - we sampled Feelo, a delightfully complex, chartreuse-colored olive oil from Greece.  A taste of summer, fruity with a bitter edge - dreams of summer tomatoes sprinkled with this and sea salt...

 We came specifically to pick up their beautifully prepared duck confit - at $29.95/kg, an amazing deal.

 We picked up their homemade heavenly paté and terrine, some salty gorgonzola, and two small quiches - the Forestière with wild mushrooms and artichokes, and the Poireaux et escargots - leeks and snails.

It is probably a good thing that we do not live in Montréal...

Hoping that Café Sfouf will have an Urbanspoon presence soon!

 

Girls Night Out - Bistro CoqLicorne & Cacao 70

A chilly early winter night - getting together with a girlfriend for a delish meal and gab session - where to go?  

We decided to try Bistro CoqLicorne - had heard good things but every time I tried to get a reservation, they were full up.  On three separate occasions, calling for a reservation, even before I could ask if they had a spot - "sorry, no availability tonight."  To the point that I thought, perhaps if I requested a spot en français?  It became the elusive reservation - like the mythical rooster/unicorn immortalized in the name of this cozy little resto.  

We were able to squeak in, and I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and lovely service. As it turns out, they tend to take reservations on only a small number of tables, to ensure that local drop ins always have a spot!  Good to know.....

Perfect girls night out - funky cocktails and tapas/small plates:

Les 3 Amigos - yummy pork tacos, and Le Vilain Petit Canard - duck carpaccio with popcorn, arugula, apple, and salted caramel....  oooooohh........

L'amuse-gueule de dragons - a bright salad of smoked trout, cream cheese, arugula, and lemon.

La Peché originel - the original sin (!) - crispy crostinis with apples, spiced butter, caramelized onions and melted cheddar cheese....

 Here`s the menu - mains were all under $20, nice and ridiculously reasonable wine list - I`ll be back!

Thinking that we`d actually not eaten THAT much - we scanned the dessert menu but unfortunately, chocolate-less.... time to move on!  We headed into the Byward Market to Cacao 70 - a Montreal chain restaurant that specializes in all things chocolate (with a savoury menu as well).  We shared the dark chocolate fondue for two - very generous and decadent.

Here are a crepe and waffle plate from a previous visit:

 

Definitely recommend both spots - with or without a bestie!

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.

"We want to eat Canada food...."

During a recent visit to Ottawa, my Japanese relatives asked to eat "Canadian" food....  other than maple syrup, of course.   Coming from a land of a singular, supremely awe-inspiring cuisine, it was interesting trying to explain to them what Canadian food was, having already eaten italian, chinese, korean, japanese, lebanese, greek, german, british, etc. etc. etc. 

However, they had to try poutine, especially being just next door to Quebec!  We went to my favorite spot, Jack's, a chip wagon on the south side of Rideau Street between Friel and Chapel.  The current owner has improved on Jack's gravy, which was hard to believe, but true (he tells me it is now vegetarian!)!  A very generous medium of his excellent fries, topped with squeaky cheese curds and that awesome gravy kept the three of us happy for the rest of the day (okay, they both had to sample a pogo too!).

Gatineau Favs

Where to eat out when you're visiting National Office? 

See below for my favs....

1) Bistro St. Jacques - Beautifully prepared bistro food, many entrees served with awesome frites & aioli AND salad (no guilt!). - it was selected as one of the top 10 restos in Ottawa
last year.... and not just new restaurants either!
Vincent is the perfect host.  Highly recommended!

2) Pizazza - mainly thin crust pizzas, an awesome smoked salmon salad, great wine by the
glass.

3) Fleur de Sel / L'Argoat - 2 restos (one a vegetarian, one a crepe (non
vegetarian) that have merged.

4) La Belle Verte - a little vegan/raw vegan resto - delicious and fresh
this time of year. I love the raw pizzas, and the specialty salads.  Here are some reviews.

http://ottawafoodies.com/vendor/1817
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/250/1513710/restaurant/Ottawa/La-Belle-Verte-Vegan-Restaurant-Gatineau

5) Epicerie Poukham - Thai grocery store and restaurant - amazing lunch special - you'll be in and out in 30 minutes - piping hot spring rolls served within minutes of sitting down (included in price of lunch special).  If you're ordering the pad thai, ask them to cut back on the sauce.....  Say hi to Kia when you go (104 Rue Eddy).

FYI - #'s 2 and especially 5 are good at getting you in and out quickly (if you have that 1pm teleconference....).  You should mention to the others if you need to complete and pay for your meal within an hour.

Enjoy!

Iconic NOLA eats!

I'm not sure why I didn't realize the level to which New Orleans is a foodie destination...  but as I did my research in advance of our trip, I couldn't help but salivate... and when we got there, I suffered fraom the anxiety of having to chose where to eat on our ever decreasing number of meals before our departure - the pressure!

A few iconic eats in NOLA:

(1) The po'boy: not just a submarine or hero, but THE sandwich of Louisiana.  You can get them from fine restaurants to corner stores to gas stations.  Thought to originate in the 1920's when French bread was filled with potatoes and gravy to feed striking workers... I'd heard a lot about Johnny's Po-boy Restaurant in the French Quarter, so we got there for an early lunch.

 Nothing like ordering in a local restaurant for the first time - it was jam packed, and I had to ask what "all dressed" meant, and missed my number being called (cuz I didn't expect it to be made so quickly!).





 We stuck with the classic fried shrimp po-boy (undressed - shredded iceberg, tomatoes, pickles and a little mayo on the side) - I usually deprive myself of it, but freshly-fried, tongue-burning food is mana from heaven... at least at the first moment the flavours burst on your tongue, the crunch of crispy, airy batter, hints of cayenne blended with a shmear of mayo... mmmm! 

We did wonder about the bread though - crispy on the outside, but processed bland air dough in the middle...  Probably the only disappointment of the entire trip.  Although we heard later of the "bread as vehicle" theory around po'boy bread...

(2) Beignets and chicory cafe au lait:  The iconic spot is Cafe du Monde (first opened in 1862) on Decatur Street past Jackson Square.  A super touristy place which I considered waiting in line for until I realized that they were filming Emeril Lagasse inside.... next time!

We came across Cafe Beignet, a little hole in the wall restaurant with a shaded terrasse that was pumping out these hot square doughnuts with a snowstorm of icing sugar on top.   Maybe that layer of sugar is to keep from burning your upper lip, as you've got to inhale them while they are still warm... and remember NOT to wear black if you are going to indulge!

(3) Fried Chicken:  Part of the Creole/soul food experience, which you can get even in a cafe called "Fiorella's" (which I found out later is one of the best places to get fried chicken in town)!  And on St. Paddy's Day, I had to indulge in their special - a $2 green apple martini - before lunch!

 This was a dangerous "beginning of trip" experience.  The still sizzling, lightly coated skin breaking like glass under my teeth, flavour burst of fat and spices as I sunk into the juiciest chicken I may ever have experienced - the textures and tastes all blending into an eye-rolling mouthful...  Whoa!  Made me want to eat more and more, and start a pilgrimage to find the holy grail of fried chicken....  and to never ever eat KFC again!  Note the red beans and smoked sausage with rice side... nice!

(4) The Muffletta:  But that will have to be a separate post....



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!