Chocdoc - Out and About in Ottawa

[FauxPas]

@Kerry Beal, here's another list from my good friend in Ottawa. I see some familiar names but also a couple of new ones! 

 

Yes, I have some great recommendations!

- North and Navy - $$$$ (Nepean St) Awesome food. Can be loud. 613.232.6289

- Bar Laurel (1087 Wellington St) - very funky/trendy cocktail and microbrewery beers and the most amazing appetizers primarily. They hAve a few mains - seems to be the 25-40 crowd, but well worth a visit for the food. We shared 6 appetizers and 2 beers each for @$100 - and we considered it well spent. $$ - $$$ 613.695.5558

- Riviera (62 Sparks Street) New, and gets rave reviews/ had to cancel on Saturday so haven't been yet. Got a full page review in Mar 25th Globe and Mail - $$$$ 613.233.6262

- the Green Door for the most amazing vegetarian food - very casual, and not set up for large groups (198 Main Street). Food is by weight. A large serving might be $15+ . Their food is remarkable - not a romantic setting, though I think you can purchase wine - check on that, though. 

- Carben Food + Drink - 1100 Wellington St. "Asian-inflected modern Canadian cuisine w dessert chef who can steal the show" 613.792.4000

- Datsun (380 Elgin St) - very casual, great food. No reservations, always a line up. 613.422.2800

- El Camino (right beside Datsun) - very casual, big hit (but we have not been so cannot comment). Line ups.

- the Pomeroy House (749 Bank Street) - $$$$ - Stylish, modern, ie, for dessert: Meyer lemon tart w chèvre mousse 613.237.1658

- the Rowan (915 Bank St) - Classic modern - owned by the Fraser brothers (Fraser Cafe - great but small and east of downtown in New Edinburgh) 613.780.9292

- The Whalesbone Elgin (231 Elgin Street) "loud restaurant w big-flavoured food. Quirky casual" 613.505.4300

 

Edited March 29, 2017 by FauxPas (log)

[Kerry Beal]

7 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 You found a Japanese dollar store? Wow!  

Indeed - and as bored hubby was giving me the 'how long are we going to be in here look' - I turned to him and said 'Anna and I would be in here for at least an hour looking at every single little thing'!

[Anna N]

9 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Indeed - and as bored hubby was giving me the 'how long are we going to be in here look' - I turned to him and said 'Anna and I would be in here for at least an hour looking at every single little thing'!

Told you you should've left Hubby at home and taken me.

[ElsieD]

I didn't know we had such a thing as a Japanese Dollar Store.  Was this on Elgin?

[Kerry Beal]

23 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I didn't know we had such a thing as a Japanese Dollar Store.  Was this on Elgin?

Yup - right next to a bookstore.

[ElsieD]

Thanks!  I'll have to check it out.

[Tri2Cook]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

What an evil sign that is... doesn't really leave you with as many choices as it pretends to.

[FauxPas]

@Kerry Beal, even a few more suggestions to add to the last list. 

 

My friend wanted to add some suggestions for breakfast and lunch, as well as her earlier ones for dinner. 

 

Quote

 

We had a stay cation down in the market several weeks ago, and we had breakfast/ brunch at Benny's Bistro at 119 Murray Street. It is a dumpy lil hole in the wall that you get to through Benny's Bakery, but the breakfast is amazing. Check link here for hours of operation.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g155004-d701987-Reviews-Benny_s_bistro-Ottawa_Ontario.html

Apparently it has been a while since I had lunch anywhere. I will say that Von's on Bank Street (Glebe) has some great dishes - their duck was fantastic but seems to be off their menu these days. Also on Wellington Street, Petit Bill's has good food in a casual setting.

 

 

And she wanted to add one more for a dinner suggestion:

 

Quote

 

We ate here (at Restaurant e18hteen) once years ago and it was a fantastic experience - haven't heard much of it since. Have a look at the reviews.

https://www.opentable.com/restaurant-e18hteen

 

 

[FauxPas]

Whew, don't mean to overwhelm you @Kerry Beal but apparently friends and relatives have a huge willingness to share their Ottawa recommendations. Some repeats here but again some new ones:

 

Quote

 

Happy to recommend a few places in the downtown area (elgin st/sparks/market)!  

 

The most interesting might be El Camino - a taco place on Elgin St.    its casual and just tacos - but it always seems to get rave reviews.

http://eatelcamino.com

 

A new restaurant that has been getting good reviews is Riveria right on Sparks St.  The are trying to have finer dining food - Ive been here - food was good but didn't totally knock my socks off, but the atmosphere is what is really special - at least for Ottawa  

http://dineriviera.com

 

A long-standing favourite/well-regarded restaurant in Ottawa has been Beckta - they now have a restaurant/wine bar on Elgin Street. 

http://beckta.com

 

A good and interesting restaurant in the Market is Das Lokal

http://www.daslokalottawa.com

 

Last Ill mention a new place getting a lot of buzz - Andaz Ottawa Byward Market - a restaurant at the top of the Hyatt hotel. Again, havent been here yet myself but my friends went and really liked it - and for brunch! 

https://ottawa.andaz.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining.html

 

Oh and for a quick lunch - Ive always really enjoyed the sandwiches at this place (multiple locales downtown): 

http://thinklunch.ca

 

Or delicious scones and creative scone-based meals for breakfast or lunch here (on Elgin St on the side of an office building): 

http://sconewitch.ca

 

And they should check out the Bridgehead chain of coffee shops - a local favourite. 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

8 hours ago, FauxPas said:

Whew, don't mean to overwhelm you @Kerry Beal but apparently friends and relatives have a huge willingness to share their Ottawa recommendations. Some repeats here but again some new ones:

 

 

 

Excellent - it's interesting how many of these on both lists overlap with what Matt suggested. 

 

We had a look at Beckta's menu last night as we walked by - it suffered from too many adjectives for hubby! Was intrigued by the  Sconewitch sign when I saw it on Monday night - will have to wander in there an take a look.

 

Now off to research for dinner tonight!

[Anna N]

 Can't you lose hubby for an hour or three in a hardware store or something so you can go back to the Japanese dollar store? Just asking.

[Kerry Beal]

5 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 Can't you lose hubby for an hour or three in a hardware store or something so you can go back to the Japanese dollar store? Just asking.

But I don't know what you want! I could text pics I suppose 

[Kerry Beal]

Capital Diner

 

 

 

smoked meat hash

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

But I don't know what you want! I could text pics I suppose 

Oh.  You know I am just kidding.   I want to be there in the store!   Like everyone else I'm happy you are getting a few days away with hubby.  Still.....

[Kerry Beal]

Hubbies breakfast didn't sit well with him so we opted for a lighter dinner from The Scone Witch.

 

 

 

Tuna/tomato sconewitch.

 

 

Creamed chicken mealwitch.

[Anna N]

The salad looks nice. 

[Kerry Beal]

 

Look what I found yesterday at a bookstore!

[Kerry Beal]

Last evening I met up with @Beth Wilson and we headed off for tea and desserts at Oh So Good Desserts and Coffee House - forgot pictures - but it was all Dufflet from Toronto fare. I had a moussey lemon cake and Beth a PB Chocolate Brownie tart. 

 

Beth had found a little wire butter cutter for me and also a silicone edged Kitchen Aid flat beater that was the wrong size for her machine. I'll test it out on the couple of machines I have and failing that find a good home for it.

[Kerry Beal]

No breakfast to report on today as hubby is still recuperating from yesterday's. Upchucked the lot a couple of times.

 

We are on the train now - he's sticking to water.

[FauxPas]

Oh, that is really too bad. I do hope he is feeling better soon!  

[Kerry Beal]

6 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

Oh, that is really too bad. I do hope he is feeling better soon!  

As do I - he's a grouchy old fart when he's unwell!

[suzilightning]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

As do I - he's a grouchy old fart when he's unwell!

Aren't they all.....or whinging and needy.  (Just from personal experience...not saying your hubs is)

[Kerry Beal]

4 minutes ago, suzilightning said:

Aren't they all.....or whinging and needy.  (Just from personal experience...not saying your hubs is)

Thank god he's not quite that bad or we wouldn't have lasted 31 years!

[suzilightning]

13 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Thank god he's not quite that bad or we wouldn't have lasted 31 years!

35 in May..I just don't take it personally, call his sister and laugh about it.  Seems when he was younger he was a horrible patient.....

[Tri2Cook]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

As do I - he's a grouchy old fart when he's unwell!

One of my life goals has always been to someday be a grouchy old fart. There are a few who might argue that I've already accomplished that goal...