Ottawa's restaurant scene

[bouche]

Good Luck. I sort of envy you because I love food, although if I worked in that industry I would probably lose the love that a home chef has.

Wanna come over for dinner Polkaroo ??

[Ms.Huxtable]

Agave is also really good and more authentic than anywhere else for Mexican/Latin cuisine.

The new Stone Face Dolly's is pretty elegent, especially when compared to the original on Bronson (which I still prefer for atmosphere and background music).

In Hull, Mike and I have been treated to some serious haute cuisine. Try La Panache on Eddy for fine French food (If you have an extra hundred + dollars in your pocket) or Le French Quarter for some pretty expensive but damn yummy New Orleans inspired cuisine.

I find the food in Hull to be stellar everywhere we've gone. Definitely more class than the Ottawa restaraunts and even some high ranking chefs own restaraunts in this area.

Oh man get me started on food.....

[Ms.Huxtable]

Oh and MarcO, if you like spice, try Carribean Flavors on Somerset Street for yummy, spicy and cheap food. Just don't be in a hurry.

[Im going home Donny]

Oh and MarcO, if you like spice, try Carribean Flavors on Somerset Street for yummy, spicy and cheap food. Just don't be in a hurry.

Oh MAN! If you like Ginger beer(non boozy kind)

Words cannot do justice to Freds home brewed ginger beer!...yummy!

[snarfmaster C]

I don't want to hijack this thread but while we're discussing Ottawa restaurants, anybody got any recommendations for cheaper-but-unique eats there?

My girl and I will be in Ottawa at the end of the month and would love to try a couple of authentic, affordable and unique places off the beaten track, although they must have vegetarian options for Laurie.

their menu is nothing too far out of the ordinary as far as pubs go, but Irenes on Bank street in the glebe has got the best veggie burgers EVER. i am also veg, but i couldn't tell you what other options they have - i don't ever look at a menu. added bonus - they make their fries there from real potatoes

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Also for unique, check out the Horn of Africa for ethiopian cuisine on Rideau. NO FORKS!

I could eat that food, and nothing else, every day for the rest of my life. Seriously. I'm glad to know they're still in business, as we're going to become regulars there soon enough (any other Ethiopian spots in Ottawa, btw?).

And it's not a complete eating experience until you've got the food all over your hands. I can't explain why, but it's true. There's something about the communal plate, too, that makes for a very satisfying meal.

[bradm]

Irenes on Bank street in the glebe has got the best veggie burgers EVER. i am also veg, but i couldn't tell you what other options they have - i don't ever look at a menu. added bonus - they make their fries there from real potatoes

Another place very close to Irene's is The Arrow & Loon pub, which has about five or six different kinds of burgers (in terms of toppings), each of which can be had with a beef, chicken, or vegetarian patty. I don't if their veg is better or worse than what's at Irene's (as I've never had either), but the Loon does have an amazing draft beer selection, with about 15 or 16 taps of Ontario (and Quebec, sometimes) micro-brews (you won't find Blue or Canadian or Rickard's on tap there ), including two or three hand-pumped "real" ales.

Aloha,

Brad

[AdamH]

The Manx, on Elgin St: specials changing daily, a mix of different cuisines on their menu but all prepared expertly, reasonable prices and excellent beer. From time to time you can sub out potato and sub in sweet potato fries too.

I've been here more frequently than I've been any other restaurant in town.

[AD]

Another place very close to Irene's is The Arrow & Loon pub, which has about five or six different kinds of burgers (in terms of toppings), each of which can be had with a beef, chicken, or vegetarian patty.

Don't forget the Bison!! Mmmmmmm!

AD

[Hux]

Pretty complete list here.....what about some Preston St. entries? Giovanni's is good.

For sushi: Suisha Gardens, Slater at Bank, heading there momentarily!! mmmmmmm.....

[bradm]

I like Pub Italia on Preston, not so much for their food, but for their beer list. IIRC, a band called "The Sugar Sticks" plays there on Wednesday evenings, and does some pretty good straight-ahead acoustic jazz w/ horns.

As for sushi, I'm not an expert, but like Soeul House at Somerset & Percy. It's what I call "Chevy Nova" sushi: not fancy, not extravagant, but acceptable, unsurprising, and pretty cheap.

Aloha,

Brad

[Booche]

"Suisha Gardens, Slater at Bank, heading there momentarily!! mmmmmmm....."

Hopefully you are going to the Emergency Ward for shots first before you turn into this guy (although, that would be cool if I could say I was friends with Batman):

[M.O.B.E]

i'm thinkin I better get busy sendin out resume's after checkin out some of the websites posted here...thank you everyone...looks to me like you guys in the big-O have a better scene than in toronto...I've been talkin about a move to ottawa for years and I think I have the wife convinced and PoG is now talkin my ear off about it too...maybe be seeing you folks soon from the other side of a dinner plate!...peas and love Steve

[arcane]

* Lapointe: Decent fish, but don't go there for the sushi. Stale rice. Ick.

* Kinki: Good soup, but don't go there for the sushi. Stale rice. Ick.

* Seoul House: DO go there for the sushi, and say "hi" to Mr Kim for me The sushi is basic, and it's a good value for the money. We usually order the "Love Boat." Mr Kim takes very good care of us.

* Suisha Garden. DO go there for the sushi. Order the octopus sunomono. Knock back a couple of "Empress" cocktails (I think that's what they're called). Possibly the best sushi in Ottawa.

* Bento: DO go there for the sushi. Best fast-food sushi we've found in Ottawa, but it's a little out-of-the-way (Rideau near the Vanier Parkway). Not to be confused with the "Bento Nouveau" stuff available in the Loblaws stores.

We're in Montréal right now. Mostly I don't miss the food in Ottawa, but I -do- miss:

* The shwarma. I haven't found truly good fast-food shwarma here yet, but I have found a wonderful Syrian restaurant whose pub grub is an great value for the money: Le Petit Alep (191 Jean Talon West, so it's on the Metro--blue line, I think, and I'm not sure which stop). Best hummus I've ever had. Their restaurant fare is slightly more expensive but still pretty reasonable, and it's also available in their bar area if you ask. Tasty, tasty, tasty.

* Biagio's. We live in an Italian area, but we still don't know of anything comparable to Biagio's (Lincoln Fields). BradM, what's your take on Biagio's?

* Fish and chips. Not easy to find 'em here.

* Pancakes. Ditto. Crepes are more common here than snot, but try to find a good pancake. The only ones I've found so far have had too much sugar added to the batter.

BradM, what's the name of the noodle house across the street from my old apartment? The more Thai/Vietnamese places we try in Montréal, the more we appreciate just what a good value--and what good food--can be had at that place. (I should point out that we've found some pretty good Thai/Vietnamese places here, with soup to die for.)

[bradm]

I like Biagio's a lot, for the food, the decor, and the fact that it's crawling distance from HouseM.

I think the noodle place you're thinking of is Pha Thanglong (which I found using the handy proximity search feature of Canada411).

Aloha,

Brad

[MarcO]

thank you all so much for the recommendations! I especially appreciate the veggie options.

I guess we'll defintely have to visit Works and there are a couple of others we'll keep in mind. I'll print this thread off to have handy when we get to town.

MyOtherBrotherEsau - I hope my post didn't detract from your thread too much. Best of luck with your job search!

Finally - the question of all questions. Let's say Laurie and I find ourselves looking to order a pizza. Where's the place for pizza delivery in Ottawa? We're staying in the Montreal/St Laurent area.

thanks again in advance!

[gentlemonkey]

I love pizza..

my favorites:

- Carlos/ 722-6002 - ask for it extra crispy.. its thick cheesy and delicous, and conveniently located 2 blocks from me!

- Pavarazzi's / recently took down Carlos as Ottawa's best gourmet pizza- they have herbed crust, spicy or regular tomato sauces.. and some great vegetarian choices.. its reaaaally good.

-Collenade pizza / kins of salty but damn good

- Newport/ legendary- but not as good as the others

[AdamH]

MarcO:

Cheap, no-frills fluffy crust pizza: My choice is one plus one. It's a chain but it's better than pizza pizza

Fancy shmancy pizza: Pavarazzi's is good, but for dining in I really like Cafe Ventuno. There's probably a better place on Preston Street.

Sort of a candianized but still good pizza: I really like the Prescott hotel's square pizza, mind you if you're going there you'd be severely dumb not to get a meatball sandwich.

No matter what, ignore the people who claim colonnade is the best pizza in ottawa. It's really not. It's just that it's so fatty and so dense you only need one slice

[gentlemonkey]

Oh yeah, and Forno Anico on Bronson has real Italian style pizza, cooked in a wood stove. its really good, but i like lots o cheese.

[bradm]

i like lots o cheese.

I've heard you're also partial to a good bit of sausage now and then... :blush:

Aloha,

Brad

[gentlemonkey]

you offerin'?

[phorbesie]

* Lapointe: Decent fish, but don't go there for the sushi. Stale rice. Ick.

* Kinki: Good soup, but don't go there for the sushi. Stale rice. Ick.

* Seoul House: DO go there for the sushi, and say "hi" to Mr Kim for me The sushi is basic, and it's a good value for the money. We usually order the "Love Boat." Mr Kim takes very good care of us.

* Suisha Garden. DO go there for the sushi. Order the octopus sunomono. Knock back a couple of "Empress" cocktails (I think that's what they're called). Possibly the best sushi in Ottawa.

* Bento: DO go there for the sushi. Best fast-food sushi we've found in Ottawa, but it's a little out-of-the-way (Rideau near the Vanier Parkway). Not to be confused with the "Bento Nouveau" stuff available in the Loblaws stores.

thank you so much...i have been meaning to ask on the board where the good sushi spots are here in town. the sushi i have had so far in ottawa has been so nasty. can't wait to try some good stuff!!! i'll look up those places in the phone book. YAY!

:oD

ps. any other sushi recommendations from peeps are still welcome

[phorbesie]

Oh yeah, and Forno Anico on Bronson has real Italian style pizza, cooked in a wood stove. its really good, but i like lots o cheese.

interesting...i didn't like their pizza at all. it had no toppings on it!!!

[bradm]

ps. any other sushi recommendations from peeps are still welcome

Festival Japan (149 Kent Street) is pretty good; I went there once with Low_Roller and dave-O, who (IIRC) said they liked it for the quality and portion sizes (for the money).

Aloha,

Brad

[arcane]

Thanks, Brad.

I've been playing with features of http://maps.google.com/ today. Very cool.

I forgot to add my enthusiastic "YES!!" for The Works. I want one here in Montréal. Awesome burgers.

I also forgot to add that the specialty food stores in Montréal kick ass. Butchers, bakeries, cheese shops, and sausage vendors abound here. There is a huge difference between Montréal and Ottawa in that regard: In Montréal, we have neighbourhood butchers and bakeries. Not so in most of Ottawa. Mmmm ... fresh bread and lamb chops ... now I'm hungry.