Recommended Ottawa Restaurants?

[bagochips]

The last time I ate at the Golden Turtle (and I do mean the LAST time)there was a huge roach (non-smokable) crawling around on the table. I pointed this out to the waiter, he shrugged and mumbled something and left it free to roam.

That's one authentic Asian experience I don't need.

[snarfmaster C]

for thai no question - coriander thai on kent!

so so so freaking good. wow is it ever good.

so good. so so good.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

i get all drooly just thinking about it.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Erdinger Weissbier from pub italia is my current fave

a wheat beer with more flavour than most, and well rounded

[AdamH]

Peace Lizard if the variable is MOST selections than it's not the manx. If it's FRESHEST selections than it is the Manx. They keep things clean and offer a nice variety all through the year without trying to offer a hundred things all the time.

They're also cheaper than Pub Italia, and their food is beyond pub food and beyond the Pub Italia menu many times over.

[AD]

not to mention the atmosphere is much better at the manx. i always felt clausterphobic at pub italia

[Davey Boy 2.0]

i too enjoy the manx- in fact one of the few times i've gone there i think i did get that curried lamb wrap and loved it

also i've never had a bad meal at Agave, near Lauzon music on Richmond/Wellington. Alt-Mexican, cozy, good beers on tap.

[ollie]

not to mention the atmosphere is much better at the manx. i always felt clausterphobic at pub italia

Claustrophobic is exactly how I'd describe the Manx, especially the high top tables. Unless they've changed.

[AD]

do you mean the tables that are bar-height in the middle of the room? there are still 2 there... if that is what you are talking about.

i remember pub italia as big tall booths, no views of any tables other than the one you are at, dark, quiet... very private. maybe not claustrophobic, but definitely not encouraging for social behaviour. but then again i haven't been there since 2001 for those exact reasons. and i'm not exactly social to begin with.

in short, one man's "claustrophobic" is another man's "cozy"

[bradm]

Pub Italia has one big thing in its favour over The Manx: when the weather allows it, they can open up the front/patio area, which gives a great feel to the place. (I've been there when The Sugar Sticks were playing, and their straight acoustic jazz made for a really fun evening.) The Manx, being small, below street level (down a narrow staircase), and lacking a patio, has much more of a "secret cave" feel, which can be claustrophobic to some, cozy to others. (I like both places, even though I don't get to them often.)

Aloha,

Brad

[AD]

i challenge your description of the staircase!!!

hehehe. mmmmmmmmmmmm food........ brunch tomorrow at the manx will rule. secretly.

[Ms.Huxtable]

Thai - I'll second Corriander Thai on Kent

Italian - Hmmm, I don't eat italian very often but we went to Giovannis and it was good.

Chinese Delivery or Take Out - No question, Mekong Take out. (China Town) www.mekong.ca

Pho - Saigon Noodle House. It's the newest one in on Somerset in China Town right at Bronson. It's incredible how much better the meat quality is at this place. Don't just try the pho though, they have a pork chop and rice that was one of the best meals I've ever had in china Town.

Breakfast/Brunch - Stoneface Dollies on Preston

Diner/Greasy Spoon - Mellos on Dalhousie

[phorbesie]

what do you guys order at mekong? please

i got their take out the other day since bouche recommended it, but 90% of it is still sitting in the fridge waiting to be thrown away. bleh! (fyi i got the gui lan, beef noodles and greens, and rice paper spring rolls)

oh...but the hot and sour soup was yummay!! fortunately i ate that first, and was full enough by the time i got to the other stuff.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

general tao chicken @ mekong is v. good, last time i had it.

[gentlemonkey]

Erdinger Weissbier from pub italia is my current fave

a wheat beer with more flavour than most, and well rounded

Me too Davey! Great summer beer!

[gentlemonkey]

The last time I ate at the Golden Turtle (and I do mean the LAST time)there was a huge roach (non-smokable) crawling around on the table. I pointed this out to the waiter, he shrugged and mumbled something and left it free to roam.

That's one authentic Asian experience I don't need.

Ive heard that from a lot of people I know..Its certainly a dive, but they just put some kind of special greasy love into their broth that I havent found better..

'special greasy love' is the band me and bradm are starting.

[bradm]

'special greasy love' is the band me and bradm are starting.

I thought it was "Special Greasy Love Broth", or was "Broth" going to be the name of the first record?

Aloha,

Brad

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Spunk Broth is the rumour on the street

[Davey Boy 2.0]

speaking of which i withdraw my support for Mekong, particularly the general tao poulet

insipid as was the veggie fried rice

a sad day.

[AD]

went to Hot Peppers tonight.

service was terrible, food was ok but not great. perhaps just an off-night, will not rule out trying again in the future (after other places are sampled)

took 15 minutes to get water, 30 to get drinks (open bottle, pour juice, walk 10 paces to table, serve), 50 minutes for appetizer (2 lousy spring rolls), and 1:15 for main course (pad thai and pad tofu - not difficult cuisine). there was one server waiting on just 8 people in the restaurant. seems a bit ridiculous. didn't find anything overly outstanding, pretty standard stuff.

but again, maybe just a bad night for them.

[bouche]

We went to hot peppers went it first opened and we weren't expecting anything great and time wasn't even part of the thought process. I just remember that we had some really rich tasty thai served to the EXACT specification of hotness that we ordered.

WE had a simply red curry lunch within 1 hour. We haven't been there for dinner and I really do hate it when places over extend the time between events like finishing dinner and bringing your bill. That happened recently at le Pied du Cochon in Hull. We were CLEARLY done dinner, drinks and aperatif cafe, and it was another half fuckin' hour before we got billed. I thought that was perfectly fine to just take off if they didn't want to bill us. the meal was really damn good though.

[AdamH]

Bouche what is the connection between Le Pied du Cochon in Hull, and AU pied du cochon in Montreal? I don't think there is any but google the latter...they have a nutty cookbook only in French with fun things like pig's feet and duck poutine and so on.

I like Mekong ok but I'm not fanatical about it. It's very safe and their soups are excellent but anytime a chinese resataurant dabbles in thai food I get suspicious of why they can't focus on what they're good at.

I had heard good things about Jadeland...talk about atmosphere, the place looks like a 1970's "Chinese Canadian" restaurant in small town Ontario. It brought back bad memories of the shitty chinese restaurant in Heartland, NB that resides in an old church.

I haven't found a "favorite" chinese restaurant and would like to find one for when we finish up our 100-mile diet challenge since anything asian is verboten.

There's a place called Northern Han on Somerset that one of my chinese coworkers said is really good. It's a bit different than your usual options but they make a mean dumpling. Has anyone been?

[Ms.Huxtable]

We've been going to Ging Sing for Chinese a lot lately. It's at Preston and Somerset across from the Wine Exchange. Very, very good. The chef certainly prides himself on presentation.

I don't think Le Pied du Cochon and Au Pied du Chochon are related. I've had a hankering to try the Montreal version ever since I saw Anthony Bordain visit it on No Reservations. We decided to try the one in Hull, and while it's got good food (I had beef tar tar and bouche had lamb chops) the atmosphere is that of a seniors home. Definitly no frois gras or duck on the menu which is what the one in Montreal is famous for.

[SmoothedShredder]

You know when you want that huge breakfast, that's really good for curing a hang over... usually called a Luberjack Special, or Truckers delight? Well Eggspectations on Bank had about 5 soild varieties of these. It's not your $5 special with coffee... but if crazy big breakfast is what you crave, then it's a good destination!

[slavetothegroove]

Matt and I ate at Northern Han tonight, realizing it's right across the street from our place. I'm glad you people suggested it because it's by far the freshest Chinese food I've ever had. It was tasty and everything wasn't soaked in oil or grease, and you can tell wasn't sitting there all day long. Thumbs up! Keep the suggestions coming.

Steph