Ottawa Foodies

Hello Boys and Girls :)

I had a brief email exchange with Steve Poltnicki at Opinionated About Dinning and he will add Atelier to his North American restaurant survey, but he needs reviews. I have already submitted mine but like zagat they need several to get a restaurant listed. This would be the only non-Canadian mention of a Ottawa restuarant that I have seen.

The link to register/login to write a review is:

www.insightexpress.com/ix/oa/

The main website is:
www.opinionatedaboutdining.com

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You know when you eat a meal and everything afterwards just sort of pales in comparison? The bar has been raised? Your world view changes? Epistemological and ontological markers are smashed and your life is thrown into an existential vacuum? (or something like that) I've felt this way a few times after dining out, and atelier (and Marc Lepine's food in general) did that to me. There are elements that are comforting and familiar which basically destroyed and reassembled into something that BLOWS YOUR MIND. The food is hyperdetailed, with a focus on quality ingredients. The lobster ravioli with the lobster mushroom, bacon/pancetta, slice of truffle & sweet corn puree was pretty amazing. The aroma was intoxicating with the scent of truffle & fresh corn. There were so many dishes with a lot going on in each of them, so I think it's impossible for me to go back and describe them all without photos... but the standout dishes were the lobster ravioli, duck confit, sous vide pork belly & apple (melt in your mouth, now we know that bacon DOES go well with apple pie), wall-i (cooked superbly) and tomatrix (super fresh seasonal flavours, light and refreshing, could eat the pine nut crumble all day long). The subterranean homesick alien dessert was awesome, visually & gastronomically. The presentation was just amazing. The service was probably some of the best I've had in Ottawa as well. The atmosphere was phenomenal and lended well to a lingering multihour dining experience. I will definitely return when the seasons change along with the menu (though I do hope to see that lobster ravioli dish again in my future). Kudos to the super friendly and welcoming staff.

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cherry bomb @atelier. awesome doesn't just begin with this dish: a sphere of fantastic star anise nitro ice cream embraced with bing cherries, phat blueberries and the bowl was lined with delicious sauces. star anise adds that wonderful licorice flavor in the ice cream that i'll bet it can be everyone's new dRuG adDIcTiOn.

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fruits de mer @atelier. raising the bar on presentation and serviceware by plating this dish on a ROCK to transport you oceanside. you got seaweed, seared watermelon, caviar, many goodies and superfluous nipples made of carrot sauce.

jessica albacore @atelier. idle hands. yup. dark angel. yup. into the blue. yup. delicious and healthy albacore tuna salad. love the punchy oriental flavas with the tamarind sauce with the cilantro and daikon & red radish.

have you seen demi moore lately? she's almost 50 and has reversed in age to look like in her teens thru many means including an ultra clean raw and natural vitamin-enriched diet. just LOOK at yourself. don't deny yourself, you really need this. release your inner youth and enjoy this dish. goddamn ashton kutcher LOL.

tomatrix reloaded v2.0 @atelier.

snack food @ atelier. this is THE dish for your massive and posh home theater with massive wall display in 1080p and ultra cushy lounge sofas. be grateful for what you are about to receive with awesome snack flavors pairings: popcorn flavored caviar made thru spherification, peanut sauce, and soft tushy mounds of zesty dorito cheese. and on top of that, steak cooked ultra healthy via sous-vide and coated with crushed pretzels...the components of this dish screams I'M ALL MAN, BABY!!

lobster ravioli @ atelier. hands down an outstanding dish made with a mondo huge ravioli (with whole chunks of lobster) on truffled corn sauce, lean strips of bacon (no fat!!), a big slice of black truffle, pan seared lobster mushrooms, paprika, cilantro. zOMG i was adamant and loud with the staff that this dish had all my fave flavors. this is a future classic! super rich in flavors without the calories!

Thank you Daddy for the wonderful pictures which pretty much begged me to visit again right after I had gone (since I knew how good it was). I will return in September (less than a year since my last visit)and will introduce some new folks to the experience!

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I am beyond picky. I am not adventerous, I don't eat vegetables and I even have a hard time with rare meat, Hence the name. Picky_Me

My wife Twosips is the foodie in our team. The opportunity for us to go to Atelier has come up twice and on this second occassion I just couldn't pass it up.

I can't share my experience in a review cause I don't write that well, but I went last night and was amazed at the stuff they come up with.

I loved everything about it (except maybe the pea soup) and can't wait to go back! My favorite dish last night was a toss between, the steak, lamb, or Tuna..

Wanted to say thanks for the photo's posted on here. I will enjoy showing them to my friends when I relate my experience. I tried taking photo's with my blackberry but the quality (without a flash) is just sad.

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Chef Marc Lepine opted to share some of his miracle fruit with his restaurant's New Years Eve diners. Pretty cool!

www.cbc.ca