Ottawa Foodies

We go there with the family often, as everybody seems to come away satisfied. Their salmon in black bean sauce is very good, as is their shrimp and snow peas.

The portions are generous. We usually have enough left over to take home for lunch the next day.

The service is friendly.

I passed by this place this afternoon and took a shot of this restaurant. (Just wanted to use up some memory space of FF's server.)

Hate to see graffiti on a clean wall. This is so normal in downtown buildings.

So I was without my significant other this weekend and was feeling lazy. So I ordered in chinese from Ging Sing. First of all, they got here quite quickly. They originally said forty minutes, and it was closer to thirty. I ordered spring rolls, hot and sour soup and crispy beef. The spring rolls were quite good for delivery, nice veggies, and still hot. The hot and sour soup though, amazing. I often find when I get hot and sour soup it has a bitter aftertaste, or the broth is too watered down. This stuff was heaven in a cup, honestly. All the veggies and tofu were perfectly suspended, and it was also still very hot. The crispy beef - ahhh wonderful. I've been on the search for this stuff, I had it once and forgotten who I'd ordered it from. Anyways, they keep the beef and the sauce seperate when you order, so that the beef is SUPER crispy, which is how it should be in my opinion. And the spice level was just how I asked for it. I would order from them again and again. Top notch!

Well, I went there with a friend for lunch and all I can say is that it was OK. Sure the food might be inexpensive, but there are a lot of inexpensive places in Chinatown that are more gastro-economically satisfying.

After a recent first visit, I'd say Ging Sing may be good enough, but would hesitate to use any superlatives.

For appetizers, I had hot & sour soup, which was reasonably good, though not nearly as spicy as I've come to expect it should be. Mrs. Ozonator had rice paper shrimp rolls, but was very disappointed to find them completely bland -- no mint, no other herbs, just iceberg lettuce, plain rice noodle, and shrimp -- with dipping sauce that was identical to Skippy peanut butter. No, wait, the sauce was Skippy peanut butter.

The mains were somewhat better -- Szechwan eggplant, and vegetables in satay sauce. These were good enough, but neither were spectacular nor unique. I found myself reminded of what I might get at So Good (vendor 883), but So Good has many more choices for vegetarians, and there's something about So Good's flavours that I prefer.

Overall, the atmosphere and service were fine (certainly not a hole-in-the wall feel), and those expecting reasonably priced Szechwan sauces won't be disappointed, but I and my taste buds see no reason to rush back for more.

Exceptional for vegetarians. Too many Chinese restaurants try to pass off junk like frozen veg; this stuff was all fresh, well-cooked, nicely seasoned, and not stingy in portion or proportion.

Good deal, too -- five dishes (with plenty left to take home) plus two drinks and 20% tip was about $55.

I'm relieved to once again have tried and enjoyed a place solely because I liked the reviews on-line. Many thanks to fellow geek foodies!

And, I really like their hours -- until 11 Sun-Thurs, midnight Fri-Sat. Way too much of Ottawa closes up early; I needed a non-dive place to eat a bit later than usual.

Comments on other comments: there was loads of parking late this Thursday night. And I liked the quiet, and, re. "Let's support him" -- I tucked a delivery menu in my handbag on the way out, with every intention of using it, even if it's just for seven orders of the potstickers.

We visited Ging Sing this summer (always looking for the best General Tso's!). Parking was atrocious (I'd rather use the street than their lot), despite the fact that the restaurant was empty.

Our service was quick and efficient, and there was a good number of choices on the menu. My boyfriend had a soup (unfortunately, I cannot remember which) and I had the Tso's chicken.

His dish was fantastic (flavourful broth, lots of meat), whereas my chicken left much to desire. It was very oily and garlicky, not nearly as sweet/spicy as I prefer. Also, whereas some people might prefer a lot of meat, I was disappointed by the lack of quality veggies in the dish.

overall, I would return again for the sake of trying another dish...but I still have yet to find the perfect General Tso's chicken.

3/5

We visited Ging Sing last night after reading the recommendations here. Prices are noticeably lower than average and food flavour is better than average. We will be back! :)

They were not busy at all at 7pm on a Friday, which was surprising. By the time we left -- after 8:30 -- they were almost full! The kids loved the saltwater fish tank featuring a couple "Nemo" fish.

My Mandarin teacher recommended this restaurant as well as Chinese colleague. You know you're getting quality when recommendations hail from two Chinese food specialists. Their prices are incredibly reasonable, the food is fresh and very flavourful. I've been trying to find the place for Chinese in Ottawa and I think I've found it - and believe me I've been eating chicken feet across Ottawa to find it. One criticism: no atmosphere...way too quiet...turn up the music!

Nice place. The food was average, but at least better than many Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. The location is a bit far from Chinatown and is easily forgotten. It is a chef owned restaurant. Poor owner/chef also does delivery himeself to save money. Let's support him.

The picture looks unimpressive, but this is one of the better General Tso's I've had: slightly crispy outside, very moist interior, good salt level, a hint of sweet, a hint of sour, and a good hit of spice. Menu item #43.

I like to try General Tso's because every restaurant does it a bit differently (and it tastes good!). However, it is generally claimed to have originated in North America (along with chicken balls, chop suey, etc).

Had #133 Stir Fried Eggplant Szechwan Style and #155 Fried Noodle with Shrimp, B.B.Q Pork, Sliced Chicken, Green Vegetable (which also contains, fancy cut calimari).

The eggplant dish was very tastey and rich. First I thought all this richness was coming from a whack of oil. Not so, because the next day when I went for the left-overs and there was only a little oil the floated to the top.

As for the noodles .... my fav from the Ging Sing. Crispy edged and real a kwel mix of flavours. A meat lovers version for sure, because it contains four; Chicken, Char Siu, Shrimp and Calamari. The veggie part includes, Gai Lon and carrot, etc. mmmm ... want some more.... now.

When I had this -- the vegetable fried rice -- at the restaurant, it was excellent. Albeit slightly different, so laden with crisp veg as to suggest it was healthful.

The delivery version was much less vegetabled -- not insufficient, but enough for me to label them as mildly inconsistent -- and I like more egg, myself.

But -- fresh and not at all bad.

Had these last night, and I have to say, the ones I make at home are better. I also had the barbequed chicken with rice and greens, and all the food was bland. Service was good, and very fast, but the best part of the meal was the Tsingtao I had to drink with it. I won't be returning.

Okay, okay. It does look like an ear.

But I just had them again, and, yum...

Touché! The mysterious potsticker-face even looks more Expressionist than Cubist. Wonk, wonk!

Picasso only needs one ear, preferably somewhere above his eye. Offer it to Van Gogh instead!

Tell Picasso we've found his missing ear.

Crave-worthy, these ones. Vegetarian potstickers are hard to find, and these ones were great.

Notable: the veg was crisp, flavourful, and finely diced. That kitchen's doing nice stuff.

Apologies for the picture quality of the remaining one I managed to snap before eating...

5 for $3.95 -- not bad.

The "Fried Noodle with Mixed Vegetable" (menu item #160) was tasty and had a generous assortment of veggies. Our kids won't eat meat unless it's loaded with nitrates so they love this kind of dish.

The best Cha Sui in Ottawa, and it's as good as or better than most in Toronto, is made at Ging Sing... yes the restaurant. They use the neck meat of the pig, which is leaner and tastier. But it is relatively more expensive....

Thanks for the tip, Ashley. I usually get BBQ pork from the BBQ shop you mentioned (can't remember the name either but Double Happiness sounds right). It's the best I've found in Ottawa but I'll keep your Toronto recommendation in mind for the future! Too bad my freezer is quite small. :)

Mark, I recommend that you don't order any BBQ pork dish in Ottawa. Most of the BBQ pork dishes in Chinatown get their supplies either from Kowloon Market or the one (Double Happiness?) at Somerset & Booth. There isn't any good BBQ pork stores in Ottawa either. If you go to Toronto, buy as many as you can and put them in your freezer.

The "BBQ Pork with Rice and Green Vegetable" (menu item #174) was a bit disappointing because the pork was very dry and lacked the salty sweetness that typically characterizes char siu.

This plate would make a decent meal for a very hungry person, but you would have to ask for some hot sauce to make it yummy. The price was great -- even though the online menu claims $7.50 I'm pretty sure the menu in the restaurant had it for $6.50.

If the food does look like what is shown in the picture, I would definitely pass this dish.

"138 -- Stir Fried Mixed Vegetable in Satay Sauce, $8.50."

Again: inconsistent.

When I had this in the restaurant, it was stuffed with generous helpings of the best sorts of veg. This (delivered) came with way too much cauliflower.

The sauce is great, though -- not if you're craving hot and spicy, but if you're wanting flavourful. Just a hint of heat.

As delivered.

Vegetarian.

Tasty. One had some substantial chunks of mushrooms. Rice vermicelli not overcooked. Less greasy than most delivery spring rolls.