Ottawa Foodies

My husband and I ate here on Monday, and we were blown away! We both had the fish (haddock) and chips.

The fish was fresh and flaky, and the batter was light and crisp. Fries were hand-cut, and everything came out piping hot shortly after we ordered. Tartar sauce and coleslaw were home made and delcious, and portion sizes of everything were generous.

Service was super prompt and friendly. The owner was hanging around and thanked us sincerely for coming when we left.

Awesome experience, awesome food. We will most definitely be back.

BTW - The batter, tartar sauce and coleslaw are all dairy free!

2

I came for dinner here about 2 weeks ago and had a good experience overall.

I think the prices/food value here is quite good. However, the exception would be the oysters which are listed at "Market Price."

I ordered 6 Malpeque oysters, which are small oysters. The same week Farmboy had them on special for .49ea. I got zinged for $3 a piece. So, $18 for oysters. I looked up Arome's (Lac Leamay)price, which was $3ea as well for Malpeques. Considering that Arome is an upscale place and that Merivale Seafood Grill had holes in the vinyl table cloth, I wasn't too thrilled. However,next time, ask the price in advance- lesson learned.

My mom and boyfriend started off with a crab cake app. When they arrived, I thought they were overdone, based on the color (quite a dark brown) but apparently they tasted terrific. They were reasonably priced at $8.95/2- I know that crab cakes can end up being quite expensive.

I had a small bouillabaise(sp?) which I think was around $8. It was very good and had quite a bit of seafood in it. My mom had the grouper fish and chip special which she said was excellent. The fries that came with it were super and homemade as they should be with "fish and chips."

My boyfriend had the almond crusted mahi mahi special with a white wine sauce, mixed vegetables and rice pilaf. The portion was quite substantial and he loved it.

The drink/beer/wine list was nothing remarkable. I think my boyfriend ended up with a Sleeman's, my mom a couple glasses of white wine and diet coke for myself.

In total, the bill was $104 which I felt was reasonable for the amount of food and given that it was seafood.

The service was not great- I am under the impression that this is the place for an early dinner and that they like to close around 8pm. We arrived at 7:30 because my boyfriend was at work until 7pm. Sometimes, I find servers start getting a little slack when closing time starts to roll around. Although our food came out promptly, it took awhile to actually get our order taken. There were only two people waiting tables and most people were winding up their dinners. The servers seemed to be more interested in getting closing duties done. Consdering that it was only 7:30, I was a little irked, especially because my mom was in from out of town and this was my selection for our dinner out.

I would definately call for a reso if planning to come for dinner later than 7:30pm.

Essentially, this place is casual dining experience, like Red Lobster but with actual culinary talent in the kitchen and I think the food is more reasonably priced.

4

Merivale Fish Market & Seafood Grill is located at 1480 Merivale Road, between Baseline and Clyde. Its interior is modest and seems to have a neighbourhood following that pop in when doing dinner at home just doesn't suit the clock.

With Joey's Only gone from the neighbouring Loblaws plaza and the One Fish Two Fish gone as well from across the road, it is a recipe for success if they can keep the basics in check. Fresh fish. Well prepared. Good service. There just isn't anything else close by.

The place was quite full for a Tuesday evening. It looks like the place seats 40+ happy clients. The Seafood Grill is attached to the Merivale Fish Market, where you can find a wide selection of fish and seafood, if all you want to do is shop for making dinner at home.

I ordered halibut fish and chips. Each dinner is served with two pieces of fish, fresh cut fries, homemade coleslaw, tarter sauce and lemon. All this for $14.95. All portions were generous and I wasn't able to finish.

The fish was done to perfection. Nice crisp batter, not too thick and most importantly not greasy. The hand cut fries are great. I like that the coleslaw is homemade. I like mine with more kick though.

Many around me ventured beyond fish and chips on the menu, which leads me to believe that it is worth checking out what else they have to offer.

If you are interested in reading more, feel free to check out my blog.

ottawafood.blogspot.com

Went with a friend on the 23rd for dinner. we started with the fish soup, fantastic.
Slightly spicy broth with generous amounts of salmon, white fish, mussels and a nice fat shrimp on top.
The fish was not over cooked in the broth and the mussels were plump and tasty.
They had fresh Atlantic lobster just received that day so we oppted for this.
Arrived freshly steamed and tasted just like it had been freshly caught,.
My friend comes from Bridgewater and said it was flat our the best Lobster she has had in Ottawa.

Had dinner last night, started with a basket of fried sprats to share with bf. They were crispy and lightly dredged in flour, only negative could have had a little seasoning added to the flour and more lemon, only 1 small piece of lemon for the entire basket.
Next had the best clam chowder in Ottawa, loads of clams and very little potato, very nicely seasoned.
The fish and chips a bit of a disapointment as they were so greasy that my plate had a nice layer of oil. the fries looked and tasted like they had been reheated a couple of times. The slaw was very tasty and not drowning in mayo as a lot of place seam to do.
Overall a nice evening in a small and very busy grill.

Fresh fish!I am so pleased to finally find a fish and chips restaurant that is really good. The fish was fresh and wasn't frozen for six month like most other fish and chips in the city. They actually had real fries as opposed to all other restaurants that either have those crappy battered ghostly thin all you can taste is hydrogenated oil fries or fries that are so processed that they resemble something from a plastic bag in your supermarket in the freezer section. It was a real treat. No other restaurant in Ottawa comes close. We were there early and it was full so this place is well known by the locals.

They make excellent fish & chips and their fried calamari is always perfectly cooked. The clam chowder is also a favourite of mine, as well as their seafood soup (served like a cioppino, tomato based, slightly spicy, lots of garlic...) The last meal I had from there was memorable (it was a special, not a regular menu item), grilled salmon served on a goats feta risotto with pine nuts. Rich, delicious, excellent! Also, try their jambalaya if they have it as a special.

This place has a totally unique and awesome atmosphere. It feels just like you're in a cozy East-coast Mom-and-Pop fish-and-chips joint.

1

Ordered haddock and chips for take out today. I quickly realized I was in trouble as no cutlery, napkins, salt, ketchup or vinegar was supplied - I guess that is partly my fault for not checking. The batter was indeed light and crispy but found it too greasy. The fish was was nicely cooked. The chips were good but without salt or ketchup, I couldn't finish them. The tartar sauce was nothing special. The coleslaw was tasteless.

For $13.50 (incl tax) i expected a little better.. this was just above average.

1

Between us we have tried most of the starters and never been disappointed. I particularly like the clam chowder.

Fish and chips are good - only one thing, though - we order the haddock and I cannot be sure that it really is haddock. Haddock normally comes as a long piece of fillet (like at The Glen, for example), not a chunk. I'm not accusing them of anything, just making an observation. Batter is nice and crispy. Portions are good.

The only thing we don't like is the Kraft chemical tartar sauce.

NOW - if only they had mushy peas for that authentic British experience!! (Hint hint)

4

I've eaten here for years and I have to say the location has really improved.
Before, a few years ago all they had was a take out counter and no eat in space at all- price were super cheap then.
They will also steam shrimp and lobster from the fish store if you want to have it at home and not want a whole meal.
I remember them telling me to steam lobster or shrimp was free at the store side.

The bouilabaisse is very good and a huge portion.
I used to get the fried smelts all the time-but only once this year.
The clam strips are very good and you can tell they sre made from fresh not frozen clams (frozen ones are always too rubbery).

If you do not get enough lemon or sauce they will bring you out another portion for free.
I also like that they have those anise candy at the end of the meal.
The server always gives me at least 10 of them,lol.
I used to get food here twice a week when I lived in the area.
I doubt they will go under-they have been serving food there at least 20 years at least (used to bike there after highschool to get stuff sometimes)...and that was many years ago.

The crab cakes with the mango sauce are pretty good too!
I know last year they had a coupon in the entertainment book for a discount.

went last week on a whim with our son while waiting for daughter to finish rehearsals.
busy, had to wait 25 minutes for table.
seemed like mostly regulars.
place looks better inside than outside.
service was excellent, 2 wait staff handled the service very well. excellent in fact.
food was very good and quick, but not too quick, just right.
fish and chips were very good, although i think they use frozen chips instead of fresh cut, could be wrong.
nice surprise, nice evening, nice place to add to list.

I had their "catch of the day" fish and chips a couple of weeks ago with friends. It was grouper, which I hadn't tried before, though the battering process I'm sure eliminates any concerns I'd have about eating a previously unknown fish.

It was deliciously greasy, and easily the best fish and chips I've had in recent memory.

Their parking kind of sucks though, so it's best to arrive early.

having lived in the area for many years i'm ashamed to say i've never eaten at the Merivale Fish Market until today. i'm glad i finally stopped by because the fish n' chips are spot on - thick, crisp batter but also generous with the halibut/haddock. fries are hand cut, not frozen (there is a healthy serving buried underneath in that photo). certainly one of the best chippys i've been to in the city and the closest that comes to my old haunt in Perth, The Crown & Thistle.

this is greasy. it's fish and chips - it's supposed to be!

recommended.

Best fish and chips I've had in Ottawa yet! Same we've-been-doing-this-for-generations feel (and taste!) as the little restaurant on the wharf in Shediac, New Brunswick near my relatives.

I always eat in and never had a problem. It's Hard to find a place that serves better fish and chips in Ottawa. I guess thats why One fish Two Fish went under.

Merivale Fish Market is normally one of my favourites for fresh fish. The other night, the SO wanted fish and chips so I thought I'd grab takeout from here.

Like I said, I'm a big fan of their fish counter but the fish and chips was some of the greasiest I've ever had. Tons of batter and the bottom of the takeout box actually left a grease stain on my countertop. Maybe the fryer wasn't hot enough, but I don't think I'll give the fried stuff a second chance from here.

It's a bit on the oily side but that isn't always a bad thing. Great classic fish and chips!