Ottawa Foodies

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the first time i came to stoneface dolly's I had eggs benedict and ever since then I have been chasing the high! lol . I'm not a breakfast person but whenever I go for breakfast I get eggs benedict so I can safely say I am quite the lil' conoisseur of hollandaise sauce and poached eggs. I love the molasses bread and bacon and mm just everything about the eggs benedict here. Best I have ever tasted (including edmonton,montreal and the GTA).

Had an OK meal at Stoneface Dolly's last night. Nice beer list (Kitchisippi, Beau's, St-Ambroise, and some other nice stuff). I had the Caesar salad (decent dressing, shards of parma, bacon, house-made but rather forgettable dressing) and the pasta with rosemary-gorgonzola sauce and pears, grapes, nuts, etc. They were kind enough to sauce it lightly per my request. I seldom complain about portion size (well, other than to say that they are too big), but I found the serving to be quite meagre, especially given the inexpensive ingredients (price was decent though--$13). Mix of flavours was OK, nothing special. The nuts were rancid, a pet peeve of mine... My buddy had the strip steak, which was big and tasty. Service was quite nice--prompt, pleasant, efficient, respectful.

Overall, not so great that I would rush back...but not so bad that I would object if someone else suggested it.

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Two brunch spots that I’ve been repeatedly unimpressed and even disappointed by throughout the past year are Stoneface Dolly’s and Jak’s Kitchen. Mostly I’ve kept going back because they were someone else’s picks. I really feel both places rest on their laurels, and I guess it works for them as they are always packed out the door.

Although for many reasons I would rather go to a greasy spoon and spend $5 on breakfast, the reason I opt for the higher-end options is for things like homemade jams and bread, better coffee, and in some cases, ethically sourced ingredients. I don’t need the chefs/owners to make such a big deal over their efforts that a simple meal is meant to feel like a great event or even a privilege of the few ... but I look for the subtle attention to detail that demonstrates the love, pride, and integrity at the heart of the operation.

I swore off Stoneface Dolly’s after a few bad experiences in the Winter/Spring. I always seem to have the same waiter, whose nonchalant, if not exasperated disposition, suggests you should feel grateful for any visits he makes to your table. Twice I’ve order poached eggs (ordered medium) and ended up with a pool of tepid yolk in a cup. My plates have often looked thrown together, which is not something I’d take much notice of at a diner, but when I get a regular breakfast that is poorly prepared and presented, coffee is extra, so that the bill comes to around $20, I really ask myself what the heck I am doing not just going to Mello’s on Dalhousie, where the service is very friendly and efficient, and the eggs are cooked perfectly, and with a fiver and some change I’m good to go.

What irks me most, apart from spending money on food that is subpar, is that restaurants like Stoneface Dolly’s and Jak’s Kitchen purport to provide a superior dining experience, which is the reason we justify paying four times the price of a place like Dunn’s or the Mayflower. Yet my last several experiences at both restaurants have felt like being at a really, really expensive diner or cafeteria. At the risk of placing a little bit too much importance on food, I just can’t believe what little pride the cooks seem to take in their jobs, and I really believe that like with anything in life, if you’re not going to do it well, why bother doing it at all?

Whereas at a place like Murray Street that offers a brunch menu with all items priced at $13, they bring out complimentary treats before your meal arrives. And they play around with the menu based on what is in season, and I would presume, for their own creative outlet and growth. The service is friendly and calm, the plates are nicely put together, and the food has depth of flavour. At the Metropolitan I’ve tried the crème fraiche pancakes and the gruyere and ham stuffed French toast, and both times I’ve swooned. They don’t just have things on their menu because they sound good; they are truly skilfully prepared, which makes all the difference between what any person could put together at home, and what warrants a weekend splurge.

I think both Stoneface Dolly’s and Jak’s Kitchen have the essentials to be truly great neighbourhood eateries. My experience is that the energy of any work environment reflects the energy and leadership of those at the top. I hope whoever is heading these two restaurants can find their groove, snap out of the rut they’re in, and fall in love with food all over again.

2

Enjoyed a lunch here yesterday with my dad. We went slightly after the lunch rush, arriving at about 1:40.

I ordered the open-faced focaccia- rosemary baguette, avocado salsa, cucumber, tomato, brie, and sauteed mushrooms. Overall flavor was delicious BUT I was very confused. I was under the impression that open faced would mean a bottom piece of bread topped with whatever and that I would either cut and eat or pick it up and eat. The 'sandwich' came with the avocado salsa, cucumber, tomato and brie on one half and the mushrooms on the other. So I had no choice but to put the 2 together and try to eat it. The bottom half of the baguette was extremely chewy/hard which made biting or cutting hard. Cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms were squishing out the sides as I tried to eat. I would have appreciated another napkin to deal with the mushroom juice running down my arm.

Still overall I loved the flavor. I had the german potato salad with it and that was amazing.

Service was pleasant, but it took over 30mins for our food to arrive and both of us found it awkwardly long to wait.

Great selection of microbrews on tap.

My dad had the steak sandwich and said it was very good, although he too said he had trouble with the toughness of the bottom half of the bread.

We'll be back, I'd like to try the burgers!

1

BIG thumbs up! Stoneface Dolly's has an incredible brunch and lunch menu which makes it hard to decide what to order. I'll gladly keep going back until I've tried everything.

Hubby and I both tried the panini today. On Art-is-In bread, I had the grilled vegetable one and he had the chicken breast with roasted red peppers, swiss cheese and tomato. Mine had olive tapenade, artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini and a delicious spread of basil pesto goat cheese. I had a side of the german potato salad and my partner had the yam chips. Both plates also came with a little spring mix. All was great! I am salivating just recalling the details - haha

Good service, always great food, would highly recommend this place!

PS - Never tried their dinner menu so can't comment on that.

The Christmas gift certificate redeeming has begun and this was our first stop. A snowy drive gave way to an empty restaurant at 6pm on a Friday night. A glass of white and a Beau's then Sun-dried tomato Goat cheese. A giant portion that proved challenging to finish. Very rich almost a meal in itself. Specials were posted and my wife went for the penne in a white cream sauce cherry tomatoes shrimp and baby spinach. Simple but satisfying. I ordered off the menu from memory of our last visit. Veal Birds. Ground veal wrapped in prosciutto served with a portobello mushroom marsala cream sauce on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes with carrots grilled peppers and broccoli. The food was very tasty and generously portioned. Our certificate entitled us to a loaf of their molasses bread which was a nice change for breakfast this morning.

Looks like my wife had decided this is our annual thanksgiving tradition to have brunch at this establishment. Not being a brunch person I'm not complaining once a year is ok with me. It is a busy place with the owner of El Primo across the street waiting at the door to welcome the overflow of people not willing to wait. I was pleased to see the lunch menu started at 10:30. Service was terribly slow after 45 minutes our food arrived. I ordered the jerk chicken club with bacon chutney and mayo. I now know I do not like chutney(yuk cloves). I also seemed to be missing the mayo. We are not having very much luck with restaurants the week. My wife had pancakes one with raspberry and one with blueberry and a side of bacon. I got a taste and they were very good. Others had eggs benny with a pumpkin twist,very enjoyable was the comment. Brother in law had plain eggs benny scarfed them down in no time. So I guess he enjoyed them but I got the feeling he needed a bit more food.

What's a Stoneface Dolly? Anyways, that's not important! What's important is that Stone Face Dolly's is an amazingly delicious restaurant on Preston Street, located in the heart of Little Italy! They don't serve Italian food per say, just amazing culinary combinations that make your mouth water! I can never make up my mind when I go there.
"I'll have one of everything please!" Is what I truly want to say.

The two times I have been there, I was on a business meeting. This is a good fit because there is lots of discussion time. Not because service is slow, but because it is always PACKED at lunch time. I think many people go there for business meetings. The food is also really fresh and I think requires a longer cooking time, which I am okay with. I would recommend a reservation though if you are short on time.

I don't have any pictures, but if I return I will definately share with you!
Please just trust me on this one, or just vist their site :)

For more resto reviews, check out my blog theovalley.blogspot.com

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I absolutely love this place! Unfortunately whenever I do brunch there I find myself too excited and hungry when the food comes....So I dont; have any pictures.

I went there again this past Sunday and was not disappointed. This place is AWESOME for brunch! (Yes, it gets busy and you may have to wait a little while to get your order, but the food is totally worth it!)

There aren't that many great brunch spots in Ottawa - but this one is DEF one of them!

I always go for one of the Bennedicts or omlettes...MmMmM...thinking about their homestyle cooking makes my mouth water.

After a short debate in the car on where to go we decided to do a walk in here. We arrived early 5pm got parking on the street and a table for two. A beau's and a bellini to start. I went for the agnolotti stuffed with goat cheese and sun dried tomato with a rose sauce and roasted red peppers and baby spinach. Flavors were really good but the pasta was a bit sticky. The portion size for the price was a bit high also. My wife had the prosciutto wrapped ground veal with a mushroom sauce and risotto cake and it was substantially larger. Since I was still hungry I got a taste of the veal I would order that on the next visit.

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Went to Stoneface Dolly's for Easter brunch, what a disappointment...the eggs were overcooked, the mushroom patty-disgusting and the potatoes were mushy and tasteless. The only thing I enjoyed was the coffee. And oh yea, we also had a rude server. Never going back there again!!!

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The restaurant gives you one of the best brunch setting ever. Located at a quite intersection of Preston it is not difficult at all to find parking in nearby neighborhoods. As you approach the building you can feel the busy yet relaxing vibe of city life.

This place is constantly jammed with customers and I can only imagine why. When you get inside the open concept extended through the kitchen and the patio. The place is mainly light up by natural lighting from the patio, penetrating a very positive vibe.

The noise level is perfect. Sitting is comfortable and the design of the restaurant is also very warm and welcoming.

Egg Natasha- It is basically Egg Benedict with smoke salmon and spinich, topped with lemon diablo sauce.
The pouch eggs are nicely done. However the beautiful journey probably stops there. The spinach is too soggy and too "dead" very over cooked. The salmon does not look too pink and it falls short on amount. The most disappointment is on the muffin. It was very damped.
It is not a very big dish, with the price we are paying you can probably get better.

-www.bunny4bite.blogspot.com-

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I went there for breakfast on 2010 05 16 with my girlfriend. I had Omelet number 3 (red peppers, smoke salmon and goat cheese) and my date had the Eggs Natasha. We both really enjoyed our meal. Highly recommended for breakfast / brunch. I tried many, many places in Ottawa for breakfast and brunch and this place ranks in the top 3 for sure so far.

1

This is the reason to come to Stoneface Dolly's - I've eaten a lot of breakfast at a lot of restaurants, cafes, and diners in town and Stoneface remains at the top of my list.

Everything about their breakfasts is taken to the next level. They serve Art-is-in bread and Bridgehead coffee. Even the "hollandaise" is given special attention and made fresh (Cait has told me that their eggs benedict is the best in town).

I'm picky when it comes to potatoes. I'll always be disappointed to see frozen hash browns on my plate (when I'm not at a diner at least), but Stoneface serves a really nice fried mash that is unique, but still familiar.

That's the best way I can sum up brunch at Stoneface Dolly's - unique, but still familiar. All your favourite breakfast foods with a twist.

Tip: Go on Saturday to avoid long lines. One of my favourite places in Ottawa is their patio on a nice sunny Saturday morning.

always delicious! do not miss out on these!

The bread is baked in-house like dinner rolls (balls of dough in a baking pan, matrix style) and is served very fresh, one per diner. But unlike dinner rolls they are huge -- maybe 3"x3" at the base and 4" tall.

Flavour is lightly yeasty and pretty good. Texture is great: moist and pleasantly chewy on the inside, lightly crusty on the outside.

Served with the ubiquitous olive oil and balsamic but I would have preferred it with butter. Excellent for dunking into soups and sauces.

The lamb burger (which is available on their lunch menu for $9.95) is a favourite of mine. It's topped with goat cheese, caramelized (red) onions and peppers. It comes with their house salad and yam chips or potato salad..choose the yam chips.