Ottawa Foodies

I took my mother to lunch at The Swan in Carp last week on a Tuesday. I mention the day because they are closed on Mondays—more on that later. We both decided on salads—I chose the Asian Beef Noodle Salad and she opted for a green salad with roasted beets and goat cheese ( a couple of other things too, but complete description I can’t recall). A few minutes later the server returned to tell us they were out of goat cheese and were offering feta if we wished. By this time the table next to ours had received their order and it looked delicious. Two of a party of 4 had ordered the beef rib special of the day and we decided we’d stick with my salad and the special which was Tandoori rubbed baby back ribs with waffle fries and salad. Both were excellent choices. The beef noodle salad had a bit of spicy kick but not too much—pasta was cooked just right, beef was tender and flavourful and the greens and cucumbers were fresh and crisp. The sesame dressing coated everything lightly—and the salad was huge! It was also delicious the next day for lunch with some added greens and grape tomatoes! The dry rubbed ribs were absolutely decadent—moist, flavourful and pretty much falling off the bone. The freshcut, lightly seasoned waffle fries were great. There was barely a hint of deep fried aftermath. The salad was pretty good for a side—light dressing and carrot and beet curls. We had decided to share a dessert but they only had a couple of choices—we decided since they are closed Mondays, they haven’t had time by Tuesday lunch to restock. Good for the waistline but next time I’ll try later in the week—they really do have nice desserts (and priced at just $5-$6). I love the fact that they change the menu seasonally, always have a good special and soup of the day. And for those interested—it is a pub after all—they have Beau’s Lugtread on tap. With 2 iced teas, $29 + tip.

It all started with a nice drive to a quiet town called Carp. During one of my stops, a restaurant whose chef (Joseph Thompson I believe) had come up in conversation while talking about cooking whole animals. He was seen cooking a deer’s foot, perhaps for some sort of program. Naturally, I had to taste which animal parts this man would offer me.

As a starter I began with an international cheese platter which consisted of 4 cheese blocks big enough for multiple people to sample and enjoy. One cheese worth noting was the Stilton. It had a creamy yet dry texture that was remarkable. The smell and flavour were great as well. It was very impressive with just the right potency to appeal to the timid, yet satisfy the true cheese connoisseur. For $13.00 I may just shop for my cheese there from now on.

The Cold smoked ostrich and apple carpaccio was another selection on our table which was interesting, and tasty however, it was not what I was expecting as it resembled more of a jerky than a carpaccio. It had a taste of black pepper and hickory smoke I would guess. The smoked ostrich in combination with the cheese made a wonderful topic of conversation.

Osso bucco of wild boar, wild berry reduction, baby vegetables and herb infused cheese tuite was my main. Osso bucco is an Italian dish of brazed shank on the bone. Presentation was just the way I like it. Natural, rustic, simple and I always love when I can identify what I’m eating. The meet was tender and the chef had taken his time when making this dish by bringing out its natural flavours. It was also perfectly pared with the wild berry reduction. Time and care went into this dish and it was noticeable. The roasted vegetables were slightly over done but were a good accompaniment.

To finish we had a Crème brûlée, whose custard was perfect, yet the hard caramel top I found a bit thick.

Over all my experience at Swan was very good and I will be going again. I would also recommend The Swan to anyone who wants a quiet romantic night out, or just to spend an afternoon to try the vast selection of imported beers. I will be including a separate review on the service and decor of Swan at a later date.
To the owners, thank you again for a wonderful night and you really do have a very beautiful baby.

I have yet to stumble on a bad dish here. And it's such a sweet little spot, too...

Pictured: mushroom bruschetta. The cheese comes out a tad too chewy, but overall it's a nice dish. They have more mushroom on the menu than the average restaurant and a number of substantial vegetarian side (and a main or two) dishes; eating veg here isn't a pile of fried zucchini and icebergy 'chef salad.'

Dropped in here "for a cold one" on a very hot Saturday in August after a visit to the Carp Farmers Market. It was great to find some shade and a nice breeze blowing on the veranda / deck.

The Swan has a nice collection of Beers on Tap, and many others from around the world are available by the Can / Bottle.

Two fairly new additions to the line-up: they now have our favourite local brew in stock. Beau's Lug Tread Beer ( vendor 1433 ) is available both on Tap by the Pint or by the 750 ml Bottle. (First time I've seen the beer being sold by the bottle in either a Pub or Restaurant).

Oh ya, yours truly had a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio (sorry don't recall the name).