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Foods from Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro
Reviews
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Nov 30
Recently made my first trip here and it was exemplary, one of my best dining experiences over my three years in Ottawa. I like how they use classic technique with distinctly Canadian ingredients....exactly what Canadian cuisine needs more of in my opinion. Rather than a particularly crazy fusion of influences, I’d say it’s more of fresh and interesting takes on classic dishes with a healthy dash of creativity.
Split 4 apps and a main between two, portions were very generous in my opinion and desert was unfortunately out of the question after all that. Service was excellent all the way through, and I generally don’t concern myself with service very much.
The bison bone marrow is the kind of dish that I really enjoy ordering out (its hard to saw marrow bones in half at home!) and it was just magnificent. Instantly one of my favourite dishes in Ottawa after my first bite.
Wild mushroom and barley soup was excellent. Duck liver pate was also simply but competently executed. The rabbit dumplings are a bit of a miss in my opinion although they are presented and cooked perfectly, but perhaps that is just me. I found them a bit heavy and I didn’t necessarily detect the unique flavour of rabbit.
Had the chef’s choice wild boar as the main, it was brought to the table in two ways (A frenched rack of rib chops and a braised and then crusted slice of the belly). A great way to share between two people, the med-cooked chops were a perfect compliment to the rich belly.
All-around excellent, if you want to take out-of-towners somewhere that is different and has high standards this place is a great choice...I am proud that we have a resto like this in Ottawa.
Split 4 apps and a main between two, portions were very generous in my opinion and desert was unfortunately out of the question after all that. Service was excellent all the way through, and I generally don’t concern myself with service very much.
The bison bone marrow is the kind of dish that I really enjoy ordering out (its hard to saw marrow bones in half at home!) and it was just magnificent. Instantly one of my favourite dishes in Ottawa after my first bite.
Wild mushroom and barley soup was excellent. Duck liver pate was also simply but competently executed. The rabbit dumplings are a bit of a miss in my opinion although they are presented and cooked perfectly, but perhaps that is just me. I found them a bit heavy and I didn’t necessarily detect the unique flavour of rabbit.
Had the chef’s choice wild boar as the main, it was brought to the table in two ways (A frenched rack of rib chops and a braised and then crusted slice of the belly). A great way to share between two people, the med-cooked chops were a perfect compliment to the rich belly.
All-around excellent, if you want to take out-of-towners somewhere that is different and has high standards this place is a great choice...I am proud that we have a resto like this in Ottawa.
Nov 23
I took my parents to dinner this past Saturday. It was my second time at Sweetgrass, it was their first.
Generally speaking, the food was excellent! The service was fine. The overall experience was very enjoyable.
We were provided the complimentary popcorn, although the server took it away well before our apps even came and didn’t bother asking if we were done. Weird. We also had that lovely bread/bun.
I ordered my usual virgin Caesar. I ended up with a regular Caesar so had to get it replaced. The drink isn’t that great at Sweetgrass – rather sweet.
For starters, we had the Mixed Green Salad (Mom said it was good and the vinaigrette wasn’t too citrus-y), Goose and Potato Rolls (I didn’t try it but my Dad said it was good – they looked like spring rolls), and the Bison Bone Marrow (there wasn’t much marrow to dig out but from what little there was it was absolutely delish!).
For mains, we had the Crispy Mariposa Duck (I had a bite and it was unbelievably yummy!), the Grilled Tatonka (buffalo – I had it last time and remember how good it was; my Dad really enjoyed it), and the Game Meat Canneloni (ground elk, bison and boar – it was really good, much better than I had expected. All elements were prepared in-house; the pasta was just right, the fresh tomato sauce was just enough and not over-powering and the blend of meats was quite tasty. My only ‘criticism’ of the plate is that I would have really preferred shreds of the different meats rather than have them all grounded but hey, the plate is already pretty good).
We passed on dessert as we were all very stuffed. The bill came to $160 tip included for the three of us. Very worth it for the quality of food.
Generally speaking, the food was excellent! The service was fine. The overall experience was very enjoyable.
We were provided the complimentary popcorn, although the server took it away well before our apps even came and didn’t bother asking if we were done. Weird. We also had that lovely bread/bun.
I ordered my usual virgin Caesar. I ended up with a regular Caesar so had to get it replaced. The drink isn’t that great at Sweetgrass – rather sweet.
For starters, we had the Mixed Green Salad (Mom said it was good and the vinaigrette wasn’t too citrus-y), Goose and Potato Rolls (I didn’t try it but my Dad said it was good – they looked like spring rolls), and the Bison Bone Marrow (there wasn’t much marrow to dig out but from what little there was it was absolutely delish!).
For mains, we had the Crispy Mariposa Duck (I had a bite and it was unbelievably yummy!), the Grilled Tatonka (buffalo – I had it last time and remember how good it was; my Dad really enjoyed it), and the Game Meat Canneloni (ground elk, bison and boar – it was really good, much better than I had expected. All elements were prepared in-house; the pasta was just right, the fresh tomato sauce was just enough and not over-powering and the blend of meats was quite tasty. My only ‘criticism’ of the plate is that I would have really preferred shreds of the different meats rather than have them all grounded but hey, the plate is already pretty good).
We passed on dessert as we were all very stuffed. The bill came to $160 tip included for the three of us. Very worth it for the quality of food.
Nov 22
While Umamiman was conveniently visiting Ottawa for a conference we took him to Sweetgrass to celebrate the recent anniversary of his birth. Wifey had visited with a friend some years ago and remembered an underwhelming meal (involving Tatonka) so she took some convincing. I'm happy to report that Saturday night's experience left her with more positive memories.
Service was attentive and efficient, if a little quirky. Water glasses were replenished continuously, even after we had paid our bill. My bro enjoyed a bottle of Heritage Dark and I was pleased with my Waupoos Cider (new to me and brewed in Picton).
The complimentary bowl of Popcorn that appears with your menu is a bit of a WTF since it is very ordinary and borderline stale. I'm guessing it's a signature gimmick they introduced early on and for better or worse they're stuck with it.
The complimentary Bannock that accompanies the meal is quite nice, although more like a baked drop scone than a traditional flat griddle-cooked bannock.
The Fry Bread ($2) is closer to what I expect when I read "bannock," albeit somewhat thinner and greasier. It was awesome in a Beavertails kind of way. Eat it right away; it is best hot.
The Elk Carpaccio ($12) was succulent and delicious, although the meat itself had a flavour so subtle that it wasn't detectable above the other ingredients (much like good sashimi). The mushroom chips were a real treat -- with an over-the-top nutty umaminess that worked very well with the aromatic oil, cold elk, crunchy croutons, salty hard cheese, and zingy microgreens. The exotic ingredients and perfect balance of flavours of this dish reminded me of Atelier.
The Goose and Potato Rolls ($12) were a pleasant surprise. Crispy spring rolls stuffed with rich, goosey goodness in a nicely garnished presentation.
The Soup of the Day ($8) was a Manhattan-style seafood chowder and it was good in an underwhelming way. Wifey stated that during her first visit to Sweetgrass the entire meal was "like the soup." Based on our experience, I'd suggest sticking to the menu's permanent soup choices.
The Crispy Mariposa Duck ($25) was truly awesome. When it comes to duck, I always prefer crispy well-done dark meat to underdone breast meat that tastes of nothing but blood. This dish featured a full leg, with a very crispy skin and flavourful, tender meat. It was the duck version of pulled pork with bacon! The nice cherry preserves helped cut the richness of the duck. The pan-fried squash and sage gnocchi were fun to eat, but their flavour was too subtle to compete. The generous and tasty portion of wilted chard was perfect: healthy greens do go well with fatty duck.
The Special of the Day ($30) was a BC Halibut with pineapple and bean relish, spaghetti squash, and spinach. Wifey enjoyed it very much. I didn't try her accompaniments but I did sample her large chunk of halibut. The flesh was perfectly moist and the wonderfully mellow flavour was spot on.
The three of us shared Warren's Jamaican Rum Bread Pudding ($9). It would be a heavy dessert for one person, but we all proclaimed it to be excellent. A sweet, dense, wedge of rum-soaked pudding graced with plump raisins, sitting on a caramel drizzle and topped with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. Nicely done!
Be warned that the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is often out of stock, as it was during our visit. Our server joked that the customs officials seem to be concerned about packages from Jamaica being shipped to a restaurant with "grass" in its name, and they don't always receive their shipments on time.
Service was attentive and efficient, if a little quirky. Water glasses were replenished continuously, even after we had paid our bill. My bro enjoyed a bottle of Heritage Dark and I was pleased with my Waupoos Cider (new to me and brewed in Picton).
The complimentary bowl of Popcorn that appears with your menu is a bit of a WTF since it is very ordinary and borderline stale. I'm guessing it's a signature gimmick they introduced early on and for better or worse they're stuck with it.
The complimentary Bannock that accompanies the meal is quite nice, although more like a baked drop scone than a traditional flat griddle-cooked bannock.
The Fry Bread ($2) is closer to what I expect when I read "bannock," albeit somewhat thinner and greasier. It was awesome in a Beavertails kind of way. Eat it right away; it is best hot.
The Elk Carpaccio ($12) was succulent and delicious, although the meat itself had a flavour so subtle that it wasn't detectable above the other ingredients (much like good sashimi). The mushroom chips were a real treat -- with an over-the-top nutty umaminess that worked very well with the aromatic oil, cold elk, crunchy croutons, salty hard cheese, and zingy microgreens. The exotic ingredients and perfect balance of flavours of this dish reminded me of Atelier.
The Goose and Potato Rolls ($12) were a pleasant surprise. Crispy spring rolls stuffed with rich, goosey goodness in a nicely garnished presentation.
The Soup of the Day ($8) was a Manhattan-style seafood chowder and it was good in an underwhelming way. Wifey stated that during her first visit to Sweetgrass the entire meal was "like the soup." Based on our experience, I'd suggest sticking to the menu's permanent soup choices.
The Crispy Mariposa Duck ($25) was truly awesome. When it comes to duck, I always prefer crispy well-done dark meat to underdone breast meat that tastes of nothing but blood. This dish featured a full leg, with a very crispy skin and flavourful, tender meat. It was the duck version of pulled pork with bacon! The nice cherry preserves helped cut the richness of the duck. The pan-fried squash and sage gnocchi were fun to eat, but their flavour was too subtle to compete. The generous and tasty portion of wilted chard was perfect: healthy greens do go well with fatty duck.
The Special of the Day ($30) was a BC Halibut with pineapple and bean relish, spaghetti squash, and spinach. Wifey enjoyed it very much. I didn't try her accompaniments but I did sample her large chunk of halibut. The flesh was perfectly moist and the wonderfully mellow flavour was spot on.
The three of us shared Warren's Jamaican Rum Bread Pudding ($9). It would be a heavy dessert for one person, but we all proclaimed it to be excellent. A sweet, dense, wedge of rum-soaked pudding graced with plump raisins, sitting on a caramel drizzle and topped with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream. Nicely done!
Be warned that the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is often out of stock, as it was during our visit. Our server joked that the customs officials seem to be concerned about packages from Jamaica being shipped to a restaurant with "grass" in its name, and they don't always receive their shipments on time.
Oct 8
bacon-wrapped elk loin @ sweetgrass aboriginal bistro. love that their rotate their menu often and a variety of game meat well done. came with fingerling tomatoes, tomato, mushroom ragout, wild greens and port drizzle. elk done medium was delicious and surprising that the bacon was light and didn't overpower the meat. excellent service. wished it wasn't so dark in the dining room cuz i like it with the lights on.
Sep 21
Went here for lunch on Friday. Everything was amazing - the atmosphere, service, and food.
We started with a plate of the fry bread with honey, which was delicious - I've never had flat bread like it.
I then had the "Super Sandwich" of the day, which on that day was a bowl of black bean & chipotle soup (amazing - very flavourful with just the right amount of spice), a bruschetta with multi-coloured (heirloom?) tomatoes, and a simple green salad. The bruschetta blew me away - it's so rare to find it done so well, with the bread still warm and crispy and the tomatoes still cold.
My friend had the seafood cakes, which were also extremely well done. Such a fantastic blend of flavours.
I will be back - I really want to try dinner & the dessert menu!
We started with a plate of the fry bread with honey, which was delicious - I've never had flat bread like it.
I then had the "Super Sandwich" of the day, which on that day was a bowl of black bean & chipotle soup (amazing - very flavourful with just the right amount of spice), a bruschetta with multi-coloured (heirloom?) tomatoes, and a simple green salad. The bruschetta blew me away - it's so rare to find it done so well, with the bread still warm and crispy and the tomatoes still cold.
My friend had the seafood cakes, which were also extremely well done. Such a fantastic blend of flavours.
I will be back - I really want to try dinner & the dessert menu!
Sep 17
Tried out this local gem last night with a fellow foodie. Interesting.
I started with the Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon Salad - wonderful flavour, not too smokey. Came with some cucumber slices lightly coated with a vinaigrette, which sat on top of a slice of in-house dried tomato - the tomato was phenomenal...all sorts of other applications sprung to mind.
My friend had the Elk Carpaccio. It was very tender, sliced razor thin and topped with arugula, some shaved parm and mushroom oil. My friend thought there was perhaps a touch too much black pepper which had been on the outside, which overwhelmed the delicate taste of the elk a little, but overall very good. There were also some bannock croutons. In the end, delicious.
We then shared the Wild Grill Sample plate - elk sausage (fantastic), buffalo ribs (a little too tough in my opinion, I prefer my ribs a little more fall off the bone). I think they also could have enhanced the flavour a little more...just my taste though. The quail tenders were a little tough. The wild boar belly was delicious as were the accompanying sauces - chimichuri and a piri-piri. There was a small salad in the middle with some pickled summer squash, pickled okra and some micro greens. Overall very satisfying.
Mains - I had the vegetarian option - roasted carrots stuffed with lentils and rice, and a warm salad of wilted spinach, wild mushrooms, quinoa and garlic scapes. There was a dizzying drizzle of reduced balsamic which set it off perfectly.
My friend had the Tatonka steak (buffalo) grilled medium rare - with fingerling potatoes and wilted spinach. This was served with a homemade steak sauce that was out of this world. She asked for a second helping (she was told there was a $2 surcharge) and it arrived in a mini jug, steaming hot - just hot enough to make the remainder of the steak palatable.
We didn't order wine, just had a couple of Pelegrino's. Bill came to around $120.
While the food was not always stellar, the service went above and beyond for sure.
Would definetely recommend to other foodies wanting to try some local/truly Canadian treats.
The menu changes seasonally, so we will be back for each season, as a comparison of course :-)
J~
I started with the Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon Salad - wonderful flavour, not too smokey. Came with some cucumber slices lightly coated with a vinaigrette, which sat on top of a slice of in-house dried tomato - the tomato was phenomenal...all sorts of other applications sprung to mind.
My friend had the Elk Carpaccio. It was very tender, sliced razor thin and topped with arugula, some shaved parm and mushroom oil. My friend thought there was perhaps a touch too much black pepper which had been on the outside, which overwhelmed the delicate taste of the elk a little, but overall very good. There were also some bannock croutons. In the end, delicious.
We then shared the Wild Grill Sample plate - elk sausage (fantastic), buffalo ribs (a little too tough in my opinion, I prefer my ribs a little more fall off the bone). I think they also could have enhanced the flavour a little more...just my taste though. The quail tenders were a little tough. The wild boar belly was delicious as were the accompanying sauces - chimichuri and a piri-piri. There was a small salad in the middle with some pickled summer squash, pickled okra and some micro greens. Overall very satisfying.
Mains - I had the vegetarian option - roasted carrots stuffed with lentils and rice, and a warm salad of wilted spinach, wild mushrooms, quinoa and garlic scapes. There was a dizzying drizzle of reduced balsamic which set it off perfectly.
My friend had the Tatonka steak (buffalo) grilled medium rare - with fingerling potatoes and wilted spinach. This was served with a homemade steak sauce that was out of this world. She asked for a second helping (she was told there was a $2 surcharge) and it arrived in a mini jug, steaming hot - just hot enough to make the remainder of the steak palatable.
We didn't order wine, just had a couple of Pelegrino's. Bill came to around $120.
While the food was not always stellar, the service went above and beyond for sure.
Would definetely recommend to other foodies wanting to try some local/truly Canadian treats.
The menu changes seasonally, so we will be back for each season, as a comparison of course :-)
J~
Aug 4
Sometimes excellent meals with beautiful ingredients and preparation. Other times, merely average. I think who's cooking determines this to a degree. Ironically the fall/winter menus seem to offer more interesting and succulent dishes, especially the meats. The native/Jamaican flare works well and can be very layered while not too weird for conservative types. Things like quail and bison are always prepared in a very accessible way.
One of Ottawa's best restaurants. A solid 7/10 rising to 9/10 on the best nights. Atmosphere and service is very good too. Higher priced but good value.
One of Ottawa's best restaurants. A solid 7/10 rising to 9/10 on the best nights. Atmosphere and service is very good too. Higher priced but good value.
Jul 21
Excellent first visit to this restaurant. It has come highly recommended so naturally my expectations were also very high. I'm happy to say it did not disappoint.
The service was outstanding (we had a male server - didn't catch his name)
I had the braised wild boar belly to start and the roasted quail. Both were truly good. Cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly, and presented well.
The atmosphere is decidedly warm and charming. (staff's kids were meandering around the dining room throughout the meal). The atmosphere was relaxed enough to keep snobs away but definitely formal enough to enjoy a special evening.
I will be back to this place!
Matt
The service was outstanding (we had a male server - didn't catch his name)
I had the braised wild boar belly to start and the roasted quail. Both were truly good. Cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly, and presented well.
The atmosphere is decidedly warm and charming. (staff's kids were meandering around the dining room throughout the meal). The atmosphere was relaxed enough to keep snobs away but definitely formal enough to enjoy a special evening.
I will be back to this place!
Matt
Jul 10
This has to be my favorite restaurant in Ottawa. Stopped in tonight for dinner. The menu changes with the seasons. We started with the meat sampler, wild boar sausage,buffalo ribs,lamb, with a chimichuri and another spicy sauce which slips my mind. Awsome starter. For the main I had a rabbit fricassee on a bed of fresh pasta with a basil sauce. My wife had the walleye dinner special with vegies and rice. The meal was so tasty I'll probably sitll be thinking about it tomorrow.
Crème Brûlée [8]
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Nov 23
The Creme Brulee at Sweetgrass has Rosemary in it which provides a unique twist to the usual delightful flavour. Astounding.
Dessert [3]
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I'll end it with a dessert since I'm not sure if I'm spamming. :)
Duck [1]
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| overall [43] | ||
| Crème Brûlée [8] | ||
| Dessert [3] | ||
| Duck [1] |
P 3 J D @ D D Y
gold