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Showing comments 1 to 4
Oct 5
Stopped in here to catch a Pre-Season Hockey Game and a bite to eat. We sat in the Sports Bar and it was packed (the game wasn’t available as a regular television broadcast… hence the crowd). Saturday Nights they feature their Schooners (32 oz of Draft Beer) and Fishbowls (3 oz Cocktails). “The Man” ordered a Schooner, and I passed on the Fishbowl, instead opting for a regular sized Caesar (1 oz of Vodka). They offer two choices when it comes to the Caesar, one spicier than the other… I went for the hot one (believe they call it the deluxe). The glass was large, and the rimmer was peppery, the drink was topped off with a wedge of lime, a pickled bean, and a giant olive pierced with a hot pepper. Yowser!
We ordered a Deluxe Small Pizza (sizes offered are Individual, Small, Medium and Large)… I’m glad we went with a small because the pizzas here are bigger than normal. A Small here is a 10 inch, and has 8 slices. The Deluxe featured signature pizza sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Pepperoni, Smoked Ham, Green Pepper and Mushrooms. The pizza was great… I was surprised by the quality of the ingredients. I remember when Boston Pizza first came to Ottawa back in the 1990s, the pizza was very “cardboardy” then, it’s good to see that the cornerstone of their franchise has improved!
Service was good, even considering all the people vying for the server’s attention. We will keep this place in mind for a quick bite in the future.
We ordered a Deluxe Small Pizza (sizes offered are Individual, Small, Medium and Large)… I’m glad we went with a small because the pizzas here are bigger than normal. A Small here is a 10 inch, and has 8 slices. The Deluxe featured signature pizza sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Pepperoni, Smoked Ham, Green Pepper and Mushrooms. The pizza was great… I was surprised by the quality of the ingredients. I remember when Boston Pizza first came to Ottawa back in the 1990s, the pizza was very “cardboardy” then, it’s good to see that the cornerstone of their franchise has improved!
Service was good, even considering all the people vying for the server’s attention. We will keep this place in mind for a quick bite in the future.
Oct 3
Came here for dinner tonight after visiting Saunders' Farm with SO and his niece and sister.
Niece won't eat much outside of pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers (kid you not, her pick list is very, very slim, grrr), hence the odd choice. Furthermore, sister (in-law) didn't want to spend a lot on dinner, and didn't want pizza. so we ended up here.
General rule of thumb, do not order anything that does not end in -izza. They basically do pizza relatively well, or rather they have some different ingredients to choose from.
I ordered the pulled pork BBQ pizza: BBQ sauce, pulled pork, hot banana peppers and onions. was definitely very good, but i think the jack daniel's sauce made it so... small was $15.49
SO and niece shared a medium pepperoni (again, just because she likes pizza doesn't mean you can put veggies on it!). was mediocre (traded piece with SO), and $17.99 (for what fed one adult and one starving child). his sister had a chicken wrap that was naaaa-sty. the chicken tasted like it was marinated in liquid smoke and was cold, the sauce had a nasty lemon aftertaste, and the side salad was mostly iceberg that was wilted...
she complained about her meal and it was taken off (i took one bite and insisted that she complain, it was that bad). service was good on that end, but there was no checking in with us, she was poor about leaving drinks (and the place was empty), and we asked i think three or four times for crayons...
i don't expect good service at roadhouses. heck, i don't expect good food. what i do expect is one of two things: quick service, or a cheap meal. and tonight was really neither.
Niece won't eat much outside of pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers (kid you not, her pick list is very, very slim, grrr), hence the odd choice. Furthermore, sister (in-law) didn't want to spend a lot on dinner, and didn't want pizza. so we ended up here.
General rule of thumb, do not order anything that does not end in -izza. They basically do pizza relatively well, or rather they have some different ingredients to choose from.
I ordered the pulled pork BBQ pizza: BBQ sauce, pulled pork, hot banana peppers and onions. was definitely very good, but i think the jack daniel's sauce made it so... small was $15.49
SO and niece shared a medium pepperoni (again, just because she likes pizza doesn't mean you can put veggies on it!). was mediocre (traded piece with SO), and $17.99 (for what fed one adult and one starving child). his sister had a chicken wrap that was naaaa-sty. the chicken tasted like it was marinated in liquid smoke and was cold, the sauce had a nasty lemon aftertaste, and the side salad was mostly iceberg that was wilted...
she complained about her meal and it was taken off (i took one bite and insisted that she complain, it was that bad). service was good on that end, but there was no checking in with us, she was poor about leaving drinks (and the place was empty), and we asked i think three or four times for crayons...
i don't expect good service at roadhouses. heck, i don't expect good food. what i do expect is one of two things: quick service, or a cheap meal. and tonight was really neither.
Jun 4
Another of my ongoing reviews of Sports Bars (see Broadway Bar & Grill – Barrhaven, April 9, 2008).
--- --- ---
As a national chain Boston Pizza (BP) has locations across Ottawa and in the communities of Orleans, Kanata, Nepean & Barrhaven. Their website says they provide a “Casual Dining Restaurant & Sports Bar”. All locations feature the same menu, and they are a partner in the Air Miles Reward Program.
BARRHAVEN
The Barrhaven location opened in Fall 2007 after extensively remodelling the premises formerly occupied and built by Denny’s. The space is divided into two areas, the Restaurant and the Sports Bar. The Sports Bar is completely walled off from the rest of the restaurant and therefore doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the restaurant clientele. The door to the Sports Bar is conveniently located in the lobby of the restaurant, so bar patrons can by-pass the restaurant line-up.
The Sports Bar is a large room offering seating at high-top tables, booths and seats along a wood bar that runs the length of the room. The decor is a collection of sports memorabilia. Four 52” Plasma tvs are hung above the bar, several other large tvs hang around the room. The plasmas are great, however if one sits at the bar, you could get a sore neck from the viewing angle (best to be enjoyed from farther back in the room). The bar is busy for Hockey Games and has an active group of regulars. BP Management inturn rewards regulars by having regular sports themed give-aways (posters, mugs, etc).
The menu is much more extensive than regular pub fare, it features Soups & Salads, Starters, Pizza, Mains and Pasta Dishes. On a recent visit I ordered the Meal Size Spinach Salad -- a large bowl of Spinach, Sliced Mushrooms, Chopped Egg, Smokey Bacon Bits, Diced Tomato & Shredded Mozarella Cheese. The greens were lightly coated in dressing, while the other items sat atop the salad. One can also add a Skewer of Garlic Shrimp, Grilled Chicken Strips or a Salmon Filet for an additional $4.25 I chose the salmon, it was a good sized filet, and fairly thick, unfortunately it was a tad undercooked in the middle for my liking, but not enough so that I would complain. This meal sized salad also comes with Garlic Bread, texas toast style, tasty but not overly special. I accompanied it with a glass of the South African Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. Definitely an ok by the glass wine for a family style restaurant.
“The Man” chose the Spicy Italian Penne from the Pasta Menu. It is Italian Sausage, Chicken Breast, Red Onions & Mushrooms tossed with Penne in a Creamy Tomato Sauce. He was quite happy with the flavour mix. His meal also came with Garlic Toast, but he never touched it (instead deciding to concentrate on eating every last bit of the pasta dish). To accompany his meal “The Man” ordered a beer.
Boston Pizza is a Molson Beer venue and features a variety of their products on-tap, including 3 types of Rickards (White, Pale and Red) and two other beers are served “sub zero” style. BP also serves huge 32 oz. steins known as Schooners, and based on my observation, are very popular with the Hockey Game crowd. There are four housewines available by the glass (2 Reds & 2 Whites, one of each is a Canadian wine). Other wines are available by the bottle (limited list) all sell at $27.00 per bottle.
Overall it seems that Boston Pizza offers a family restaurant at a decent price. Our recent experience in the Sports Bar was pleasant enough, although is a bit too pristine for my liking… no truly crazed sports fans here. Maybe not the best Hockey venue for me, but I could see myself enjoying their non-Pub menu and tv coverage of more restrained sports such as Golf, Tennis, Nascar etc.
Our meal of 2 Mains – 1 Wine & 2 Beers came in at $47.00 before taxes and tip. I was impressed by the clean, neat and orderly running of the place, maybe I will check out the Casual Dining Room in the near future.
--- --- ---
As a national chain Boston Pizza (BP) has locations across Ottawa and in the communities of Orleans, Kanata, Nepean & Barrhaven. Their website says they provide a “Casual Dining Restaurant & Sports Bar”. All locations feature the same menu, and they are a partner in the Air Miles Reward Program.
BARRHAVEN
The Barrhaven location opened in Fall 2007 after extensively remodelling the premises formerly occupied and built by Denny’s. The space is divided into two areas, the Restaurant and the Sports Bar. The Sports Bar is completely walled off from the rest of the restaurant and therefore doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the restaurant clientele. The door to the Sports Bar is conveniently located in the lobby of the restaurant, so bar patrons can by-pass the restaurant line-up.
The Sports Bar is a large room offering seating at high-top tables, booths and seats along a wood bar that runs the length of the room. The decor is a collection of sports memorabilia. Four 52” Plasma tvs are hung above the bar, several other large tvs hang around the room. The plasmas are great, however if one sits at the bar, you could get a sore neck from the viewing angle (best to be enjoyed from farther back in the room). The bar is busy for Hockey Games and has an active group of regulars. BP Management inturn rewards regulars by having regular sports themed give-aways (posters, mugs, etc).
The menu is much more extensive than regular pub fare, it features Soups & Salads, Starters, Pizza, Mains and Pasta Dishes. On a recent visit I ordered the Meal Size Spinach Salad -- a large bowl of Spinach, Sliced Mushrooms, Chopped Egg, Smokey Bacon Bits, Diced Tomato & Shredded Mozarella Cheese. The greens were lightly coated in dressing, while the other items sat atop the salad. One can also add a Skewer of Garlic Shrimp, Grilled Chicken Strips or a Salmon Filet for an additional $4.25 I chose the salmon, it was a good sized filet, and fairly thick, unfortunately it was a tad undercooked in the middle for my liking, but not enough so that I would complain. This meal sized salad also comes with Garlic Bread, texas toast style, tasty but not overly special. I accompanied it with a glass of the South African Two Oceans Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. Definitely an ok by the glass wine for a family style restaurant.
“The Man” chose the Spicy Italian Penne from the Pasta Menu. It is Italian Sausage, Chicken Breast, Red Onions & Mushrooms tossed with Penne in a Creamy Tomato Sauce. He was quite happy with the flavour mix. His meal also came with Garlic Toast, but he never touched it (instead deciding to concentrate on eating every last bit of the pasta dish). To accompany his meal “The Man” ordered a beer.
Boston Pizza is a Molson Beer venue and features a variety of their products on-tap, including 3 types of Rickards (White, Pale and Red) and two other beers are served “sub zero” style. BP also serves huge 32 oz. steins known as Schooners, and based on my observation, are very popular with the Hockey Game crowd. There are four housewines available by the glass (2 Reds & 2 Whites, one of each is a Canadian wine). Other wines are available by the bottle (limited list) all sell at $27.00 per bottle.
Overall it seems that Boston Pizza offers a family restaurant at a decent price. Our recent experience in the Sports Bar was pleasant enough, although is a bit too pristine for my liking… no truly crazed sports fans here. Maybe not the best Hockey venue for me, but I could see myself enjoying their non-Pub menu and tv coverage of more restrained sports such as Golf, Tennis, Nascar etc.
Our meal of 2 Mains – 1 Wine & 2 Beers came in at $47.00 before taxes and tip. I was impressed by the clean, neat and orderly running of the place, maybe I will check out the Casual Dining Room in the near future.
May 2
Came here for a work lunch and decided to try the 7-Cheese Baked Ravioli. I didn't leave hungry but it would have been nice if the dish had some depth of flavour.
They use the term "baked" very loosely here. From what I could tell the ravioli were tossed into the dish, a scoop of tomato sauce was poured over top followed by some cheese, then the whole thing was stuck in an oven for a minute until the cheese just melted. You can see in the photo how some edges of ravioli are unsauced and dry. At $13.99, this dish is overpriced by about five bucks.
Thank goodness they have Rickard's Red on tap here! Everything was just fine. :-)
Pizza [1]
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Oct 5
The pizza has greatly improved at this Canadian Franchise Chain since they first arrived in Ottawa back in the 1990s (when it tasted like a frozen pizza and its texture was cardboardy).
We ordered a Deluxe Small Pizza (sizes offered are Individual, Small, Medium and Large)… I’m glad we went with a small because the pizzas here are bigger than normal. A Small here is a 10 inch, and has 8 slices. The Deluxe featured signature pizza sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Pepperoni, Smoked Ham, Green Pepper and Mushrooms.
The pizza was tasty, not as good perhaps as those I would order from the local Ottawa independent pizza place, nor as outstanding as the gourmet version I can eat at my favourite local Italian eatery, but far better than many of the BIG CHAIN competition.
We ordered a Deluxe Small Pizza (sizes offered are Individual, Small, Medium and Large)… I’m glad we went with a small because the pizzas here are bigger than normal. A Small here is a 10 inch, and has 8 slices. The Deluxe featured signature pizza sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Pepperoni, Smoked Ham, Green Pepper and Mushrooms.
The pizza was tasty, not as good perhaps as those I would order from the local Ottawa independent pizza place, nor as outstanding as the gourmet version I can eat at my favourite local Italian eatery, but far better than many of the BIG CHAIN competition.
Nachos [1]
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Oct 5
The Caesar here comes in 3 formats. The regular 1 oz pour, the Deluxe 1 oz pour extra spicey with all the trimmings, and the Caesar Fishbowl... an insane 3 oz pour. I chose the Deluxe.
The Deluxe Caesar comes in a tall glass encircled with a spicey rimmer, real peppery... infact you can see the chucks of fresh ground pepper. The drink was garnished with a wedge of lime, a pickled bean, and a giant olive pierced with a hot pepper.
This Caesar packs a punch!
The Deluxe Caesar comes in a tall glass encircled with a spicey rimmer, real peppery... infact you can see the chucks of fresh ground pepper. The drink was garnished with a wedge of lime, a pickled bean, and a giant olive pierced with a hot pepper.
This Caesar packs a punch!