ottawa foodies

Everyone knows to try the Beef Tartare at the Gastropub. So if you haven't already done so, unless you are planning a visit to restaurants on Boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris, there are no other places in Ottawa that will offer the same (tasty) quality Tartare. A must!

Success!

I believe it was "beef tartare with crostini and truffle oil" on the menu.

Generous portion, marries well with their "house"-level Pinot. Were I to make it at home I'd probably boost the acidity a bit (maybe more capers?), but this was full of beefy goodness.

We've had the steak tartare here. We thought it was very tasty, and the portion was quite large (so large that, had I been eating it alone as a starter, I would have been too full for my main -- but, perfect for sharing).

I can't give unilateral "yay" or "nay" on the steak tartare here yet, because it wasn't available on the menu when I went. They did, however, make some up for me right special. It was good, but I'm not sure if it was the recipe they normally use.

Le Pied de Cochon serves straight up, old-school French cuisine. my dining companion (who is a regular) noted that the owner is an old Parisien who also mans the kitchen himself. the dining room here is your typical cozy 'real tablecloth' French place, albeit a little tired.

i recently had a marvelous Steak Tartare at lunchtime. the tartare here is a classic take on the dish - no 'nouveau' angle at play, just freshly minced beef with few ingredients. you get that unadulterated 'don't screw with the classics' vibe from it. as you can see the portion was incredibly generous. the accompanying frites were also noteworthy. while i'm sure no French chef would want this comparison in any way, they are McDonald's like in thinness, crispyness and flavour.

for a reasonable $18, with the option to upgrade to a 3 course meal (at lunch!) for only a few dollars more, i think LPdC represents a good balance of value and quality for this traditional French stand-by.