ottawa foodies

Reading everyone's comments on local Ottawa restaurants touting themselves as Mexican, or tex-mex, or XYZ-mex, it keeps reinforcing the fact that Ottawa massively suffers in the 'Mex' department (sorry to Agave, Feleena's, Lone Star, Southern Cross, Pancho Villa, Mexi's, etc.) There are literally maybe 2 places in Ottawa where I can get food that resembles anything close to what I've eaten in Mexico, and even then, they are a pretty sad display of the potential of Mexican cuisine. Am I the only one that feels this way? Does anyone else get the insane urge to jump on a plane to Mexico just to get some real tacos? Am I crazy for wanting a rotisserie spit just to make a taco al pastor? Did anyone else cry when Azteca changed from a hole in the wall to a full blown restaurant, only to see them raise their prices and fail miserably? What the hell folks, I think I've even publicly announced that I would financially back a business-person willing to start up a taco truck! It's pathetic! HELP!

Agreed. We've discussed this before.

If someone started another burrito place downtown that stays open late to cater to the bar-crowds, they would CLEAN UP. It's clear there is demand - look at Ahora. Trim down the menu and tweak their model a little bit towards a fast(er) food burrito/taco joint and you're guaranteed success.

Jarritos rules everything around me

Yes, we have talked about it before, but I'm hitting this threshold of: a) needing tacos, b) hearing too many people complain about 'mex' restaurants in Ottawa, c) watching lucha libre (Los Chihuahueños del Mal=hilarious) on TV the other day and being thoroughly amused.

d) going to LA and eating real Mexican food for 4 days. Yes, 4 days. Completely reinforces my boycott on most Mexican food in Ottawa. Milagro was good though.

Last year there was a guy selling tacos at the Landsdowne Farmers' Market that were very good (and I think he was considering a permanent storefront). We've only been once this year and I didn't see him, but I hope he'll be back.

I did have a good Pozole at the Mexican booth at the Tulip Festival this year and La Cabana is not Mexican, but it's also very good and should satisfy the urge for people pining for something similar.

Inkling - Ahh, pozole... it's so easy to make... it's so satisfying... I'll post a recipe in the wiki soon!

Unfortunately, I've yet to find decent Mexican food in Canada so far.
Winnipeg,where I am from, had nothing redeeming. There was a good El Salvadorian restaurant but alas, not Mexican.

Torontonians complain non stop on Chowhound about the terrible Mexican food available in Toronto.

Edmonton had the dredful Julio's chain.

The only place that held promise, which I didn't have get a chance to try was Lemmington (Heinz Ketchup capital). I was there for a wedding but went wandering around the town and found little taco stand-type restaurants that looked as though they were transplanted from Mexico. There are an abundance of Mexican migrant workers there for tomato harvesting.

Incidently, when I was living for the year in France, we went to a Mexican restaurant(not my choice)where the wife was from Mexico and the couple spent several months in Mexico during the winter. Definately not like any Mexican food I've eaten in Mexico. I had ceviche, which was good but not the real deal.

I had similar abysmal experiences in the Northern United States.

Hey chim have you ever had a cemita/cemita poblana? Saw this place on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives the other day that did them and they look OUTRAGEOUS.

Amate here in Ottawa on Wellington St. had pretty good Mexican food but it was small and a little rough around the edges--I think the food was genuine and good but the owners didn't seem to have resto experience. Too bad it didn't make it. I go to Puerto Vallarta every year to a place owned by Mexican people (and you would not believe how many people complain on Trip Advisor that you have to ask for bacon at breakfast!) I have never found really good food in the Ottawa area and even Toronto is so-so. Anyone looked in Montreal? (BTW--I think Mexican folks hate our climate!)
When did Milagro disappear?

Milagro is still in Westboro, across from MEC.

I really don't see the appeal in it. Then again, I see Mexican-Canadian food in the same light as I see Chinese-Canadian food. It can still have value, if that's what you're looking for, and if you know that's what you're going to get.

Honestly, Agave might be one of my favourite recipes in the city, but I know that it's Tex-Mex. But I get the impression that other foodies judge those of us who like Chinese-Canadian or Mexican-Canadian food unfairly. *sigh*

Only ate at Milagro once and it was so-so. Sorry--just thought from mmmgood's post it was gone. I do like those "knock-your-socks-off", no ice margaritas at Agave! If you order one of those before the food arrives, all feels good; mexican or not!
And LWB--I'm with you about certain foods--I will enjoy what I can get!

LWB - I'm not playa hatin' on the Milagro or Agave lovers, or any other Can-Mex food that's out there, like Can-Chinese there is a time and place for it (I'll take the 5th on that). There are just moments where I would consider selling my (imaginary) child on the black market for a real taco (which La Cabana is closest to in terms of authentic in Ottawa, btw, just so you know).

Taco = corn tortilla, meat, cilantro, onion. Done. Maybe a squirt of lime and some chili sauce. No neon orange cheese. No iceberg lettuce. No unripe sawdusty tomato. Definitely no ketchupy sauce marketed as salsa.

Monty - Yes, I have had one made with carnitas (everything is better with carnitas, maybe even Lucky Charms), it was delicious. It's pretty close to a torta, but the bread is different, and probably something closer to what you would find here from the Rideau bakery (torta rolls are much more dense). You could try making them at home - I'll dig up a carnitas recipe just for you if you want it?

Can someone post a recipe for three milk cake? I had this at the Mexican booth at the Tulip Festival and dayaaaammmmmmmmmm it's good!

I ran a resturant in mexico 3 years ago. I make my own tacos to get my fix. With a stint of good weather chimi, you should head down to the park and fire up one of those habachi's and go taco loco! Dont forget the 'arranchara', 'pollo achiote', 'tripas de leche', 'birria de chibo', 'chili rellenos', 'carnitas', 'empanadas', 'toastada', 'gorditas', 'sopez','menudo',
'tomales', 'Cocinita pipil', 'mole puebla' and mucho agua fresco, dulce leche/fresh churros!!

Agave added empanadas to their new menu, Andrew had one last night and they were quite good. Not top-notch real Mexican good, but good.

Also, I second chimi's comment about tacos. And on the note of the salsa, there was some debate on the Agave review page about whether or not the salsa is from a jar. Well, I asked last night, and it ain't. Just tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and a bit of salt...it's nummy!

DB - argh! You just listed off a few of my favourite things. Fresh churros though, wow... I made a batch of those a while ago and I was wondering as I was making them if they'd be worth the effort? Stupid question, of course they were. Another one of my favourites: ensalada de nopales. Sometimes the latin grocer in Chinatown gets fresh cactus in *le sigh*

Taco party - now that's my kind of party.

if agave's salsa is homemade i found it very blah. it was a very watery puree of tomatoes that lacked substance and flavour. it is a restaurant, but not somewhere i would label as mexican.

i second la cabana, there is no where else like it in ottawa. good, honest homemade food that is worth waiting for.

there used to be a south american place called cucina latina on sunnyside ave. it was fantastic. also, simple, homemade fare. even years later i still really miss it.

amate was great and had a lot of promise - and great homemade salsa. i was sad to see it disappear so quickly when it was just starting to reach it's potential.

hipfunkyfun brings up another interesting point. south american food does not equal mexican food, and vice versa.

i don't know how many people i've had to clarify that to...especially with a place like vina del mar. then again, a lot of people in ottawa have the perception that mexicali rosa is a good representation of mexican (it's by no means a good representation of mexican-canadian food either).

I vote DB opens a taco stand.

I've had cut cabbage on my street tacos in mexico.

Mushroom tacos!

The street tacos/ sandwiches (bocadillos) / empanadas and fresh juices were to DIE for in Mexico City. If I remember correctly, the tacos de cabra (goat) were the best!

But when I was recently reading about all the hurdles the new T.O street vendors had to overcome (both real and bureaucratic)to sell their fast food product in Canada, I am just not sure we are comfortable enough with our food being prepared by many hands (that accept money as well) with no access to running water.

Perhaps LA-style taco truck is the model to follow. No reason cleanliness should be an issue there...

Trac - I posted something similar in another thread - it seems the only way around the street meat restriction is to serve prepped food from a truck (à la Shawagon on Rideau St). I would fully support something like that, this city has got too many mediocre chip trucks floating around serving M&M burgers/hot dogs/sausages. Some variety would be nice!

Chimi, I hear that. Street food is so much better almost everywhere outside of Canada.

Maybe the debate should be framed around the health issue ie: no one can argue that fries, poutine and hot dogs are a healthy option, regardless of the fact that they can be decent and Canadians clearly do like them. I feel like that would be a way to get some traction with City Hall; nutrition and food quality are huge contemporary issues.

Part of the thing about street food, is that it has to be inexpensive. If there were 'good' street food, wouldn't this have the restarants (with high overhead, ad who pay lots of taxes to city) up in arms to city hall? Also, from a lifecycle perspective, restarants make their bread and butter in the summer; what would happen if that business decreased (or margins decreased) in the summer due to good street food? I'm not advocating one way or the other here.. just trying to put all the issues onto the table...

It's kind of ironic that health and sanitary issues have lead to a bureaucratic mess where the only things that can be served are those that are not really healthy, and much healthier street food can't be served for the same health and sanitary reasons.

Some more for you all.... least we not forget, some more of my favorites..

Escabeche, pickrel veracruzana, tacos de baja, flan, frijoles borrachos, machaca con huevo, Taquitos de tuetano!, enchiladas al tizoc, Camarones rellenos con tocino y queso, ensalada de sierra ahumada, Ceviche de camaron y callo, manitas de cerdo en vnagreta los cazadores, Lengua entomatada, Chilapitas, pan de muerto, tacos de salpicon de jaiba, sopa de tortilla a la mexicana!, and ohhhh ya hongos al ajillo, tacos de hongos. Yes they have pocini, chantchrelles and trumpets in mexico!! And last but not least.......
drum roll please.. Crepas de cuitlacoche!!!!!!!!

Where should I look for location? any partners? haha

"Tacoria Hongos Loco!"

I think inside the byward market building would be great.

You could create a pseudo al fresco atmosphere and maintain that out door taco stand concept without compromising the health standards.

DB - will partner! Hehe! Crepas de huitlacoche... hell yes! Also, any fish in the veracruz style is delish. Don't forget chilaquiles verdes con chicharron...

EDIT: speaking of porcini, I add some to my pozole rojo con pollo y puerco for added depth of flavour... unreal. It's my secret ingredient.

I like the food in most local Ottawa mexican restos, they add their personal twist but still pretty good. I haven't found a place that specializes in authentic yucatan cooking (pollo pibil rocks!!!) however if you are looking for authentic mexican, the ottawa carleton school board has pretty good cooking classes on Mexican food to get your authentic Mexican food craving fix ;-P. There is also that store in Vanier "Mercado latino" that sometimes cooks up amazing food!!!! and they also carry a good variety of supplies for cookign and my experience there was that the staff was very kind about providing cooking advice :)

I've recently discovered Mercado Latino myself and found it was a wonderful store. Across the street in the plaza is a Chinese grocery with some pretty amazing things. It has groceries as well as some take out food and I find it pretty good.

I feel as though I failed for no chilaquiles love... I dont like chilaquiles.... I love them!! Solo chilaquiles rojo con pollo though!

It's here, 1730 Montreal Rd. Taqueria Kukulkan. Freshly made Tortillas, Tacos al Pastor, all salsas condiments, pastel 3 leches in house made. Real tacos.

A lot has changed since '09, Corazon de Mais, the above mentioned Kukulkan, Taqueria Bonita on Cadboro, just off Ogilvie, Ola Cocina. . . . . . . .

Had lunch at Taqueria Kulkutan...they have some legit authentic mexican food ...my new favorite spot for mexican food.

I like Bonita but the food is not consistent.

I'll third (fourth... whatever...) Kulkulkan... tried it this past week, it's excellent Mexican. Also, churros... such glorious churros.

Ahora on Dalhousie is quite good. They actually do full plates with salad, rice, beans etc which is both filling and not done at most of the taco-centric places showing up.

We seem to be getting a run on a 'pick filling, pick other stuff, pick taco, burrito or some other way to transport to your face' places... Mucho Burrito, Gringo Burrito, Not-Chipotle Etc.

Corazon is that, albeit a bit more genuine... i want them to be 'great' but at a minimum i put them ahead of the franchise places popping up around.

Also, Burrito Shack on Sunnyside, but the overall quality of the meat is surprisingly high and tasty.

I'm curious about the forthcoming Glebe Taqeuria.

I miss Tacos du Mauros. *sobs quietly*