family restaurants?? [General]
2009 Dec 7
have you ever seen the cheapeats guide to ottawa? they have a lot of great restaurants in there and are organized into groups, including family friendly ones. it covers a wide range of food types (a lot of ethnic) and broken down into areas of town. if your family is open to a diverse range of food it is worth checking out. we have tried a lot of new restaurants using this guide.
personally, i like northern han. they have a huge range of dumplings and the green onion pancakes are great. they have a green onion pancake roll-up which my husband really likes. they only use chopsticks and the english is not great, but they are very welcoming and friendly. closed on thursdays.
ottawafoodies.com/vendor/673
also, i love the manx. prices are higher, but food quality is great. if you go early enough, it isn't too crowded. for young kids they have lots of toys and books.
what about korean? there are some korean bbq places on sommerset that have table top bbq's.
middle east - i like jericho's in the glebe. they always have a special on, the place is small, and the owner is very friendly.
personally, i like northern han. they have a huge range of dumplings and the green onion pancakes are great. they have a green onion pancake roll-up which my husband really likes. they only use chopsticks and the english is not great, but they are very welcoming and friendly. closed on thursdays.
ottawafoodies.com/vendor/673
also, i love the manx. prices are higher, but food quality is great. if you go early enough, it isn't too crowded. for young kids they have lots of toys and books.
what about korean? there are some korean bbq places on sommerset that have table top bbq's.
middle east - i like jericho's in the glebe. they always have a special on, the place is small, and the owner is very friendly.
2009 Dec 7
asanchez - Knowing the age of your kids you might find these two worth trying... both were hits when mine were teens (and they still like to eat there now they are adults)
Mongolian Village - Mongolian Village - Good for adults & kids alike. They like the whole pick your ingredients thing, and it satisfies everyone including the vegetarian.
Jack Astors - Jack Astor's - Food is decent, ok place for adults. Everyone enjoys the cartoons, girls want to have their Birthday Get-togethers in the famous "Elvis Booth" (can't explain it, it just is).
*Picture is off the Web, the Elvis Booth at Kanata's Jack's is in a corner, Oval and HUGE, could easily sit 8 Adults or a Dozen Kids.
Mongolian Village - Mongolian Village - Good for adults & kids alike. They like the whole pick your ingredients thing, and it satisfies everyone including the vegetarian.
Jack Astors - Jack Astor's - Food is decent, ok place for adults. Everyone enjoys the cartoons, girls want to have their Birthday Get-togethers in the famous "Elvis Booth" (can't explain it, it just is).
*Picture is off the Web, the Elvis Booth at Kanata's Jack's is in a corner, Oval and HUGE, could easily sit 8 Adults or a Dozen Kids.
2009 Dec 7
Hi,
Thanks for feedback.... yet, deep fried fish and chips are not our ideal sea food; kids are into clams, oysters, calamari, octopus, etc. They have developed a taste for sea food (if it deep fried, they will not eat it).
As per the suggestions, we will try them for sure. (northern han, Restaurant Joy, Mongolian Village and Jack Astors).
Dicks - We went once for milkshakes and some burgers and food was terrible. That was couple of years ago. Yet, they remember and still make fun of me for suggesting that place. Whoever was cooking that day, did not have a clue. They were very friendly.
Ahora - We have visited couple of times in the last 2-3 years but it is not our cup of tea, small portions and pricey. Service and food ok but there is a better option which is "La Cabaña on Merivale which is not Mexican but does the trick for "us".
Beside that place on Merivale, there are no Mexican restaurants at least from our views. Toronto/Montreal have better options for sure. Last one we tried was the new Mucho Burrito in Kanata but again we wont be going back any time soon.
The kids ages are: Boy 7, Girls 11 and 15.
Thanks for feedback.... yet, deep fried fish and chips are not our ideal sea food; kids are into clams, oysters, calamari, octopus, etc. They have developed a taste for sea food (if it deep fried, they will not eat it).
As per the suggestions, we will try them for sure. (northern han, Restaurant Joy, Mongolian Village and Jack Astors).
Dicks - We went once for milkshakes and some burgers and food was terrible. That was couple of years ago. Yet, they remember and still make fun of me for suggesting that place. Whoever was cooking that day, did not have a clue. They were very friendly.
Ahora - We have visited couple of times in the last 2-3 years but it is not our cup of tea, small portions and pricey. Service and food ok but there is a better option which is "La Cabaña on Merivale which is not Mexican but does the trick for "us".
Beside that place on Merivale, there are no Mexican restaurants at least from our views. Toronto/Montreal have better options for sure. Last one we tried was the new Mucho Burrito in Kanata but again we wont be going back any time soon.
The kids ages are: Boy 7, Girls 11 and 15.
2009 Dec 7
asanchez - I ask a favour (because I am getting older and forgetful)... when you do try places any of the above places or others as a family, and post Reviews for them here on OF do let us know what your kids thought... it will be interesting to see how these suggestions match up with what works for your family.
And no doubt over time, you'll get more suggestions as well.
And no doubt over time, you'll get more suggestions as well.
2009 Dec 8
LWB - The Merivale Fish Market is a good bet, I see families in there of all ages quite regularly.
Asanchez - I hear you on Mexican food in Ottawa... though I have never found the portions to be small at Ahora (?) Anyone else? What's funny is, La Cabaña has tacos which resemble closest to those that one can find on the streets in Mexico, moreso than Ahora's tacos. I'm glad I live about 5 minutes away from La Cabaña now!
Asanchez - I hear you on Mexican food in Ottawa... though I have never found the portions to be small at Ahora (?) Anyone else? What's funny is, La Cabaña has tacos which resemble closest to those that one can find on the streets in Mexico, moreso than Ahora's tacos. I'm glad I live about 5 minutes away from La Cabaña now!
2009 Dec 8
Asanchez, not much to add, but to echo F&T's & Pan's suggestions, you might want to add the Mongolian Hot Pot to your list if its closer to your part of town (s. glebe):
www.ottawafoodies.com
have to say your kids have had exposure to a wider spectrum of restaurants than many adults. Lucky them!
www.ottawafoodies.com
have to say your kids have had exposure to a wider spectrum of restaurants than many adults. Lucky them!
2010 Jan 14
After our trip to Mexico, it was refreshing finding a good option at Viña del Mar Review comments in ottawafoodies.com/vendor/1449
asanchez
We are NOT looking for boring kids menus (chicken fingers, burgers, Kraft dinner, mini-pizzas, etc). Kids love sea food (NOT deep fried) and they eat basically anything.
Our current list:
- House of Lasagna (Pasta)
- So good Restaurant.
- Louis pizza (Vanier).
- Yangtze (Dim sum)
- Lone Star (Stick to fajitas).
- La Cabaña Restaurant (That’s the closes to Mexican food but this one is from Salvador).
- Lebanese food
Not a hit with the kids (but parent will go back)
- Ethiopian.
- Vietnamese.
Past favourites (No longer going or once in every 3-6 months):
- Greek Souvlaki House (Baseline)
- Coras (Good food yet overpriced)
- Saint Hubert (Downtown hull)
- Pavo Loco (Out of business)
- Suchi (Merivale – left an arm and a leg, it was way too expensive. Yet, my kids loved it).
- Rocking Johnny’s dinner. (Burned down)
- The works
- Casa Do Churrasco
- Colonnade pizza
- Outback’s (out of business)
- East Side Marios
Banned ones (Went once and never go back):
- Dicks dinner
- Mexicali rosas (service is good yet food does not appeal to us)
- Mucho burrito (overprice and food not that great)
- Ahora (overprice and food not that great)
- Swiss chalet
- Red lobster (deep fried capital of sea food)
- Joeys (Same deep fried)