Dream restaurant [General]
2007 May 7
Ottawa does quite well on the variety front but one glaring hole springs to mind:
* A Brazilian style Churrascaria ("Ten Different Meats"), like www.texasdebrazil.com/ (check out the menu on that site, even if you're vegetarian)
In addition, it would be nice to have more choices of the following:
* Portuguese restaurants (wifey is Portuguese and has been consistently disappointed with all of our local ones).
* Restaurants focusing on local, organic, seasonal food that are not necessarily vegetarian or overpriced.
* Aboriginal foods -- something less haute cuisine than Sweetgrass, where you could get a quick lunch.
* A Brazilian style Churrascaria ("Ten Different Meats"), like www.texasdebrazil.com/ (check out the menu on that site, even if you're vegetarian)
In addition, it would be nice to have more choices of the following:
* Portuguese restaurants (wifey is Portuguese and has been consistently disappointed with all of our local ones).
* Restaurants focusing on local, organic, seasonal food that are not necessarily vegetarian or overpriced.
* Aboriginal foods -- something less haute cuisine than Sweetgrass, where you could get a quick lunch.
2007 May 7
BBQ.
I just tried Dinosaur BBQ (www.dinosaurbarbque.com/) in Syracuse yesterday and man do they ever know how to cook pulled pork. Great beef brisket too.
I just tried Dinosaur BBQ (www.dinosaurbarbque.com/) in Syracuse yesterday and man do they ever know how to cook pulled pork. Great beef brisket too.
2007 May 7
Funny as it sounds, i think that there's one thing missing on the Québec side of the river, and it's a QUÉBEC restaurant. :)
Sure, au pied de cochon in Montréal is a high standard, but in the region here there's nothing "Québec" in terms of restaurants. There are lots of french restaurants, but it's not the same.
Sure, au pied de cochon in Montréal is a high standard, but in the region here there's nothing "Québec" in terms of restaurants. There are lots of french restaurants, but it's not the same.
2007 May 14
Harvest Loaf on Wellington carries homemade Aussie meat pies (either pre-baked, or frozen so you can bake-at-home) and Lamingtons. The owner is actually Australian - very nice guy! My boyfriend (who is Australian) liked the pies, however he felt they did not quite bring him back to the pies he ate at the footie games back in Oz. I - who had never had one before thought they were tasty and delish.
2007 May 14
There is a vegetarian baked potato place in Ottawa called Perfection Satisfaction Promise (formerly the Painted Potato). That's not all that's on their menu, but sounds like the same concept. They have a long list of toppings.
It's been around for a long time, so yes, it's pretty successful.
It's been around for a long time, so yes, it's pretty successful.
2007 May 14
Authentic taco stands, like a taqueria... these are very common on the west coast of the USA and of course in the southern states near the mexico border... generally, Ottawa could benefit from some really good street vendors, wider variety than street meat sausages and hot dogs. I just find we pay way too much for decent mexican food here, although Ahora is close.
2007 May 15
Ok one more for me. Not entirely a dream, but the experience was memorable. I used to go to a food stand on Wellington near Mechanisville (where I lived for one year in early 90s) called 'Mr. Churro'. I'd never before, or since seen or heard anything about 'churros', but this guy served up these pseudo-pretzel shaped pieces of fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I used to get in an argument (friendly of course) EVERY DAY with the old gentleman who was running the place because I wanted to get 3 churros for 50 cents, and he was selling them 6 for a dollar. I couldn't eat more than 3, and although quite yummy when piping hot, they quickly got less um.. yummy when they cooled down. Quite the guy. I always assumed the stand went away when the old guy died.. but I really don't know one way or the other.
2007 May 15
The problem with street meat in Ontario is that provincial law currently only allows precooked meat to be sold. This pretty much guarantees the hegemony of the downtown sausage guys. There has been discussion in the past month about changing the rules but I'm not sure if anything will come of it...I sure hope so.
2007 May 15
Yeah, this is a very hot topic in Toronto... it forces a lot of really good street food vendor options into restaurant situations where they have to deal with much higher overhead costs for obvious reasons, when they could be making a killing outdoors on a vendors permit through the municipality. It's sheer paranoia... I just have amazing memories of Portland, of all places, where there was a parking lot FULL of vendors where I could get anything from Mexican, to southern style BBQ, to Thai, to Vietnamese, to Chinese, to Pasta, to... you name it really?! Street food options are depressing here! REVOLT!
2007 May 15
Ha, ha, I was just about to say the same think about the Ukrainian church. And they had a sign up a week or 2 ago about a big sit-down dinner. I've bought the Borscht, Perogies and Cabbage Rolls there and they are all excellent. And I'm 1/4 Polish and 1/4 Ukrainian and lived in (soviet) Ukraine for a year.
There is also the New Dubrovnik on Carling with good Slavic food. And Amber Garden that used to be on Wellington/Richmond - what ever happened to them? Did they move or merge with another resto? Most of their cooks were Poles and it was all Slavic food. Brought my mom there when she was visiting a few years ago (she's 100% Bohunk) and she couldn't stop raving about the place. Oh, this site tells me they have merged with Dalmacia Amber Garden and Dalmacia . I've never been to Dalmacia
There is also the New Dubrovnik on Carling with good Slavic food. And Amber Garden that used to be on Wellington/Richmond - what ever happened to them? Did they move or merge with another resto? Most of their cooks were Poles and it was all Slavic food. Brought my mom there when she was visiting a few years ago (she's 100% Bohunk) and she couldn't stop raving about the place. Oh, this site tells me they have merged with Dalmacia Amber Garden and Dalmacia . I've never been to Dalmacia
2007 May 16
HOT... are you trying to ruin the mystique for me? Just kidding of course. It's been years and years since I've deep fried anything at home, although I'm considering starting up again. However my first dishes will be Crispy Beef, and General Tso's Chicken. I used to be pretty good (for a non-Cordon Bleu guy, who was cooking just to impress the ladies...) with the choux pastry... I love those eclairs! I might have to dust off that 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2' again (ok.. stop laughing.. ;-))
2007 May 17
No, they sell them out front outside of regular church hours ;-) And I dunno if the services are traditional or not but churches in Ukraine have no pews so you have to stand up the whole time!
Next time I see the sign out front I'll post here about it. I drive past there several times a week. Maybe we'll notice a pattern develop. Or maybe I'll just stop and get their phone number.
Next time I see the sign out front I'll post here about it. I drive past there several times a week. Maybe we'll notice a pattern develop. Or maybe I'll just stop and get their phone number.
2007 May 22
No problemo, oh, I just remembered, The Sausage Kitchen down in Byward market has a smorgasbord of sausage, potato... and uhh... more potato in pierogi form at their lunch counter. It's pretty decent if you're ever down there, hankering for sausage and pierogie. Oh speaking of pierogies... and depending on how far you'd drive for them... on the way to Algonquin park there's a place in Wilno called the Wilno Tavern which serves excellent pierogies and sausage. Otherwise, driving all the way out to Thunder Bay might be your next best bet ;) Ahh memories...
2007 May 23
1. We don't have enough good mexican. We have expensive and boring, and cheap and ok but nothing else
2. We don't have any good kosher food or a deli of shwartz's calibre that I know of.
3. We could use
4. We've got more room for caribbean cuisine
5. We no longer have top notch falafel. Anywhere.
2. We don't have any good kosher food or a deli of shwartz's calibre that I know of.
3. We could use
4. We've got more room for caribbean cuisine
5. We no longer have top notch falafel. Anywhere.
2007 Jun 23
Ooooo... I just read in the Ottawa magazine that Arome restaurant (in the Hilton Lac Leamy) is doing a Brazilian-style BBQ buffet on Friday and Saturday evenings. Their website confirms this. If you enjoy meat you likely can't go wrong at $35 per seat. Arome
2007 Jun 23
New Carribean place on St Laurent Blvd, one block south of Montreal road on the eastern side of the street. I'll have to get back to you with a name, but it smelled amazing when I was walking by. There is also a Carribean takeout in the plaza at Montreal road and St Laurent, it's been there awhile, have only been in once to buy patties, they offer beef, chicken and vegetarian patties so I can buy one for everyone in my family.
2010 Jul 5
Looks like we just lucked out with a new full-time churrascaria in Aylmer, although one foodie doesn't like it.
I don't think I can pass up trying it out, despite the bad review:
Forum - Ekko de Brazil----not worth the $$!#new
It's located at Chateau Cartier:
www.chateaucartier.com
Will add to vendors as soon as I try it.
I don't think I can pass up trying it out, despite the bad review:
Forum - Ekko de Brazil----not worth the $$!#new
It's located at Chateau Cartier:
www.chateaucartier.com
Will add to vendors as soon as I try it.
2010 Jul 12
Don't be put off by that review. I tried it out last Friday night with a bunch of friends, including some genuine Brazilians. We had a great time and were more than impressed with what they've put together in a relatively short time - they've only been open for a few weeks.
I've added them to the vendors and will post a full review when I have a moment.
I've added them to the vendors and will post a full review when I have a moment.
garydean