ottawa foodies

Now that Zaki is open and I am (quite enviously!) scanning the reviews, drooling over pictures, and reading about OF sightings/near sightings would anyone be up for a meetup at Zaki's? We can mutually agree on a date later I am just gaging interest...

I'd be up for that. Unlike some people, it's a grossly inconvenient location for me but the additional motivation of a social event will get me there!

Lol, I'm tempted to return today. Will happily meet.

You know what we should do. Is have monthly OF meetings at a new restaurant or existing.

I would be up for one.

Ravi - I think that is a great idea, I would be interested.

It would be fun...count me in.

Why not? I'm game.

Go back again .....OK !!!

PB&A I'm in the same boat - the location isn't very convenient but if I'm in the company of other foodies that will be temptation enough to lure me to the area. And the yummy looking food-;)

Ravi Yes! Monthly meetups at restos sounds like a great idea. Mind you any excuse to eat sounds good enough to me-;)

JDK LOL!

Okay it sounds like there is interest! What day of the week would be most convenient for everyone? (Even if you haven't responded yet and would like to come feel free to respond.)

I would certainly join you guys. Partner invited too? How woud reservation work? One big table?

We should try doing something similar to dishcrawl in Montreal.

As a recently joined OF, I really like the idea of monthly meetups. I'm away at the moment and will likely miss the Zaki's outing, but am drooling over the descriptions of the food. They're creating quite the sensation! I've told my husband I'd like to stop by on the way home from the airport ;)

Tuesdays and Thursdays are not good for me. Most any other day I can make work.

To try and get this ball rolling, I've made a poll here:
www.doodle.com

It features potential meal times over the next week or so. Just go in, click the times that you would be up for visiting and hopefully one will reveal itself to us. I figure that this weekend is probably short notice, but I left Sun/Mon in. I don't know if they are open on Monday though.

I'll close the poll Sat night/Sun morning if that all sounds reasonable.

Well, they only have seating for about a dozen people and it is all spread out with a couple of tables here and a few more over there. While I'm close and could probably make it any time, I don't know if more than 8 would be able to sit together to socialize.

Oh, I'm in if this happens.

I believe the tables are movable. So we can just call ahead and have them arranged. And the seating count is 22 or 24.

I'm in for this, but for the next ten days I'll be scouting fish fry in upstate new york. Great idea though for a monthly meetup. What about a facebook page? I know the Art is in FB page tempts me regularly when they post their daily specials. Would anybody use that to coordinate lunches/dinners on a moment's notice?

Blubarry, I check Facebook once a week max. Is there a way to set it to email you an update to a page you follow?

But yeah we can start a group on there and do monthly events. Invite all the foodies every month, whoever can say attending not etc. Random hungry people can attend too, I ran into Ottawas Steamwhistle rep Dave at Zaki's today. Should have chatted him up more, any man who drives around promoting beer is good in my books. He'd apparently heard of Zaki's through a friend who reads OF but doesn't post.

don't know ravi. I know it will give you a FB notification and I'm told that email is now an official marker of old fossils and that we should all be doing IM's and FB messages instead LOL.

I just started a group www.facebook.com I kept it closed because it will have the "real" identities of members, but if anybody wants to use it to arrange spontaneous meetups feel free to join. I don't want it to detract from the action over here, so I did call it a "Fan" group and put the link to this site. I hope it's complementary to the stuff we do here, but will gladly take it down if people don't ike it.

Ravi - you can set FB to send you email notifications, I think it is under account settings.

Blubarry - art-is-in tempts me on a daily basis, esp since I work down the street.

Triple D Yes partners are invited too.

PB&A Thanks for creating the poll. Your help is much appreciated. Closing the poll Monday morning is okay with me. Off to fill out the poll and join the FB page...

Getting notifications on the FB page. Perfect, I guess they're turned off on an individual basis.

Let's eat!

It's starting to look like next Wednesday at 6:30.

This is a fantastic idea. I joined the poll but if it is Wednesday, I'll see y'all at the next meetup. I probably don't need to go to Zaki's 3x in one week anyway ;) Off to join the FB group...

Hi everyone,

As Rizak predicted, it looks like the meetup will be 6:30 this Wednesday the 23rd. Hope to see you all there! All other Ottawa Foodies are welcome to join us, even if you didn't take part in the poll.

I haven't been but my impression isn't that this is really a reservation place but if anyone feels inclined... please let us know!

How many of these are plus ones? Given the number it would be fair to ring ahead. I can call, but whoever does. Make sure they don't cook any chicken in advance. I'd rather wait for crispy ultra fresh chicken. Looks like 9, if half bring +1s, big group :-D

Just want to confirm that some of you will be here tonight around 6:30. I mean, even if you aren't I'll console myself with chicken, I suppose.

I will definitely be going! I have been fasting the last two days so I will be there with my appetite-;)

I'll be there.

I'll be there too with +1.

Sorry just surfacing from work and if it is not too late to sign up, I will be there too.. what is the address again?

I was away in New Orleans for JazzFest late Apr early May (awsome food in NOLA and at Jazz Fest btw) and then had to pay the price with catchup with work.

FoodTravel It's not too late at all. The address is 1385 Baseline in the new Wal-Mart plaza near Clyde and we'll be meeting there at 6:30. I look forward to hearing about your trip to New Orleans!

Inquiring minds want to know - how was the chicken???

The chicken was very good. I got a 4 piece chicken combo with 2 regular and 2 spicy and was not thrilled with the vinegar taste of franks hot sauce. I think I will get regular chicken next time unless they have other options to make it spicy. The spiced fries were mediocre.

There were 9 people there for the OF gathering. Ravi was the only one I figured out the handle for since I got there late. Several had the chicken and some had different types of kebab with nan bread which looked rather crunchy and I actually heard it crack when it was bent.

Talked to the guy at the counter on my way out and they asked my opinion. I told them that I like spicy chicken but found the franks hot sauce vinegary for my taste. Also commented that fries were so-so and probably prefer a side salad with it like they have for the kebab plates. They said they could be flexible in substituting. Also suggested that I like variety and they should consider pfferomg special combo plates with 1 kebab and 2 pieces of chicken. If I am lunching with a good friend can do 1 of each regualar plates of chicken and kebab and split it but often people are there by themselves and might be nice not having to choose between chicken and kebab.

I am more of a fan of the louisanna style of fried chicken with more dry spices but this is definitely great fried chicken, juicy with crispy skin. uhmmm still can taste those fried chicken, poboys, alligator, fried green tomatoes, crawfish and seafood from NOLA.

I had one of the kebab plates (chammi?). It came with the salad and a naan and a good portion of rice.

The Dragonlady had the beef burger. Her review: "It was alright. I'd give it a 6 or a 7. Dick's gets a 9. The fries rated a 4. I've had better at Harvies."

Let's just say that I'll be returning to the chicken and staying there. I'll pick up the chicken only and make a salad at home.

Oh, one other thing. Listing the items is fine, but if they are mostly unfamiliar to the region you are in, you might want to have a description of what they actually are. Even a picture would help.

I liked the chicken and thought it was definitely better than than all the local offerings I've had to date. The fries were oddly uneven -- I liked the crispy ones fine but left the limp ones. The place is good value @ $12 for a 4piece platter with fries, a bun, and sauces. I agree that a side salad would be a nice option. Not that we want to talk about salads again...

That being said, I was telling Ravi that I didn't find the friend chicken nearly as good as this: ruhlman.com /www.foodandwine.com . So if you like fried chicken and have some patience, I suggest that you check it out (it's pretty much the same recipe, just one is more detailed).

Anyway, everyone was friendly and I'm glad we got to meet. Except Rizak, who tried to steal my chicken.

This time I tried a chicken kebab with an order of freshly baked naan thinking I would wrap the chicken and have a sandwich. The naan was tasty but much too crispy to fold it around the chicken pieces. The grilled chicken kebab was nicely spiced for my taste but a bit overcooked and I will also stick to the broached chicken in future. I brought an order of broached chicken home for lunches today. I really like the staff at Zaki's....they all are friendly, interested and very accommodating. It was fun meeting the other foodies and we had some good laughs. Let's hear it for twist-off kilts!

Now the question is.. was Rizak being a true scot while in a kilt?

I got the two piece combo with fries and biscuit on the side. I got two little containers of sauce on the side - hot sauce and garlic sauce. The garlic sauce was very tasty but I agree with foodtravel I wasn't keen on the vinegary taste of Frank's hot sauce. I didn't really like the biscuit too much and the fries were so-so but I loved the chicken and that's what it's all about-;) That and meeting fellow foodies of course - it's nice putting a face to a name and it was a pleasure meeting everyone.

* AHEM *

Are you ... uh ... are you gonna eat that?

;)

I wish I'd found out about this meet up earlier in the week, sounds like the chicken and company were great. I might hit this place for lunch tomorrow instead of Shaan...but I do have a hankering for Indian.

Also, Rizak, are you referencing Dick's Dairy Dip on the burger front? I've had ice cream there, but never anything else. If so, how does it compare to Vera's or Hintonburger?

Dick's Drive Thru & Dairy Dip. Good burgers. Not quite to the level of Vera's/Hintonburger, but a good, solid burger. Nice bun. I often pick up the 12" chili dog for a change.

Still, if you're in the area you might want to wait until your chicken is done at Zaki's and then call Dick's to order some onion rings and a float. Cross the street illegally to muck up traffic, cut across the Loblaw's parking lot, then run as fast as you can to pick up those rings while they're still hot and eat at one of Dick's tables or on the sidewalk outside. Summer eatin'.

Dropped by Friday evening. Looking for dinner for two but not interested in the crappy-looking (and negatively reviewed) fries, and other sides. These people are inflexible on the quantities. I wanted 6 pieces, no dice. They couldn't sell me half a 12-piece. Pricey too, the 8 pieces at 15.95 or 12 at 22.95 is too expensive. Walked out empty-handed, never to return.

We were there Friday evening, possibly around the time Bacon I.V. was (got there not long before the storm, and I remember overhearing someone ask for 6 pieces of chicken). My daughter and I split a 5 piece chicken finger plate, hubby got 2 pieces of fried chicken. The fries were decent, the chicken fingers very moist and tasty (although nuclear hot, but we were warned). Hubby liked the fried chicken, reminded him of KFC Original back in the day.

We didn't like the "ketchup", or the hot sauce that came with hubby's chicken. Garlic sauce was fabulous though. Agreed that further side/sauce/combo options would be good; and really, call it a roll, not a biscuit. A kid's plate would be good, too.

I intend to go back and try some of the other options.

Back in town, so Wednesday at 6:30...I'm in!

Blubarry, we went last Wednesday! Or maybe you're just looking to go, in which case enjoy. But don't be surprised if you don't see us.

Bacon I.V. - Did you expect the person working the cash to be able to sell you something not on the menu? For an unknown or arbitrary price? Why would you expect that? Even if the (new) cashier knew how to ring a special price through the (new) ordering system, why would you presume he or she has permission from the owner / manager to sell and price things that aren't offered on the menu?

It also sounds like there were other people waiting to order the night that Bacon I.V. was there, so to expect them to create a special, off the menu order seems odd. It sounds like you were the one who was inflexible. On the other hand, it sounds like the restaurant will do really great even without that business.

@bacon uh.. It is what it is. These folks have been more than accommodating in the past. Again all within reason.

What you were expecting. And your position is pretty weird. I'm being polite with that statement.

Would be great to get other side options:

Baked potatoes perhaps?
Come to think of it, I love roasted corn you get at some fairs... If then can roast corn on the cob ... yummm..

mmmMMMMMMMmmmmm broasted corn.

Sorry I missed the gathering. I did have to come back to Ottawa for a meeting last Tuesday and stopped at Zaki's for lunch before I returned to the states. I've decided I like the spicy chicken more than the regular and although I like the garlic sauce with the fries, would love to have honey with that spicy chicken.

Actually you guys might be onto something with the corn bit. I know in India/Pakistan etc they do this grilled corn. It's amazing, usually charocal grill, and spiced with lemon, red spice(name I don't know) and a bit of a mixture of some other spices. It's mouthwatering just to think of it. I've had it in Toronto on Gerard street a number of times.

I think these guys would do really well with it as a side option. I know all the brown clientèle would def go for it, and I think the uptake with everyone else would occur naturally. It's a wholesome, lost cost high margin item. That goes with their grill motif.

Okay you guys are making me hungry again!-;) Ravi Where on Gerrard Street did you get this corn? I ask because I will be going to Toronto in July and would love to try it... And is it sold in a resto or food truck?...

When I lived in Toronto near the harbourfront, the habourfront center used to have themed fair and sometimes they have roasted corn.. yummm

Ravi - We had a potluck BBQ years ago, and friends from India brought corn-on-the-cob. They grilled it, then we rubbed chunks of lime on it and sprinkled garam masala over it. It was fantastic, people couldn't get enough of it. Now we always make it that way as standard. Hurry up corn season!

The corn thing works really well mexican style boiled then grilled then hit it w butter, lime and cayenne. Pure corn happiness.

RAVI - in the pic you posted, what's in the pan w the corn?

@Pasta, it was a place that had a iron pan right on the street, I couldn't tell you the name. But it was right in the indian block. The store sells groceries etc. It's been a couple years since I've been.. It's now on my list for the fall trip.

@Hipfunkyfun yes there's lime, and some additional mix of spice. It can't just be garam masala.. or maybe it is. I'll ask my aunt tonight. I know there's red powder when you ask for it to be spicy.. which may just be chili

@Osomeal. The red stuff in the pan is hot coals, thats how they do it. they don't use a grate from my recollection.

www.facebook.com

They're on FB now!

LadyIlsebet, it must have been another person, cause I dropped by after the storm, and I was the only person at the cash so I had ample time to drive both cashiers (who must be owners or family) and the dudes in the kitchen crazy with my outrageous demands lol

Bacon - your demands weren't outrageous, but your reaction was. You'll never, ever go back - ever. My 4yr old makes those kinds of statements all the time, usually followed by stomping his feet on the ground. He never gets his way either.

13 thumbs down for a simple "I won't return". I've seen others say the same for less egregious experience. And "you'll never, ever go back - ever"... my 30yr old is also prone to hyperbole... sheesh!