ottawa foodies

TOPIC continued from Forum - New Openings 2015

Long time lurker but finally registered!

Industria Brasserie is setting up shop at Lansdowne and looks like it could be opening in the coming weeks/months.

www.industriabrasserie.com/

Also heard that Mambo could soon be closing and El Furniture Warehouse will be opening in their spot.

warehousewhis.ca/

A butcher shop is opening on Beechwood beside Bridgehead.
This could be another sign of the start of the 'Westboro-ification' of New Edinburgh. Good or bad?

Beechwood just doesnt have the same main drag or type of people Westboro / Wellington West does. Maybe Im wrong, but I don't see it exploding like W or WW.

A new option for those who like to stay out late but not so keen on bars/pubs. Honey Town on Somerset and the corner of Arthur St. in Chinatown is slated to open on Friday (I stopped in today to ask) and looks to be a classic Chinese/Taiwanese dessert/snack shop with cozy booth seating and late hours.

Their menu items looks promising but the pictures look like typical Chinese dessert shop stock photos. Regardless, I'm still SUPER excited - the Chinese dessert shops in Toronto are a must-visit every time I'm there and even though I know I should to reel my expectations back quite a bit, it still looks like a new and welcomed arrival in Ottawa.

I've already added them as a vendor and patiently await reviews!

Carben (the old Burnt Butter) sounds like it's coming together nicely and should be opening in the next little bit...

Sign on the door of Carben Food & Drink says it will open tomorrow (15 June).

Carben website is up and they are open. Menu looks interesting.

www.carbenrestaurant.com/

If they do food half as good as they did that website, I'll love it.

So, they opened a restaurant on Wellington, but they aren't doing lunch? Interesting choice. They don't open until 5:30. Maybe that's the way to go and they'll start a renaissance of evening eateries in the area. That sounds just about perfect, actually. Get people out and about, spending a bit of money here and there, watching live music, you know ... how a great bohemian artistic area should behave.

I applaud this. Open late, stay open later. Make a reputation for the late night crowd, even if one doesn't exist yet. BRING IN a late night crowd, and other places may start to follow suit.

re: their website, it's just Wordpress, like nearly 25% of the internet these days; though it IS pretty cool the first dozen times you see it. Here's the theme they're using: pixelgrade.com

I'm down with more late-night options, for sure, though. Might give them a shot later this week.

Carbon menu does look good, but $75 for beef tongue? The same tongue that makes yummy sandwich meat? I must be missing something. That seems in line with $80 pickled pigs feet.

Word is that there'll be a Mexican restaurant opening in the old Tommy & Lefebvre on Bank St. It's a big space and there were rumors a few months ago that it'd be a Farm boy, but...

Full Disclosure, I did help these guys find their location,

thefuelbar.ca/

Should be opening next week, and will be a pretty great new concept for health conscious people working downtown (99 Metcalfe).

The owners have done a lot of research and worked very hard on a "clean" fast food concept which I am looking forward to.

Opening next week? The 'testimonials' on the site seem to imply they've got a steady, zealous clientele already...

Thanks for pointing it out, didn't notice that.

They have had a menu tasting event a couple of weeks ago, I assume they got their comments from that. But am going to confirm.

These don't sound like they're referring to a tasting event:

'Every time I visit the the Fuel Bar, I am greeted with employees who are genuinely passionate about the food they're serving.'

'I am a total regular at this awesome restaurant when I’m in town for business. Every time I visit the Fuel Bar, the food is fresh and the staff is very friendly and energized.'

At least they haven't posted reviews on Yelp yet. :)

I like these guys, they're hard workers, and I rarely post about people who I have helped find locations in Ottawa.

Lol, I guess I didn't need to help generate buzz, they've been doing it on their own.

CBC Marketplace exposes on-line reviews for restaurants etc.

www.cbc.ca

Carben's menu sounds interesting.

But I don't think I like their dessert choices too much.
Cucumber ice cream?? Basil meringue??

Ok, well I guess at least it is not blue cheese ice cream with cocoa nibs-that might be terrible (and I just made up this awful sounding ice cream...if someone really makes this...lol).

ATARI restaurant opening in the spot where Sopra ristorante in the market. Curious to know what kind of joint this will be.

Prettytastyreviews - I thought the same of Carben's dessert menu and then I was encouraged by our server Naj to try it. In his words, "I'm not a dessert person, and this was the only time I thought my dessert was as great at my main." Obviously with that recommendation we couldn't refuse. At first bite, the flavours were strange... then after a few more bites, I couldn't stop eating it. It was a delicious but also incredibly memorable and interesting dessert.

Proper review and photos forthcoming! But in summary: all the thumbs up!

"Eggroll Factory" is open in the spot vacated by Wing Wah on Centrepointe.

Posted a few weeks back about El Furniture Warehouse soon opening. Just noticed that they're postering all over Ottawa but no exact location or opening date yet...

They are opening in the old Mambo on Clarence. I heard that it was $5 plates across the board.

Yup ... $5 plates .... and $14 if you want some food on them.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist that one).

I noticed on Friday that signs are now up for RHE Rotisserie House Express in the former Benji's Vietnemese location on Iris, beside Big Rig. They aren't open yet but I'm looking forward to trying out this new addition to the neighbourhood.
rotisseriehouseexpress.ca/

Thanks for that. A bunch of us used to go to Big Rig every Thursday night for shits and giggles and beers. I may suggest this place as a new trial.

There's a sign in the former Illume Cafe (Wellington at Island Park Drive) that says the Chesterfield Gastro Diner in opening soon. Has anyone heard who's heading this up?

Chesterfield's Gastro Diner has a website, but no indication of the opening date:
gastrodiner.ca

African Village Restaurant is now open on Wellington, where Silver Spoon Thai used to be.

The Pomeroy House set to open on August 11, 2015 in the Glebe.

www.ottawamagazine.com

Muckleston and Brockwell's Butchery is open on Beechwood.

Anyone know what's up with La Bottega that is supposed to be opening in Litty Italy? www.ottawacitizen.com

I'd written myself a note saying that it would open this year.

Ah, I found another article saying 2016. Darn.

My daughter tried a new AYCE sushi place on Bank. She said it was really good and the prices were great +she is a student). Prices at other AYCE sushi place have been creeping up, as they get more popular. I can't remember the name.

Another new restaurant at Lansdowne!!!

Crust & Crate Public House

www.crustandcrate.com

Heard through the grapevine that El Furniture Warehouse has been doing a few soft openings the last few days and will be fully open to the public Wednesday.

Curious to see what this "premium dive bar" is really all about.

Main Street Cellar in Manotick is closed. Manotick Gastropub has opened in its place. Website says that it is the same staff.

Not really anything to note, but Gabriel's pizza has a new spot in the Holland Cross food court.

Maison Fumée BBQ soft opening is Friday in Gatineau. 25% off regular menu from Friday to Sunday.

www.facebook.com

Main Street Gastropub is in the same location as the Main Street Cellar. Same owners and staff, new menu, new chef, new drinks, lots of wine by the 5oz and 9 oz glass plus bottles. We were there Saturday night, the food was very good, had the ribs, fall off the bone good. Will be back to try other new items. Some very nice changes to the decor.

Never thought this day would come, but Mandarin will be opening it's first location in Ottawa!!

Location in Orleans will be opening in September. Exact location, not sure but I'm guessing on Innes. Anybody spotted it yet?

For those who are not familiar, this is a chain of Chinese Canadian buffets in the GTA, and in my opinion, are much much better than anything we have in this city.

Looks like Mandarin is not in the same league as the local Chinese Canadian Buffets:

Mandarin:

Lunch
Monday – Friday $15.99
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays* $19.99

Dinner
Monday – Thursday $22.99
Friday – Sunday & Holidays* $29.99

Asian Fusion Buffet (Bank St.)

Mon - Fri..........$10.95
Sat- Sun............$13.95
Child(4-11 yrs)...$5.95
Children under 3 FREE
Includes Chinese Buffet & Japanese Sushi AYCE

New Dragon Restaurant (Montreal Rd.)

Buffet Prices
Lunch 11.50
Dinner 13.50

tourist: Signage is up at Innes and Tenth Line (the plaza with the Home Depot and Metro).

Captain Caper: You also need to compare to Eclipse which ranges from $13.95 (Adult weekday lunch) to $20.95 (Adult weekend dinner).

I'll definitely check it out (on a weekday, at lunch, obviously, haha) but yeah, never been a fan of Mandarin's prices. They also lock you into weekend prices during the "holiday season," which generously stretches from December 15th to January 15th or something crazy like that.

Very happy to hear that the Mandarin is opening up in Ottawa. The weekday price is pretty reasonable for what you get; from memory that's only a bit above the price of Tucker's Marketplace and it is significantly better. The $30 per person on weekends and holidays is pretty pricey (but you'd pay that amount in many non-buffet restaurants in the end anyway I suppose). You certainly can't compare it to any of the other ones in the city which have traditionally been priced at the low end (mostly for good reason).

There's now a Waverley Orleans. Kinda odd...

@Francis Did you hear back what the new sushi place is called?

I know Ten Sushi opened last year and there is some new place on Bank st,downtown area called A+ sushi.
A+ always looks empty and the reviews for it are not so good...

@d00n Thanks for pointing out Eclipse. It never came up on my searches for (Canadian) Chinese Buffet's in Ottawa.

It looks like something in between the ho-hum Chinese Buffets and Mandarin.

Looks like Corner Bar on Bank St has been sold and will soon be known as Eddy's Diner. I always preferred Corner Bar Bank to Corner Bar Westboro because of their extended breakfast hours and overall service/vibe.

Growing up in the GTA we went to the Mandarin for New Years almost every year.

I know buffets are not known for quality, but I have never found any Chinese Canadian Buffet in Ottawa that is even remotely palatable, to be fair it's been a few years since I even ventured into one.

Mandarin is always (reasonably) fresh, and have a huge selection, I have no problem paying $29.99.. I do have a problem going to Orleans though...

It's going to be hard for me to go back to a Chinese Food Buffet in Ottawa after going to the Yang Ming Buffet a few years ago. I'm not sure what was more disgusting, the food or the bathroom. Can honestly say it is the worst food I have eaten in my entire life./end rant

Yang Ming used to be good the first year or two it opened,back when I was in highschool and it was called Chinese Buffet House.
I'm not very tempted to try any food from that place anytime.
I also remember reading a couple articles in the Citizen years ago about how some dead body was found in their dumpster and just never wanted to eat at their location after that.
-I know that has nothing to do with the food,but still...

The old Cathay location on Slater seems to have kept quite a few of their Chinese dishes at their buffet. I ate there once last year and thought it was allright.
I think it is called Sushi Kan now, they added a tiny sushi bar on some counter and the rest of the menu still seems to be Cathay stuff.

Looks like Tooth and Nail Brewing ompnay will soon be opening in Hintonburg. Sounds like they'll have a small restaurant at the front of their brewery.

It looks like SEN is open now.

Looks like D'Afrique, the Ethiopian restaurant on the lower level floor of the Capital Diner building on Laurier, between New Gen sushi and Japanese Village (Elgin and Metcalfe), has finally opened on August 22.

Before they opened, their facebook page had several "reviews" (all empty text except the ubiquitous 'best x food in the city'), all dated April 7 or June 1 and all of them 5 stars. Restaurants must understand this makes some people wary - it may have been a special tasting for a few people, but it looks somewhat suspicious. (There was a special event listed, but for April 11, after some and well before the other reviews.)

Some of the menu items look different yet authentic, except that 12 out of 30 dishes are spiced with jalapeno peppers; I don't quite know enough to understand if this is authentic, but it's not been listed as an ingredient in berbere or other native sauces, which have more than enough kick on their own, and make me leery of their inclusion. The other three Ethiopian restaurants I've been to certainly have none. Finally, 6 menu items are just the previous item served "firfir" - defined here as mixed with pieces of injera. What purpose is there, since it's served on injera already? A brief research lets me see that it's done for breakfast or maybe lunch. There is a lunch buffet, but the menu posted on the side window seems to be for the normal evening items.

I'll go for sure, but they'll have to wow me to beat Habesha.

"It looks like SEN is open now."

Confirmed.

I'm liking how the Landsdowne restau scene is developing, even if it is getting impossible to get a table at Joey or Local.

That Coco 77 place is taking forever tho'.

Popeyes Chicken is having their grand openings for both locations pretty soon!
Walkley location: September 7, 2015
Montreal Road location: September 18, 2015

Kind of glad they are both so far away from me. It's dangerously good..

The Clarkson is opening in the old El Meson spot on Beechwood.

LIFE OF PIE at Bank and Sunnyside is moving to the way larger space vacated by an interior design place, across the street and a few storefronts South.

Am excited about this... OOS desperately needs a solid desert place that isn't all about ice cream. Life is awesome but has zero space to sit and eat in their current location.

...D'Afrique is good Ethiopian food. A more detailed review will follow.

I will have to second D'Afrique! Absolutely lovely food. Saturday night they also serve alcohol.

The injera bread is great and I personally love their curried dishes, yummy and always spicy. I prefer the egg curried dishes, and the spinach like curried dish.

I would recommend this place to anyone. Parking is hard to find, but it's still summer so parking is free at world exchange and the restaurant seems to stay open on weekends so long as people are still eating. Very authentic, and clearly family run. Nice to see whole families and generations cooking and eating together.

Worth a visit, you won't leave hungry!

Up the street Malak Pastry has baklava, weekends they make cream filled pastries and I was just there and sampled a super cute little custard tart with a strawberry on top.
They do not really sell those and I think they might have been an order for someone or maybe just something they made for today.

They have ice cream/gelato during the summer, and there is always those small butter cookies and some chocolate dipped cookies that they always carry.
Often if you get a scoop of ice cream the owner or whoever is working there will give you a small cookie with your order :)

I know the owner a little,as I've been buying pastries at that location for quite a few years and always get sorbet while waiting for the bus right by their store...

Stella Luna is good,but usually I never feel like waiting in a long lineup and walking quite far for gelato. I like simpler fruit sorbet when it is so hot out...
I know that sounds "really boring" but raspberry, mix berry, orange sorbet, mango or kiwi is always refreshing.
The Malak sorbet usually has the raspberry seeds in it,so some might hate that,some might like that. They don't seem to strain the fruits for the sorbets and ice creams.

Malak is good, but i find that the baked goods i can get better from La Brioche in the Glebe, and the ice cream from Stella or DQ. Nothing is bad, i just find knowing i can get what i find better nearby sends me elsewhere.

Stella... Stella is a runaway success based on the lineups. It's totally worth the wait, provided i have the time and inclination to wait.

But Life of Pie... is pie. Glorious glorious PIE. :)

Anyone know what's going in at the corner of Bay and Somerset? I see a notice for a liquor license in the window but haven't had a chance to take a close look.

Answered by own question. Looks like it is going to be a tea salon called The Vanitea Room. Opening in October.

Chesterfield's Gastro Diner appears to be open. Anyone been yet?

The family visited Chesterfield's for lunch on Sunday. Very cozy place. We had the Schnitzel Chicken sandwich, the 2 eggs breakfast and waffles for the boys. Food was great but we all left still feeling hungry.

Had the soft open breakfast menu at Chesterfields last week. None of you should go. Stay away. Leave it ALL FOR ME MINE MINE DAMN YOU NO NO CROWDS NOLINEUPS DAMMIT ARGH.

Crap.

Ok, fine... as much as i wish i could keep the place to myself its success is inevitable so i may was well share with the ottfoodies... we had an AWESOME brunch there last week Sat.

Everything is made inhouse from scratch. Juice was fresh squeezed, coffee was tasty and free refills. We tried a 'breakfast pie', basically two small omlettes that were gloriously crispy outside and delicious, with a fresh salad, great homemade dressing, and potatoes that were just wrong. Also, a spicy veg-patty benny... the veg patty was delicious, the chipotle hollandaise (i didn't even know this was a thing, now i crave it) was sinful, the eggs were perfect, the side of beans practically had an entire porkchop inside it and the potatoes were wrong in case i didn't mention.

Y'know how Stoneface and Wilf/Ada's just quietly went from local secrets to forgetaboutitthelineisoutthedoor... well, this is that, early days.

Service was lovely.

Will be back while we still can. Will get in line ahead of you. Will hip check you if i see you going for the door as i'm approaching. You have been warned.

Gee thanks OSM -now the word will get out. Just don't try and sit at my table.

I have been a couple of times. 1st time had the breakfast hash with pastrami & egg, 2nd time the eggs benny. I thought it was quite good, but a few notes.

Food is undersalted, which I think is great. It allows you to salt at your will.
They bill themselves as a not so greasy spoon. So the potatoes, bacon, eggs are cooked with steam induction. Which for me, turned out perfect over med eggs. Bacon crispy but not greasy
The chipotle hollandaise on the day I had it was not very chipotle-ish and on the thin side. But tasty even though.

Good coffee with plentiful refills. Good service, super nice people.

On the breakfast menu - I would like to see a couple of sweet options, other than fruit/yougurt parfait.

I found that I left without that bloated oh god why did I eat that feeling, that you sometimes get after a breakfast out.

An almost opening.
Sunday the official Popeye's Chicken page on facebook, they were saying the Walkley rd store would open Monday.
I live near there and the windows were papered up and did not look too ready.

Monday night the Popeye's facebook page stated that it was someone who made a fake account of Reddit to start this rumour.
Thing is I have never used Reddit,ever and only looked at the official Popeye's chicken page.

Now they have gone back and deleted any mention of opening Monday and about their second location.
They should have just given an apology.
Instead some people drove halfway across the city hoping for some chicken and left quite angry.

With an attitude like that,I am not expecting the Popeye's chain to be around for a long time...if they ever open that is.

Prettytastyreviews, where is their purported second location?

Montreal and Ogilvie, I think, where the Arby's used to be.

Now on Facebook, they are denying that they released any info and were saying that someone posted pretending to be popeye's Canada.

If they just did screw up with the dates,they should have just released a correction notice, instead of just making people really annoyed and angry.

I am so surprized that people are willing to drive so far for just fried chicken.
Is Popeye's really that good?

Why the need to post the same thing twice, slightly paraphrased? Do you work for a competitor?

"Is Popeye's really that good?"

Short answer, yes. Long answer, helllllllllllllllllllllllllllll [deep breath] yessssssssssssssssss.

not sure if this was mentioned yet but the Corner Pub & Grill in the Glebe is now closed and the new resto "Eddy's Diner' is now open. Apparently it's different owners (I thought it might be the same as nothing seems to have changed) and the hours aren't quite established yet. Seems like they are mostly a breakfast place but will be open some nights, particularly for football and other events. Tried the breakfast this weekend and had the basic 2-egg breakie. It was just okay and for almost $9 for your basic breakfast, I thought it was a bit overpriced (nothing tasted exceptional at all, potatoes tasted frozen and slightly soggy---I didn't eat most of them). But glad to see its wasn't just another bar opening up in the glebe, anyway.
It still looks the same as Corner as they haven't cleaned up the scratched-up, bar-style furniture or gotten anything new since it was Corner, but maybe they are doing that gradually. It looks more like a bar/pub than a breakfast joint. Overall, don't think I'd rush back but might check it out again once they've been opened for a bit. Service was really good, though. Friendly and they chatted with us and other customers as they are clearly trying to get to know people in hopes they'll come back.

who uses frozen potatoes?....how hard is it to cut up a potatoe

Well, if you're a mainly breakfast joint and good and busy, you'd need a guy on near constant potato duty peeling, chopping and blanching just to keep up.

Pita Bell is finally open in the strip mall across from the Beer Store on Carling near Maitland. It’s a middle-eastern charcoal grill place serving pita wraps and platters, mainly chicken and kebab (mild or spicy) and a few other items. My Adana (spicy kebab) sandwich combo (salad or fries, chose salad) came with tasty garlic and hummus and a drink. Veggies were very fresh and I preferred the salad dressing over the one at Shawarma Prince. There is quite a bit of seating inside and service was friendly. The kebab was quite delicious, in general the sandwich tasted terrific. However it was too small for me; it was considerably skinnier than a small shawarma for the same or slightly higher price. Light eaters might not be perturbed but they’ll need to start stuffing their pitas a little more (or offer a large size) if I am to become a regular.