ottawa foodies

So my husband and I are leaving Ottawa as of mid/late January to move to Toronto. This of course has me thinking about what places in Ottawa I want to visit before I leave for good. Naturally, my visits are going to include some restaurants I've been meaning to try for ages, along with some old favourites.

I thought this might be a fun question for the foodies to answer, especially those of you bored at work right now. ;)

If you were leaving Ottawa and had a few weeks to visit some tasty restaurants, which ones would you pick? Why?

I'm still developing my list, but so far it includes:

- lunch at Planet Coffee, where I've spent many lunches in the Market
- hopefully dinner at Juniper, one of our favourite restaurants
- Grabbing falafel one last time from Istanbouli
- Grabbing a scone or two from the Scone Witch

I'd definitely do dinner at Benitz bistro (it's your birthday soon, isn't it? I remember from last year that yours is very close to mine) and brunch at Benny's Bistro (hope that's not too self-promoting, I do work at the French Baker but I have nothing to do with the menu in the bistro).
And a last trip to Domus should be on there too. I don't think you'll have much trouble making your list, you might have trouble getting to all the places on it before you go though!

Oh, and Happy Birthday !

Oh man, I know the feeling, having moved to Regina a few months ago. Of course, your culianry options will probably not be as limited as mine now are seeing as you'll be in delicious Toronto (hellllooooo peameal bacon sandwiches from the St. Lawrence Market!). The foods I've been missing the most:

- Carribean Flavours
- Beckta
- Poutine from Frenchie's Chip Wagon
- Butter Chicken from Indian Express Food and Sweets on Wellington
- Breakfast, Clubhouse Sandwich, and chocolate milkshakes at John's on Wellington
- Driving to MTL for Schwartz's smoked meat
- BBQ Smoked Salmon from Saslove's on Wellington with bagels and creamcheese from the Ottawa Bagel Shop
- Pub Italia for a pint (or 2 or 3)
- Aladdin Groceteria's (on Wellington) hummus and baba ganoush
- Shawarma!!!! (can be found in Toronto of course - but not in Regina!)

Whew - that's all I can think of right now :)

I basically concur with all of Mousse's and F-i-H's suggestions. ESPECIALLY the Domus, Beckta, Saslove's, Bagel Shop, Shawarma. Oh, and I'll promote Mousse's workplace shamelessly since I don't work there, I would drop by the French Baker for a chocolatine, croissant, or well... just about anything sweet from there!!! ;)

Oh yeah, I'd probably get some spicy pho hue and shrimp wontons and chicken wings from Pho Thang Long; the owner would kill me if I left and didn't stop by to see him first!

Thanks for the answers so far!

Mousseline: You have a great memory; my birthday is on Sunday. Thanks for the birthday wishes and happy birthday to you too! Unfortunately we'll be in Toronto apartment hunting that day, so I won't really have time to celebrate. Benitz, I completely forgot about that place, I should see if dinner there would work out.

FiH: Oh man, how did I forget Pub Italia? Going on the list for sure.

Chimi: I just had some croissants from the French Baker this past weekend. I agree, they are awesome.

I'd go to Urban Pear and Allium.

I'll chime in.

Yes Yes Yes to the ones already suggested :

- Butter Chicken from Indian Express Food and Sweets on Wellington. Ask Raj to put some extra toasted slivered almonds on top with the fresh cilantro, as a garnish

- Carribean Flavours (you'll find cheaper and many more Jamaican/Carribean places in TO, but probably not better)

-Juniper ... I used to watch the owner walk to work down Julian Ave., from my buddies veranda. I'd shout out to him "What's on the salmon tonite ?". He'd stop and tell me, with pride, each and every time. I used to bring customers there (in the old location), for a sure deal closer !

- BBQ Smoked Salmon from Saslove's on Wellington with bagels and creamcheese from the Ottawa Bagel Shop . And ya can go to LOEB, 200ft. away and save a dollar or more on the same cream cheese. I also have walked to the end of Carleton Ave (starting at the Loeb store and Wellington St.) and had 'brunch' by the Ottawa river. Quite nice.

and one from me,

-How about munching on a sandwich from DiRienzos DiRienzo Foods. An Ottawa Classic !! The pic is from the DiRienzo's Facebook site:

even though TO has some excellent Caribbean and South Indian / Sri Lankan resties, i'd also hit Caribbean Flavours along with Ceylonta. And, i'd add Chahaya (Malay) to that list, as well.

Pub Italia and L'autre Oeil would be up there, too (not for the food). And Bridgehead (for the morning after). :)

How about having French cusine at the one I recently tried? Most of the government employees like to go to Le Panaché in Gatineau for lunch (not the one on Somerset). My friend told us that this restaurant is always packed for lunch in the summer.

Lunch is about $30 per person and dinner is about $65 per person (without wine).

I definitely agree about the butter chicken from Indian express as well.
I forgot to mention in my above suggestions that there should be a "farewell Candice" get-together before you leave town(at someplace a little less pricey than Domus)...I haven't gotten to meet any of you OttawaFoodies in person yet. My schedule is crazy now but will slow right down after new years.

Thank you for the birthday wishes Candice...mine is the day after yours. I will be going out for dinner Saturday night but I don't know where yet.

And Food is Hot:
Not to hijack Candice's thread or anything...but what IS there to eat in Regina? You've piqued my curiosity :)

Siam Bistro. My sister had some clients visiting from Vancouver last week, and the majority of them were either Chinese or Filipino. She took them to Siam Bistro for dinner and they all said that, not only was it extremely evocative of their childhood (especially the green mango salad), but Vancouver Thai is completely ruined for them now. That's high praise!

Other than that, I definitely second Beckta and pretty well everything else that's been mentioned here.

For Food in Regina you can visit Chowhound.com. They have a western Canada board which includes Regina!

Yum, all of your ideas make me hungry!

So far I've had my last falafel and have dinner plans for later this month at Juniper with some friends. :) Next week I'll finish up my Christmas shopping downtown and hopefully get in a trip to Planet Coffee AND grab some scones from the Scone Witch.

For all the raving everyone has done on Caribbean Flavours I think I might have to pop by there to grab lunch someday soon. Besides, I can walk to their new location!