3 restos for 3 nights please [General]

2008 Jan 27
hello ottawa foodies

I am coming into your beautiful burg for a few nights of bizness and would love to know what three restaurants i should/must eat in while in town. getting in late Monday nt and will be famished. Staying at chateau laurier and would love to avoid room service. leaving eaither Thursday ny or Friday. Hoping for a good japanane since we do not have on in Mtl (a good one I mean.) So foodies. Where should I eat?

Merci

The Montreal Beachbum

2008 Jan 27
We're even further from the ocean than Mtl (with a smaller Jp. expat community?), so i'm not certain Japanese is better here than in Montreal. :(

But, given your hotel location (& assuming you're walking), Suisha Gardens (on Slater) or Totoya (on Dalhousie) are both pretty good. (Call before you go: some restaurants are closed Mondays.)

Other candidates (not Japanese, but walking distance): Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro (on Murray, i think), Ceylonta (S. Indian on Summerset) ... and whatever looks interesting in the byward mkt (close to C. Laurier).

Otherwise, the two restaurants i bring out of town guests to lie in opposite parts of the city: Caribbean Flavours in the west end and Chahaya Malaysia in the east. If the per diem covers cab-fare, i'd go to both.

enjoy!

2008 Jan 28
Hmmmmm.....seeing as you haven't mentioned location or price as a factor, I'll just give you my top picks overall, regardles of that stuff. Now that I live in Regina, these are the gems I miss the most:

Carribean Flavours
La Cabana (El Salvadorean)
Beckta (Fine Dining, great wine list too)
Eff's Turkish Restaurant (Turkish)
Il Piccolino (Italian)
Pub Italia (NOT for food, but for beers, food is quite disappointing)

Not too familiar with Japanese restaurants in OTT, but Genji seems to be the general consensus amoungst people on this site. I believe it is well within walking distance from Chateau Laurier.


2008 Jan 28
When people from out of town come to ottawa, i always suggest Sweetgrass aboriginal Bistro. I don't recall seeing a restaurant like that in Montréal when i was living there. If you do decide to go there, call in advance, it's happened twice to me that i got there and it was fully booked.

I also like itchy feet's "ceylonta" suggestion. It's Sri Lankan food. Cheap, spicy and good.


2008 Jan 28
Yes, absolutely go to Ceylonta if you like east-indian food!!!

2008 Jan 28
The best restaurant in the city is The Wellington Gastro Pub(west end). Menu changes daily, service is casual but top notch and the food is always well prepared, mostly local products used and most importantly delicious!!! Great wines too.

In the market, well not much there that is any good. Restaurants look nice, menus sound good but the quality never measures up! Sad really.

If you are just looking for drinks though after dinner, there are a lot of great places in the market. Eighteen, Social, The Velvet Room.

If you are looking for a quaint pub with food that is well prepared, The Manx on Elgin is great. Worth the wait for a table while you had a drink at the bar.

Brunch on the weekend at Benny's Bistro is fantastic. As are their croissants & coffee at the French Baker. Best in the city! (Both in the same space, just have different names)

Hope this helps & that you have a great time!

2008 Jan 28
Yes, I'll 2nd the Wellington as well!
Great selection of beer, too.
The Wellington Gastropub

2008 Jan 28
If you are looking for Japanese go for Gengi. (Close to your hotel)

Fine Dining (as long as $$$ is not a problem) I would not leave the city until you check out Beckta.

Others in the area: Khao Thai, Eighteen,

2008 Jan 28
Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro
www.sweetgrassbistro.ca/

Haven't been here for a few years but have had a few great dining experiences as have my colleagues at work. I like to recommend it to out-of-towners as it's a nice change from the usual and I feel as if this restaurant could survive in even the most discerning restaurant markets (NYC, etc)

2008 Jan 28
I'm going to have to disagree with the market-not-having-good-restaurants remark, no offense, but please try to avoid the touristic-Byward-market-traps. Restaurants you should try within close proximity (ie, walking distance) to your hotel:
1) Sweetgrass, for aboriginal cuisine, kind of an Ottawa original so maybe that should be bumped to the top of the list
2) Domus, fine dining
3) Black Cat Cafe, good food, good wine selection
4) Chez Lucien, for a pint and a really good burger
5) The French Baker, for really good croissant in the morning
6) Wilfrid's, I know you don't want room service, but the restaurant at the hotel is actually very good
7) Totoya, for Japanese, even though there's not a lot of really excellent Japanese food in Ottawa
8) Shawarma Palace, I know Mtl has wicked Lebanese food, but if you are in need of a Shawarma you can find a decent one on Dalhousie
9) Signature's by the Cordon Bleu, not too far, maybe a little bit of a hike, but definitely worth the extra that your per diem will likely not cover! LOL

2008 Jan 29
Black Tomato is pretty good in the Market too. Awesome beer selection!

2008 Jan 29
Have to agree with Chimichimi about #4,#5, & #8. Not tried, but have heard good things about #1, #4 & #9, but can't agree with #2 & #3. Actually a few of the places I was referring to. Have tried them on numerous occasions but am always disappointed. Black Tomato is hit or miss as well but the tunes are always great! Good just for drinks. Oz Kafe on Elgin is a nice place as well. Every time I have been there the food has been simple but very well prepared & flavourful!!! Surprisingly inexpensive as well which is refreshing.

2008 Jan 29
Ottawa foodies

You guys are great. I tried Manx last night for a late bite & a beer. Outstanding. had the veal curry wrap and veggie rolls, washed down by a "not-available-in Montreal" Creemore ale. Perfect...even if it was accompanied by a red&black Mohawked one-man-band. Cool atmosphere and, I am sure this is typical, what a smokin' lovely waitress. Like I said...perfect.

Just now planning on where to go for tonight. sweetgrass/domus/becta...and where after for drinks. thx folks. Montreal Beachbum.

2008 Jan 29
Hoho! That's excellent! You should check out Beckta if you have a chance, it's a bit of a walk from your hotel, but totally feasible.

2008 Jan 29
The Wellington Gastropub!



2008 Jan 29
Only a 10 minutes on the #2 westbound :-)

2008 Jan 29
Consider this another vote for the Wellington Gastropub! Went there for New Years Eve dinner and it was outstanding. Probably my best dining experience of the year.

2008 Jan 29
I definitely 2nd or 3rd or 4th the gastropub, but that's going to require transit. They've got good beers there, reasonably priced, and the food was excellent last I was there. Go for their dessert with ice cream, it's made in house (my SO has always lucked out with the gastropub's peanut butter ice cream, it's her fav).

2008 Jan 29
Oh, if brewpubs are your thing, go to the Clocktower. The food is good pub food. The beers excellent - and cheap if you buy their own.