ottawa foodies

During the year that I have been visiting this site I have been relying on my Ottawa Foodie friends for their wonderful insight into the Ottawa dining scene. My New Year's resolution this year is to add a review or two. However my dinners out these days are far and few between (lack of $$$$) and my memory isn't what it used to be! So does anyone keep a food diary or something like that to make note of their favourite restaurants and what they ate? (This is especially important to me - I can clearly recall going to the Empire Grill with one of my girlfriends last year including the table we sat at and what the waiter looked like but I'll be damned if I can remember what I ate!) So what do others do?

I find that the easiest way to do it is to keep things brief and do it soon after you get back. I do have a little notebook, but reserve it for big hoop-de-doos (like if six people are going out with me instead of just one) and then use it to be a total nerd and get chef autographs ;)

It also helps if they have their menu available on-line. Even if it's not entirely accurate it can jog your memory.

To be honest, I sort of have a food diary.
I post a lot of reviews outlining exactly what i've eaten online.
www.harringtons.ca
other than that, I keep the receipts in a pile until I've done a review. This way if what I ordered isn't on the restaurants website I can get an idea of what I ate from the receipt. As well, I can see how much I tipped, so if I totally lose my memory I can tell how much I actually enjoyed the resto from my tip.
AND PICTURES! I always take pictures. This is probably the best way to remember what you ate, and sometimes it even brings back how I was feeling when I took the picture.

momo - chef autographs would be next level food nerdery. i'm busting up over here lol...

Like Momo said, I try to do it as soon as I can. No foodie diary here. If I can't remember the dishes or many specifics, I try to make it really straightforward. If I can make a very detailed review, I usually split it up and post it under the particular foods linked to that vendor.

And I wonder if Momomoto brings a camera for paparazzi pictures of the chefs...

Chefs autographs.... I haven't descended that far into being a food-nerdy but I have come close. Last summer I was at a conference where they served oysters for the nighttime reception. One of the people looking after the oysters was Michael Stadtlander who has a farm/restaurant called Eigensinn Farm in Singhampton Ontario. It has gained lots of noteriety and a British magazine named it one of the top 10 restaurants in the world. Anyway, when he was publicly announced I was completely blown away and talked to him immediately....

Later on that evening I was out at the bonfire (the conference was on a lake) and I ended up drinking a lot of wine with him and was probably a little too adoring. I was rather taken aback that I was hanging with a world class chef. Seemed like a fun guy too. Haven't been to his restaurant yet but its on my list of places to go in the next few years.

Cheers

I try to post reviews as soon as possible, while the experience is fresh in my mind. I generally try to keep my comments as positive as possible since I've always wanted this site to be a source of recommendations rather than condemnations. Nobody wants to know where to find the worst hamburger in town.

As for a notebook or food diary... you're looking at it! ;-)

Tx FF--positive feedback is why I personally choose this local site!

Thanks everyone for the handy suggestions. I am definitely going to use a notebook of some sort. There are a few favourite restaurants that I frequent regularly and practically have the menu memorized. But I had another brain cramp last night. I met a friend for dinner and recommended a restaurant that I thought she'd like. Of course I hadn't eaten there in awhile and ended with my usual disclaimer "I can't remember what I had but it was really good!".

Momomoto don't let the comments of others put you off - your food nerdiness is something to aspire to for some!

Medicinejar I wish I could go to a conference by a lake! Hmmmm... we have a staff retreat coming up later this spring and my supervisor asked for suggestions... I think I feel a suggestion coming on LOL!

Oh and I was totally teasing about the camera. Interwebs don't quite make that come across too well. Whoops!

First off, I know my reviews are not the norm. My style is just another perspective.

When I started posting here, I selected the name FOOD & THINK, because more often than not I eat out with “The Man”, and in our relationship, I am more the thinker / analyst (I always notice the little things, like if they forgot the garnish this time vs our last visit) and he’s just the lover of fine food & drink. Also, I am a wannabe writer, and this site serves as one of the outlets for my kraft. So you’ll find I write more about the atmosphere, service and general info than I do about the food. But then I figure, it takes all types of people to make the world go round, so I’m just giving a different point of view.

Because I tend to be longer winded than most, I use highlights in my posts so people can browse them and decide what parts they want to read. For review details, I like others use a combination of techniques. I make rough notes shortly after getting home, keep handouts (like Chef Dinner Menus) and often refer to a location’s website to confirm info and recall names of things (or their description / ingredients).

I don’t currently have a digital camera (hoping to buy one soon), but I would agree with the other posters that using one serves several purposes… beyond food porn for the rest of us (and we love food porn) it will also help you to recall the experience.

Don't worry! I'm not put off by it at all! I just take solace about the fact that I've got Steven Vardy's signature at home and all y'all don't.

If he spelled his name "Steven" on the signature I think you might have been duped. hahaha ;-)

Ha! s/Steven/Chef. That'll fix everything, and cover up the fact that I got it way wrong ;)