ottawa foodies

I am going to a concert with a friend in a couple of weeks. Since it is an early concert and will be too rushed for dinner before the show we plan on going for dessert and coffee after. It looks like I am in charge of finding somewhere to go! Memories is a possibility but we will be going to a show at the Dominion Chalmers church at O'Connor and Cooper so we would prefer somewhere a little closer to the venue. I was thinking of Somerset and Bank area, Bank and Laurier area, or Sparks and Kent area. Does anyone have suggestions?...

Have you tried "Pure" on Elgin? great selection of Gelato and crepes...maybe too far...?

I don't know of any places that well in the area you are going but...

To answer your overall question, I really love getting cake at Oh So Good! in the market its yummy! Sometimes we will get there but a lot of times we will get to go after we have a meal in the market.

Cheers and hope you find something good!

Thanks for the suggestions! I was in fact looking for somewhere closer to the church but we may very well end up having to go to Elgin or the market.

Ms Piggy thanks for the scoop on Pure. (No pun intended hehehe!) Even though it is only a block away from home for me I have never been there believe it or not. I will definitely plan a trip there when the weather gets warmer and I will definitely have to try their crepes. I had been reluctant to try them since it is a gelato place after all but I'm glad to hear they are recommended.

medicinejar thanks for the recommendation of Oh So Good. I always end up at Memories so now I will have to do some research!

Off topic - I've been to Oh So Good maybe once since they moved from Murray - is it true they source their cakes from a large grocery chain?

I don't know if they do. But some of the cakes I've seen there I've had at other chain restaurants (ie: East Side Mario's and the like).

I'm excited to see what else is recommended here.

Hmm I wouldn't be shocked if they bought in their baked goods. The last cake slice I had there was very gelatinous, conducive to a long shelf life if you know what I mean. I don't go there anymore since that last experience. Also, I used to go there frequently since my ex lived right above the place on Murray (and right across the street from the french baker, what a location!), haven't been to their new location since they moved...

I've had a few friend that worked there, and from what I understand they get some of their cakes from Top of The Hill, and some shipped in frozen from Toronto I believe.
I find the cakes hit or miss there, but the crowdedness, dirty tables and frenzied and sometimes surly service during busy evenings are what put me off. The desserts at Memories seemed a little overpriced and underwhelming the last time I was there as well. I honestly don't know where I would send someone for dessert. Many restaurants buy their desserts, that's why you see the same stuff at all the chain restaurants and places too small to have a pastry chef.
I'd go with Pure. I'd rather have some good gelato or tartuffo than a mediocre piece of cake out of a box.

Hear Hear Mousseline !!

I remember Memories back in the late 8o's and sucked then as well.

I think they survive on people who have gone out for a good meal in the market and want to get up from the table on "go somewhere else" for dessert.

Also, there are a number of places in the market that only target 'tourist/convention' dollars. They don't give a hoot on repeat business, like Oregano's, The Fish Market, and Memories.

On a positive note.... Chocolate for dessert always does it for me. Even just a piece of Ritter Sport Voll Nuss (Whole Filbert/Hazelnut).
mmmmmmmmmmmm

Link to Ritter Sport ---> www.ritter-sport.de <---

All this chit chat is great! It looks like my friend and I will have to walk abit for dessert. I lost the taste for dessert years ago not sure why but when she asked about dessert places the only spot I could think of was Memories. Oh So Good and Pure Gelato are other options but so is a restaurant with a decent dessert menu. Looks like I might be out of luck. Thanks for the feedback and if anyone else would like to post a dessert review I'd love to hear what you have to say.

As I said, I do like the cakes at Oh So Good but I also would not rave on and on about them. We go there 4-6 times a year and its usually after we have eaten some place else in the market or, when we just feel like getting some dessert for home that night. Most of the time we eat at home but would say that the service we have gotten when we have dined in is OK - but not great.

Perhaps I have gotten lucky in the cakes we choose (I can never remember exactly what we do get - chocolate rasberry something or other is a regular). I don't a huge problem outsourcing if the quality is great ( I don't know Top of the Hill), but it would be disappointing if they are freezing cakes.

However, thinking about some of the comments made, I would have to say I don't start to crave their desserts or remember them the way I remember some great meals I have had. I am wondering if Ottawa lacks a truly great dessert place that one might find in bigger cities like Toronto and NYC. I have had great desserts in Ottawa but at proper restaurants and not at a dessert place per se.

cheers

I wonder if it would be okay to go to a restaurant just for dessert? If so, Allium has my vote for their Banoffee Pie. I'm drooling right now just thinking about it...

medicinejar: I'd have to agree that Ottawa is in need of a higher calibre dessert place. I'm the same way - I'll go to Oh So Good out of convenience, but never has it been a destination or particularly memorable, that is memorable in a positive way.

"I wonder if it would be okay to go to a restaurant just for dessert?" Some places will tolerate it. I have been to Dunns many times just for the cheesecake. Likewise I have been to Maxwells and the Royal Oak just for drinks or drinks and appy's. I'm not sure if I would try that at some of the more upscale places like Allium or Sweetgrass or the like. Sure would be tempting though...

If the restaurant has a table, then I'm sure it would be ok. We used to go to the Ritz on Elgin just for dessert (I think it's changed names now so I don't know if it's still worth going to).

Stubbe's is a good place to go to for coffee and cake, but they're not open at night obviously. After an afternoon of shopping however, it's a great dessert place.

One item may not be of help but I had a wicked white chocolate crème brulée at Vittoria Trattoria in the Market. Can't speak for the rest of their desserts but the ambiance is always nice.

A bunch of us went to Bâton Rouge just for the desserts. I don't think they were too thrilled, but we were tolerated.

If a restaurant has several empty tables and isn't trying to close for the night, I can't imagine that they'd mind people dropping in just for dessert. Especially if they respect the atmosphere and tip well.

Wifey and I did this at West End Station in Bells Corners about a year ago: ottawafoodies.com

We were welcomed warmly by the staff and enjoyed fantastic desserts!

Ok, I never see "just dessert" as an imposition, if it is, it is YOUR problem not mine. Oftentimes I think dessert is an easy introduction to a restaurant, then you can decide if the place and it's ambience is to your liking, and if so you will return for an entire meal. Any place that has a problem with this, is well "out to lunch" IMO.

Sometimes a person just wants dessert!