ottawa foodies

This salad is worth being shown: the Porc épique at the Chelsea Pub. Grilled pork tenderloin on mesclun salad with pears, strawberries, goat cheese, crispy prosciutto and hazelnut with a maple syrup vinaigrette. It was my husband's dish but I had food envy despite having a pretty good burger and locally made fries myself.

I finally checked out the "new" patio at Chelsea Pub (it has been a good couple of years it has been renovated). It has a great ambience; it is nestled among lots of trees in the pictoresque village of Old Chelsea and the décor is nicely done.

It is also nice to be able to order a local brew at last - brews are from Gainsbourg, the sister pub in Vieux Hull, also from the same owner. I enjoyed the Blanche de Chelsea. It is a light, smooth and a tinge citrus-y, which was refreshing for a warm summer day!

I ordered one of the lunch specials: the moroccan fried cod with fries. It is supposed to be an alternate to the fish and chips but with spices. I could hardly taste the spices and the chunks of fried fish were slightly too well done. It could have used a tartar-like sauce (with spices). I dipped the fish in the mayonnaise for the fries.

My husband had the "Méchant Burger" with a side of salad and he liked it.

Service was excellent though: our waitress was courteous and both drinks and food came in a timely manner.

I would come back again for the overall experience but it is not the first time that I find my food just ok. My favourite dish has been the pulled pork sandwich. Other dishes have been a bit bland or overcooked (quesadillas, burger).

Stopped in on a hot Tuesday after a day at the beach for some food and refreshment. I had a tasty Gainsbourg porter and a nicely roasted piri piri chicken with a good salad and some fair fries. My wife had a smoked salmon salad with chèvre and a Gainsbourgh Rousse red ale and liked both. Our daughter had the daily special cheese pizza but asked that the onions and prosciutto be omitted. The server brought her a salad and said she had sent back her pizza as she thought it unworthy to serve; not long later she brought a pizza that looked good and was, according to dd, and she enjoyed her IPA along with the pizza. D-s-i-l also enjoyed his piri piri chicken and water. Dgd seemed to enjoy her tasty meal provided by her mom. The service was good, quick and friendly. The place was packed and people were lined up to get in by the time we left. Good experience overall.

I've had terrible experiences at the Chelsea Pub over the last 3 years. Apparently this coincides with a change in ownership.

The food is average (for a pub) at best, but often poor. Service is only available if they are empty. In terms of cleanliness, the Chelsea Pub is appalling.

What really gets me is that I posted a review on TripAdvisor, and it was somehow removed. The owners seem more concerned with censoring reviews than managing a pub.

Can't count the number of times we've made a trip to Chelsea just to enjoy the patio at the Chelsea Pub on a beautiful day.

Service is hit and miss, kitchen likewise. What keeps us coming back is the ambience and the responsiveness of the place.

If we have a complaint (like the too dry, too small chicken satay), it's handled immediately. If the beer is flat its replaced immediately and comped.

Personally, I love their fries (skin on, home-style) and have never had a bad wing (sweet-hot, or dry). They have a selection of ciders (BC gal that I am, love a good cider) and the patio is worth the trip.

We often stop on the way back from doing some healthy hiking in Gatineau Park, for grease. Once... I had a salad (alert the media!), fresh, loaded with veg and no chemical aftertaste.

*This is not found on my blog, www.foodgypsy.ca this is just for you Ottawa Foodies.* ;D

Chelsea burger at the chelsea pub. Burger was pretty good. Certainly not the best around the city but better than most. Nice tasty fries and salad side.

The best thing about this place is the patio. Great ambiance with mature trees providing shade, a fountain, different levels. Right next to gatineau park. I stopped here for this burger and a beer after a little hike in the park.

darn I just noticed that my photos are rotated the wrong way and cant change them :-(

The wings are plump and juicy. A good greasy option!

The pulled pork sandwich has consistently been tasty and made in a sweet BBQ sauce. The bread used seems to have changed over time but I have always been satisfied. It comes with a choice of side: soup, salad or fries. I had the salad with was drizzled with a raspberry dressing and covered in cubed beets, cucumber and tomatoes. Definitely recommend this sandwich!

The fries have an addictive quality to them. I just keep eating it until there are none left. Must be homemade with skin on and nice texture. It could be the oil they used that I happen to like. Good accompaniment to the pulled pork sandwich or on its own.