ottawa foodies

Chicken parmigiana with tomato sauce penne at the St Joseph location in Hull, Quebec.

It’s nothing fancy but a fun place to go with kids. They love the kids menu which is decently priced. Adults can choose between many classic pasta dishes. It’s a chain so it’s predictable. Again, perfect for bringing kids because you can be loud.

It's easy, reasonably priced, my kids like it - it's a good choice for an inexpensive family meal out that will taste pretty good. Nothing fancy, nothing fabulous, but I like it.

I absolutely love this place! Their food is good and affordable. Unlimited soup/salad and bread! Every time I've eaten at ESM, I am USUAULLY having the best experience.

There is one location where I had an awful experience however. It was at the ESM in St.Laurent (Ottawa). The booth we were sitting in needed work done. Basically, if I moved then the person sitting behind me would be moved v.v. The food was cold (oil sauce was actually sitting there thick) and undercooked - I ordered the seafood linguine (Eww undercooked mussels and scallops!). So if you're looking to eat at any ESM in Ottawa, avoid this place unless it is a Friday or Saturday evening. Otherwise, you will be stuck with horrible service by unexperienced "young" cooks who could be heard joking and laughing in the background :(

I love the garden salad and bread.
Best part whenever I go to ESM.
The pasta dishes are just OK.

This place is good for cheap eats.

The lychee martini and cotton candy martini are pretty good.

orecchiette genovese alfredo @ ESM. safe big money crowd pleaser and basically an extension of the classic tetrazzini dish but with sundried tomatoes and pesto added to the mix. was just OK, had better at home as well as my murder yes divorce never italian buddy who for some reason at 40 still lives at home with mamma mia's cooking until qualified wifey found with zero prospects of divorce + never pay rent gangsta policy and wait to buy house outright.

so-called AYCE house salad @ ESM. PSSSST: new secret protocol for chain restaurant modus operandi factoid: delay processing. AYCE salad served just 2 mins prior to arrivals of main dishes to minimize refill orders and optimize profits. and the large crowds fall for it over and over again....

ESM server's (who hates the boss) inside tip for workaround who is a salad monger and just likes to box the mains for takeout: tell server you're expecting a 3rd party and delay serving the mains until he/she/it (never) arrives, whilst continuous refills on salad/soup or carbload with the warm bread keep arriving. when satisfied, box the mains togo.

hot date's penne amatricina with sausage etc.. build your own pasta @ ESM. allegations of a spicy lifestyle comes out here. ultra cheesy presentation with that canadian flag popping out of a hot pepper. but the kiddies laugh and love it and maybe that's what you want to keep the smiles goin'!

scallop carbonara @ ESM. my sense of seafood pasta is shocked. new simple dish here in the taste of little italy menu was actually quite delish. bacon wrapped scallops, scallions, nicely done carbonara with linguine alfredo all in the right proportions got my thumbs up approval. definitely outshines the tv dinner taste of other menu items at this mass money making chain.

(regular) calamari @ ESM. visually looks a pile of mass formed rubbery rings, onion rings, cock rings.... better go for the calamari diablo which was a much better offering.

spag primavera @ ESM. usually when i ('m forced against my will) to go to ESM, it's because it is a safe choice for mixed company or with family with lots of kids because the menu items are safe average crowd pleasers. but my fave dish in their menu is the primavera. in the past it was usually offered with angel hair but they have recently changed it to spaghetti. still the mix of flavors from the mixed veg sweated out during sauteeing, roasted garlic olive oil and a snowbank of parmesan for me is OUTF**KINGSTANDING, balanced, refreshing, hearty and delicious.

so-called AYCE caesar salad @ ESM. PSSSST: new secret protocol for chain restaurant modus operandi factoid: delay processing. AYCE salad served just 2 mins prior to arrivals of main dishes to minimize refill orders and optimize profits. and the large crowds fall for it over and over again....

ESM's for a top notch caesar salad?? I think not...very average, which is not the worst thing in the world.

No anchovies in the dressing, so -- good for vegetarians. Kudos to them for the large bowls; the aesthetics aren't fantastic, but it beats those prissy little plates everything falls off of.

That said, the lettuce should've been crisper. Not terrible. But.

Freshly grated parmesan. Bland croutons.

i never order deserts but sometimes i have to make an exception: OUTMUTHA****INSTANDING funnel cake @ ESM. absolutely worth the detour just to order this $5.95 bones cheap desert to transport you back to those amazing childhood memories at canada's wonderland. it is a SHAME that not many resto's serve funnel cake. dough squirted through a tube in hot oil, then dressed beavertail style with cinnamon + sugar + ice cream with caramel + chocolate sauce. such a dish loaded with tradition, evokes the most pleasant memories, hot-cold differential, varying textures... this is worthy of michelin status LMAO!!!!

I've been wanting to try this ever since MelodySoul mentioned that ESM offers it. Last night, following a relatively light meal at Taste of Japan in Bells Corners, was the perfect opportunity.

In contrast to what you get at Paramount Canada's Wonderland, the ESM version lacks soft serve and whole strawberries. However, the hard ice cream and strawberry sauce are still very good. And the whipped cream and caramel sauce are welcome additions. All in all, a fantastic dessert for once in a while. It would be great for sharing but I ate the whole thing. ;-)

I've got to say... we've been known to stop by an ESM just for the funnel cakes from time to time... guilty pleasure, I must admit, but these are a childhood fav!

East Side Mario's is pretty average at best but they have funnel cake and I don't know of anywhere else that does besides a fairground. Their version is topped with ice cream and strawberry and caramel sauce. Yum!

If Mr. Mario, CEO of East Side Mario's, were worth half his salt, he'd man up and call the Philly Cheesesteak a Chicago Italian Beef. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

Only it's missing the au jus.

And the giardiniera.

(So it's pretty sucky.)