ottawa foodies

Ox Tail Poutine ($8.99) is a treat! Actually, everything I've had at this place so far is a treat. Sure, fries and cheese curds are important in a poutine, but let's face it the gravy is the single most critical component.

In this case, the gravy is silky and dark and wonderful. I'm assuming it's the rich braising liquid from the tender chunks of ox tail that give this poutine its name. The fries were a bit underdone this time but really I didn't care at all. This is a gravy dish and a damn good one!

I went for dinner at Island Flava on Thursday before a movie at the Bytowne Cinema. The menu is short - they have three curries on offer, jerk chicken an oxtail stew, and some rotis. The interior of the restaurant is very small - maybe only half a dozen or so tables and chairs - and definitely cheezy looking. When I eat out it's all about the food and Island Flava certainly didn't disappoint. I ordered the goat curry which came with a side of rice and beans, plantain, and a small salad. It was nicely spiced and I really enjoyed my meal. I look forward to returning.

My bf and I picked up some roti's from Island Flava last night. It was his suggestion, which is extremely surprising considering his version of exotic cuisine is mexican. Anyways, as a warning, this place is a hole in the wall. That being said, the beef roti's that my bf ate and the jerk chicken roti that I had were delicious! They were made very quickly, and the service was good - the owner was joking around with my bf. Just a note of warning, when the menu says that the jerk-chicken is "bone-in" - it means what it says! I was surprised for a minute, but it was so tasty I just picked the bones out and ate the rest quickly!

Veggie Roti Platter ($12) was hearty and delicious! Roti stuffed with a potato mixture that was just spicy enough to build up over time. A pleasant little salad, plenty of tasty rice with beans, and a handful of yummy fried plantain slices. An excellent meal!

Picked up a chickpea roti here today. I was really happy to get a blast of warm air and a waft of island spices when I walked in from the cold.

Roti was stuffed with chickpeas and potato. A little on the dry side- I like it a bit saucier but good regardless.

Service was friendly.

I got a chicken roti to go from the Dalhousie location on Saturday after leaving Coco's for the second time without any food.

It was really tasty, just hot enough and the roti bread was actually sturdy enough for me to pick up and eat like a sandwich (hey, there was nobody else home to see) and it was pretty big. I tried to get some plantains to go with it but the guy was all out. Service was very friendly.

$7.99 gets you a steaming pile of deliciousness! Tender chunks of jerk chicken on cheese curds and fries. The jerk sauce makes an excellent poutine gravy with a good spicy (but not too spicy) edge. The low point is definitely the soft industrial fries, but the dish does well for itself in spite of them.