Foods from Merlot
Comments
2008 Nov 30
Come for the view, the service, and the various smoked fish appetizers. Aside from that it's a pretty standard higher-end buffet, reminiscent of that found in other decent hotels like the Westin. Hot dishes were good, especially the ravioli and the prime rib. The rolls were dry and boring and the croissants weren't attractive.
Breakfast foods are usually the highlight of a brunch for me but in this case they were disappointing. The scrambled eggs were embellished with cheddar cheese, the sausages were large and a bit dry, and the hash browns were the deep-fried cubes. I was looking forward to the Potato Pancakes mentioned on their menu but they were offering some kind of sweet berry crepe concoction instead.
The dessert stand was impressive in appearance but the overall quality of the cakes was variable. A beautiful platter of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries) proved extremely popular with patrons. Some diners piled their plates high with just berries, leaving the serving plate empty for the rest of us. While perfectly "legal" in an all-you-can-eat buffet, I find the practice of gorging on one specialty item to be troubling. It's the same self-centered thinking that makes people think it's okay to abandon grocery carts in empty parking spaces, but that's another rant for another day. :-)
All in all, if you don't care about the view I think you'd be better off partaking of the Chateau Laurier's brunch for the same cost (more or less, depending on kid count).
Breakfast foods are usually the highlight of a brunch for me but in this case they were disappointing. The scrambled eggs were embellished with cheddar cheese, the sausages were large and a bit dry, and the hash browns were the deep-fried cubes. I was looking forward to the Potato Pancakes mentioned on their menu but they were offering some kind of sweet berry crepe concoction instead.
The dessert stand was impressive in appearance but the overall quality of the cakes was variable. A beautiful platter of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries) proved extremely popular with patrons. Some diners piled their plates high with just berries, leaving the serving plate empty for the rest of us. While perfectly "legal" in an all-you-can-eat buffet, I find the practice of gorging on one specialty item to be troubling. It's the same self-centered thinking that makes people think it's okay to abandon grocery carts in empty parking spaces, but that's another rant for another day. :-)
All in all, if you don't care about the view I think you'd be better off partaking of the Chateau Laurier's brunch for the same cost (more or less, depending on kid count).
2008 Mar 24
Six of us had 10:00 reservations for the Sunday Easter Brunch Buffet here yesterday. I'm not even going to try and name what was all on the menu so here's the link to their website: www.merlotottawa.com
The service was great and it was packed, reservations were of course a must. There was sooo many things to choose from! I really enjoyed the smoked fish, trout, mackerel, sturgeon and salmon. The fresh OJ and scones were amazing! Everything else was good, but just good, not superb like I was half expecting. Needless to say, we all left completely STUFFED, like to the point that I was hurting! We all tried different varieties of the desserts and we were actually disappointed. My bf actually had the best one, a chocolate cream cheese cake. It was $40 each so we were all trying to get our 'money's worth', hence the painful bellies we all left with! The view was spectacular, sunny and clear. This resaurant is perfect for a date or to bring people to who've come from out of town. I would love to go at night sometime.
The service was great and it was packed, reservations were of course a must. There was sooo many things to choose from! I really enjoyed the smoked fish, trout, mackerel, sturgeon and salmon. The fresh OJ and scones were amazing! Everything else was good, but just good, not superb like I was half expecting. Needless to say, we all left completely STUFFED, like to the point that I was hurting! We all tried different varieties of the desserts and we were actually disappointed. My bf actually had the best one, a chocolate cream cheese cake. It was $40 each so we were all trying to get our 'money's worth', hence the painful bellies we all left with! The view was spectacular, sunny and clear. This resaurant is perfect for a date or to bring people to who've come from out of town. I would love to go at night sometime.
Dita
Even just to grab a drink.
Love the buffet at Christmas time with all the different cheeses.
My favorite dish at dinner time is the salmon and the mashed potatoes are amazing.
Best french fries I've ever eaten.
Impeccible service.
Very classy.
Love the atmosphere.