From chef-driven hot spots to family-run holes-in-the-wall, Ottawa’s restaurant dining was fine in 2016.
In the past 12 months, a steady stream of ambitious and distinctive eateries distinguished themselves, including Fairouz, Rustiek, the Whalesbone on Elgin St., Bar Laurel, Riviera and Feast + Revel.
That’s not to mention some more humble but worthy mom-and-pop joints such as Karuna Cafe, a Sri Lankan eatery in Chinatown, and Tamis Cafe, which serves Filipino fare in the Glebe. A diverse collection of Middle Eastern and Central Asian kebab restaurants also did right by me in 2016.
Looking back at my 100-plus meals out this year, I found that many of my favourite dishes came from the above-named restaurants. Veteran eateries that I revisited, such as the sleekly renovated Les Fougères in Chelsea and Allium on Holland Avenue, also chipped in. Below, you’ll see my faves in a dozen categories.
But first, a few caveats. I’m not singling out Ottawa’s best food, or even the best dishes at these restaurants. They’re just the dishes that, even now, I’m most craving: the eats that hit the mark, according to my taste buds and aesthetic sense.
Also, be aware that some dishes below have likely dropped off of restaurant menus, and that my picks aren’t necessarily wholesale recommendations for the restaurants.
Tuna sashimi at Whalesbone on Elgin
Best appetizer/small plate: Whalesbone on Elgin’s tuna sashimi somehow tasted that much bigger and better than similar dishes elsewhere do.
Honourable mention: The toothsome, umami-rich octopus accented by capers and dulse at Feast + Revel in the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market.
Spot prawn and scallop chowder at Riviera
Best soup: Spot prawn and scallop chowder at Riviera raised the Maritime staple to high art.
Honourable mentions: At Rustiek, vichyssoise perked by Dutch mustard, a scattering of crisp shallots and a dollop of quark, was outstanding. At Bilal’s Kabab, Aash, a heavily herbed soup of house-made yogurt, noodles and ground meat, was hearty, homey and comforting. Last but not least, the tonkotsu ramen at Sansotei Ramen.
Bar Laurel’s Croquetas de Iberico
Best snack: Bar Laurel’s croquettes of Iberian ham were delicious, molten, impeccably fried and paired with a punchy salsa verde that cut their richness.
Honourable mentions: Fairouz’s warm flatbreads with muhammara made with red pepper, pomegranate and walnuts, or with slick, cool labneh, OCCO Kitchen’s Mexican corn cob.
Pesto’s Italian Delicatessen had our best sandwich.
Best sandwich: The porchetta sandwich at Pesto’s Italian Delicatessen, warm with peppers and onions or cold, showcased deeply flavoured meat piled high inside a crusty bun, with a morsel of crackling included if you were lucky.
Honourable mention: Filet mignon sandwich at Pita Bell.
Foul and Fatteh at Les Grillades on Colonnade Road
Best vegetarian dish: Fatteh, a tangy, nutty Middle Eastern breakfast dish at Les Grillades, lifted pita, chickpeas and yogurt to a sublime level.
Honourable mention: luxurious kashk o’bademjan, that combined eggplant, onion and whey, at Caspian Kabob.
Whalesbone Elgin’s Ling cod in padano brodo. Wayne Cuddington/ Postmedia
Best fish: At Whalesbone on Elgin, the lingcod in padano brodo warranted draining the bowl of all its contents — perfectly cooked fish, plump manila clams, chunks of double-smoked bacon and that ultra-savoury fish-stock-meets-cheese-rind broth.
Honourable mention: Impeccably crafted lacquered black cod with carrot purée at Riviera.
Lobster lasagnetti at Riviera
Best seafood: Lobster lasagnetti at Riviera might be more about perfectly cooked seafood and bisque-like sauce than noodles, but it was delicious to the last speck.
Honourable mention: Les Fougères’ “Mouth of the St. Lawrence,” made with Grand Banks scallops, potted Matane shrimp, a raviolo filled with luscious salt-cod brandade and mussels in a concentrated mussel stock.
Crab curry at Karuna Cafe
Best spicy dish: Crab curry at Karuna Cafe delivered profound flavours for those willing to get their hands dirty.
Honourable mention: Chicken 65 at Karuna Cafe.
Peter Hum loved Feast + Revel’s duck platter, with its roasted duck breast, smoked and cured duck “pastrami,” duck confit, fried duck wings and a plenty of rich duck liver aioli.
Best bird: Feast + Revel’s duck platter celebrated multiple preparations, from roasted duck breast, smoked and cured duck “pastrami,” duck confit, fried duck wings and a plenty of rich duck liver aioli.
Honourable mention: Piri-piri Cornish hen at Whalesbone on Elgin.
Dry-aged steak at Bar Laurel
Best beef: Bar Laurel’s 80-day dry-aged, 20-ounce ribeye steak with demi-glace, salsa verde, fingerlings, enoki mushrooms and broccolini was a splurge that rewarded with concentrated, funky beefness and chewy fat that was too tasty to squander.
Honourable mention: Perfectly braised short ribs at Riviera.
Pomegranate molasses lamb loin at Fairouz
Best lamb: At Fairouz, lamb loin was strikingly seared but still perfectly pink and sweetened with pomegranate molasses. Every component on the dish, from tamed bitter greens to a “couscous” of cauliflower to streaks of smoky red chermoula, a North African sauce, was wonderful.
Honourable mentions: Mexican-influenced rack of lamb at Allium, whole lamb leg ouzi at Pita Bell
Bar Laurel’s Basque Cheesecake.
Best dessert: Bar Laurel’s warm Basque cheesecake, made of goat cheese and mascarpone, was phenomenal — light, fluffy, tangy, sweet.
Honourable mentions: Fairouz’s hibiscus cream dessert, Rustiek’s thick, perfectly crusted apple pie, Riviera’s chocolate peanut butter tart, the vegan chocolate pâté at Tamis Cafe, Allium’s banoffee pie.
The restaurants:
Allium
87 Holland Ave., alliumrestaurant.com
Bar Laurel
1087 Wellington St. W., barlaurel.ca
Bilal’s Kabab
4055 Carling Ave., No. 3, Kanata, bilalskebab.com
Caspian Kabob
1729 Bank St., Unit 105, caspiankabob.ca
Fairouz
343 Somerset St W., fairouz.ca
Feast + Revel
325 Dalhousie St., ottawa.andaz.hyatt.com
Restaurant Les Fougères
783 Route 105, Chelsea, Que., fougeres.com
Les Grillades
111 Colonnade Rd;, lesgrillades.ca
Karuna Cafe
820 Somerset St W., karunacafe.ca
OCCO Kitchen
3018 St Joseph Blvd., Orléans, occokitchen.com
Pesto’s Italian Delicatessen
471 Hazeldean Rd., Kanata, facebook.com/pestositaliandeli/
Pita Bell
1846 Carling Ave., pitabell.ca
Riviera
62 Sparks St., dineriviera.com
Rustiek
51 Rue St-Jacques, Gatineau (Hull sector), rustiek.ca
Tamis Cafe
103 Fourth Ave., facebook.com/tamisottawa/
Whalesbone on Elgin
231 Elgin St., whalesbone.com
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