Indholdsfortegnelse for Best Restaurants 2022 i Ottawa Magazine

What is change, anyway? It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, especially around elections. Usually, it’s just a slogan. But these days? These days it might really mean something. I was born and raised in this town. Like many people, work and life drew me elsewhere for a time. Returning mid-pandemic after nearly a decade, change was everywhere. But there was a throughline of familiarity, with many of the people running the city when I left still being at the helm. It was different, but not all that different. No longer. When the ballots are counted in late October, change will be coming to this city. Before even knowing the results, we know there will be a new mayor, and at least 12 new councillors at city hall.…

“There are several parts of the city where there is not a BIA, [and] some of the local businesses don’t have a collective voice”KARLA BRIONES BUSINESS OWNER When it comes to perspectives on what it’s like to run a business in Ottawa, Karla Briones offers a multitude. She is the founder of her own consulting agency for underrepresented entrepreneurs, a business advisor for Invest Ottawa, the franchisee of a Freshii restaurant as well as two Global Pet Foods locations, and a professor at Algonquin College. Like so many other business owners, Briones was hit hard by the pandemic. Pet stores were deemed unessential and her Freshii location lost 90 per cent in sales. “It’s been very tiring as an owner, because you have to figure out what you’re going to…

Brassica chef-owner Arup Jana has served up an inspirational comeback story. In March 2019, Jana’s first restaurant, Allium, burned to the ground. While the pandemic halted plans to rebuild the Holland Avenue restaurant, Jana turned his attention to opening a new place on Richmond Road. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Brassica opened just a month before the first lockdown. Nevertheless, Jana persevered, and Brassica is now a bustling Westboro destination. On my last visit, the eatery was abuzz with enthusiastic diners, the service warm and neighbourly. The décor reads more like a Crabtree and Evelyn store than fine dining, but concessions can be made given the current challenges of staying afloat. The cocktails are less forgivable: we sampled all, and all were over-diluted and too sweet. The ‘surprise…

Many restaurants have pivoted since March 2020, but few establishments underwent the fundamental shift that Saigon has bravely embarked upon. Christine Huynh and her husband Jason Hoang took the reins of the family business from her parents, Nghia Huynh and Thuy Bui, who first opened the restaurant in 2001. The refreshed concept is a Vietnamese cocktail bar that turns out modern interpretations of family recipes and fusion plates from the kitchen. From mixologist Cuong Nguyen, we get creative and delicious drinks. The youthful shift is embodied in the ByWard Market space, with a large mural by local artist Falldown and a head-bopping playlist of hip-hop and R&B. Nguyen honours the textures and complexity of Vietnamese cuisine in his approach to the cocktail program. The Saigon Mai Tai is one of…

Cantina Gia is the second restaurant for chef Adam Vettorel and co-owner Chris Schlesak, the boys behind North and Navy. It opened on Bank Street during the summer of 2020: an inauspicious time to launch any new project. However, this one has thrived, with chef Vettorel splitting his time evenly between the two restaurants. Gia serves simple southern Italian classics that really hit the mark in a dimly lit, cozy environment that successfully imparts Old World charm. A mural of the Italian countryside is dreamy; exposed brick and bottle-lined walls add warmth; upbeat tunes give it a jazzy vibe. There’s also a separate dining room that can accommodate private parties and a curated grocery area with olive oils, preserves, and a bottle shop. Having recently spent a winter in Italy,…

Your corner store is more than just a place to buy food. It’s often a community anchor, and after on-and-off isolation for two years, community is where it’s at. Cedars and Co. on Bank Street and Cameron Avenue is one such neighbourhood stalwart. A treasure trove of delicious and surprising eats, Cedars stocks everything from basic groceries to more random and hard-to-find items such as fresh horseradish root. They also offer a wide variety of made-in-house Middle Eastern specialties; in fact, this fall, their shawarma counter will expand next door, into a former Tim Hortons. Located just outside of the ByWard Market on Guigues, Kaz Kitchen stocks your daily needs, but also houses a deli counter at the back that offers mouthwatering hot sandwiches and halloumi fries. Watch for Iranian-inspired…

The house: A 20-year-old, four-bedroom in Riverside South. The clients: Family of three, with both parents working from home. A trip to Greece inspired the design. The goal(s): Better use of space and improved ambience. This was achieved by replacing the single sink with a double sink, installing a large corner shower, and replacing the traditional tub with a beautiful freestanding unit. The neutral colour palette brings calm to the space, and pops of blue-green add a beachy vibe. Key early decision: The choice to go with a freestanding tub and an extra sink were critical steps. “We opted for two sinks because one sink was not functional enough for a master bath,” notes Maria Gordillo of MAG Interior Design. “Also, the shower was enlarged to fit the space. It’s…

For coffee, flowers, snacks, and a pop of pink on your Instagram feed, head to Luxe Blooms Flower Cafe. The coffee shop is also a boutique florist that specializes in roses and dried arrangements. Check out their infinity roses for a truly mind-bending gift: preserved roses that look and feel like freshly cut blooms, require no water or sun, and last over a year. Owner Michelle Louis-Jean opened the doors to the cafe on Canada Day. Its massive pink flower wall continues to attract passersby and its lineup of sandwiches and treats keep Instagrammers like Cherie Tan (@Cherietyl, above) coming back. Pink is the trend, so expect cotton candy, macarons, and other bites that look pretty on the plate. 254 Dalhousie St.…

When bartenders returned to their pulpits this year, without the buffer of six-foot social distancing rules, they found that some on the other side of the mahogany had forgotten their virtues. Patience, for example. “During the pandemic people kind of had whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Whereas when you’ve come to the bar, you’ve put yourself in my hands. Just be patient, good things will come,” says Quinn Taylor of The Moonroom. With 12 years of experience, including time at Riviera and Fogo Island Inn, she’s one of the city’s leading cocktail makers. “There are so many different things that go into serving someone that perfect beverage,” says Taylor. “I think a lot of people maybe take that for granted, but hopefully there is more of a respect now…

“Police were ineffective because they made the intentional decision not to respond to this as they would other forms of dissent”DEBBIE OWUSU-AKYEEAH COMMISSIONER, OTTAWA PEOPLE’S COMMISSION The sound of bouncing basketballs echoes down Banff Avenue as two dozen children try to emulate their heroes on a hot July evening. Down the block, there’s a new memorial that marks the spot where a 24-year-old man was shot in broad daylight. When Kilo, who wasn’t comfortable giving his full name, heard gunshots that day, he ran outside to see a young man lying in a pool of blood. The experience shook the 35-year-old Haitian furniture mover, but he doesn’t think law enforcement is the solution. “More police presence sometimes means more harassment,” says Kilo. “What would make me feel safe is knowing…

Destructive storms that take out power for days. Floods that force rivers over their banks. Heatwaves in early spring. The climate is changing, and we’re feeling it. The question is no longer whether the effects of climate change are here, or what we should do, the question is now: Are we doing enough? Climate change is the result of global forces, which can make solutions seem out of reach at the local level. But cities can play an important role in taking action. Andrea Flowers is the manager of the climate change and resiliency department at the City of Ottawa. She says cities have a hand, either directly or indirectly, in controlling about half of the country’s emissions. Directly, it’s responsible for the emissions from its transit fleet, energy use…

Food and hospitality veteran Erin Clatney has accomplished something special in the 4,000-square-foot space at the corner of Wellington Street West and Grange Avenue. Parlour first welcomed guests to its patios for tree-shaded al fresco dining in July 2020 with approachable food, beautifully executed. While there is now indoor seating as well, some early menu favourites remain, such as russet-potato chips with chive dip, buttermilk friedchicken sandwiches slathered in sriracha honey butter, and beet-dyed devilled eggs topped with crispy chicken skin. Inside, the white and grey dining room is flooded with natural light and a series of stylish nooks are spread throughout. An eclectic mix of vintage furniture brings a liveliness to the large space. The restaurant has an effortless cool factor, enhanced by a regular rotation of DJs getting…

When chef Justin Champagne opened Perch in the former Gray Jay space on Preston last summer, he was aiming squarely at the fine dining market. But the road has been bumpy, not least because public health measures closed the doors in winter of 2022. Now fully open for business, Perch is tempting adventurous eaters with tasting menus that focus on sustainability. Champagne, formerly of Bar Lupulus and Atelier, is striving to create equitable working conditions (tips divided equally among staff, health benefits, etc.). He’s also making innovative environmental efforts in a relatively small place. All food scraps are composted or used to flavour other dishes or drinks; coffee grounds and used cooking oil are used to make the hand soap found in the bathrooms; the majority of ingredients are Canadian…

In Paris, you can’t throw a stone without hitting a bakery or a café. In Rome, tiny neighbourhood grocery stores sell ripe fruit and household staples. In Montreal’s urban quarters, independent dépanneurs sell bread, milk, and a bit of fresh produce. But in Ottawa’s downtown core, one often has to walk 30 minutes to procure a day or two’s worth of groceries. Instead of a walkable, convenient lifestyle offering a diversity of services, Ottawa instead offers sprawl. “I don’t see it as a deliberate obsession with actual sprawling. I think sprawling is a result of careless planning more than anything else,” says Rick MacEwen of Watson MacEwen Teramura Architects, who has long advocated for density and sustainable design. “It’s also the result of a preoccupation with inexpensive convenience and a…

You’d be surprised how many restaurants have opened in the last two years. But that doesn’t mean the business has gotten any easier. Struggling restaurateurs are feeling inflation in food and labour costs, which means that your dinner is going to be more expensive than it was pre-pandemic. This year, we’ve taken a different approach, asking two food reviewers to agree on the top 10. At times it was a she-said-she-said situation as they are food writers with very different tastes. One appreciates mismatched china and brown-paper tablecloths, while the other adores white linen and impeccable service. But they share a conviction about what makes for good food, and we hope these reviews will be useful for anyone looking for a great meal in a nice restaurant. A good dinner…

Aiana Restaurant Collective opened on the ground floor of the Sun Life Financial Centre at the corner of O’Connor and Queen Streets in August 2020. The father and son duo of Devinder and Raghav Chaudhary — owner and chef, respectively — had no doubt hoped to attract well-heeled downtown professionals. Despite office shutdowns changing the atmosphere of the core, the restaurant has reopened and is serving up some very good food. The space is wholly transformed from that of its predecessor, Hy’s Steakhouse. Curved navy banquettes center around a moonlike brass pendant light nestled in a constellation of hand-strung stones cascading from the ceiling. The menu is as extravagant as the décor and priced accordingly. But there’s a certain way this menu needs to be read, because Aiana offers full-time,…

For ramen lovers, Paper Tiger Noodle Bar offers a steaming, deeply savoury broth. “We never start a brand-new stock, but continually top up with fresh bones, making our broth as old as the restaurant itself,” says chef and owner Charley Nelson. That’s seven months. Thankfully, the rest of the soup is fresh, with generous slices of Mariposa Farms pork belly, bright hits of green onion, pickled zucchini, and a soy-marinated egg. Pickled eggs are not my thing, but it’s perfectly executed, with a soft, deeply yellow yolk. Raw dishes feature sustainable fish from The Whalesbone and include a scallop ceviche as well as a tuna crudo. The tuna is well-balanced in flavour and texture with coconut oil, chives, macadamia nuts, Thai chili, lemon juice, nori, and fresh microgreens. A creamy,…

For decades, Hy’s on Queen Street was a place where politicians, lawyers and lobbyists entertained the money. Since Hy’s closed in 2016 there has been a vacuum for the big-spending carnivore crowd. Harmon’s now satisfies that demand. The latest venture from The Whalesbone group of restaurants boasts a lineup of steak from Ontario, the U.S., Australia and Japan. Wagyu is the calling card. The A5 Japanese and the Australian flat-iron wagyu steaks arrive perfectly rare, sliced and nicely seared; this is rich meat with a buttery, melting texture. If you love this style, order the beef-tallow fries, as they continue the decadent approach. A bright moment in the meal is the two types of salt — large flakes from Vancouver and softer grey salt from the East Coast. The trio…

Bowled Over! After more than six decades, the 32-lane McArthur Bowling Lanes in Vanier announced in June 2021 that the property had been sold and the gathering spot would be no more. Speculation started almost immediately as to what might move in; eventually, onlookers learned that the new resident would be an Asian grocery store. The announcement that Green Fresh Supermarket (175 McArthur Ave.) was moving to the updated space had commentators dreaming of a bright and modern shopping option in Vanier, more similar to a T&T than to the mom-and-pop shops of Chinatown. Green Fresh opened in August. Speaking of niche grocery shopping, visitors to Rideau Centre may have noticed the XMarket Café and Store, which opened in the space formerly occupied by The Bay. It’s all about plant-based…