Eva's Food World

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2012-01-10T20:09:00.001-05:00

The long-awaited for Five Guys Burgers and Fries has just opened at the Trainyards.

This eatery serves burgers, hotdogs, fries and a few sandwiches.

I went for lunch two days after it opened and it was fairly busy but somehow, it felt like organized chaos. The table turnover was fast, the orders were taken quickly, the food was speedy to come out.

The ordering process is a little tricky. The difference between a burger, and a little burger is that the little one has only one patty, while the regular version has two.

Toppings can be ordered individually but they can also be ordered like this:

options in black text is 'all the way'
options in black text and in red text is 'everything'

The hubby had the Bacon Cheeseburger. He had it topped with 'everything': mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, jalapeño peppers, green peppers, A1 steak sauce, BBQ aside, hot sauce.

I had the Little Bacon Cheeseburger topped 'all the way' with: mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard.

We shared a large drink. It was a two-handed cup.

We each had an order of fries, him Cajun, me regular salted.

Observations:

It's a messy meal, napkins are necessary. Lots.
It's a loud, loud place. Loud rock music, the grills, the kitchen banter, the ordering - all competing with each other.
One order of fries is more than plenty to share between two, or maybe even three, people. They were good, not great, but quite tasty and nicely cooked.
The burgers are AWESOME!
The service was good, very personable, patient as we figured out how to order, friendly.
Toppings were great. Tasty and a wide variety.
They have mayo in which to dip your fries, just ask.
There is free parking.
Prices are average for a specialized burger joint. The hubby and I paid about $25 or so for two burgers, two fries and a large pop.

3 petits bouchons

2012-01-10T20:04:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to Friend Anne! The trip I recently took to Montreal was in honour of her birthday, which took place, last July. Yes, last July. A trip with friends is better than a useless gadget anyday, no? Even if it's a little late?

Chosen place for birthday dinner? Les 3 petits bouchons. We started the meal in style with some Prosecco.

This place is quite small, with seating for about 50, and by the looks of it, has been around a long time, at least the building has.

Seven of us went and we ate a bunch of food, ALL of it great. Each plate had a melody of components, and I could not keep track of them all which is why this post is mostly a photo recap. Some might call it food porn.

During the first course, we indulged in oysters, pieuvre, crab, foie gras, double-smoked bacon + goat cheese, dates, prosciutto and many accoutrements!

The mains offered us agnolotti, veal chop and veal tartare, duck, risotto, chanterelles and bits of this and that.

To end the meal on a sweet note, some of us ordered tarte tatin or a chocolate cake thing with cherries.

Review:

This restaurant was suggested to us by locals; the concensus was that it exceeded our expectations. The suggestion came from foodies so we expected good things, but this was outstanding.

This place is quaint and cozy, comfortable and warm. The service, could not ask for better. So, so knowledgeable, passionate, attentive, fun and just plain nice.

We mostly all had different menus items and we all swapped bites. This really maximized our experience.

Prices were reasonable, average to the type of eatery serving seasonal, local fare.

The one criticism some of us had was that the bread was cold, would have been nice for it to be warm.

This place is not wheelchair-accessible. Parking is available on the street where you can get it.

The SmoQue Shack

2011-12-26T21:18:00.001-05:00

The SmoQue Shack is one of a few new Ottawa restaurants specializing in the authentic 'low and slow' ideology. Is the idea up in smoke? Yup, and us Ottawans seem to be eating it up!

Located in the Byward Market, this BBQ eatery offers a selection of meats, prepared in a way that represents a specific regional style and flavour.

This family-friendly place offers mainly chicken, pork and beef dishes, but has a few fish, seafood and vegetarian options. Sides are ordered separately from the mains.

I dined here for lunch with the hubby and friend M (+child). The hubby had the DBK. It was a sandwich that was piled high with sausage, pulled pork, pulled chicken, coleslaw, pickles and sauce on a brioche bun.

Friend M and I split the brisket and the sampling plate with our choice of ribs, jerk chicken and pulled pork.

The three of us split these sides: Mac and cheese, Bake beans and Sweet potato fries.

Review:

We enjoyed our meal here. The food was decent, the prices too, and the service was great.

This place is relaxed, not that the service is slow, but the atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming.

The hubby and I are somewhat knowledgeable with the smoking method of cooking and our pseudo-educated opinion of the food
was favorable. The meat was tasty, nicely cooked and juicy sans sauce. The jerk chicken was h-o-t. The sides were good, the Mac and cheese very creamy and flavourful. The hubby was thrilled with his sandwich-there was lots going on in flavours and textures and the bun was buttery and delicious. Overall, we would have preferred a different choice in sides, something to contrast the meat and heat (temperature and spice), like coleslaw.

We had a toddler with us and the server was so accommodating; he brought us child-friendly off-the-menu food like sliced cucumbers and carrots. The staff/diners also didn't seem to mind the little ones walking around our table and 'mingling'.

There is metered street parking and pay lots nearby. The restaurant is not wheelchair accessible.

Baconnaise

2011-12-14T03:43:00.001-05:00

Baconnaise, yes, it exists. Bacon-flavoured mayonnaise, created by two American bacon masterminds, Dave and Justin.

I came upon this jar in an épicerie on the Quebec side of the Outaouais. For about $5, this condiment found a new home! No hesitation here!

How the product got its start is almost unbelievable. Dave’s 3-year-old son provided the first financing with his $5,000 win on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

I've used on burgers, sandwiches, including a roasted pork one (hurray for double-pig), and as a dip for fries.

Review:

This product is a great conversation starter and it's delicious to boot!

It really tastes like bacon but unlike real bacon, the flavour is pretty balanced - not too sweet or salty. Its got a spreadable consistency, but it's a little thicker than mayo.

Perogies

2011-11-25T03:36:00.001-05:00

I went to church during my recent visit to my hometown of Welland, ON in the Niagara area. That's right, church. St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church to be exact.

In the entrance, a testament to why I was there. Antique tools long ago used to make perogies, the very thing for which I had made the special trip to the church.

Through the doors to the hall and this was the sight.

Senior female parishioners gather on most Fridays to make hundreds of perogies, cheese-and-potato-filled dumplings in a soft dough. They are sold by the dozen between the hours of 10-1 on the same day. Except for summer, statutory and seasonal holidays, the ladies gather to knead, fold, cook, pinch, stir... and socialize.

Orders have to be called in on Wednesdays or Thursdays between 7-11 a.m. (905-732-4102). If you forget, you're pretty much out of luck. Come Friday at 1 p.m., they sell off the ones people ordered but didn't pick up. There usually ain't much left behind!

The perogies are $5 per dozen and are fully cooked. They come in a styrofoam container (boo) but I repackage them into freezer bags when I get them home - they freeze well!

Review:

So why do I make a point to get these perogies? Because they are the best! They are soft, very full of filling and the ratio filling-dough is perfect, not too doughy. You can taste the love!

I pick some up a few times a year, when the opportunity arises. I have standing requests to get some for others when I go.

I served them lightly fried, sometimes with onions, sometimes itch sour cream.

I've had other handmade perogies and none compare, in value and flavour.

The ladies also make and sell cabbage rolls, which are equally as good in flavour, but a little less in value at $8 per dozen.

Pouding chômeur

2011-11-18T05:02:00.001-05:00

The suggestion to make Pouding chômeur (pronounced show-mah-r) came from friend M who was staying over. One of our maple syrup cans had sprung a leak, so I needed to use it up. This dessert would be ideal.

Pouding chômeur is not pudding like the kind that comes in a cup. It's a poor man's dessert made from staples that would have been in francophone households in 'the old days'.

I surfed online to find a recipe that was dairy-free. I didn't find one that was to my liking so I modified one to make it dairy-free and got busy. I also swapped out the regular white flour for whole wheat, you know, to make this dessert 'healthier'.

Cake:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tap baking powder
1/4 cup dairy-free margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup rice milk

Sauce:
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1cup boiling water
1/4 cup dairy-free margarine

I creamed the margarine and white sugar in a bowl, as best I could, margarine doesn't cream well.

I whisked the flour and baking powder together in a bowl then added the milk and sugar mixture to it, alternating them.

Now that the cake part was complete, I prepped the sauce.

I brought the maple syrup, margarine and brown sugar to a boil and let it boil for a few minutes.

I sprayed non-stick spray on the bottom of an 8x8 pan and poured in the batter. Then I poured the maple syrup mixture on top the batter. Do not stir the two, just leave them and put the pan in a 325° for 30-45 minutes.

Review:

This is a Sweet, very Sweet, dessert. It goes well with a tall glass of milk. Some of the liquid soaks into the cake and the rest becomes a sauce underneath.

Granted not deliciously buttery, creamy and fluffy like the versions with butter, cream and white flour, but, quite a good alternative.

The cake was dense and a tad mealy, but the fact that it was whole wheat flour made it less of a guilty pleasure. It had a good flavour and a bit more of an earthy flavour than traditional white flour.

A little birdie told me...

2011-11-16T04:46:00.001-05:00

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This foodie went to Feast on Flavour

2011-11-10T11:55:00.001-05:00

I recently got an e-mail that started like this:
Is eating, drinking and having fun good for you? It is when you do it with us!

Interesting. I read on.

It was an invitation to Feast of Flavour: Ottawa's Holistic Food Event at the NAC.

Ok. I still wasn't too sure what to make of this... Holistic food? Then I read 'Chef Lynn Crawford' and 'Chef Michael Blackie'. Ah, music to my eyes.

The invitation promised there would be food and beer and an opportunity to learn about the therapeutic properties of foods and research-based healing benefits of flavours like garlic, vanilla and chocolate.

The Canadian Association of Holisitic Nutrition Professionals (CAHN-Pro) had generously offered me a pair of tickets, so I accepted and went with the hubby.

The event was held at the NAC and featured local suppliers who produce organic fare, beverages, and, for lack of a better term, wellness enhancers. There were also cooking demos, presentations and tastings.

Michael Blackie wowed the crowd with his cooking demo featuring
Chlorella | spinach | fennel | cashew pulse with a poached hen egg + dehydrated citron zest.

Students from Algonquin College and the resident sous chef assembled the soup for the crowd to taste using a conveyor belt.

I attended a 15-minute presentation by Dave Brown from Creekside Farm in Vars. He talked about the way he raises his 'happy' chickens.

Lynn Crawford took the stage and did her cooking demo, with a spin. She invited three attendees to 'cook' with her. She coached, they cooked. This freed up her time to squeeze in a little dancing and tons of laughs.

Suppliers were lined up around the perimeter of the room. They chatted with everyone, some explaining the benefits of their products, some just chatting. My favorites, Sarafino (olive oil and balsamic vinegar) and camino (juices and bars). The hubby's, Beau's.

There were also many food samples from local restaurants or producers. There were many tasty items, and a few that I didn't care for.

The hubby and I really liked the Mexican Adzuki Bean Salad
with Maca Mole Dressing. The bean part of the salad was tossed with greens in front of us. We also really liked the Sprouted Buckwheat and Red Rice Salad with Chlorella Vinaigrette that Chef Lynn is checking out with Chef Blackie below.

Review:

I really had no idea what to expect at a holistic food event. Half of me expected a bunch of hippies with different kinds of granola and half of me expected supplements galore and lab coats. I have no idea why I had these thoughts, but I did.

The event was nothing like this. It was casual, it was fun, it was interesting, it was comfortable. And most importantly, you could feel the passion in the air.

Chef Lynn was awesome. She really lit up the room. The banter between Chef Lynn and Chef Blackie was priceless. So fun and funny!

I enjoyed the variety of offerings, with the food, presentations and demos. Choice is always good and I felt I could opt in or out. This was the first year the event was held, and because the place wasn't packed, there was opportunity for alot of one-on-one with the suppliers, which was good or not, depending on the individuals, moods and topic.

I have to admit this is not an event I would attend every year. I enjoy knowing what I am ingesting, I already work with a naturopath for my wellness, and I know that 'superfoods' and everyday foods have uber benefits, but I could not see myself spending about $60 per person to attend this event. I personally wouldn't get my money's worth. I'm not saying the event is not worth the price, just that for me, it isn't.

As an event planner by day (on some days), I can appreciate a well-planned event and I did here.

So what did I learn about holistic food? It may or may not be mainstream, it may or may not taste good and it may or may not go down easy, but there is something to be said about real food improving one's wellness.

The Mill Tavern

2011-11-05T07:44:00.001-04:00

We happened upon The Mill Tavern as we were looking for a place to have dinner. We had already been turned away from our first choice, and our second, in downtown Manotick, in the south end of Ottawa.

It seemed quaint and comfortable and the menu looked decent, traditional pub fare.

Dark wood throughout, dim lighting, and cozy seating made for a fairly intimate and relaxed meal. Sort of like gourmet pub.

The hubby had the Montreal style smoked meat sandwich on a breadzel bun with Swiss cheese and hot mustard.

The friend M and I both had Fish & Chips. British style battered halibut fish & chips served with tartar sauce with sea salt and malt vinegar crust.

As a special that night, free dessert with the purchase of a main. Two out of three meals were eligible. Our selection: deep-fried Mars bar and apple crisp.

Review:

Awesome, AWESOME, fish, and pretty good chips too. The batter was light and crispy and we figured probably made from salt and vinegar chip. The ratio fish-batter was perfect! And the fish was tasty and juicy on its own. The fries, like a chip wagon, the best. Tartar sauce, homemade of course.

The hubby really enjoyed his sandwich, especially the bread.

The apple crisp was good, but average. The Mars bar... Mmmm. Hard to describe the deliciousness but here goes: greasy (not too much), gooey, crispy, sweet, just the right size.

I'd eat here again, maybe even on purpose. The service was really good and the prices, reasonable.

Upper Canada Cranberries

2011-10-22T19:53:00.001-04:00

There's this interesting space in the south of Ottawa. Interesting not only because it's off the beaten path, but also because it's home to Ottawa's only cranberry bog. Upper Canada Cranberries is located in Herbert Corner. The idea for starting a cranberry 'farm' came to the owner who had just acquired the land in 1996.

So, what's a cranberry bog? Why, it's where cranberries grow.

So, how exactly do they grow?

They grow like berries on small trees that are low to the ground. They grow at the bottom of a pit which is flooded when the berries are ready to harvest.

Once the pit is flooded, the berries get 'all shook up' and float to the top where they get collected by machine, a homemade one nonetheless.

The berries are brought to the plant once they're harvested.

The berries are loaded onto a conveyor belt which brings them into the building from outside.

The berries dry off, get sorted, sometimes get transformed and packaged to be sold in the attached store, farmers markets, restaurants and retail shops.

Their fate is varied. Some get dried, juiced, baked, sauced, jammed. Others, bagged fresh or frozen. Some even turn into toiletries!

Review:

While this place is not the fanciest, I did fancy my experience here.

The quality of the products is good. Everything tastes fresh, the cranberries are delicious, even juicy when dried.

There is not much to this farm; basically a building with a processing plant/shop and the bog area about 300 feet away that you can walk to or drive to from the building. The space is more geared to the work of the farm then visitors.

Having said that, the people who work here are great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. You walk right into the plant, see the processing and ask questions.

I'm glad I finally checked out this local supplier. I have long wanted to but never got around to it; the farm is open to the public daily in the Fall and by appointment at other times.

Green Boiled Peanuts

2011-10-15T06:21:00.001-04:00

Peanuts - not the most uncommon thing out there. Roasted, butter, chocolate-covered, sauce - most are common to Canadian households. But, I can confidently say, not this type!

Friends that travelled to Georgia in the US were kind enough to bring me back this can of Green Boiled Peanuts made by The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg.

Green. Boiled. Peanuts? What?!

I have kept the can safely in my pantry since their trip in the Spring of 2011. I won't lie, this product was a little intimidating. I decided to 'serve' them as an appy at a dinner I hosted that these friends attended.

What to do with these, what to do wirh these?

I decided to follow the instructions on the label, that is, as best I could.

I put the liquid in a pot, shelled the peanuts and returned them to their brine.

I brought the liquid to a boil and let the peanuts dance in the bubbles for a few minutes.

Then I drained and served them.

Review:

I can honestly say I've never had peanuts like this! They were very, very interesting. They really had no peanut flavour, and actually no peanut texture, not like the peanuts I'm familiar with anyway...

Some of the outer peanut shells were really mushy - I discarded those wholly. If the shells were hard, but the peanut mushy-pulverized, I got rid of those too.

I kept the ones whose shells and nuts were firm were firm.

So what did they taste like? Beans. Salty, briny beans.

They had the same consistency as beans: dense, light and solid. The texture reminded me of black beans and the taste more like a chick pea crossed with a lima bean.

I snacked on them solo and I added them to a green salad. I have to say that I didn't care for them at first but the flavor grew on me. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy these again, but I'm glad I tried them! Good thing too, as they are a delicacy in the south of the US, and likely not available around here!

Bistro 2, 6 and 4

2011-09-15T02:52:00.001-04:00

A night of appreciation, a night of great food, a night to remember.

Hubby, friend M and I were invited to friends A&M's house in Aylmer, across the Quebec border near Ottawa, for dinner as a thank you for having helped them with their wedding prep. This would of course be a special occasion on any given day, but this dinner would be extra special: friend M used to be a professional chef. He may not know this but we called him Chef for a long time when they first started dating, when we 'girl-talked' about the dates and oohed and aahed at the love that was blossoming.

I, for some reason, still can't figure out why I had decided not to blog about this dinner. How. Ridiculous. The following morning, the first thing that popped into my head was, "Why, oh why, had I decided that?" Sigh.

At least I had a pic of my favorite course!

So much thought had gone into his meal: from the ingredients, to the presentation, to the respect for the non-dairy request, to the wine pairing, to the whole menu and, to the name, 'Bistro 2, 6 and 4'. (Their address number)

Their smiling faces at the door welcoming us to the bistro was a nice touch. Another, the evening's menu on a chalkboard, the same one used to map out the tables at their wedding reception.

The first course was tomato-basil crostini with local feta. It had thin slices of onion on it too and a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

The second course was spicy tuna tartare with mango salsa, cilantro oil and a slice of seasoned flatbread.

The next course was surf and turf. A piece of beef tenderloin was served with three jumbo shrimps and three cherry tomatoes. All grilled!

To wrap up the meal, fresh blueberries were served, topped with homemade lemon curd and whipped cream (on most).

Review:

Although this dining experience won't receive a typical "review", I can say these same things that I normally would for such an awesome meal. Great service, great food, great prices, great ambience. I wish the 'bistro' was open regularly to visit on a whim!

The tuna tartare was outstanding, (maybe even better since I had a tiny roll in the plating, helping make up the plates following an example Chef had prepped for his sous!). The moist, almost creamy, tuna with its full rich flavour, the tangy mango and tomatoes and the pop of cilantro was quite the balance of flavours and textures. We all liked this course so much that friend M has requested it for her upcoming birthday potluck meal. Hope she gets her wish ;)

Everything else was delicious too but that course was definitely the wow factor for me. The crostini was perfectly toasted, not too hard, not too thick. There was a good ratio of toppings-to-crostini. Traditional flavours for the toppings and all-around yummy.

The steak was über tender and just perfectly cooked. It was quite thick, and cooking a steak of this thickness can be tricky for some, but this was no feat for Chef! The portion was just right, and even though we had steak, the course was light as there was no starch. You couldn't have had better accompaniments than the candy-like tomatoes and the plump juicy shrimp.

The dessert was elegantly served in a champagne flute. This made the simple sweet end to the meal stand tall with importance and grace. The lemon curd was divine. Have I ever mentioned how much I love curd? I do!

There was free parking. :)

Dairy-free carrot cake

2011-09-04T08:27:00.001-04:00

A famous Bunny once said, "Oh carrots are divine, you get a dozen for a dime, it's magic" and I agree. High on vitamin A, beta-carotene and fiber, this root vegetable is very versatile, tasty savory or sweet, raw or cooked, shredded, pureed, julienned, chopped, etc... And especially yummy shredded in a cake.

I've recently cut dairy out of my diet. It's been a bit of a shift for me, but really, it's just that, a shift. I refuse to cut out great food - I'm just checking things out a bit more, swapping ingredients and doing a bit more research. So far, so good.

Which brings me to this impromptu blog post about my first dairy-free cake.

I used this recipe for the cake and this recipe for the frosting. I used canned pineapple in the cake and added lemon zest and 1 tbsp or so of lemon juice to the frosting. I also swapped out the walnuts for pecans.

Review:

This was one of the best carrot cakes I've had. It was so moist, light, sweet. Everyone who had a piece said that they never would have known otherwise had they not been told it was dairy-free.

Trying to find soy margarine without any modified milk th ingredients was probably the most challenging aspect of this cake-making.

I left the carrot peel on when I shredded the carrots because it's very nutritious.

I blended the pineapple, nuts and carrots in the food processor along with the other wet ingredients. I don't think it made much difference from the original method.

The icing was a little soft after I added the lemon juice but this addition was worth it. It made a Huge difference, adding that zing that regular cream cheese has.

Pepper Garden

2011-08-28T11:31:00.001-04:00

Meeting friends for dinner, that each live in the four corners of the Outaouais, can sometimes be a feat. Especially since our circle now includes a 2-year-old, someone not consuming dairy and a soon-to-be single mom. Our "group dining" criteria sure has changed over the last while!

Before checking out the Lumiere Festival, we decided to have dinner at Pepper Garden, a kid-friendly restaurant suggestion from a reader, located fairly centrally for all of us and on Montreal Road, not too far from Stanley Park where the festival was held.

This place is simple, on the outside and on the inside, and as for the menu too.

The decor was somewhat modern, but something gave off an old-school vibe. The selection on the menu was not what I expected. I appreciated the "gourmet" choices and the kid-friendliness - they don't usually go together.

One thing that stood out, Coke in bottles, and yes, I ordered one because of this.

And the salt "shaker". That stood out too.

Bread was brought out as we decided on our meal.

As a special that day, oysters. Three please!

I had the Duck confit: Mariposa Farms duck on roast potatoes with mushrooms and tossed greens.

Review:

If I was to base my review only on what I ate, it would be quite positive. I'll start by saying my oysters were delightful, fresh and tasty, although a little small. I did miss the mignonette, they were served with lemon and horseradish.

My main was outstanding! I loved every bite and could have licked the plate. Well-seasoned, well presented, well-cooked.

As for the other diners, not so much. Some dishes were average, some funky in a bad way. One of the daily special was lamb chop. There was a lot left on the plate - it was overcooked and not a nice cut of chops.

The scallop dish was decent, so was the beef tartare. The mains with steak were ok too, the fries, really delicious.

The kicker was the Spinach and poached pear salad. Terrible! The "melon poppy seed vinaigrette" was unanimously deemed disgusting by all at the table. The price of this dish was quite high considering that for $5 more, so for $20, you could get delicious confit.

The service was great. Upon making reservations, I said there would be a 2-year-old and the table had a high-chair, crayons and colouring sheet.

All in all, there were lots of hits and misses.

Parking is free and restaurant is wheelchair-accessible.

Baan Thai

2011-07-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

I've worked at the same place for about seven years and my workplace is located only minutes from Baan Thai Restaurant. I had heard good things about this place from various sources, but it took me a long time to make the trek to try it for myself.

Following a conversation with a co-worker about food and restaurants, I couldn't get the idea of Thai food out of my head. I took it as a sign that my body was craving it. What could I do except listen to it!

I asked co-worker with whom I had been talking about this cuisine, if she felt like Thai food too, maybe the following day for lunch? She did!

So we were there when they opened the following day. I had heard they filled up quick and since we were at work, we couldn't really chance it a lengthy wait.

A rich red paint colour, wood elements and pieces of art bring life to the eatery. It's quite a small space, no more than a few dozen tables. It's so small that as I was waiting for my turn to use the bathroom, one of the servers asked if she could just get something out of there before I went in. It turned out to be a high-chair. It's cozy and comfortable.

Co-worker and I both had lunch specials which included a hot and sour vegetable soup and a main.

Co-worker had Pad Ga Prow. Chicken with baby corn, onions, green and red pepper, fresh chilli and basil leaves in spicy sauce was served along with rice.

I had Gaeng Garee Gai. Chicken and potatoes in yellow curry with coconut milk were served along with rice.

We also split Yum Ma Muang. Thinly sliced mango and shrimp with peanuts, chilli and shallots in spicy lime dressing.

Review:

It's unfortunate that it took me seven years to dine here. It was a pretty darn good lunch.

The lunch special prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous. The presentation of the food is just so pretty. The colours and textures of the food are contrasted with the blue and white dishes that come in beautiful shapes.

The service was quick and efficient.

Co-worker thought that the mango salad tasted quite a bit like fish sauce, but I didn't so much find this. The mango was fresh, a tad underripe, but the flavouring was delicious.

I loved my dish. Filling, tasty, perfectly cooked. Co-worker also liked her dish.

The soup was tasty and full of flavour. Very enjoyable and good temperature.

Parking is free and eatery is wheelchair-accessible.

Pear Infused White Balsamic Vinegar

2011-06-29T17:40:00.008-04:00

Pear Infused White Balsamic Vinegar. All the way from Leavenworth, WA from a tiny little place in a basement called The Oil & Vinegar Cellar. A 375 mL bottle that travelled carefully from one side of North America to the other.

The company is owned by co-worker V's friend. I'm a sucker for gourmet products, especially when they're sold by small business owners that are women. So I did not hesitate to place my order when co-worker V placed hers. The only hesitation occurred when I had to choose from the interesting selection of flavours. I went with something completely foreign to me.I'd never had white balsamic vinegar nor pear infused vinegar.

The cost was $18 US per bottle. But the kicker was the shipping - it cost almost as much.

Review:

I wasn't sure how I would like this but I was pleasantly surprised. I don't tend to care for fruity-flavoured things that normally aren't.

Thie vinegar didn't have an artificial pear flavour and it wasn't overly sweet. It seemed to have the essence of the fruit. To me, a true meaning of 'infused'. It truly tasted like pear.

I've drizzled the vinegar on salads and plates of veggies and have found that nothing else needs to be added to it - no salt, no oil.

I'm not sure if the while balsamic vinegar normally has a less prominent flavour than the red, but this one had a much milder one than the vinegar I'm used to.

This vinegar would be delicious on vanilla ice cream - it's my next way to try it! And the next time an order is placed - I'll give another one a shot!

Pan-fried smelts

2011-06-23T07:00:00.003-04:00

Today I offer you an ode to my grand-papa in honour of what would have been his 66th wedding anniversary and the day he passed away four years ago. Pan-fried smelts.

There were few things that grand-papa cooked because grand-maman was a typical old-school housewife. Meals and cleaning were mainly her responsibilities. but on occasion, grand-papa would don the apron.I can still see his face when I remember him standing over the stove, looking eager, excited, pleased with himself about what he was preparing.
I recently came across fresh, cleaned and headless smelts. I didn't go looking for smelts, I never have. I've never actually bought some to prepare myself, but I happened upon them that day and took it as a sign. I got about two pounds, which in retrospect is way too much for three people.

I can't remember exactly how grand-papa prepared his smelts, but I'm pretty sure there was no recipe involved. Nor were there seasonings other than salt, and lots of it!

But I don't roll like that. I used flour as the coating base and onion and garlic powder, salt (a little bit!), pepper, Parmesan cheese (shaky shaky, not fresh stuff). I mixed it all up.

I prepped a coating station - the pile of fish on one plate, the flour mixture on another and a hot pan with melted butter in it.

I dredged a few fishies at a time and then fried them on both sides until they were golden brown.

Review:

I can't say that the smelts were 'just like grand-papa used to make', but they were tasty!

The coating wasn't thick and didn't overpower the delicate fish. The coating was nicely seasoned and fairly crispy given its thinness. Don't be cheap on the butter!

I chose not to eat the tails, even though some people do.

The fish was nice and tender. It doesn't take long for these little guys to cook - it's easy to overcook them!

This wasn't the less expensive or most expensive fish around at about $20 for 3 lbs.

Keeping memories alive through food is a wonderful way to bring family together

Olivettos Café and Eatery

2011-06-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

I checked out Olivettos during their inaugural weekend of 'free food for feedback'. As soon as I got the invite from a friend, I liked this place. They were open to criticism, listening, improving. Besides, I like food, and I'm rarely at a loss for words when it comes to feedback!

Enough about me - back to Olivettos. It's located at the Train Yards shopping area in Ottawa, ON and it was started by three guys, one of which lives in the same community as I, actually across the street from me. In the business startup mix - restaurant experience, check, a lifelong dream, check, passion, check.

They are open seven days a week and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and also gourmet coffees, pastries and light fare.

The space is bright and modern. There's a melange of stone, wood, steel and leather and a fabulous array of light fixtures. The high ceilings give it a spacious feel but it is a cozy place.

Three other diners had coffee, two had regular and one had a latte, but I chose the mango smoothie.

One of the diners had the Olivettos Omelette: Two eggs with mixed cheese, bacon, sausage, red and green peppers with home fires and toast.

Another diner had the Classic Eggs Benedict: Two poached eggs on an English muffin with ham and Hollandaise sauce with home fries. (He also had a raspberry smoothie).

Diner 'Little One' had the Belgian Fruit Waffles: Two fresh Belgian waffles topped with strawberries, blueberries, banana and cantaloupe, strawberry sauce and whipped cream (hold the whip!).

I had the Pocket Eggs: Two freshly cracked eggs with spinach, capicola ham, mixed cheese and marinara sauce and fresh fruit instead of home fries.

Review:

Given that they were trying to iron out the kinks during this weekend and find their groove, it was still a pretty good meal.

Our table provided quite a bit of feedback to one of the owners. He was very interested in hearing what we had to say.

The coffee was good as were the smoothies, not too sweet, a good fruit flavour.

The seasoning was almost there for the home fries, the hollandaise was good - not too heavy, not too light, the eggs, a little overcooked but that's nothing that practice won't address naturally. The 'fresh fruit' was not fresh as if it had just been cut and served. It was indeed 'fresh' but I think it was sitting in juice and ended up soaking it up. This gave it a bitterness. Something that was crushing for two French-Canadian diners... not offering real maple syrup.

My main concern was that the menu descriptions didn't always match was was served. Again, I trust that that will iron itself out too, as will the temperature of the food, to serve it a little hotter.

I have to say that what struck me the most about this place is the seating. There is a choice of half-moon 'booths', bistro-type tables and a lounge with sofas at the back.

I will most definitely eat here again, probably for breakfast or lunch, as I don't see this being top of mind for me as a dinner-destination.

The service was very friendly and attentive. The prices are very good.

As an interesting way to generate repeat business, they are offering a loyalty card.

There is a lot of free parking. The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible.

A to Z foodie-style

2011-06-02T18:52:00.003-04:00

A is for Apple, what’s your favorite variety?

None in particular. I don't like them much and I only use them to make crisp. And I choose a mixture.

B is for Bread, regardless of nutrition, calories, or whole grains what is your favorite type?

Art-is-in Dynamite loaf. White. Hands-down.

C is for Cereal what is your favorite kind?

Fruit Loops

D is for Doughnuts, what kind do you fancy?

Krispy Kreme... oh, maybe I'm supposed to pick a specific flavour/type? Gah - can't pick - Walnut Crunch, Boston Cream, Krueller. ANything KK.

E is for Eggs, how do you like yours prepared?

Scrambled! Well prepared, not the hard, brown overcooked stuff that passed for scrambled in some places.

F is for Fish, what floats your boat?

Salmon. Cold-smoked, hot-smoked, grilled, poached, en papillon, with sauce, without, etc...

G is for Groceries, where do you purchase yours at?

Whereve I happen to be. I find food for sale in the weirdest stores. Regular groceries - Farm Boy, Loblaws, farmers market, Costco.

H is for Hot Beverages, what is your favorite hot drink?

Tall, 1%, Light Foam, Latte.

I is for Ice Cream, and the favorite flavour is?

Pascale's Peanut Butter Salted Caramel

J is for Jams or Jellies, what is the fave? Flavor?

Apple Jelly, preferable picked up at a farmers market or made by a small artisan company.

K is for Kidneys - are they part of your diet?

Sure! In the form of kidney beans!

L is for Lunch, what was yours today?

The most delicious soup (squash/coconut) made by the mom's BFF, half a pack of saltines and two Kraft singles.

M is for microwave, what is your favorite thing to make in it?

Cooking spaghetti squash.

N is for Nut, what\s your fave and how do you use it?

Pecans. Toasted and added to oatmeal and salads.

O is for Oil, what kind do you like to use?

Typically olive, sesame and truffle.

P is for protein, how do you get yours?

Smoked brisket, pulled pork, beer can chicken, cheese, eggs, burgers, sausage. We eat tons of meat.

Q: is for Quaker, how do you like your oats?

Sweet. Pumpkin oatmeal is all-time fave. Steel-cut, loved for a long time on the stovetop.

R is for roasting, what is your favorite thing to roast?

Potatoes!

S is for sandwich, what’s your favorite kind?

Real chicken (not deli), avocado, leaf lettuce, tomato, bacon on B is for Bread.

T is for travel, how do you handle eating while traveling?

Not well becasue I am a nervous traveller. I do try to eat like the people from the place I am visiting - I want to try it all.

U is for unique, what is one of your weirdest food combos?

Putting St-Hubert gravy in the coleslaw. I really don't find what I eat weird, but other people might think differently.

V is for vegetable, what is your fave and how is it prepared?

That's a hard one. I think I have to say asparagus, grilled. Snow peas, steamed as a close second.

W is for Whipped Cream, real or in a canister?

Real.

X: is for X-ray - if my belly was x-rayed, what food could be seen?

Pizza from PIzza Hut. And a latte.

Y is for Yogurt, do you like it, what kind and what flavour?

I wish I did enjoy it but I don't. I can grudgingly swallow hi-fat greek blueberry yogurt... sort of.

Z is for zucchini, how do you prepare it?

Grilled, sautéed. Olive oil and salt. Garlic dipping sauce. Yum.

Thai Lanna

2011-05-28T07:00:00.003-04:00

I love 'ethnic food'. Chinese and Greek are my usuals, but I'm growing quite fond of thai food. The hubby is not so fond of thai but does indulge me on occasion, as he did the night we checked out Thai Lanna with the mom.

It's located in the south end of Ottawa in a small strip mall. It's not an obvious place; it's tiny and cozy, seating only about 24 people.

The decor is simple and functional. A few pieces of art and bright cushions add some personality to a rather plain room.

We were hungry but knowingly ordered way too much food - we just wanted to try so many things! We decided to share everything family-style, including the five dishes and sides of jasmine rice.

Chicken Curry with Potato: Chicken and potato in coconut milk curry.

Green Mango Salad: Shredded green mango with onion, cashews, shrimps and house dressing.

Pad Thai: Fried noodles with shrimps, egg, bean sprouts and peanuts in tamarind sauce.

Mix-Seafood with Basil & Hot Chili: Stir fried shrimps, scallops, squid, vegetables and hot chili.

Beef with Lemongrass: Shredded beef with young lemongrass and basil leaves in oyster sauce.

We split two orders of jasmine rice between the three of us.

Review:

We all enjoyed the meal. Everything was nicely presented and the portions average for thai food. I always appreciate white dishes - they make the food pop. Thai food is so colorful, it deserves to stand out.

The service was great - friendly, organized, happy and calm. And fast - we were eating within 10 minutes of having ordered.

Every component was fresh and nicely cooked. The food had so much flavour - and layers of it. I liked that you could request more or less heat - we took advantage of this as one the the dishes we ordered (Mix-Seafood with veggies) indicated three hot peppers on the menu - we asked for it to be brought down to one.

Each dish was between $12-14, average for thai.

We were full but not stuffed and appreciated that the dishes weren't 'heavy'.

There is free parking, but it's cozy. The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible.

We had leftovers, a little bit of everything, and I asked that they just be put in one container. They weren't. That was disappointing as the containers were Styrofoam.

Cherimoya

2011-05-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

Cherimoya. A fruit from Peru. A recent purchase at my local produce store. Just 'cuz it looked interesting.

Turns out this one was very ripe. It's supposed to be eaten when the skin is a little more green.

This fruit had a good weight to it. The skin was somewhat smooth but a little rough, and not flexible. The flesh was a buttery white colour and the texture was creamy but not soft.

With the peel removed and the big black pits too, the fruit was chopped to share.

Review:

The fruit had a pungent odor that could be smelled even before being peeled. It was a cross between floral-pineapple-melon.

The texture was a little pasty, a little creamy and a little stringy.

None of the people who tried the fruit were big fans. The fragrance was almost too much to smell and taste. The first bite was ok, the second, a bit less and the third, hard to swallow - if you got that far.

This fruit was a very expensive discovery at about $8 for one which yielded about 1 1/2 cups of flesh.

eggspectation

2011-05-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a mandatory work-related training session, I was able to use the opportunity to have breakfast with co-worker V at eggspectation, an eatery located in the downtown area of Ottawa - an area I don't frequent that often. They specialize in all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have to admit that I had high eggspectations for this meal - I had heard good things about this place over the years.

This restaurant chain has about 20 locations in Canada, The States and India. The location I visited is one of two in Ontario - the other is in Toronto.

As soon as I walked in, I thought this place was pretty cool. After eating there, I learned that the design and decor of the space is based on the 'Circus of eggs' - the egg motif incorporated everywhere.

I have a thing for the industrial look and in this case, there were many elements exposed: the open kitchen, stairs, bricks and venting system; the concrete, copper and stainless look were also carried out throughout the space. The big black-trimmed windows at the front of the restaurant open out to the sidewalk when it's warm out, otherwise they let in plenty of light. The eatery has two floors with double the seating on the upper level. The color scheme is bright without being in-your-face overly cheerful. Sitting there eating my meal, I sort of felt like I was in a garage - in a good way.

A paper table-protector was placed on the table before diners sat down for a meal.

Co-worker V had a 'Classic' with meat: two eggs (over-easy, soft), choice of meat (bacon), and served with grilled potatoes, fresh fruit and baked beans.

I had the Ham, asparagus, mushrooms and three-cheese crêpes Bretonnes served with Hollandaise sauce.

Review:

All in all, this was a good experience. I really enjoyed the space, the food and the service.

The presentation of the food was rather uninspired but luckily most of the food was nicely seasoned and flavoured and tasty.

I appreciated the Hollandaise on the side but I would have liked some other accompaniment to the crêpes - fruit, potatoes, garnish - just something else. The Hollandaise was thick like pudding and it was very lemony and fresh-tasting.

The potatoes were a little on the greasy side, but flavourful once a tiny bit of salt was added. They weren't too crispy on the outside, just soft all over without being limp, for the most part.

The bacon was thin and crispy and the fruit was fresh and tasty.

The service was decent - fairly fast and very friendly.

The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible. Pay parking is available nearby.

Mexican black beans and quinoa

2011-05-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

A few days before attending a family dinner, I was asked to contribute a side dish to accompany chicken enchiladas. I had an idea.

I had bought a jar of 'gourmet' Mexican black beans from Italy - this would be the main ingredient. The jar had been residing in the pantry waiting for showtime. Its accomplice - quinoa and the third musketeer - tomatoes.

The seasonings: garlic, cumin, lime juice, oil, coriander, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

I let the can of whole tomatoes simmer for about an hour. They got thick and rich. Near the end of the cooking process, I stirred in 3 cloves of chopped garlic.

I cooked the quinoa as directed in the package, in water.

Once the quinoa was cooked, I transferred it to a bowl and stirred in the tomatoes.

Next I added the black beans which had boiled for about two hours in salted water. I had drained them before added them to the tomato-quinoa.

I added the seasonings to taste. I also served some hot sauce on the side for those who like a little extra kick.

I made the dish during the afternoon of the dinner. I didn't refrigerate it after I made it - I just covered it and left it on the counter. Before serving, I warmed it for about 10 minutes.

Review:

This dish paired perfectly with the enchiladas. It was filling, tasty and healthy. Since the enchiladas also had tomatoes in them, it was wise that my dish had the tomato flavour but wasn't tomato-based.

I tasted this dish at room temperature, cold and warm and I liked it all ways.

Not only did this dish taste great, I found it fun to look at because of the little quinoa 'tails', for a lack of a better word.

As far as side dishes go, it's not inexpensive. Quinoa is not cheap! But it's healthy and well-worth it!

NOTE: After this initial experiment, I made this dish for another potluck. It travels so well and it was once again well-received.

Cheri's Desert Harvest

2011-05-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

I picked up this package of Cheri's Desert Harvest Apple-Mesquite Muffin Mix and Desert Apple Jelly at the Red Rock Conservation Area during a trip to Las Vegas.

To make the muffins, I added water, butter and an egg to the dry mix provided. I mixed the ingredients together and spooned the batter into six big muffin cups.

The muffin was a dark brown color and had carrot and apple bits it in.

I tasted the muffin on its own and also accompanied with the jelly.

Review:

The muffins had a pleasant and unique taste. They were moist and light. Although the mesquite flavour was barely noticeable, the all-around flavour was earthy, mildly sweet, almost with a hint of molasses.

The jelly was tasty, tart but sweet, sort of like crab apple jelly. It sort of left an unpleasant dryness in my mouth. I didn't find the jelly added anything to the muffin.

The cost of the item was a little high at over $10, especially since I didn't love the item, but it was a memento of the trip and its uniqueness ultimately made it worthwhile.

Kallisto's Weekend Breakfast

2011-04-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

Kallisto's Weekend Breakfast: these three words caused me much excitement in the recent weeks.

I've been to Kallisto many, MANY times for dinner. I've tried tons of menu items and am head over heels for their signature salad dressing.

There has been signage near the street in front of the resto in the last while indicating 'weekend breakfast coming soon'. I had two mouth watering questions - when and what? On my last dinner visit, my favorite server Vera told us that it was starting that very weekend. When I spoke to her, we had been there for dinner on a Friday, and yes, we went for back for breakfast on Sunday.

The decor and atmosphere are pretty much the same since my last blog post. Simple, warm, elegant.

I dined here with the mom, the hubby and BFF M-Lady.

The hubby, the mom and I had the Eggs Benedict: a halved open-face English muffin topped with Canadian back bacon, two poached eggs and house Hollandaise sauce. The dish was served with fresh fruit and potatoes.

M-Lady had the Mediterranean Omelette: three eggs, red peppers, spinach, red onion, potato and Feta. The dish was served with potatoes, fruit and toast.

Review:

I was so happy that I was satisfied with the meal as much as I had anticipated I would be.

The choice of whole-wheat English muffins was very appreciated - not many breakfast places offer this. That's what the three of us chose. The muffins were lightly toasted but not hard - just perfect.

I've had some really good and some really bad Hollandaise sauces in my dining out experience and I have to say that this one was exactly what I look for in a sauce - thick (pourable, but on the thicker side), not too lemony, not too salty, not too rich and heavy.

The eggs, a soft-medium poach - excellent. The bacon - delicious. Smoky, flavourful, not too salty.

The omelette was so full of ingredients, there almost wasn't enough egg to hold them together - but this isn't a complaint! The omelette was really tasty and Kallisto's signature Feta shone through.

The fruit was fresh and included a good variety. The potatoes... a moment of silence please. Amazing. Wonderfully seasoned, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Not greasy at all.

We all appreciated having both the fruit and potatoes with the meal - salty and sweet - a perfect weekend breakfast perk!

The other diners appreciated that coffee was included with breakfast. I had water, as usual.

The prices were very reasonable and competitive.

The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible and there a lot of free parking.

Green medley salad

2011-04-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

I've been so busy since the beginning of the year that I haven't had much time to be in the kitchen and even less time to blog. So for the time being, I am keeping it simple, quick and tasty, but still creative.

This side dish was so delicious and easy to make that I had to share it with you.

Ingredients:
Sweet peas
Edamame
Asparagus
Parsley
Honey
Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Lime juice
Salt
Pepper

Peas and soybeans (edamame) must be fresh or frozen/thawed. Peas and soybeans must be blanched.

Once the peas and soybeans have been drained, they should be put in a bowl and mixed with chopped grilled asparagus and chopped parsley.

The dressing should be made in another bowl. Start with about 2 tbsp each of honey, oil and Dijon, 1 tsp of lime juice and salt and pepper as desired. Adjust the amounts to taste. Whisk together. Drizzle the dressing on the veggies and mix together. Serve hot, cold or warm.

Review:

Not only is this a bright dish - it's healthy, vegan and inexpensive.

It's full of protein, carbs, fiber, vitamins and a bunch of other good stuff.

Although steamed asparagus could be used, the smokiness of the grilled asparagus really adds a nice layer of flavour.

The dressing should be light, just enhancing the veggies and letting them shine. It should provide a little tang, a little kick and a smidge of sweetness - but only in the background.

Vote for soup

2011-04-19T22:06:00.004-04:00

I've blogged about Stone Soup Foodworks before. Twice, actually - here and here.

Well, third time's a charm and this time you can even be directly involved!

Soup Jackie opened for business only two and half months ago at Winterlude and has since been stationed at the University of Ottawa for a two-month pilot project. She's already had to hire some staff because her business keeps growing.

She's managed to participate in events at the Arts Court, and with the Soup Sisters, and has also gained membership in Savour Ottawa.

She is now campaigning to win the Scotiabank contest for community leadership, in other words $10,000 to put towards a second truck to bring more convenient and sustainable options to the City of Ottawa.

Part of the contest is based on voting, and you can vote here, multiple times.

Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm

2011-04-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's now mid-April and some might say not exactly the best time to post about a sugar bush excursion, but hey, I still think it's worth sharing even though the snow is gone. Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm is more than a sugar bush.

Located in Edwards, ON, not too far from where I live in the south end of Ottawa, this place also is a meeting and conference centre and a popular destination for weddings. Before this visit, I had been there twice to attend wedding receptions in the summer. The property has multiple venues that can be used for different events all year long.

On a whim, hubby and I trekked out to the country for a traditional all-you-can-eat pancake brunch with BFF Anne and her hubby MA. It was held in the The Maples Reception and Convention Hall.

The space had a simple design - one big country-chic style room. The upper part of the space was clean and modern and the lower part, not so much, with its plastic chairs and red and white tablecloths.

But we weren't there for the decor - we were there for the $15.50 meal. We got there early, just as it opened at 9 a.m. and there was already a line-up. We paid at the door, got our hand stamped and sat down family-style at long table. We settled in then got in line for food and drink.

We piled our plates high with pancakes, french toast, beans, egg frittata, waffles, ham and sausage. Back at the table, a brand new bottle of Stanley's maple syrup.

We poured ourselves coffee and juice at the self-serve station.

With our bellies full, we walked around the grounds. There was lots to see. Trees tapped for sap, a horse-drawn wagon used to bring people on rides, maple taffy on snow (luckily we weren't too full to sample some!) and a ginormous Muskoka chair.

We also checked out the functioning 'sugar shack'. Uncle Ken was on hand to explain the process of how sap from maple trees is boiled in an evaporator, the liquid eventually becoming syrup - something I hadn't seen with my own eyes since I was a kid. He confirmed that the syrup is actually made at another location and that this sugar shack is only used for demo proposes.

After checking out goats, cows, horses, turkeys, a pig at the petting zoo, I browsed in the The Stonehouse Tea Room & Gift shop for a few treats: maple taffy candies and maple kettlecorn.

Review:

Oh Canada, our home and maple land!

The highpoint of the meal was the new bottle of maple syrup on the table. After removing the nozzle, it poured much better and faster - most definitely negating its purpose. (Part of me wanted to chug the bottle, don't tell anyone!)

In general, the food was mediocre. We went up twice to get food - the first time, from the first pan of the morning and the second time from the second. The quality varied drastically from pan to pan, in flavour, colour and texture. The first pan of beans was a lovely medium brown and tasted pretty good. The second, a much lighter colour, and they tasted like they had been boiled in water - no flavour whatsoever. The sausage - first pan perfect. Second pan - terrible! Burned on one side and so overcooked they were pretty hard. I'll base my comments on the taste of the sausage keeping the first pan in mind - decent, a slight maple flavour and ok seasoning. The pancakes, ham and waffles tasted average - not bad at all but nothing special. The frittatta was actually very good. Light and really flavourful - it just needed a dash of salt which I added myself then it was a perfect. The french toast, quite dry, pedestrian in taste.

As for the bevvies, there was a choice of coffee, tea, apple and cranberry juice. Anne had a rather negative encounter with the owner at the juice bar. She asked if he had orange juice to which he retorted a deadpan "Do oranges grow in Canada?" and walked away. Not cool, even on the off-chance he was trying to be funny. There was no signage or anything informing us that they only served Canadian products - if that was the case. At a table near us, we overheard a kid say that he had had orange juice there last year. Just sayin'. We did see signage that they use biodegradable and compostable plates, napkins and cutlery. Hats off for this.

The grounds are beautiful. Uncle Ken said people come for the day as there is no charge to 'be' there. They have their meal and wander around for hours.

It was nice to check out the animals. I think I made some friends! Especially with one of the horsies who quite enjoyed having his temple scratched!

The taffy on the snow was $2, $2.25 or $2.50 - I can't remember. Maybe it's the going rate for a teaspoon of taffy, but we found it a little steep.

The prices of the maple syrup in the gift shop seemed significantly higher than I've seen elsewhere for the same amounts. But it is part of the experience - hard to put a price on that.

Except for the encounter at the juice bar, the staff was quite friendly at each point of contact. Hats off to uncle Ken who was a sweetie and answered all my questions!

Pink's Hot Dogs

2011-04-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

While in Las Vegas, the hubby and I checked out Pink's at Planet Hollywood. I has long heard about this eatery, more specifically about the original location in Hollywood, CA. They specialize in hot dogs but also have hamburgers, sausages and pastrami sandwiches on the menu. The variety of toppings includes chili, cheeses, onions, bacon, sauerkraut, BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pastrami, mushrooms, guacamole, oh, and ketchup, mustard and relish. Sometimes, the hot dog buns are replaced with flour tortillas. Sometimes there are two dogs/sausages in a bun. This eatery has a hot-dog-stand-meets-fast-food-chain feel. The eating area is outside and offers a spectacular view of the strip.

The menu is posted outside the eating area and a version of it about 6 times as big on the wall inside the door.

To the right of the giant menu, Pink's Hall of Fame for this location. Actors, comedians, musicians, stars from permanent Vegas shows, reality tv stars. Young and old(er), autographed or not, colour or black and white. All with one thing in common - displayed to show their appreciation of Pink's.

Inside, simple and small, and very pink. A counter at which to place the order and pay. Then 10 steps or so to the left, which provides an opportunity to sneak a peak at the prep behind the glass. The food is picked up at the counter at the other end of the aisle when your number is called.

I only photographed my dog. (We were very hungry following a 5-hour flight, and I didn't want to subject my party to a photo fest right away). I had the Bacon Chili Cheese Dog. It was topped with three strips of bacon, tomatoes, mustard and cheese. The mom's dog can be seen in the second shot - she had the Chicago Polish Dog. A sausage with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes and lettuce.

The other peeps had the Chili Dog (topped with mustard, chili and onions), the Naked Dog (with nothing on it) and a Turkey Dog (minus the bun for our gluten-sensitive group member). We also got two fries to split between five people.

Review:

Pink's is reknown for their hot dogs and I can see why. They're tasty, filling and inexpensive. The buns were fresh and soft, the hot dogs has a nice flavour and texture and the toppings were fresh, generous and delicious.

This is not 'date' food. It's messy and challenging to eat. Along with our pile of napkins, we picked up forks and knives at the condiment stand, just in case. And we used them at some point.

The two sides of fries were too much for us. One would have been enough as the dogs were filling. They were yummy - seasoned but very, very salty.

The chili is something Pink's is famous for. They serve it on its own, on hot dogs and on fries. It was really good but a little greasy for our taste.

This eatery is busy, but the service is so well orchestrated that you're in and out in no time. We had quite a big order and it took only a minute or so to get it. Staff cleans up outside constantly and the table turnover is frequent and fast.

The eatery is wheelchair accessible, but I could see how it would be a little awkward to navigate the aisle and tables if you were travelling alone.

Kale chips

2011-04-02T07:00:00.002-04:00

Fresh curly kale has never entered my kitchen before this experiment. I had heard about kale chips a little bit over the years and I was curious how this green vegetable turned into a chip, and most importantly, how it tasted.

Nearing the end of the 2010 farmers market season, there were slim pickings but one of them was kale. So I picked some up. I Googled how to make kale chips and while doing so, I also found out that kale is part of the cabbage family and high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. Kale sort of looks like a broccoli-meets-romaine. Sort of. The leaves are pretty hard compared to leafy lettuce. Their thickness and texture remind me of the tiny leaves along the stem of broccoli. From the leafy end, it looks like broccoli but the root end looks somewhat like the root end of romaine.

After washing the leaves, I tore them up into chip-size pieces and put them in a bowl. I tossed them with a few teaspoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. I placed the leaves on a parchment-covered sheet pan.

The pan went into the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Major shrinkage went on during this time - the leaves shrunk about 50%. I watched the kale carefully because it burns quite quickly.

While the kale baked, it got crispy and acquired some of the oiliness and saltiness that people love about potato chips. But a bowl of these kale chips didn't compare at all in the nutritional department!

Review:

I cannot explain how much I liked these chips. They were so satisfying!

I love regular potato chips and these were an excellent substitute without the guilt! I liked that I could eat these just like regular chips and that they had the similar texture and flavour. And they we're green and curly which made them even more fun to eat!

The ones that were a little brown, meaning a little burned, were bitter and not good at all. This is a healthy, inexpensive treat. It's also a conversation piece that also supports local farmers.

More Than Just Desserts

2011-03-29T07:00:00.006-04:00

I was invited to the More Than Just Desserts event as a blogger, and in the words of the inviter, as media. I am still amazed how social media is affecting mainstream media.

The fundraiser for The Arthritis Society took place at Sala San Marco, a banquet and conference centre located in Ottawa's Little Italy area. I've been invited to other events because I blog, and I don't attend many of them. I attended this one to support the cause as my grandmother lives with osteoarthritis, and because many local restaurants would be providing food. The hubby was my plus one and the mom and her friend M-Lady joined us too.

I wasn't sure what to expect, how fancy it would be, how formal and if I would fit in. I am NOT the fancy type. Turns out, it was pretty fancy - but not prim-and-proper-pinky-in-the-air-head-held-high-with-a-snooty-look-of-disdain fancy. The event was pegged as 'not your mom's gala' and was aimed at a 35-45-year-old crowd. Of course, there were peeps of all ages there, younger and older, but the event was sponsored by Live 88.5 and the entertainment was light and fun. Phew. But the room was beautiful, in a rather formal way. White linens, fabulous chandeliers, chair coverings, fresh flowers, proper place settings.

Fat Tuesdays' Dueling pianos kept us happily toe-tapping and singing along throughout the evening.

Although this wasn't a sit-down dinner event, there was a lot of food to be had. Food and libation booths were lined up around the perimeter, near the silent auction tables. You could munch on tastiness as you perused the auction items or head back to your table. There was bread and antipasti waiting for us at our table: it consisted of melon, cured meats, tomatoes, Bocconcini, olives, marinated veggies.

Since the event was called More Than Just Desserts, there was more to the desserts than just the availability of desserts - there was a dessert-judging contest. Each guest was brought a plate of desserts to taste blindly and were told that each one had been made by one of the booths. We didn't know which of the food suppliers had made what. Then we had to pick our favorite.

All gone :(

I picked the Napolitani: a Rectangular shaped layered chocolate phyllo pastry with Frangelico chocolate mousse. It was the winner! Note to self, go to Biagio's to have this again.

We also had another ballot from which to make a selection and this time for our favorite-looking booth.

I sampled items from every station. From the Green Door Restaurant: Quinoa tabouleh salad and Marinated tempeh skewers with sun-dried tomato pesto.

From Algonquin College, chicken confit and portabella mushroom on a wonton crisp. They won for outstanding display - they were my pick!. I really liked its simplicity and the incorporation of glass blocks and tiles with the petals and leaves. Industrial-chic.

I had a chocolate-covered brownie and vanilla cheesecake topped with a strawberry from the Exchange Pub and Restaurant.

From Fat Tuesdays, in addition to the smokin' music, a smokey rib. I also got some beads. And no, I showed nothing to get them!

Feleena's provided chili, guacamole, chips and salsa. Olé!

I tried some bruschetta from Biagio's. Tomato and basil with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and Parmigiano atop a slice of baguette.

From l'Ardoise, beef cheeks braised in duck fat with marmalade de physalis (ground cherry marmalade) on a toasted baguette. This item was interactive - it had to be flipped to be eaten.

Sala San Marco served up three items. Thin-crust artichoke, goat cheese, sun-dried tomato and black olive pizza, smoked salmon on baguette and a chocolate-covered spongecake topped with Bavarian cream and fresh fruit.

I had some seafood ravioli and chicken Marsala from Da Santino.

Review:

This was a great evening. The vibe was great - like a fun party.

The encounters I had with the organizers, the hosts/emcees, the booth staff, the people at the registration and auction were wonderful. Friendly across the board.

Since this is a food blog, I have some comments about the food. My three favorites were the pizza from Sala San Marco - it had a soft crust and generous toppings. I really liked Algonquin's chicken won ton crisp. The chicken was divine, tender and tasty and the crisp was light, crunchy and salty. The Green Door's quinoa tabouleh was superb - fresh and tasty with nice texture.

I had never had beef cheek before and found it quite tender with intense beef flavour. I loved the tart combo of the beef-earth cherry. I could have done without the bread - I found it added nothing to the item.

The rib from Fat Tuesdays was smoky and had a kick to it. It was perfectly cooked - it fell gently off the bone with a little tug. The sauce level was great for my taste, present but not dropping in it.

The chili was spicy and a little too soupy for me. It had decent flavour but could have used a little salt.

The chicken Marsala and ravioli were pretty great. Excellent flavours and seasonings and perfectly cooked.

I also really enjoyed the tempeh. I knew it was vegan but didn't quite know what it was. Turns out it's a soybean product - it actually tasted and had the texture of chicken.

The brownie, cheesecake and bruschetta were tasty, but average.

Hash House a Go Go

2011-03-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Twisted Farm Food.

Interesting slogan - I'm a little twisted, I've been to farms, I like food. This is a perfect place for me!

I heard about Hash House a Go Go from watching Man vs. Food and seeing the host (Man aka Adam Richman) devour a massive Farm Benedict.

Recently, I was in Las Vegas and had the opportunity to Woman vs. Food the same dish.

This restaurant chain has four locations: three in Las Vegas, Nevada and one in San Diego, California. Even though we were staying on the strip and could have easily gone to the location at the Imperial Palace, we ventured away from the strip to the Sahara location, to get away from the hustle of the tourists and check out some of the city.

This restaurant has won many awards and been featured on tv, in magazines and recommended in the travel world. I thought the five of us would have a good selection of good, decent food - something for everyone.

It seems the restaurant is popular among celebrities too. There is an extensive wall of fame, spread over multiple walls, which includes one frame in which I was really interested: Adam Richman's.

The restaurant all about is industrial-chic... or building supplies gone wild: furniture and walls made with corrugated aluminium, turnbuckles as accents, diamond plate aluminium used as a wall covering, aligned bolts patterned as as trim, steel chairs and tables, exposed beams. All this in addition to wood and leather splashed throughout.

The hubby, the gramma and the M-Lady had regular coffee/tea. The mom had one of the special coffees of the day, the Mac-nut latté, a macadamia-nut-flavoured latté.

I had the Frosted mint latté.

The gramma had The Basic: two eggs, potatoes, fruit and toast (instead of a biscuit). She added ham to her meal.

The mom has Scramble #3: Eggs scrambled with sundried tomatoes, basil and goat cheese and served a biscuit and her choice of griddled mashed or crispy potatoes. She chose crispy.

The M-lady had the HH original farm benedict. Smoked bacon, tomato, spinach, roasted red pepper cream and two basted eggs with griddled mashed potatoes. This dish is usually served atop a split biscuit but the dish was ordered sans biscuit due to the diner's gluten intolerance.

The hubby had Scramble #1: Eggs scrambled with hardwood smoked bacon, avocado, onion and swiss and served with a biscuit and his choice of griddled mashed or crispy potatoes. He chose cripsy.

I indulged with Andy's sage fried chicken with spinach, hardwood smoked bacon, tomato, griddled mozzarella, chipotle cream and scrambled eggs on a split biscuit with griddled mashed potatoes. Imagine a heap about 7 inches in diameter and 4 inches high.

I tried so hard to win, and I did make a respectable dent in the dish, but I couldn't finish it. Food won. This is what I left behind.

Review:

This was a great experience. The service was great. The vibe was great. The food was great. The place looked great.

We were greeted warmly and shown to a big comfy booth. Our server was attentive, friendly, fun and helpful. We even chatted with some of the locals who were sitting near us. It's always a good sign if the locals eat there! The peeps were just plain nice.

The portions were MASSIVE - no one finished their plates. The prices, reasonable, especially for the amount of food there was. Everything had loads of flavour and tasted fresh and homemade. The biscuits didn't seem to get eaten. They don't have much flavour and since none of us are used to eating biscuits, I guess we just didn't appreciate them. There were these things skewered through my food which looked and tasted like pre-cooked dried red spaghetti noodles. We couldn't figure that out.

The lattés were spectacular. Really decadent and yummy but not rich and heavy. They were infused with a serious amount of flavouring. It was good - it didn't taste fake or ultra-sweet.

We really liked the concept of twisted farm food. They really take things up a notch!

Lemon poppy tart

2011-03-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

I love food shopping in the States - things are just so different. I could spend hours checking out Every Single Product on the shelves. I saw this can of Poppy seed cake and pastry filling made by Solo and just had to have it. I would figure out what to do with it later.

They may sell this type of filling here in Ottawa, I have no idea. I don't peruse the pie filling aisle too much while at the grocery store.

The only thing I had ever eaten with poppy seeds was bread and loaves, and never as a main ingredient. So I brought home the can, stuck in in the pantry and sort of forgot about it.

For a recent work potluck, a co-worker brought in lemon curd tarts. Deelish. As we were all munching away, we got talking about lemon-flavoured baked goods, which morphed into a discussion about lemon-poppy seed loaves, which got me thinking of that can of filling I had tucked away. I had an idea. Lemon poppy tart. My version would have the poppy seed filling topped with lemon curd in a shortbread crust.

I made the crust first.

Ingredients
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup icing sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

In the food processor, I placed the flour, sugar, and salt and pulsed it to combine.

Next I added the butter and pulsed the mixture until it started to come together and form clumps.

With my fingers, I pressed the mixture evenly into a tart pan, onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

I placed the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes. Once the pastry was chilled, I baked it at 425 degrees, on the center rack, until the crust was golden brown, which took about 13-15 minutes. I removed the crust from the oven and cooled it completely.

While the crust cooled, I made the curd.

Ingredients
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp grated Meyer lemon rind
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

I combined all the ingredients in a small heavy saucepan and cooked the mixture over low heat, stirring for 15 to 20 minutes, until it was thick enough to coat a spoon.

I poured the mixture into a bowl and placed plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture. I put the bowl in the fridge to cool the curd - it thickened a little as it cooled.

I assembled the tart in two easy steps.

I poured the can of poppy seed filling into the crust and spread it evenly.

I spooned the curd onto the filling and spread this evenly too.

Review:

Although I wasn't 100% happy with the curd or the crust, this was a fairly successful tart. The flavour of the three components were good together.

The crust was a little more brown than I think shortbread should be, but it tasted pretty good. I think that the crust actually held together a little bit better because it was actually more on the 'cooked' side. It was tender, like shortbread should be, but not as tender as those perfect little cream-colored cookies. I need to practice my dough-pressing skills - the sides were very uneven and in some spots a little brittle.

The filling was interesting. Poppy seeds en masse have a nice unique mild flavour. The filling wasn't too sweet or goopy - it was rather light.

The curd tasted awesome but the consistency was off because I had not cooked it as long as I should have. I put too much trust into the 'thickening during cooling'. It was tangy, a little sweet, but not overly sweet.

The drastic textural contrast from one layer to the next was fun to eat. There was a lot going on in every bite. Cold, creamy, granular, crunchy. It was a very good combination.

Meyer lemons are a little sweeter than regular lemons - this should be taken into account if those are swapped, to adjust the amount of sugar.

All in all, this was a good effort that got rave review. This is definitely a keeper.
Someone told me that they cook the curd in the microwave instead of on the stovetop. This is food for thought for the next round.

An evening with Chef Michael Smith

2011-03-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

These two tickets gave me butterflies in my stomach. With these, the hubby and I would meet Michael Smith, a chef I've long admired for cooking without a recipe, a chef I'd watched many years ago as The Inn Chef and more recently on Chef at Home, Chef Abroad and Chef at Large.

I had found out about the evening through friends. Anne had gotten a tweet about the event, she sent it to her sister and her sister told me. Then we told another friend. In total, five of us went to this dinner.

Surprisingly, I didn't hear or see any advertising or foodie buzz other than this tweet. I wondered if it would sell out considering Chef Smith had been to Ottawa, ON just recently for Winterlude. I was secretly hoping no one else would come and it would be a tête-à-tête, an evening of great conversation between the hubby, Chef Smith and I. Just kidding... it was a fundraiser for the Ottawa Food Bank so I wanted it to sell out!

The evening with Chef Michael Smith was held at Grill 41 at the Lord Elgin Hotel. Chef Smith had had a hand in developing the restaurant menu for this eatery that had opened in late 2010. I had been invited to the launch party and had been very disappointed to not be able to make it.

The evening started off with trayfuls of tiny treasures being paraded around the cocktail party: butter-soaked crostini topped with Brie, figs and prosciutto, black bean cups stuffed with curry and chili, endive leaves with chicken with mango salsa and Asian potstickers.

Peller Estates supplied the wine for evening and we enjoyed their sparkling wine while munching on the the hors d'oeuvre. During the cocktail party, the chef sat quietly in the corner of the hotel foyer exchanging pleasantries with guests and signing their books.

We made our way to the restaurant area as dinner time approached, after the chef had left the cocktail area for the dining room.

Our place setting was sophisticated and welcoming, just beautiful. Five glasses (two for white wine, one for red, one for desert wine and one for water), perfectly placed silver cutlery, the evening's wine and food menu and a cloth napkin.

We were one of the first groups to be seated so I took the opportunity to snap a few pics of the room. The space was small-ish, open-concept and modern and there was a bar in the middle. The highlights of the room included a chef's table off in proximity to the bar, a private dining area surrounded by wine bottles lined up to create tapestries and a raised dining area.

Before the first course, we were served two types of buns and garlic hummus.

The first course was Celery root and butternut bquash Soups, foie gras fritters and apple chutney. (Yes, I know, foie gras, me, in the same room with it.)

The second course was Smoked-salmon-crusted-salmon with spicy pea shoot salad and lentils, crispy bacon and capers.

The third course, Duck leg confit and juniper roast venison with tarragon jus, asparagus, parsnip potato crisp & roasted root vegetables (a carrot, a turnip and a white beet)

The sweet ending, a Banana bread pudding with butterscotch sauce and nutmeg ice cream.

As we finished up the dessert course, Chef Smith addressed the guests and shared anecdotes of his experience as the official chef for the 2010 Olympics. Peter Tilley, Executive Director of the Ottawa Food Bank, also said a few words.

As we prepared to leave, guests were thanking Chef Smith for the evening. We did the same. Others got last-minute autographs and pics.

One of my friends, who was a professional chef a few years back, very much admires Chef Smith. He had a chance to talk with him one-on-one for a few minutes.

Review:

Except for the fact that my new camera didn't work well and provided me with very disappointing visual memories, this was an excellent evening.

First things first. Michael Smith was warm, friendly, sincere, real. A real gentleman. I really wanted to have a coffee with him and just talk. I didn't know what to expect in person from him and I was pleasantly surprised in a way. He is so down-to-earth considering his international 'celebrity' status and success. I was so nervous to meet him - more nervous than I would have been meeting a movie or television star.

The food was pretty darn good. The soups were smooth, the perfect temperature and full of flavour. The apple chutney was outstanding - apple, spices and herbs - a great combo. And now the foie gras. The ratio foie gras / breading was about 50/50. The opinion of the five people at our table was 'too much breading for the delicate, rich flavour of the foie gras'. I'll admit, I tasted it. It was difficult for me and I couldn't shake the image of the ducks in my head. But I think I've mellowed on my opinion and am not as much of a hard core anti-foie-gras advocate, which is why I tasted it. Now, I can officially re-confirm that I do not like it, for the creation process and for the taste. But, moving forward, I don't think I will give this issue much airtime like I have in the past.

The salmon was so good, tender and juicy. The dish actually smelled smokier than it tasted, a comment each person at our table made. The salmon's bed was earthy, nicely flavoured without any specific intense flavour. The hot salmon was quite a contrast to the lentil mixture in temperature, texture and flavour.

This venison dish was hit and miss for most of the guests at my table. The duck confit was hands-down one of the best things I've ever eaten. Everyone felt strongly about this part of the dish - there was lots of love for it. The venison was so perfectly cooked but the consensus was that the rub was too peppery for our liking. The veggies were all perfectly cooked and fresh.

The dessert was fun and different. The nutmeg ice cream was outrageously delicious and unlike any other flavour of ice cream that I've ever had. The bread pudding was tender but firm and had a decent banana flavour. The sauce was deelish! This plate was full of welcome contrasts in textures, colours and temperatures. It was a thing of beauty across the board.

The portions were quite generous. We were all pretty stuffed at the end and some of us in our party couldn't finish their plates. (What a shame - we should have brought a container!)

The wine servings were quite generous also. The first pour was at least 6 oz for the white and 8 oz for the red. The glasses were refilled if guests were interested.

The service was formal and professional. The whole of it was well-orchestrated - two dedicated staff people had a constant eye on the room and a team of wait staff tended to us as a team. Water glasses were refilled quickly. Plates were delivered in a domino effect, to the next vacant place setting in steady waves as they came out of the kitchen, by the next available server. Dirty dishes were picked up very quickly by any person of staff.

The restaurant is wheelchair-accessible. Only valet parking is available at a cost of $23 - we were happy this was included in the cost of the tickets.

The tickets were $150 per person. In retrospect, this was quite reasonable cost for a four-course gourmet meal, five glasses of wine, cocktails, parking, gratuity, money for the food bank and the chance to meet this admired chef. I was thrilled that the evening raised over $3,000 for the Ottawa Food Bank.

Better than Cheddar Kale Chips

2011-03-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

I picked up a bag of Better Than Kale Chips at a local natural food shop in Ottawa.

The product is made by Two Girls Cooking, a Toronto-based team of two holistic nutritionists who are dedicated to nutritious and delicious live whole foods.

The product line is made up of raw, organic , gluten-free and vegan snack foods, all produced in harmony with the earth. The root vegetables, leafy greens, sprouted seeds, gluten-free grains, dried fruits and herbs are sourced locally and seasonally. This reduces the energy needed and the CO2 emissions created to grow and transport the food.

The kale was dehydrating below 115°F, to preserve all its natural goodness. The cheddar cheese flavour is created with a combination of red pepper, lemon, yeast and sunflower seeds.

Review:

I really wanted to like this product. I love snacking and am always looking for 'good food' snacks, those that induce a little less guilt than the traditional ones.

I had high hopes considering I make my own kale chips at home, the company is somewhat local, the company supports the seasonal/local food philosophy and it's run by women. But my hopes were quickly dashed when I tried them.

I found the chips dry at first, which turned into pasty as I chewed them. The flavour was too bitter for my liking. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Not in the product (ok, well maybe a little) but more disappointed that I didn't like it.

I did like the packaging.

The price was average for a specialty product like this.

Mesa Grill

2011-03-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

The hubby and I are fans of the Flay. Bobby Flay in Boy Meets Grill. Bobby Flay in Throwdown! Bobby Flay as an Iron Chef. Anything we've seen him take part in, we like it. This chef has got skills and personality.

While wandering around Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, we came across Mesa Grill. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. We quickly made reservations to dine there on the last night of our trip. A special meal to mark two special occasions: the grand-maman's 88th birthday and the mom's 63rd (don't tell them I told you).

Chef Flay operates three Mesa Grill locations. The first opened in New York City, the second, in Las Vegas and the third, in the Bahamas. They all specialize his version of American southwestern food, and include a lot of chiles, avocados, corn, beans and grilled meats.

The restaurant is a feast for the eyes. It's a big open space with high ceilings. It's got beautiful lines, interesting features and light fixtures and a fun integration of colours. It has a clean modern look and comfortable seating. Each element in the room is part of the design, from the ceiling to the floor - the attention to detail is remarkable. Wood, glass, leather, cloth, stone and metal dance together and bring depth, texture and life to the space.

Although the menu was only two pages long, the decision of what to eat was a challenge. We needed a few extra minutes... a few times. I wanted to try everything!

After finally making a decision, we were brought a basket of bread: two Blue and yellow corn muffins and a few slices of Asiago-jalapeño bread and Raisin-walnut bread.

The four of us shared a signature appetizer: a Tiger shrimp and roasted garlic corn tamale with corn-cilantro sauce.

The grand-maman had the Cremini mushroom quesadilla with Fontina and Ricotta cheeses, a fried egg and salsa verde.

The mom had the Fire-roasted veal chop with horseradish-maple glaze, a wild rice tamale and sage butter.

The hubby had the 22-oz bone-in chipotle-glazed rib eye with red and green chile sauce. With a double-baked potato with horseradish, green onions and crème fraiche.

I was determined to try a signature Flay dish so I went with the New Mexican spice rubbed pork tenderloin with a bourbon-ancho chile sauce, sweet potato tamale and crushed pecan butter.

Review:

For the most part, the Flay didn't let us down.

The hubby and I loved being in the space. Although trendy and upscale, it felt special, personal and inviting. The service probably played a big role in this. The ladies at the front of the house were more 'business' and a little cold but the server was warm, friendly and attentive. There was a whole team taking care of us even though the server seemed to be our main guy. There was the plate-clearer/water-refiller/bread-delivery guy, the food delivery guy, the sommelier and the regular server. It was well orchestrated.

In regards to the service, I was a little dissapointed that our server didn't bring out a dessert to mark the birthdays, or at least even offer to do this. He was well aware we were celebrating because we had told him so at the beginning of the meal, and he had thanked us for choosing Mesa to celebrate our special ladies.

The meats had intense flay-vour, rich heat and were generous portions. The cuts were cooked to perfection, to our liking, as suggested by the chef. The meats were tender and juicy. (My mouth is watering just thinking about them.) The pork supposedly had a heat level of 7-8 out of 10. I was on fire, the hubby thought it wasn't too bad.

The sides were a little dissapointing to all of us. We found the tamales dry and lacking in flavour. This might be the way they are supposed to be (we know nothing about them), but we didn't care for the flavour, texture and lack of moisture. The potato was good, but average.

In my opinion, the standout dish was the quesadilla. Amazing! Extreme mushroom flavour and decadent creamy cheese. The tortilla, crispy in general, and crispier edges.

The prices are average for this type of restaurant - celebrity chef, tourist town, trendy place. The bill was over $250 and covered four meals, four alcoholic drinks and a half-bottle of wine.

Parking is free (in the general casino parking lot) and the restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

Grilled figs

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

How beautiful are these just on their own? Except for the odd dip or jam, I've really never had figs before this occasion. Real figs, fresh figs. Before this post, I really knew nothing about figs. I'd never really taken the time to think of them.

Recently at a POS (point-of-sale) stand at a local produce store, there they were, tucked into their protective-egg-crate-like carton. Just waiting. Waiting for... our BBQ grill!

I'm sure they had whispered sweet nothings to me in the past, as I swooped by them, moving on to their neighbours, but today, I stopped, and listened. I was ready for them. They were ready for me.

These figs were from a place down South in the warmer climate. If I would have to guess, I would have thought figs only grow there. Wrong!

I did a little research preparing this post and found that we grow figs in Canada. And I also found out that this little fruit has an ancient history, one that stems from Mediterranean beginnings in Turkey, which is still the biggest producer. Remnants of fig trees have been traced to at least 5,000 B.C in some sites.

There are three main varieties of figs, two which require pollination and one that doesn't; each variety includes dozens of types. The most common type in Canada are the ones that don't require pollination by a fig wasp, which is not naturally present in North America. Some types of figs produce two crops per year, some don't.

The ones I bought were called Black Mission. Their skin is soft and spongy, sort of like a human's skin, and they are quite light in weight.

To prepare the figs, I simply washed them, cut them in half and put a few drops of grapeseed oil of them.

Then they were grilled only for a few minutes, basically to soften them a little, warm them and get some char-marks on them.

I drizzled some balsamic glaze on them and chowed down.

Review:

I have never tasted anything like a fig. It has a mellow flavour and gentle texture. I would almost say there is an essence of cinnamon in the taste of the fig. Then I would say it has a mild freshness, similar to the way a melon is mild in flavour but very fresh tasting.

The contrast of textures is fun - the skin is tender, soft and slightly spongy and the tiny seeds add a crackle to each bite.

Now that I know figs are available in Canada, I will keep a closer eye out at my local market later this year.

These aren't the most inexpensive fruit. I paid $1 per fig.

The grilled figs could double as a savory element or sweet end to a meal. Figs could be a side dish or a plate accent. They could also be dessert, served with some custard, pound cake or ice cream.

Hintonburger

2011-02-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Don't judge a book by it's cover. That's what came to mind at I walked up to Hintonburger. I had heard good things. I was in the area around dinnertime and was going to see for myself.

This small diner-type eatery serves fresh, local and homemade food. It's located in Hintonburg, in the north end of Ottawa, between some very distinct neighborhoods, Westboro, Chinatown and Little Italy.
The front of the house - functional. Walls, tables, chairs, a menu, a counter. In addition to the smells wafting from the kitchen, the singing along with the radio filled the air.

Someone had taken the time to decorate. Sports memorabilia and art adorned the walls in a sort of mish-mash that somehow worked.

Always keep your cool by Ottawa photographer Sean Wilkin

Had we not taken our grub to go, we could have taken advantage of the condiment table.

The hubby had The O-Train (10" chili dog) and I had The Armstrong (4 oz burger) with bacon and cheese.

We each had a small side - him, chili fries, me, a poutine.

Review:

Tiny but mighty. Not only was the service great, the food was great squared. Hintonburger is simple goodness.

The hubby was happy with the chili, although not spicy, very flavourful. The dogs, Lesters, proudly Canadian and tasty to boot.

The burger - one of the best I've had, aside from the ones from our kitchen. It tasted homemade, was cooked to perfection and the bacon was real and yummy and the amount was generous. The flavour of the cheese was present too. I've found in some cheeseburgers, you can't taste the cheese - not the case here.

The freshness of both buns really stood out. Soft, sized to the meat, no fancy seeds, letting the goodness in between shine.

The ratio topping-fries was astounding at about 50:50, which is good if you like it this way, which we did. I could not get over how much cheese was in the poutine. Good fries, really good. Overall, both sides were pretty deelish.

The prices were reasonable. Both meals came out to about $19.

There are a few parking spots. This place is not wheelchair accessible.

Isobel's Cupcakes & Cookies

2011-02-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes great things happen amidst an average workday. In this case, the great thing was checking out Isobel's Cupcakes & Cookies. After an out-of-office meeting in the Vanier area of Ottawa, across town from my regular workplace, I stopped in to Isobel's which is located on the outskirts of Vanier.

Since this was an impromtu visit, I didn't have my camera on me, but take my word that it's a cute little shop with rows and stacks of enticing goodies. And smiling staff to package them up.

The bakery boutique, named after the owners' daughter, is completely nut-free. They offer staple cupcakes every day and specific ones on specific days. Most of the goodies are made off-site but bakers also work in the kitchen behind the counter.

The displays are eye candy - if they could speak, they would say 'Aren't I beautiful... NOW EAT ME!' Baskets of themed sugar cookies, pedestals for the various sweets like macaroons and marshmallows, and the cupcakes, presented behind glass, like art.

Narrowing down my selection was the toughest part of the visit, but I managed! Three cupcakes, six cookies, one marshmallow and a jar of jam. And two Valentine's day cookies for my valentines (not shown, I quickly put them into hiding when I got home). The blueberry and lavender michaelsdolce jam is still untouched in my pantry, but not for long!

I only managed to photograph the marshmallow and cupcakes before the delicacies were devoured.

I am not normally a cookie person, I much rather enjoy my sweets in the form of cake or chocolate but I bought two types of cookies because they sounded interesting: chocolate/chili and lemon ginger. The chocolate ones were pre-packaged. They we're a little crispy and the outside and tender on the inside. The heat of the chili was subtle, but there, and the chocolate flavour was decadent. The ginger cookies were a little crispy on the outside and moist inside.

The vanilla marshmallow was covered in toasted shaved coconut. It was about 3 inches x 3 inches, fresh and spongy, not too sticky, easy to chew.

The cupcakes were individually packaged. I would call this stealth packaging.

I chose three different flavours of cupcakes.

Black Forest: a chocolate cupcake with rum cherry filling, vanilla buttercream, chocolate shavings and a marashino cherry.

Espresso: a vanilla cupcake with an espresso truffle center topped with dark chocolate buttercream frosting and coffee-bean-shaped chocolate.

Boston Cream: a vanilla cupcake filled with pastry cream and frosted with dark chocolate buttercream.

When bad things happen to good cupcakes. I was successful getting two of the cupcakes out of the container... but not the third :(

Review:

If you couldn't tell by reading what I've written so far, I'll spell out my feelings for the treats Y-U-M-M-Y.

My favorite overall - the lemon ginger cookie. It was cake-like, at over an inch thick, and like an explosion of flavour in every bite. It was full of warming ginger flavour which was offset by the creamy zing of the lemon filling. The chocolate cookie was soft and rich and probably one of the best chocolate cookies I've had.

The marshmallow was tasty and had the right consistency. The toasted coconut brought a lot of flavour and a nice texture to the marshmallow. It was the only gluten-free item in the bakery.

The cupcakes in general were pretty good. The ratio cake/frosting was about 2:1 - so if you like frosting a lot, you'll like these. Three of us shared them and agreed that we tasted each of the elements in every bite - the filling, the cake and the frosting. All the cakes were moist and the frosting, creamy, not too sweet. Our favorite, the espresso cupcake. It had just a nice coffee flavour. The Boston Cream was ok and the Black Forest was the one we liked least, specifically because of the cherry filling. There was just something about it we really disliked.

The only other disappointing thing about the experience was the leftover plastic. This was a major turnoff.

The prices were average. The bakery is not wheelchair-accessible. There is free parking on the street.

Soup on wheels

2011-02-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Ah, the warm days of summer... I yearn for your warmth, your brightness and the treats that roll around town. So much so that I just had to check out the winter version of an ice cream truck: a converted chip-truck-turned-soupmobile, owned and operated by Stone Soup Foodworks.

Instead of a cool treat on a hot day I got a hot treat on a cool day. And to match the other two qualities I mentioned about summer, warmth and brightness, I got those too. The vision of the bright green truck certainly brightens up the whiteness/greyness of the season... and the warmth, of course, the soup, but also the big warm smile the Soup Jackie serves up on the side.

The truck was parked on the Rideau canal during Winterlude weekends. In addition to the soup, I also picked up a few other local treats: two Auntie Loo's cupcakes (peanut butter & chocolate and lemon chai) and a bag of Roast'd nuts (A blend of pecans, almond and cashews with cinnamon, cumin and smoked sea salt). Bonus!

The hubby and I each got a large-size container - him of beef chili, me of local Thai squash soup. They were both served with a generous piece of True Loaf bread.

A little while ago, I posted about the Stone Soup Foodworks' soupscription I recently gave as a gift. Mine was soupscription #2 and as of a few days ago, there were 28 soupscribers. Way to go!

Review:

I was happy to finally try this soup after hearing the soupscription recipients, my in-laws, rave about it.

Oh my goodness. The soup was spectacular - it had a kick to it and was seasoned so well with TONS of flavour - and even had pieces of real coconut in it. The chili was deelish and filled with beans, meat, corn and peppers - and lots of flavour. (Maybe I need my own soupscription!)

The price was average for a lunch. $8 for the chili and $7 for the soup. And it was filling!

I loved the compostable containers.

I think the truck will be parked at Ottawa U after Winterlude - those lucky students!

This post was originally going to be about the soup, but I couldn't resist throwin' a shout out to Auntie Loo. I've long heard about her sweets and finally had the opportunity to try them. I would NEVER have guessed the cupcakes were vegan. They were Outstanding! Moist, tasty, loads of flavour, well-priced at $2.50 each.

As for the nuts - some serious nutty goodness. Those who tried them, including myself, really liked the smokey sweetness and the dash of saltiness. A little pricey at $6 for 100g but really, really good.

Ekko de Brasil

2011-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrating a friend's birthday is always a special occasion. Celebrating it at a unique eatery like a churrascaria is double the fun.

Ekko de Brasil is a Brazilian-style steakhouse located in the Château Cartier hotel in Gatineau, QC which is across the river from Ottawa. I dined here on a Saturday night with my three BFFs and our partners.

It's a fairly new restaurant that opened about a year ago. It has an open concept but is still sort of separated into a bar/lounge area and dining area both with a view of the small platform stage. The restaurant has a modern, trendy feel and at the same time, a classic, romantic vibe.

In my opinion, some of the highlights of the space were the exposed stone walls, sexy red draperies, wall panels and ceiling covering, traditional and modern light fixtures and dark wood tones.

On the table, the usual suspects - cutlery, napkin, glasses - and two unusual suspects - tiny tongs and a round marker which was green on one side and red on the other.

There was no menu from which to order. The meal was a flat fee of $42.50 per person which included three meal elements. One of them, a self-serve buffet of side dishes, salads, buns, cheeses and soup.

(I had a Colada Brasil, photographed specifically for the blue cherry.) It was not included in the price.

Element deux of the meal: Churrasco - meats grilled on long skewers, cut and served by gauchos tableside. The cuts were were parmesan crusted pork, bacon-wrapped chicken, top sirloin roast, brazilian cut roast (I think called picanha), sausage, striploin, lamb, chicken legs, beef with garlic. Later on in the meal, grilled cinnamon-sugar-crusted pineapple for dessert.

Gauchos would stop by the diner who had flipped their card to the green side. Each gaucho had a different type of meat and would go around the restaurants and offer it to all the diners with the green cards. When a meat-break was required, the card was flipped to the red side and then the gauchos wouldn't stop by. Stop and go - repeat. We used our tiny tongs to hold the meat as it was cut and bring the meat to our plate.

Some of us had coffee. Cream, milk and two types of sugar were served with them.

Element trois of the evening, tailfeather-shaking to entertain the diners. Three sets took place, complete with costume changes, choreography and crowd participaction.

Review:

All in all, the evening was pretty decent. The eight of us were welcomed warmly and seated in comfy chairs at a white-linen-covered table with a nice table setting. The server was fairly attentive throughout the evening but didn't quite explain the process of the green/red sides of the cards, which would probably have been welcome to the diners who had never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before. Our water glasses weren't refilled, which is a big pet peeve of mine since that it usually my main bevvie.

The decor was just what we like - cool and relaxed. The lighting was good but mellow and the noise level just right - which was surprising in a room that big.

I did say the vibe was relaxed, but that is until the gauchos coming by with their skewers. This got to be a little overwhelming when three of them would swarm our table at the same time. Multiple gauchos visiting us simultaneously only happened a few times, usually it was only one at a time.

The meats were very flavourful. It may have been where we were sitting on the gauchos flight path, but we always got the new meats fresh from the kitchen. This is good, in a way, but seven out of eight of us like meat that is more rare. The outside of all the roasts were well done, which means tough. The chicken and the beef cubes, however, were tender and juicy.

Unfortunately, the yummy latin-inspired flavours were only included in a few of the items: feijoada (a stew) and farofa (a topping). The buffet items were fairly pedestrian: salmon (cold and hot), salads (pasta, potato, green, tabouleh, beets), marinated veggies(pickles, olives, mushrooms, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts), charcuterie, rice, potatoes, crudités, warm veggie dishes, cheeses. All pretty tasty, but nothing special.

Even though the flavours were pretty good across the board, the consensus was that almost EVERYTHING was salty, especially the meats and most of the prepared side dishes

We weren't told that there was an extra charge for the coffee. It would have been a nice gesture to include it in the price, which was not inexpensive, especially for the 3/4 cup of liquid we got, with one refill, for a little over $2. Since 'dessert'/pineapple is included, why not? There was an à la carte dessert menu from which we could order also after the meal, but we were pretty stuffed. But, we would have appreciated a chocolate, or a square, as part of the buffet, a little something to offset all that salt.

The colada was good but the blue cherry tasted very fake.

I recommend making reservations, but no earlier than 6:30 p.m.. We had made ours for 6 p.m. and we were alone in the restaurant for about 20 minutes.

Two of us got up to shake our groove thing at our table. It was fun for me because I like that. The dancers didn't pressure thos who didn't want to partake.

The cost of the experience is less on weekdays but there is no entertainment.

There is plenty of free parking and the restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

Cheesy tomato pinwheels

2011-02-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

I was asked to bring an appetizer to a family dinner with the in-laws. I decided to put my own twist on an old-school favorite: pinwheels.

Over the years, I've had pinwheels made out of tortillas, bread, puff pastry and phyllo. They've had all sorts of fillings, from savory to sweet.

I didn't have a lot of time to prep for the dinner so the appetizer needed to be easy and simple to make. But I still wanted it to have lots of flavour and be something I had never made for the in-laws.

A few days before the dinner, the idea of making pinwheels popped into my head so I went with it. I figured out what the main flavouring ingredient would be as I was shopped: sundried tomatoes. I bought them in bulk and got about 1 cup, in oil. Then I picked up a 250-gram package of light cream cheese and a package of 8-10" whole wheat tortillas.

I put the cream cheese and the tomatoes in a food processor and mixed them well until the mixture was uniform, smooth and fluffy.

I spread the mixture on the tortillas all the way to the edges.

Then I tightly rolled up the tortillas.

The last prep step was to roll up the tortilla rolls in plastic wrap. I popped them into the fridge until I was ready to leave for the dinner. I made 5 rolls with the filling. I sliced the rolls up just before I served them. They slice up best when cold with a very sharp knife.

Review:

Pinwheels are appy-perfection. Easy to make, easy to hold, easy to chew. Made with inexpensive, readily available ingredients. As healthy as you want to make them, or not. And there's no limit on the possible flavour/texture combinations.

The only pre-requisites to making these is that the dough part be fresh enough to roll and that there be some kind of 'glue', in this case, cream cheese.

An uncut roll can even become a work lunch item - it's easily portable, not heavy and doesn't take much space.

I really enjoyed these. The whole-wheat tortilla had a bit more texture and flavour than the regular white tortilla, so I liked this. There were tiny little tomato bits in the cheesy spread which added extra texture. The cheese was tangy but balanced with rich intense flavour of the tomatoes and the earthiness of the tortilla.

I loved the brightness of the tomatoes and how they gave the cream cheese a cheerful pinkish hue.

Mama Dee's Thai-licious samples

2011-02-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

I originally blogged about one of Maa Dee's products this past July. I was contacted by the company by comment on the post and offered a chance to try the new Thai-licious products. I accepted. About a month later, I received this box. It contained five jars, a bottle of soup base and two recipe cards.

I'm having so much fun trying these out!

Review:

I've got three jars on the go and basically, I'm adding spoonfuls of them to pans and pots of food. They all have a sweetness, a bite and tang to them but really taste different from each other. These are some of the things I've done with the products

sauté celery, onions and yellow peppers then add Coconut & Lime and cream cheese
stir fry mushrooms, bean sprouts and shrimp and add Hot & Spicy to it
slather Mild & Spicy on chicken before grilling it

I'm a little intimidated by the soup base and the Green Curry. In time, I will figure them out.

I appreciate the opportunity to have tried these products and I really hope others give them a chance - they are so full of flavour and add 'life' kitchen creations. For the record, I am in no way endorsing these products and even though I received them at no charge, this review really is my honest opinion.

Montana's Cookhouse & Bar

2011-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not one to often dine at, let alone blog about, restaurant chains. Having lunch at Montana's was out of convenience. We were hungry, we weren't familiar with the area and the four parking lots we had driven into looking for a place to eat had led to doors that had a closed sign. So we ended up at the Innes Road location in the east end of Ottawa, in Orléans. I wasn't planning on blogging about the lunch until the food was served and it looked delicious.

I had never been to this location and I had dined at Montana's only for dinner and only a handful of times. The Canadian restaurant chain, which was established in 1995, now includes about 85 locations across Canada. They specialize in foods hickory-smoked, grilled, sauced and slow-roasted.

This restaurant is themed with the outdoors and wilderness. The building itself looks and feels like a lodge, from the inside and out. There are wooden walls, floors and beams as well as wooden furniture and a wooden ceiling too. The accents only add to the lodge feel: trees, mounted moose heads, wilderness prints, antler light fixtures and a stone fireplace.

I dined here with the mom's BFF and the mom.

The mom's BFF had the Feta Greek Salad: crumbled Feta cheese, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, red onions and Kalamata olives on a bed of mixed field greens with Greek seasoning and Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette. It was served with a mini cornbread. She also added chicken to the salad.

The mom and I went family-style. We each ordered an app and shared a salad.

The mom's app was the Oven-Baked Antojitos: a spicy blend of cheese, jalapeño, onions and red peppers ovenbaked in a flour tortilla and served with a basil sour cream dip.

My app of choice was BBQ Beef Sliders: three slow-roasted, pulled beef sliders with Cheddar cheese, crispy Cajun onions and Texas Bold BBQ sauce on mini toasted Ciabatta buns.

We shared the Country Cobb Salad: turkey, bacon, Cheddar cheese, an egg, mushrooms, tomatoes and green onions on a bed of mixed field greens with Ranch dressing. It was served with a mini cornbread.

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised. I think we all were. The food was fresh, tasty and nicely presented. The meats were tender and the buns soft. The crispy onions were spectacular. The portions were generous and the prices were reasonable.

The last time I dined at Montana's I had been utterly disappointed, to the point where I reported it to the server, which I rarely do. This time, I only had praise for the meal and the server.

My experience with the customer service has always been consistently good at Montana's and it was this time too. There was a little bit of confusion with the menus, but otherwise the server was great. We asked the person who took our drink order for a lunch menu since it was lunchtime and the person who seated us had given us the regular menu. The beverage person brought us one. Then we asked the same person for information about the dishes that were gluten-free. We were brought and allergen/nutritional list, which didn't provide any info about gluten-free items. When the server came to take our order, we ordered from the lunch menu and he said there was no lunch menu available on weekends. So then we had to order from the regular menu.

The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed. The seating, although all wooden was fairly comfortable.

I love the brown paper and wax crayons on the table. It was fun and a conversation-starter/builder... and it made me feel like a kid which is always welcome in my book!

There is plenty of free parking. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

Beefy bulgur with cheese and peppers

2011-02-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last summer, I bought bulgur to make tabouleh. I used some of it for that recipe and then the nearly-full package sat in the pantry.

Recently, as I was looking for ingredients with which I could make a side dish for dinner, I came across the bag of bulgur.

I had some beef broth in the fridge that I wanted to use up so I decided to cook the bulgur in the broth. That gave the bulgur a nice flavour, but this wasn't exciting enough and I had other stuff in the fridge to use up.

I chopped up a red and yellow bell pepper, sautéed them and added them to the bulgur. Then I found half a package of goat cheese and added it to the mix.

Review:

I quite enjoyed this dish. There were lots of flavours and textures going on. The dish had a rich flavour and was a little salty and tangy. The creamy cheese complemented the soft peppers and grainy al dente bulgur that had a tiny bit of bite and crunch to it. I loved the colours of the dish - the brown grains made it feel homey and the accent colours added a brightness that was welcoming.

This was really a cost-effective dish. The bag of bulgur will go a long way and the rest of the ingredients were staples in my kitchen.

When I eat carbs, I try to only eat whole grains to maximize the health benefits. This dish fit the bill.

THE "it" BAR

2011-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Tag. You're it. Nope, false alarm - the chocolate is 'it'.

I picked up three varieties of THE 'it' BAR at a department store during a recent trip to the States. They are made by Dylan's Candy Bar, a US-based company that marries design, art and fashion with CANDY!

The owner of the company must have had these things in her blood - she is the daughter of fashion designer Ralph Lauren and artist/photographer Ricky Lauren. In addition to her innate talents - she's always had a passion for candy. She meshed all these interests together created Dylan's Candy Bar - a brand that includes much more than candy, including candy-inspired accessories and clothing to beauty products.

Needless to say, I fell in love with the packaging of the bars. It's what first attracted me. It was simple, modern, clean, textured and graphically-interesting. Then the selection of unusual flavours sealed the deal. There were a handful of flavours to choose from but I narrowed my choice down to three:

Dark chocolate with peppermint crunch
White chocolate with sugar cookie bits
Milk chocolate with sweet potato

Review:

Not only were these bars all good but they made for good conversation topics because of THE 'it' BAR's name, the novel flavours and the story behind the company that produces the bars.

A statement on the packaging says 'Discover the definitive chocolate-chic'. I would say that pretty much sums of the experience of this chocolate. It's beautiful on the outside and on the inside - to me, that's chic.

Each of the bars had tiny little crunchy bits in them and I loved this contrast to the creamy chocolate. The ingredient that provided the unique flavour in each bar was front and center, but not too intense, just the right balance. The milk chocolate bar was 31% chocolate and the dark chocolate bar was 54% chocolate. I liked all three bars equally. I found the white chocolate bar the sweetest.

The bars were reasonably priced at a few dollars each.

Crock pot pork hocks

2011-01-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

Say that ten times fast.

The pork hock is a delicious piggy cut that's best slow-cooked. The meat develops a rich flavour and becomes moist and juicy. It's the lower part of the leg bone that's above the foot of the pig. The bone is exposed at both ends and the skin is still on.

I 'KISS' this cut. I keep it simple and do very little prep to avoid masking its porky flavour.

I placed six hocks in the slow-cooker.

I added 2 litres of apple juice.

A little bit of salt and pepper. About 1 tsp of each.

I cooked it on low for nine hours.

I came home to a house that smelled divinely meaty and homey.

I strained the braising liquid and thickened it to make a sauce for the meat.

I served two hocks per person. This yielded about 1 - 1.5 cups of meat. Once the hocks were dissected, there was much more to discard (considering the skin, fat and bone) then there was to eat.

Review:

I love pork hocks because they are so full of flavour on their own. The hubby would prefer more seasoning, but I wouldn't. This cut has an intense true pork flavour. Cooking the pork hocks slowly makes it fork-tender and the meat literally falls off the bone.

What I also like about the cut is that when the fat, bones and skin are removed, what's left is not that fatty.

The apple juice gives the meat a little sweetness, but doesn't make it sweet.

It's a fairly inexpensive cut. It should get more airtime in restaurants and in homes - it's delicious winter-time comfort food.

My philosophy is that if you're going to eat an animal, make the most of it. Cooking with this cut, that is not the go-to cut for most people is a reflection of this. Most people go for the pork chops, tenderloin, roasts but there's more to a pig than these cuts. And there are so many possibilities with the rest of the animal.

National Soup Swap Day

2011-01-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

What do you get when you multiply 4 chicks times a soup exchange in honour of the 5th National Soup Swap Day on January 22, 2011. The answer: 24 litres of colourful, healthy, delicious soup exchanged over brunch.

Our version of the swap was a little different than the original one that started in Seattle in 2005. The four of us each made two litres of soup per person participating in the swap.

BFF Anne made Basil Tomato Soup (blue lids).

BFF M made Carrot soup infused with orange and ginger (red lids).

BFF A made Moroccan lentil and chick pea soup. (white lids)

I made Celeriac, potato and bacon soup - a twist on my Creamy celeriac soup.

Review:

Participating in this exchange is a great way to try new flavours, spice up the regular soup rotation and get together with people you love (or at least like!).

The soup can be as expensive or cost-effective, as healthy or less healthy, as meaty or meatless, and as smooth or chunky as you want. It's also a great way to use up leftovers, fresh or frozen.

I found out that my biggest pot isn't big enough to make six litres of soup, so I had to use two pots to cook the soup. After blending it in a blender in batches, I had to put all the soup in a massive bowl in order to season it. This bowl wasn't ideal but it was the biggest I had - it was filled to the brim and challenging to stir.

This exchange inspired the girls and I to swap other dishes too. We will soon being doing a casserole swap and spaghetti sauce swap.

It is not recommended to freeze the soup in glass jars. They may or may not crack - and who wants to risk the waste and mess!

Tutti Frutti

2011-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

I recently had breakfast at the first Tutti Frutti restaurant in Ottawa located in the Nepean area.

This chain of restaurants originated in the province of Quebec in 1992 and now includes many restaurants across the central and southwest areas of the province. The chain is slowly spreading into Ontario. Additional Ottawa locations are in the works, including one in Orléans, at the Train Yards and on Bank Street. There will soon be more locations sprinkled across Canada.

This is a family-oriented restaurant that's in a big, bright and cheerful room. The booths and tables are somewhat separated with half-walls which give a nice amount of privacy and help cut the noise level. The walls are a buttery yellow which is accented nicely with the earthy fabrics, other paint colors and hardwood floors.

The hubby and the mom had regular coffee. I had a French Vanilla Coffee (not pictured).

After much contemplation, we decided on our meal. It was a tough choice - the menu included many things I wanted to taste: panini-crêpe, eggs Benny, omelet sliders, open-faced cinnamon bun topped with an egg and bacon, etc, etc...

There were many French-Canadian-type items on the menu including fried bologna, cretons (not made in house, or else I would have ordered them on the side) and beans.

The mom had the Strawberry Custard Crêpe. It was about 12 inches long and filled with fresh strawberries and custard and topped with real whipped cream.

The hubby had the Free for all omelet. It was a three-egg omelet that had ham, bacon, peppers, cheese, and a few other ingredients in it. It was served with toast, homefries and fresh fruit.

I had the Eggs Benedict with Swiss cheese and asparagus, instead of the traditional ham. The were served with homefries and fresh fruit.

Review:

We were quite happy with our meal, and our dining experience in general. The food was very good, the portions generous and reasonably priced. The bill came up to $40 + tax for three people. And we were Full until dinnertime.

The Hollandaise was light and tasty, the English muffin toasted, but not too much. I enjoyed the asparagus and Swiss combo, but I missed the ham. The hubby's omelet had loads of ingredients. It was tasty and nicely cooked. It would have been welcome if the cheese on top was a little melted. The crêpe had quite a bit of filling - not too sweet, creamy - and the crêpe itself had a good flavour. We all thought the homefries were AWESOME. Many breakfast places don't serve fresh fruit - I loved having the fruit on the plate too. And it was tasty and... fresh! The presentation of it was nice.

I asked the others if their meal was a little on the cold side, they said no. I thought mine was. I tend to like my food warm, not hot, but mine was a little chillier than warm. The plate was hot though.

The vanilla coffee I had was an utter disappointment - obviously instant, way too sweet, and just warm - and about one cup of liquid for $3.25.

The regular coffee was reportedly decent. But the refills, scarce. It was busy, granted, but we had to ask for it, and only had the chance to do that near the end of the meal. A busy breakfast restaurant might entertain the idea of having a coffee-re-filler-person who is in charge of all top-ups on the weekends.

The service was good. The person who seated us was nice, our server was really nice. She offered suggestions. While we ate staff prepped a table for a big group - three people helped out wiping, placing the tables and then the place mats/cutlery. Great teamwork.

The brightness of the orange restaurant lettering and orange/white canopy on the outside didn't seem to reflect the interior decor - I would have expected a space with more lively colours.

We got there at about 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning and there were only a few tables left. When we left at 11 a.m. there were 15 or so people waiting to be seated.

It was pretty loud in there - the conversation hum was steady and like white noise. Surprisingly, we could talk to and hear each other quite well. I credit the table dividers for that.

Love the quirky little egg guy on the website and on the menu..

SupperWorks

2011-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

A '3 Entrée Pick-Up' from Supperworks made for a welcome Christmas gift for the mom who says she doesn't like to be in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, it's sort of difficult to wrap fresh food and a worse idea to place it under the tree. I opted to make a 'certificate' with the necessary info for the mom to claim her gift.

Supperworks takes the prep out of cooking and the '3 Entrée Pick-Up' is an intro to what Supperworks is all about. This is the minimum order a client can get and the only type of order that is prepared for the client. If the client chooses an order with 6, 9 and 12 entrées, the client books a session to assemble the order.

Stations are set up for clients to prepare their entrées. Stations are equipped with the ingredients that are all washed, chopped, grated and sliced. Utensils and containers are provided so that the client can package all the components needed, including the recipe and cooking instructions, to cook the meal at home.

The '3 Entrée Pick-Up' order is placed online and the pick-up time is selected at the same time. The client then drops by Supperworks to pick up the order at the specified time.

A staff person will get your order from the back. It comes in a paper bag.

It included clearly-labelled, separately-packaged meals and cooking instructions. For an additional fee, I had requested to split the '3 Entrée Pick-Up' order in order to make six mom-sized meals. I had also ordered a side dish.

Review:

This gift made the mom happy. She could eat new types of food, not worry about what goes or doesn't go with what, make her meal quickly and eat healthy.

At first I thought this was a pricey idea. The '3 Entrée Pick-Up' split meals cost $105 + $6 (split fee). Then the mom told me that she was making two meals out of each split meal, for a total of 12 meals. So the portions are quite generous.

She is happy with the meals. She's tried new flavours and new ways of cooking.

The order was picked up at the Orléans location. There is free parking although it's a little tricky, sort of on a hill.

The service over the phone and in person was average, not warm and fuzzy, but not bad.

I think places like this are a good idea for busy people and people who just want quick and healthy meals.

The packages can be frozen.

Whine Stoppers

2011-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Under normal circumstances my food world revolves around foods for human consumption. Only once before have I posted about a non-human fast-food treat but that one was purely for aesthetics.

This post is about Whine Stoppers, doggy treats that are locally made in Stittsville by The Pawstry Chef, a technical-writer-turned-biscuit-maker, who has a growing interests in canine wellness and alternative animal health. The treats are actually made with human-grade ingredients. I picked up two bags at a holiday craft show in Ottawa: a 225-gram bag of Shar-Peigne treats and a 120-gram bag Pinot Grrrgio treats.

Although the play-on-wine-words is cute, the treats contain no alcohol, only organic and natural ingredients. The Shar-Peigne treats are flavoured with Parmesan cheese and carrots and the Pinot Grrrgio treats are mainly flavoured with coconut, apple juice, cinnamon.

The Pinot Grrrgio treats are free of wheat, corn and soy and the Shar-Peigne treats are not. Some of the other Whinestoppers are flavoured with ingredients I like alot - cranberries, pumpkin and maple. (But I have to remember, these are not for me.)

Whine Stoppers are available year-round online and at a few locations in Ottawa and in a few other provinces.

Review:

These treats were Shadow-approved, two paws ups. A sniff followed by a chomp without hesitation. She didn't seem to have a preference.

The philosophy I have towards Shadow's food and treats is no different than the one I have towards the food the hubby and I eat. I look for quality products that I am confident are made with real food without additives, GMOs or artificial anything.

I would definitely products from this line again. The price was average for 'gourmet' (meaning made in small batches, sometimes locally, with quality ingredients) treats.

I really get a kick out of the fact that a wine making store carries the brand.

I tend to buy treats free of wheat and corn and I was happy that the Pawstry Chef caters to this growing trend.

Cracker, sweet, crack

2011-01-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is a three-ingredient fix. It's addictive and delicious. It's my 'crack'. And it's made with crackers.

A co-worker and I recently discussed Christy's Milk Chocolate Crunch. On another occasion Anne and I talked about it too. Each of us had seen it/heard about it/tasted it at a craft show in Ottawa that took place during the 2010 holiday season.

We discussed how to recreate it. We each made multiple attempts. We compared notes. None of us succeeded in making it exactly like the original.

This crack is the result of an attempt gone wrong. I hadn't boiled the sugar and butter in a pot beforehand. I had broiled the chocolate too long and it got charred. So I salvaged what I could, the chocolate-less rows were edible. I decided this was now my version - I fell in LOVE!

Ingredients:
35 salted tops (I used Saltines)
1 1/4 cups butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar

I placed a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet with edges. I laid the crackers, touching and side by side, on the paper.

I warmed the butter a little, stirred in the sugar and spread it on top of the crackers.

I put the pan in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The butter sugar mixture came to a boil, travelled under the crackers, soaked into them and puffed them up.

When I was satisfied with how the bubbling-puffed-up-cracker-goodness looked, I removed the pan from the oven and placed it into the fridge to cool until the butter-sugar mixture hardened. I then removed the pan and broke the crackers apart.

Review:

This cracker crack is sweet, very sweet. A few crackers goes a long way even for the biggest sweet tooth.

This sweet treat takes only a few minutes to make and doesn't break the bank. And it's made with ingredients most people have in the pantry.

There was one main difference with the results achieved by us ladies who attempted to recreate the original.

The result differed when boiling the butter and sugar for a few minutes on the stove top vs what I did, which was only softening the butter and mixing in the sugar. Boiling the butter and sugar produced a creamy caramel that hardened quite a bit. It was dense and felt heavier. This version was most like the original. My version produced a buttery crispy taffy that seemed lighter. The flavours were completely different even though both versions were produced with the same three ingredients.

The texture and flavour of the butter-sugar reminded me a little bit of sucre à la crème.

Lapointe Seafood Grill

2011-01-09T07:00:00.003-05:00

One spontaneous outing. Two couples out to see the over-the-top Christmas lights along Taffy Lane. It's one of the streets in the Orléans area of Ottawa reknown for having very zealous residents. The lights made us hungry.

We decided to check out Lapointe Seafood Grill. It's located in one of the many strip malls that dot the main arteries of Orléans.

Lapointe Fish was established in 1867 when it became the third merchant in the city. At that time, the company had one location in Lowertown and only sold wholesale and retail fish and seafood. Today, Lapointe has five restaurants, three fish markets, three sushi counters, catering services and a wholesale operation.

The Orléans location has a sea theme. The space is split into a bar area and a much bigger restaurant area. There are dark blue walls, giant fish hung on the walls and from the ceiling, boat stuff here and there, dark wood panelling, images of fish and water scenes. The tables are covered with dark tablecloths and the chairs and banquettes are also dark, modern and comfortable, and a mix of wood and leather/pleather.

The decor is fairly dark, but the place is actually very bright. Mostly thanks to the strategically placed lighting... and the few plants here and there that brighten the space in another way.

After a while, our server dropped by to introduce herself and explained to us that she was training a new person and that there might be delays. No problem. They came back quite a while later to take our drink order. After another while, the drinks were brought out and at the same time, our order was taken. Once we ordered, the server brought us a basket of buns.

Three of us ordered appetizers. The hubby and my friend Anne had a cup of New England Clam Chowder.

I had the Steamed PEI Mussels with leeks, white wine and basil.

Finally the mains were brought out. Three of us had Lapointe’s Famous Fish and Chips: beer-battered fish served with fresh cut french fries, home made coleslaw and tartar sauce.

Anne's hubby had the Tilapia.

Anne and the hubby had the Haddock.

I had the Fried Smelts and Fries: fried smelts tossed in oregano chili sauce with chili lime mayo.

This is what was left after I was finished eating.

Review:

I don't usually complain about my restaurant outings even if I didn't quite like everything. Food and experiences are very subjective and because I didn't like something doesn't mean it's bad, just that I don't like it. But on this visit, the four of us left feeling unsatisfied and we noticed other diners seemed to feel the same.

The dining experience started off well - we were seated quickly, we were happy with our seating, we were given menus to peruse. The staff was pleasant, the atmosphere relaxed and the hunger growing.

The place wasn't packed, almost, but still a few empty tables, and it was like this the whole time we were there, just with less and less diners as it got later.

We didn't see the trainee all that much so we wondered how much of the delay was caused by the training.

It took quite a while for our server/trainer to stop by and ask for our drink order. Like 10-15 minutes. It took about 15 minutes to get these drinks. We ordered waited about 20 minutes for the appetizers. For clam chowder and mussels. In a restaurant that wasn't that busy. I was happy with the mussels. They were quite salty but the flavours were good, none were closed and they were nicely cooked. The two people who had the chowder thought it was average. I thought it was too thick and heavy. The flavour was good however.

As we waited for our dinner, we looked around, chatted, listened to other tables. Another table returned their escargot apps because they were congealed. Other people who got there after us got served a lot quicker. Some people who arrived before us got served way after us. One couple waited so long for service after they had been seated that they left. (I thought it very professional that the door guy gave a business card to the couple as they left, I'm guessing so they could have their say too). Some people's dining experience seemed smooth, maybe in other areas of the resto, but not in our area.

We had waited for about 30 minutes after eating our apps were before I asked our server how much longer. She said two minutes. She was right, more or less, a few minutes later our dinner was served.

The fries were terrible. Just the flavour of grease and no seasoning whatsoever. The Haddock itself tender and acceptable, the Tilapia, almost raw, but the coating, we thought, cooked on the outside and not on the inside for all the fish.

I love smelts and I was so disappointed with the ones I was served. The seasoning was ok but the bones were hard and therefore hard to chew and get down. I ended up not eating them. I've had smelts since I was a kid and none like this. The smelts were overcooked and dry. The dipping sauce tasted like regular mayo that had a kick to it.

In all fairness, I should have said something while I was at the restaurant but we were tired, hungry and just tried to make the best of it. At the end of the meal, I had been ready to say something, especially with all of our plates half full, but a busboy cleared away some of our plates and the server finished up, so we weren't asked about our meal. I know I could have said something regardless, but I didn't, and I should have.

So, the following day, I contacted the restaurant by e-mail to express my disappointment. I received a response from the vice-president of the company with apologies and explanations. The response was thorough - the vp had spoken with the server who said that she had done a quality check for the meals, and that no one mentioned any issue with the food at the time. This is true - a quality check was done at the beginning of the meal. If I had said something, the vp said that they could have prepared new plates or discounted the meals and dealt with the situation immediately. The vp also spoke to the head chef about who said they are ordering larger smelts and that this could be a reason for the harder bones. The vp also stated that all the meals are prepared on the spot and nothing is pre-made, and therefore, it can take a longer for the food to be prepared.

I appreciated the vp's response and the offer of a $25 gift card to give the chain of restaurants another chance to redeem themselves. The vp was happy that I accepted the offer. Lapointe's is a small family-owned company that relies on repeat customers, and I hope that this next experience entices me to become one of them.

The parking was free, there is plenty of it and the restaurant is accessible.

Cuisine R-ÉVOLUTION Molecular Gastronomy Kit

2011-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

For my birthday, my BFF Anne got me got one the best gifts I've ever received. It was a molecular gastronomy kit for the amateur cook. I can now play Atelier at home!

This kit, called Cuisine R-ÉVOLUTION, is made by MOLÉCULE-R, a Montreal-based company that started in 2009 and was founded by two young gourmet entrepreneurs.

Anne was very excited to give me this gift. It came later than expected, but when it arrived she thrust it into my hands when she saw me next. (Between the two of us, I'm not sure who was more excited!)

Now, I understand why. She knew this kit would be appreciated, adored... and the subject of at least one and maybe many blog posts!

Molecular gastronomy is the marriage of the science and art behind food preparation. Techniques and products transform regular food - the manipulation changes its consistency and appearance. Liquid becomes a gelatin ball on the outside while remaining liquid on the inside. Purée transforms into a strand like spaghetti. Liquid turns into caviar-shaped balls. And so on, and so on.

So Johnny, what's in the box?

Tools:

One food grade syringe
Three silicone tubes
Five pipettes
One slotted spoon
One set of measuring spoons

Envelopes of food additives:

AGAR AGAR: Natural gelling agent extracted from red algae.
XANTHAN GUM: Natural thickener derived from glucose via fermentation.
SOY LECITHIN: Natural emulsifier extracted from soybean.
CALCIUM LACTATE: Calcium salt.
SODIUM ALGINATE: Natural gelling agent extracted from brown algae.

And a how-to DVD of recipes.

MOLÉCULE-R also has a YouTube channel. The additives can be purchased separately form the company when the supply runs out.

Review:

What a great gift for a foodie who tinkers in the kitchen!

This kit is not an inexpensive product, but I think it's reasonably priced considering it's an experience in a box that will be used multiple times.

I love that it's a Canadian product. And that this gift helped support a startup.

I'm a sucker for packaging and this one blew my mind. The box is beautiful, white and speckled with molecular gastronomy creations. It's designed simply, sturdy and light. The individual boxes inside are also simple, institutional-grey (reminiscent of a lab perhaps) and clearly labelled. The eco-girl inside of me thinks there is quite a bit of cardboard.

I am SO looking forward to trying this gift out! I can't wait to play with my food! Thank you Annis!

Green, red and white puff pizza

2011-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm asked to bring a creative appetizer to a holiday dinner.

I visit the grocery store for inspiration. The choice of the president: puff pastry sheets. (Perfect time to try working with puff pastry, have never touched the stuff in my life).

What to do with it?

Roll pieces of it around little wienies? Too finicky - it's a busy time of year! Tarts? Even more finicky!

On the morning of the day of the dinner, I find a red pepper and a bag of baby spinach in the fridge. Chop, chop, sauté, sauté. Set aside to drain.

I thaw the puff pastry in the fridge.

It's now 2:30 p.m. We're expected at 3 p.m. At this point, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with these ingredients.

I take out my trusty parchment paper and lay a piece in a pie plate. I unroll a puff pastry sheet and place it on top of the parchment. I cut the corner off to make the dough more circular.

I spoon the pepper/spinach mixture onto the pastry. That's pretty boring. What else is in the fridge? A spanking new tube of goat cheese! Crumble, crumble. Green, red and white - how festive!

Bake. Faster!

It's now 3 p.m. I remove pie plate from oven, pack it up and go.

I get to destination and pizza pie plate goes back into the oven for about 15 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Review:

This was really, really good. The flavours were bright and rich. The textures of the soft veggies, creamy cheese and crispy crust went well together. The bottom of the crust was stiff enough so that people could hold their piece like a slice of pizza. This which was appreciated since we were at a party and milling around during the apps.

The bottom of the pie didn't puff up. I'm thinking I should have cooked it a little while first without the filling. Will know for next time!

This app was equally as good hot as it was at room temperature.

I would/will make this again.

The Prescott

2011-01-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Prescott, the home of Ottawa's square pizza.

It's an Italian restaurant and sports bar, an Ottawa tradition since 1934 and a place in Little Italy that is something different for everyone.

The Prescott was originally called The Preston Hotel. It got its current name in 1941. It was the first and last hotel when entering or leaving Ottawa by the Prescott Highway. It's still nicknamed 'Last Chance' to this day.

At one time, pre-me, the hubby had a friend who worked at The Prescott so he spent a LOT of time there back in the day. I had only been once before this visit, many years ago. To this day, once in a while, he mentions their meatball sandwich in passing and has a moment to himself.

We were in the Preston Street area a few weeks ago, coincidentally around lunchtime, and we thought to stop in to The Prescott, literally as we were driving by.

I couldn't remember much about my only visit, so this experience was like checking out a new restaurant to me.

This place is quite big. There are three eating areas on the main floor. Although not technically part of the Prescott, the top floor of the building houses Yuk Yuk's and the basement at one time, or still today, I'm not sure, Vinny's off-track betting site.

The decor of the main sports bar eating area is simple, retro, and very representative of a tavern/pub/bar. A dozen or so big-screen televisions. Some old-school phone booths. A bar. Wood tables, some round, some square, some high, some low. Pleather banquettes and stools here, wood chairs there, all similar, but not the same height and with different seats coverings. An unpretentious mish-mash.

The two other eating areas are quite different from the first.

One is a little more sophisticated. Even though there is quite a big bar in the room, it feels a little less a 'bar' and a little more like a 'family restaurant'. Everything is a little bit nicer in this room and more peaceful without the glaring televisions.

The other is the take-out area and seems more 'fast-food', more diner, more get-in, get-out. Metal chairs and laminate tables don't scream 'sit on me and stay a while'! Although a nice enough room, not my pick to linger in.

Effort has been put into the decorative accents in all the areas. Historic pictures, Italian food and drink containers, artsy prints and pub paraphernalia adorn each of the three rooms.

There is also a large patio along one side of the building.

The hubby had, you guessed it, the meatball sandwich, but the macked-out version . He had The “Cadillac”: The famous meatball sandwich with melted Brick cheese, smothered with signature meat sauce. Served with coleslaw and fries.

I'm not a huge fan of bread but I wanted the famous meatballs too! I had the Meatball Melt: A meatball layered with pasta and mushrooms, topped with melted cheese.

Review:

We were there on December 18 at about noon, could you hear our yummy sounds from where you were?

Everything tasted like an old Italian nonna had slaved in the kitchen all day. Homemade with love, slow-cooked, fresh.

Holy smokes! Seriously. The meatballs were tender, tasty, HUGE, rich but not fatty. They were one of the top meatballs I've ever had. The meat sauce was probably one of the best I've had too.

Needless to say, the hubby loved his sandwich. He had a look of pure contentment throughout the meal. The bread was soft, fresh. The fries and coleslaw were good, average, (and really, he couldn't have care less because he was there for the main event, not the side dishes).

The Meatball melt was exactly what I wanted. Divine!

The portions of both plates were substantial. But we ate it all. The hubby helped me finish mine - there wasn't a drop that was going to go to waste!

At the hubby's request, we also got a pizza to go. The Dewie (pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms, olives, bacon and onions) is their best-selling pie. We enjoyed it for dinner that day. It was delicious.

The prices are so reasonable.

There is pay parking on the street.

I can't confirm if this restaurant is or isn't wheelchair-accessible. There are multiple entrances and I just don't know for sure either way, but I don't think so.

Although not the most updated eatery in Ottawa, it's clean, neat and functional. And really, the look of it is part of its charm!

Food from Epicuria at a Christmas party

2010-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

I couldn't help myself. I had to blog about the take-home catering prepared by Epicuria that I munched on at a Christmas party I recently attended.

There were about 50 guests at this party, so there was quite a bit of food to nibble on. It was an amazing spread that included cold hors-d'oeuvres and prepared platters - a little something for vegetarians and meat eat-eaters alike.

Here are some of the highlights.

Achiote grilled chicken skewer

Crêpe rolls with BBQ duck, scallion and hoisin

Marinated chèvre on croustade with roasted tomato and grilled artichoke

Grilled prawn skewers

Miso salmon skewers with sesame crust

A selection of Quebec and Ontario cheeses
Ermite, Douanier, Aged Cheddar, Double Cream Brie and Chevrechon

I didn't get photos of the veggie platter or the four dips: caramelized onion, tuscan cheese, lemon artichoke and fig and olive. But I did get a pic of the carby dip transporters.

Art Is In's Dynamite Kalamata olive bread, Raincoast Crisps and water crackers

Review:

The food was absolutely outstanding. The presentation was simple and the platters were accented only a little bit, letting the food take centre stage.

The proteins each had a dipping sauce, which I didn't realize until later in the evening when I had finish stuffing my face. But really, the proteins didn't need any help.

The chicken was so tender and tasty with a great blend of seasoning. It was two (or three bites) of soft melt-in-your-mouth chicken that was so tender it didn't 'feel' like chicken when chewing.

The salmon was great. It had an Asian flair; the taste of the miso and sesame seeds came through well. The fish was tender and bite-size.

But my favorite was the shrimp. It was tender, had a mild grilled flavour and the seasoning was great. I could have stood beside them all night... but I didn't. They went pretty fast, well, a lot of it did.

The dips were all tasty, not gloppy - just light and and at the same time rich. Every single one had intense flavour. The dips and the dip transporters were different textures and offered something for all likes.

The thing I liked less was the duck crêpes only because I would have liked them better if they were warm. But the flavour and texture was great.

This was high-end food hands-down. There was a lot of care put into the quality, selection and presentation of the food.

I would definitely check out this caterer for an event and the prepared food shop the next time I'm in the area.

Silver Hills Squirelly bread

2010-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

In May 2010, I sent Mélodie her prize for being randomly chosen as one of the winners of the 'What's your favorite?' contest I held to celebrate my 200th post. A few weeks later, I received an envelope from her in return.

She had scored two coupons, each for a free loaf of bread made by B.C.'s Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery. Mélodie had mailed me one, just because. Isn't that nice!

The coupon expired on December 31, 2010 and for some reason it took me until December to get around to picking up the loaf. This brand of bread is only available at a few stores in Ottawa, ON, mostly health food stores, and I don't tend to shop at those places regularly.

The hubby and I went on a foodie excursion on a Saturday in early December hitting up Edgar, le Marché de Noel du Marché de solidarité de l'Outaouais, a few other places including Rainbow Foods. I picked up the bread at this colourful store. At first I walked around the store, but I couldn't find it, so I asked for it. The bread was kept in the freezer.

This is good, healthy bread. Most of the ingredients are organic. All the Silver Hills breads are kosher and vegan and made with sprouted grains.

There were a few types of loaves to choose from, but I picked Squirelly. The staff member who showed me where the bread was kept told me it was the most popular type.

The ingredient list was short and recognizable: organic whole sprouted wheat, raisin nectar (raisins, water), sesame seeds, water, sunflower seeds, vital wheat gluten, barley malt, yeast and sea salt.

When I received the coupon, I knew nothing about the meaning of 'sprouted bread'. I learned about it on the Silver Hills website:

"... instead of grinding our organic grain into flour, we use a unique proprietary process to sprout it. This sprouted grain (which still contains the entire living kernel) is then mashed into a dough that forms the base of our bread. By sprouting the grain we increase the nutritional content greatly (retaining all the bran, germ and endosperm, and providing up to three times the fiber in a slice)."

Review:

I quite enjoyed the bread. It tasted like healthy bread and had a really good flavour and texture. I could taste the sesame seeds and I could feel the sunflower seeds when I chewed. It was fairly dense, but light and had a great colour. The crust was fairly thin and soft. It was a little chewy and had some bite to it. But, it tasted like healthy bread.

The bread was a little on the drier side so I thought it tasted better toasted.

The bags are biodegradable which I liked very much.

I would buy this bread again if it was more convenient for me to do so.

Stone Soup Foodworks Soupscription

2010-12-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Soup. It's more than a meal or a part of a meal. It's a gift.

The hubby and I got a 'Soupscription' from Stone Soup Foodworks for his parents as a Christmas gift. Two liters of soup will be delivered to their door bi-weekly for three months. I requested no shellfish, not spicy and healthily fibre-filled. Jackie, the souplady, was only happy to oblige. We established a delivery start date together.

Jackie dropped off the gift certificate and a card with soupscription details at my workplace in exchange for payment.

I would have made the soupscription arrangements if I had made it out to the Locavore Artisan Food Fair that Jackie helped organize. Jackie only started up her business earlier this year and is officially launching it at Winterlude when her converted solar-powered chip truck makes its first appearance. The LAFF was her first BIG event.

Review:

Jackie is the sweetest thing and she's working really hard to grow her business. I was the second person to buy a gift certificate and her business is picking up steadily. I'm going to go to Winterlude just to check out her truck!

I thought that getting a soupscription was a great way to support a small business, support a small business run by a woman, get an ideal gift for soup lovers (the in-laws have soup every day for lunch), support local farmers, not to have to wait in Christmas shopping line-ups for a ho-hum gift, get a gift that keeps on giving long after Christmas Day.

The price is reasonable for what you're getting. The three-month, 14-liter soupscription came out to about $120. Fresh, seasonal, delivered, healthy, homemade, in re-usable jars.

Merry Christmas Ottawa: Art Is In has a storefront!

2010-12-24T04:46:00.012-05:00

I would have been just as happy with the Christmas gifts that were under the tree today had they looked like these!

About a month ago, I mentioned that Art Is In bakery would soon have a storefront. Update: it's open!

Art Is In is now located in an industrial park near Preston and Albert in downtown Ottawa. The public can now drop by this location and pick up bread, desserts, sandwiches, coffees and other baked goods.

From the outside, minimalist, industrial 'chic'. The colour palette of concrete accented with green trim, the whole scene with a splash of red and yellow.

But... Remember your mother (or father, or somebody) telling you it's what's inside that counts?

It's still true.

The idea of industrial chic carries on inside because, well, this is a warehouse. A few walls divide up this big open room into a public area, an office area and the bakery.

The splashes of red from outside, thankfully not from the same source, carry on inside and bring life to the space. The decor is modern, trendy and unpretentious and definitely gives off a cool vibe. The space is bright, and the smiling staff make it brighter and bring a welcome warmth to a rather cold-looking space.

In the front, there are two small seating areas and a counter to approach in order to place an order, to eat in, or take away. There is plenty of room to grow. Along the front window, a few stools and a counter at which to sit and enjoy the view... of the parking lot.

Many foodies (and other people that just eat) may be familiar with Art Is In's Dynamite loaves and a few other products that are available at select locations around the Outaouais. Ottawa Farmers Market goers are all too familiar with the long line ups in front of the bakery's booth.

On this, my inaugural visit, I picked up two desserts, two cookies, two macarons, one scone and one Dynamite Kalamata baguette. And granola. I had previously enjoyed the scones and baguette many times before, but the rest of the items were new to me.

The hubby and I split everything we picked up.

The first item we tried was the Chocolate hazelnut crunch bomb. It was about 3-4 inches in diameter and about 2 inches high in the centre. The dome was covered in a dark chocolate ganache. Chocolate-hazelnut mouse was the main event and it sat on some sort of light and crispy galette that was filled with bits of nuts... I think. Or something along those lines.

The next item to try was the Banana tart. Custard and generous pieces of banana were tucked into a tart shell and topped with either soft meringue or the same custard piped into spheres and glazed.

The two cookies were a Chocolate chewy cookie and a Milk chocolate chunk and almond cookie.

The Chocolate chewy cookie weighed about a pound and was the size of an orange. It was dense and rich, filled with walnuts, crispy on the outsides and soft and creamy on the inside. I think these are gluten-free but am not 100% sure.

The Milk chocolate chunk and almond cookie was soft, full of nuts and chocolate, sweet but not too sweet. It was about 4 inches round.

Review:

Ho Ho Ho! What a great gift. Thank you Kevin for making your goodies much more accessible! This is a welcome addition to Ottawa.

Speaking of accessible - I can't remember if this location is or not. I can't recall seeing a ramp. I will check next time, or if someone knows for sure, please comment on this.

The bomb was the Bomb! For real. It was rich, decadent, quite sweet. The flavour of the hazelnut was pronounced, which we quite enjoyed. The portion was generous. The textural difference between the ganache, mouse and crispy base was divine.

The banana tart was really good. The taste of the fresh bananas came through nicely. The custard, a bit gelatinous. We found the tart shell a little hard for our liking but it tasted great.

The Chocolate chewy cookie was so filling and quite heavy in the belly. The chocolate flavour was extremely intense. The textural balance between soft, gushy centre, crispy harder edges and nutty crunch was great. A little of this cookie goes a long way.

People are very picky about their cookies. Some like them harder, softer, with less 'stuff', with more 'stuff', sweeter, less sweet, filled, dry, and the list goes on and on... The Chocolate chunk cookie was one of the best milk chocolate chunk cookies I've EVER had. For me, I like soft, especially with chocolate chip or chunk cookies and I much prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate in these cookies. This one was Perfection. A little bit of nutty crunch, but not too much, very, very chewy and creamy in spots because of the chocolate.

I gave the granola away and so I don't know how it tasted. It looked good and I liked the simple brown paper bag for packaging. I know nothing about granola because I don't really care for it that much. Someone told me the price ($5.95) was a little high for the amount (about 2-3 cups), especially since it had very little fruits and nuts in it. On the plus side, it had been made that morning and it only contained 'good stuff': oat, almonds, coconut, cranberries, organic 12 grains.

The macarons were ok. The caramel one preferred to the raspberry. The caramel tasted more like a dulce de leche. The consistency of both the macarons was good, it's the taste that wasn't to our liking. The raspberry filling tasted similar to cheap jam.

Although it's a little far for me to visit the bakery regularly, it's worth the trek once in a while. I appreciate that quite a few items here and that they are fresh, quality products.

Parking is free and there is a lot of it.

Tarte aux pommes de La Soupière de l'Amitié

2010-12-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

Grocery shopping and helping those in need are two of my favorite things. I especially love mixing them together.

During my trek to Aylmer with Anne to meet Lori, bring her some goodies and thank her for the random act of cupcake kindness, I stopped into Loblaws.

Sure, many of the products for sale are the same ones as those in the Ottawa stores but there are some very different things too.

Anne is the one who first spotted the box containing la bonne tarte aux pommes de la Soupière de l'Amitié. Within seconds I had one in my cart.

The folks from La Soupière de l'Amitié made 4,000 pies and 21,000 tourtières for their annual fundraising campaign that takes place leading up to Christmas. They supplied them to area grocery stores to raise monies for their soup kitchen and to help the less fortunate. This program has been running for 24 years.

The apple pie was $3.99 and about 8 inches in diameter.

Review:

This was a decent pie. Not necessarily an award-winning pie, but a mighty fine pie regardless. The outside of the crust was a little crispy and beautifully golden. Under the crispiness, tender and spongy. The filling was sweet, but not too sweet, the apples not mushy, not firm. The pie wasn't too seasoned but was tasty anyway.

I wish there would have been a bit more filling, but for the price, I'm not complaining.

I would buy this pie again, and next time I would also buy a tourtière.

I wish Ottawa would offer this type of fundraiser.

Peach-cranberry bread pudding

2010-12-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

On the continued quest to one day see the bottom of my freezer, I chose to concoct something with:

a loaf cranberry focaccia that had been living in there a few months
a few peaches I had blanched, halved, skinned and froze during peach season this year

So... what to make?

I've never really been a fan of bread pudding, but that's the first thing that came to mind so I just went with it. Never having made bread pudding in my life, I turned to good ole Betty Crocker for guidance. I took her savvy advice... then winged it!

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
7 slices cranberry bread
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup honey
splash vanilla
2 peaches, semi-frozen

I thawed the bread on the counter. I wasn't worried about drying it out because the dryer it was, the more it would soak up the liquid.

As the bread was thawing, I prepared the eggy liquid. I whisked together the eggs, milk, honey and vanilla.

I roughly cut the bread slices into six pieces. I buttered a 9x13 pan and placed the bread chunks in the pan.

I sprinkled the dried cranberries on the bread. I roughly chopped the peaches and placed the pieces on the bread too.

I poured the eggy liquid into the pan.

I pressed the bread pieces down so that each piece would be covered in liquid. It took me a few minutes to do this so bu the time I was done, about half o the liquid had disappeared into the bread.

I baked the bread pudding at 350 degrees for almost an hour. I had to extend the cooking time because the peaches had given off lots of moisture.

After an hour, it looked cooked, but I still wasn't 100% sure, so I chose to leave the pan in the oven with the heat turned off while I did a short half-hour errand. I was much happier with the way it looked after the errand.

Review:

This is an odd review to write. I tasted the bread pudding and didn't like it at all. The hubby had the same reaction. So I questioned if the bread pudding was terrible or was it that I really just don't like bread pudding?

The following day, as we talked about our weekend adventures over lunch at work, I mentioned my dilemma. People oohed and ahhed over the idea of bread pudding, so I brought in the rest the following day and let the co-workers tell me what they thought.

The next a handful of them tried it and were quite happy with the dish. I took mental notes of their comments: it was moist, the cranberry and peach flavours came through and went well together, the colour was good, the texture good. Some had seconds, which is a good sign.

They did however suggest that a nice light creamy sweet sauce overtop would have been good too.

So, there you go. Apparently this was a decent bread pudding.

Heart & Soul Café

2010-12-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

A co-worker suggested that I check out Heart & Soul Café for breakfast after I told him that I would be in Kanata making a Secret Santa delivery for Birch Haven Rescue and Rehabilitation Services.

He knows that the West end isn't an area I frequent often because I live in the South end of Ottawa. Heart & Soul is a café that he visits regularly because he lives nearby. He thought I might want to take the opportunity to check it out because he holds it in high esteem.

This café is located in Dunrobin, a rural area in the upper West end of Ottawa, ON. It was awarded the 2010 People's Choice Best Restaurant of the Year in West Carleton. A converted old house is home to the restaurant.

Right next to the restaurant is a cute little gift shop that's owned by the same family as the restaurant. It was rebuilt following a fire in 2008.

The café has a few eating areas: two rooms and a patio on the main level and second floor to accommodate an overflow of clients when the weather permits. This tiny place has a lot, of a lot. Lots of whimsy, character, charm and artistic flair. Lots. Really.

The tin ceilings jazz up the room and give a nod to yesteryear. The buttery yellow walls warm up the place and create a comfortable cozy atmosphere. The creative accents such as the tile mosaic, calalillie bathroom sink, bay window and knick knacks placed here and there make this place homey.

I especially got a kick out of the self-serve 'library'.

The mom had the Monty Christo: a grilled ham and Swiss cheese on french toast served with fruit, homefries and maple syrup. She also had a coffee, a cup of organic fair-trade Equator coffee.

I had the original Eggs Benedict with ham and they were served with baby mixed greens, homefries and fruit.

Review:

In a nutshell... I was pleasantly full, in my heart, soul and belly.

The place is so darn cute. The art, the decor, the atmosphere, the vibe - they are really food for the soul.

The sense of community is strong but doesn't feel exclusive of non-Dunrobinites. We were warmly welcomed, almost with open arms, literally. I liked hearing the chatter from the surrounding tables. The tables are very close together, so it's likely that diners exchange a few plesanteries, we did.

The food was outstanding. And there was so much of it.

The Monte Christo was new to me and it had the mom moaning with delight. It was quite delicious, salty, sweet, soft, creamy, chewy. Perfection. The bread was thick-sliced, so near the end - it did get a little doughy.

The eggs, perfectly poached, obviously in a shaped egg poacher. The sauce, light, tasty, a little rich but thinner than I've had elsewhere. The English muffin was just lightly toasted - exactly what I look for as an Eggs Benny base. The piece of ham was big! It was double the thickness of a slice of deli meat and it was smokey, fresh and yummy. The salad and fruit were fresh. I really enjoyed the flavour of the salad dressing. I couldn't put my finger on what it was - something fruity, but otherwise, I have no idea. It was delicious.

The prices were a little high for what I would expect from a very rural café. But, having said that, the quality was outstanding, the portions generous and really, the going rate of a resto located in the heart of the city. This is a local gem, but definitely a destination eatery for foodies.

If I lived closer, I would entertain eating here again, without hesitation. Lucky co-worker.

The restaurant receipt turns into a savings of 10% off a purchase at the gift shop.

There is plenty of free parking. The restaurant is not accessible.

Herbes salées by Jardin Products

2010-12-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

I can't say that I have much info about this product so I'll just tell you what I know.

I've seen jars of Herbes salées at multiple gourmet food shop around the Outaouais. It's made in Quebec by a company called Jardin Products. The product has fairly non-descript packaging which really showcases the characterisitics of the product: it's bright, fresh, ready-to-use and full of tiny tidbits which to me means tiny tasty tidbits.

The ingredients are: celery, parsley, salt, onion, carrot, rutabaga, spinach, leek and savory.

Review:

Herbes salées means salted herbs. Since I like to prepare food with both, I love having this product on hand in the fridge. I throw spoonfuls of it in sauces, in rubs, in pans with sautéed vegetables, in eggs. It gives a zing to whatever it's added to and really gives a bright boost without a distinct flavour.

Eva's Chip Wagon

2010-12-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't quit my day job to run a chip stand. This might be a retirement project, who knows, but for now, I just occasionally drop by these rolling food stands.

The South end of Ottawa has a few chipwagons, but none as interesting to me as this one: Eva's Chip Wagon. I was intrigued by it for two reasons: I wanted to meet this Eva person and I wanted to taste her perogies. I LOVE perogies.

I've lived in the south end of Ottawa for a few decades, and near where this chip wagon is located for four years.

I've driven by the intersection of Mitch Owens Road and Bank Street numerous times, wistfully looking at the truck and telling myself 'one day I'll stop in'.

So that day came as the hubby and I rolled into Ottawa on the last leg of our most recent trip to Niagara. Tired and hungry, we thought to stop here just as we were driving in front of the chipwagon.

The chipwagon is parked near the street at the end of a driveway that leads to a house. Eva came out of the house to greet us as we pulled in.

We talked with her for a few minutes. I told her I was an Eva too. We talked about our roots, hers Polish, mine French Canadian. I asked her if she made the cabbage rolls from scratch, she said yes. I asked the same question about the perogies and she said yes (which confused me since there is Supreme Perogies sign on the chipwagon). I asked if the burgers were homemade and she said yes, with 100% ground beef from a local butcher.

We ordered cheddar perogies: six of them were served with sour cream.

We ordered cabbage rolls. Two of them were served with tomato sauce and they were about 4-5 inches long and 2 inches high. The container must have weighed one pound.

We ordered an all-dressed hamburger. It was topped with ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, tomato and lettuce. There were also other self-serve toppings available.

We also ordered and Italian sausage and topped it ourselves with mustard and onions.

Review:

Granted, we ordered way too much food for this meal, but I wanted to try it all! I decided to keep the cabbage rolls for lunch the next day. They were delicious. Filled with rice and meat that was seasoned nicely, wrapped in soft cabbage leaves and covered in perfectly balanced tomato sauce. It was rich, but light. Tomatoes can be acidy, but Eva had cut it down and the sauce just left me feeling comforted. All in all, very flavourful and so filling!

The hubby and I split the sausage, burger and perogies for our post-travel meal. The burger was well done, but still juicy and tender, and it had good flavour. The bun was fresh. The toppings generous and the size of the burger too.

The sausage definitely had a kick to it but it tasted really good and was nicely cooked. The bun was fresh too.

The perogies were average. Deep-fried, which is not how I'm used to eating them. The filling was ok, the size, a little small. I welcomed the sour cream, which was the full-fat, full-flavour stuff.

The prices were average. All this came out to $20 or so. I would entertain stopping in again, even if it's just for cabbage rolls!

Cheesy peachy flat beans

2010-12-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

I stop in to SunTech Greenhouses to pick up produce as often as I can. Always tomatoes and sometimes eggplant, mini cukes, onions or flat green beans.

On my most recent visit, I got the last package of flat green beans. They are 1/2-inch wide, 1/8-inch thick and have the texture and flavour of a wax bean. I usually just steam them and eat them.

But since I am desperately trying to make room in my freezer, I decided to introduce these beans to some of the Niagara peaches I froze a few months ago. And then I thought of the feta cheese and half onion in my fridge that really needed to be eaten.

I was hoping all these flavours would make nice in the pan.

I added about 1/3 cup of water to a frying pan and threw in the beans and onions which I had cut up in little pieces. I just wanted to cook the beans a little and take the bite out of the onions. I set the heat to High and stirred the beans and onions during the few minutes it took until all the water evaporated.

I had thawed two peaches and roughly chopped them. I added them to the pan along with the juice that collected while they thawed. I stirred the peaches in until the liquid had evaporated.

I cut/crumbled the feta into tiny pieces. Just before serving, I stirred it in and turned off the heat.

Review:

I served this as a side dish. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but it was surprisingly tasty.

The textures complemented each other - spongy squeaky beans, soft mushy peaches and dense crumbly feta. The flavours also complemented each other - bright fresh-tasting beans, sweet but tart peaches and salty briny cheese. The onion flavour was mild but welcome. The cheese was just softened but was still intact.

The hubby and I concluded this was a successful attempt at winging it.