Here are a bunch of cool things that we’re keeping an eye on the in world of food and entertainment:
PICKLES
The buzz around pickles has never been stronger. More than ever, pickles are taking the center stage as new artisanal producers and product lines hit the market. In parallel, pickles are now being recognized for the incredible health benefits that they offer. Not only are they a tasty treat, but they are also a significant source of Vitamin A, C, and K, and fibre. Not to mention that they also have no saturated fat or cholesterol, are an anti-inflammatory, and help ensure good gut health. Wow, who knew!!
Keto
I don’t know if I’d call this the latest and greatest diet trend, but Keto definitely seems to be building up steam and becoming a mainstream lifestyle choice for millions – so much so that even my wife and I recently started trying it. We’re seeing some decent success with this diet and have been forced to re-think the way we eat (and the recipes we love). Exciting to see that some restaurants are beginning to follow suit and offer up some Keto-friendly menu options. Much more to come on this one, including a blog of some of the things we’ve learned so far. Stay tuned!
New Ottawa Restaurants
As the first year living in a global pandemic has flown by, we’ve been keeping a close eye on some of the new (and yet to be discovered) restaurants in our fair city. A few that we’re particularly stoked about include:
- Buyers + Cellars Tasting Room – A fairly new concept from the creators of the former Mena restaurant, this place is all about the wine. They’ve created a unique wine tasting experience, complete with neutralized air, specialty wine dispensers, and an accompanying small plates menu. This is a must see for wine enthusiasts.
- Corner Peach – Strangely enough, we heard about this restaurant while dining at another popular Ottawa restaurant. Co-owner and chef Caroline Murphy comes from an impressive pedigree that includes time at both Joe Beef (Montreal) and Noma (Copenhagen). Located on Somerset Street West, this place has pivoted into a corner store during COVID-19, but we’re anxiously awaiting a return to normal dinning.
- St. Laurent – I have to admit that this one only came onto our radar recently and we’re pretty excited by what we’re seeing and hearing. Located on the penthouse level, this brainchild of Executive Chef Ryan Edwards offers a creative and inspirational menu, all with a fantastic panoramic view of city.
- Brassica – This is the chef and team behind Allium which has re-opened at a new location in Westboro after a tragic fire in March 2020. The new menu looks great and we can’t wait to check it out.
- Aiana – Located in the old Hy’s restaurant in the heart of downtown, the owners of this newest addition to the Ottawa food scene have sparred no expense in delivering a high-end menu and atmosphere. Posh and upscale are the words used most often to describe it and we can’t wait to make our first reservation.
Handcrafted Cocktails
I’ve always been a huge fan of a classic cocktails, but wow, the handcrafted cocktail scene has exploded in the last year. It’s actually pretty refreshing to order an Old Fashioned and actually get something decent in most restaurants. This has coincided with the emergence of a wide variety of homegrown distilleries – Kinsip (Prince Edward County), Dillon’s (Niagara), Top Shelf (Perth), and even Dunrobin Distillery which is located just down the road from our house. And a can’t say enough about the multitude of amazing bitters, syrups, and elixirs that make home bar tending much easier. Might just have to do a blog about hosting the ultimate Old Fashioned night!
