By Sarah Brown
Pho’licious
Asian Cuisine at Lansdowne,
Sen
Moo Shu Ice Cream?
Sen
Inside Scoop Why taken from mu shu pork, which is a North Americanized Chinese dish. That’s kind of what we are doing — taking traditional ingredients and reintroducing them in a new, modernized way. Plus, ‘Moo’ for cows!” says founder Getting rave reviews since she began serving them up at farmers’ markets and fairs this past summer, Mok’s exquisite Asian-inspired ice cream truffles have such exotic monikers as Spicy Caramel Fuyu, Black Sesame, and Hong Kong Milk Tea. For now, fans can discover her seriously cool treats, made with local dairy and premium chocolate, on the dessert menus at Sen Lansdowne and Tomo in the ByWard Market, as well as at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Or see what she’s dreaming up and order online. Stay tuned — she has some recipes in the works for winter, and she tells CityBites they include an idea that has not yet been done in Ottawa. 613-700-5922, mooshuicecream.com.
“It’s
Liz Mok.
Grape Expectations He made his name as the wine director and service manager at and
before jumping over to the artisanal soda biz in 2013, using his marketing savvy to turn
into a household name. Though he had no experience in marketing, sommelier
mastered the steep learning curve with aplomb (in just two years, the business went from plucky start-up to established player, with products carried by more than 300 restaurants and grocery stores in Ontario and Quebec). So food-scene watchers were surprised to learn of McDiarmid’s recent decision to start afresh, returning to his roots in the wine business. “I enjoyed the past two years,” he explains. “But my passion is wine. I missed that, as well as the personal relationships I had with so many people
Gezellig
Harvey & Vern’s
Grayson McDiarmid
Play
We all scream Moo Shu Ice Cream offers such Asianinspired flavours as Chinese olive blossom in the restaurant scene.” His plan? Launch his own one-man show as a consultant, supporting the many wine producers and restaurant owners he admires. McDiarmid will continue his gig with Niagara’s Stratus Winery, who he has worked with for the past two years, and take on Embrun’s Tuque de Broue brewery. He’s also planning to work with restaurateurs around town to develop wine lists suited to their menus. “It’s a big leap of faith, but I’m excited.”