New Dubrovnik: Ottawa’s taste of Europe for nearly 35 years
Part 1 of 2
It was November 1978 when Dubrovnik, one of Ottawa’s first European-restaurants, opened its doors in a small mall near the corners of Carling and Woodroffe Avenues. Croatian immigrants Luka and Matija Bota had come to Canada with their daughter Anna in August 1967, settling in Sudbury before moving to Ottawa a few years later. Luka’s father had operated a restaurant in his homeland and Luka gained valuable experience in the industry by helping his father. That restaurant experience was passed on to the next generation as daughter Anna, current owner, grew up in the restaurant while helping to run the family business.
“Back when we opened we were one of the only restaurants in the area, and one of the only ethnic restaurants in Ottawa,” relates Anna Bota. “There wasn’t much choice in the way of restaurants other than those serving steak, seafood and Italian food. Because we were unique, business was good for us right from Day 1.”
After five years at the original location the restaurant moved to larger facilities at its current site, 1170 Carling Ave., and was renamed New Dubrovnik.
“Our clientele back then was a combination of people with European heritage, while other clients were looking for a change and wanting to try different types of food.”
Customers’ favourite dishes at New Dubrovnik haven’t changed over the years, and include Italian veal, chicken Kiev, lamb chops, stroganoff and mixed grill, according to Anna. “Many of our guests say to us, ‘we don’t need to see a menu, we know exactly what we want.’ ”
Everything is cut, prepared and homecooked using the freshest ingredients. “I try to use local vegetables for our specials,” says Anna, who sometimes buys up to 80 heads of cabbages at the nearby Parkdale Market. News of the restaurant’s tasty European cuisine spread through customers’ word of mouth and by one influential radio review. Peter Cochrane, a restaurant reviewer on CBC Radio, called Anna one afternoon and told her to “get ready for a very busy night.” Peter’s review of the original Dubrovnik restaurant was broadcast shortly before 6 p.m. that day and by 6:30 p.m. “there was a lineup outside the door,” according to Anna.
While the New Dubrovnik seats 60 guests in its comfortable interior, in the old days it wasn’t uncommon for Anna and her staff to feed 160 to 170 hungry diners on Friday and Saturday nights.
Anna took over running the restaurant by herself shortly after her parents retired 19 years ago.
Visitors pining for a taste of their homeland have been frequent guests at New Dubrovnik. The restaurant has been visited by the Croatian ambassador, former Croatian defence minister Gojko Šušak and even the first leader of independent Croatia, former president Franjo Tuðman.
Formoreinformationvisitwww.new dubrovnik.com or call 613-722-1490. Part 2 of our feature on New Dubrovnik
will appear on Thursday, July 11.