BEST BITES OF 2016
We dish on city’s finest fare
From chef-driven hot spots to family-run holes-in-the-wall, Ottawa’s restaurant dining was fine in 2016.
In the last 12 months, a steady stream of ambitious and distinctive eateries distinguished themselves, including Fairouz, Rustiek, the Whalesbone Elgin, Bar Laurel, Riviera, and Feast + Revel.
That’s not to mention some more humble but worthy mom-andpop joints such as Karuna Cafe, a Sri Lankan eatery in Chinatown, and Tamis Cafe, which serves Filipino fare in the Glebe. A diverse collection of Middle Eastern and Central Asian kebab restaurants also did right by me in 2016.
Looking back at my 100-plus meals out this year, I found that many of my favourite dishes came from the above-named restaurants. Veteran eateries that I revisited, such as the sleekly renovated Les Fougères in Chelsea and Allium on Holland Avenue, also chipped in. Below, you’ll see my faves in a dozen categories.
But first, a few caveats. I’m not singling out Ottawa’s best food, or even the best dishes at these restaurants. They’re just the dishes that even now I’m most craving, the eats that hit the mark according to my taste buds and esthetic sense.
BEST APPETIZER/ SMALL PLATE
Whalesbone Elgin’s tuna sashimi somehow tasted that much bigger and better than similar dishes elsewhere do. Honourable mention: The toothsome, umami-rich octopus accented by capers and dulse at Feast + Revel in the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market.
BEST SOUP
Spot prawn and scallop chowder at Riviera raised the Maritime staple to high art. Honourable mentions: At Rustiek, vichyssoise perked by Dutch mustard, a scattering of crisp shallots and a dollop of quark, was outstanding. At Bilal’s Kebab, Aash, a heavily herbed soup of house-made yogurt, noodles and ground meat, was hearty, homey and comforting.
BEST SNACK
Bar Laurel’s croquettes of Iberian ham were delicious, molten, impeccably fried and paired with a punchy salsa verde that cut their richness. Honourable mentions: Fairouz’s warm flatbreads with muhammara made with red pepper, pomegranate and walnuts, or with slick, cool labneh, OCCO Kitchen’s Mexican corn cob.
BEST SANDWICH
The porchetta sandwich at Pesto’s Italian Delicatessen, warm with peppers and onions or cold, showcased deeply flavoured meat piled high inside a crusty bun, with a morsel of crackling included if you were lucky. Honourable mention: Filet mignon sandwich at Pita Bell.
BEST VEGETARIAN DISH
Fateh, a tangy, nutty Middle Eastern breakfast dish at Les Grillades, lifted pita, chickpeas and yogurt to a sublime level. Honourable mention: luxurious kashk o’bademjan, that combined eggplant, onion and whey, at Caspian Kabob.
BEST FISH
At Whalesbone Elgin, the ling cod in padano brodo warranted draining the bowl of all its contents — perfectly cooked fish, plump manila clams, chunks of double-smoked bacon and that ultra-savoury fish-stock-meets-cheese-rind broth. Honourable mention: Impeccably crafted lacquered black cod with carrot purée at Riviera.
BEST SEAFOOD
Lobster lasagnetti at Riviera might be more about perfectly cooked seafood and bisque-like sauce than noodles, but it was delicious to the last speck. Honourable mention: Les Fougères’ “Mouth of the St. Lawrence,” made with Grand Banks scallops, potted Matane shrimp, a raviolo filled with luscious saltcod brandade and mussels in a concentrated mussel stock.
BEST SPICY DISH
Crab curry at Karuna Cafe delivered profound flavours for those willing to get their hands dirty. Honourable mention: Chicken 65 at Karuna Cafe.
BEST BIRD
Feast + Revel’s duck platter celebrated multiple preparations, from roasted duck breast, smoked and cured duck “pastrami,” duck confit, fried duck wings and a plenty of rich duck liver aioli. Honourable mention: Piri-piri Cornish hen at Whalesbone Elgin.
BEST BEEF
Bar Laurel’s 80-day dry-aged, 20-ounce ribeye steak with demiglace, salsa verde, fingerlings, enoki mushrooms and broccolini was a splurge that rewarded with concentrated, funky beefiness and chewy fat that was too tasty to squander. Honourable mention: Perfectly braised short ribs at Riviera.
BEST LAMB
At Fairouz, lamb loin was strikingly seared but still perfectly pink and sweetened with pomegranate molasses. Every component on the dish, from tamed bitter greens to a “couscous” of cauliflower to streaks of smoky red chermoula, a North African sauce, was wonderful. Honourable mentions: Mexican-influenced rack of lamb at Allium, whole lamb leg ouzi at Pita Bell
BEST DESSERT
Bar Laurel’s warm Basque cheesecake, made of goat cheese and mascarpone, was phenomenal — light, fluffy, tangy, sweet. Honourable mentions: Fairouz’s hibiscus cream dessert, Rustiek’s thick, perfectly crusted apple pie, Riviera’s chocolate peanut butter tart, the vegan chocolate pâté at Tamis Cafe, Allium’s banoffee pie.