Sesame Chicken and Rice Noodles with Miso Soup

I love my life. I can attribute that to my husband. I worked late tonight and when I got home not only had he walked the dog, he also made me dinner. My favorite kind of dinner. Basically anything with rice noodles is my favorite. This gorgeous bowl of noodles had sesame chicken, celery, julienned carrots, cucumber and lime. I'm full and my mouth is still watering.

Corner Bar and Grill

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We stopped in here for a beer and dinner after a mountain bike ride on Sunday. I'd burned a lot of calories so I figured the Sunday special wouldn't do me any harm. I got the fish and chips and a Beau's Lug Tread lager. I had my choice of fries, mashed or salad, and went with the sweet potato fries. Although I absolutely adore mashed potatoes, that day I had a hankering for the sweet potato fries. Plus my husband ordered the mash, which meant I could bum a bite of his and at least try them. End result? I'm glad I went with the fries, the mashed weren't mashed enough – I like them whipped! The fish on the other hand, was perfect and not too greasy, which can happen a lot with fish and chips. The service, as it has been in my previous 2 visits, was great. And I really like the decor inside, simple and comfortable. They could however, change their music selection. Top 40's dance pop doesn't fit the bill. Overall though, a great time.

Corner Bar and Grill

Oh Basil!

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Most Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa are very much the same, this one is no different. But unlike my regular spots, this one is close to my work, which is perfect for those lunchtime Vietnamese cravings I sometimes get. They are located at 1910 St Laurent Blvd. I first found out about this place through my colleagues, who, knowing I was a fan of Vietnamese food, brought me there for my birthday. So on the odd occasion I don't bring a lunch to work, I go there. I had my usual yesterday, rice paper shrimp rolls (or summer rolls as they call it) with peanut sauce and vermicelli with spring rolls. It was very good, and fresh. The noodles were a tad bit greasier than my usual places, but not as bad as some others i've tried. I would not say the service is fast for a lunchtime spot, but it's not terrible either. All in all, a pretty good little restaurant. The decor is nice and clean too.

www.ohbasil.com

Lobster Lobster Lobster

My husband and I are huge fans of seafood, especially lobster. We served lobster rolls at our wedding and decided to eat lobster every year for our anniversary afterward. The only catch, is that we can only eat as many lobster as the number of years we're married. Today was year 3. And we just ate about 12 years worth of lobster in these 3. They were massive!

Caribbean Flavours

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If you love Caribbean food, or simply just want to eat as much food as possible for a really low price, you'll love Caribbean Flavours. The savory food at this quaint little restaurant is made with love and offers a unique taste experience in comparison to many restaurants. You can choose mild, medium or hot for most dishes, or go super hot with the Jerk flavoured foods. I started off with the Codfish Cakes with garlic mayo and spicy creole pepper sauce. For $9.95 I got 3 hearty fish cakes that were delicious. They weren't too fishy either, just perfect. Now, I could have stopped there, I was borderline full, but I had to try the Rotis. It's a thin crepe filled with curries, chickpeas, and your choice of meat. I had shrimp. This dish was $11.95 and did not include any sides. I could have upgraded to a platter for an additional $8, which would have included soup, veggies and rice. The rice would have been nice to help with the spiciness of the dish (I went with medium) but in no way would I have been able to finish it. I ate 1/3 of my roti and brought the rest home. The next day, I split the leftovers with my husband for lunch. I'll definitely be going again. The spiciness and heartiness of the meals would be wonderful on a cold winter day but are good anytime, especially if you've just finished burning a lot of calories and need to refuel. The only thing I dislike about this place is the location. It's on Carling Avenue in a sort of mini-mall type building in front of the new Canadian Tire. That alone will probably reduce the number of visits I make.

www.caribbeanflavours.net

Maria Maria

I tried this drink for the first time at Bières et Compagnie in Montreal and loved it. I sent them an email afterward requesting the measurements of each ingredient but never received a reply. So I figured it out myself, and this has been our summer drink ever since. One ounce of port in a large glass with ice, then fill the remaining half with orange juice (no pulp) and the other half with Blanche de Chambly – in that order. A quick stir and VOILA! A delicious and refreshing drink. My husband hates port and is not a fan of Blanche but loves this drink. 

The Red Apron

If you live on your own, or are a single parent, a busy parent, a busy couple – ok just about anyone who likes to eat healthy and don't have time to cook, then you should check this place out. These women make delicious pre-made meals with many options available –from picking up just one meal to getting on their dinner club for regular delivery. I've eaten their meals a few times and each time has been scrumptious. Last night we had the Wine Braised “Kerr” Beef and Caramelized Onions with Sundried Tomato Orzo and not only was it flavourful, it was also very filling. The beef was tender and juicy and the orzo had a light tangy flavour. Their portion sizes are more than enough, we had the dinner for 2, added some carrots of our own and still had leftovers. The prices are very reasonable – for 2 of us the meal was $16. Why anyone who dislikes cooking would choose to cook over picking up their dinner there is beyond me. Just the cost of the ingredients would be at least that let alone the prep work involved – I know I won't take the time to caramelize my onions! If you have a chance to try their carrot cake, do it. My husband raved after trying a sample while he was picking up our meal (he's not normally a sweets person). I was upset that he didn't bring any home, i'll be going to get some this week guaranteed! The only downfall I've found with this place is their hours. I wish they were open later in the evening. I finish work at 5 but don't normally get out of there and home until 6:30 or 7 – which is why a place like this would be so perfect, but they close at 6 on weekdays. They are open on Saturdays until 2pm though. I guess, they have to have a life too!

www.redapron.ca