Allium Restaurant

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Ok, so in case you haven't noticed, I've been on a bit of a tapas kick lately. I'm going to blame that all on “one of Ottawa's real foodies”, who left a comment on one of my posts a few weeks ago about her trip to Allium for their Monday night tapas. Getting out on a Monday is a bit difficult for me, so in the interim I've been jumping at any tapas-like meal I can.

Well, tonight I finally ended this charade (oh how I've been suffering), and made my way to Allium. One of my coworkers has also been at me to come here, although he felt quite strongly that I must go again on a non-tapas night when I told him I was going there this evening for dinner. What? Go a second time? Twist my rubber arm!

Since it was my obsession that brought us there, my husband and friend let me drive the boat. I immediately jumped in and started ordering.


Olives in herbs, chili, lemon, oh how delicious you are to me. We also got some bread for dipping that came with herbed goat cheese, olive oil and balsamic.


Roasted yellow beets. I love beets! As does my husband, my friend Gina, and many other people I know (Marysol!). These ones came with a pepper puree, creamy herbed goat cheese, heavenly candied pecans, radish sprouts and tiny round slivers of radish.


Another light dish as we slowly worked our way up to the heavier ones, Albacore tuna tataki with a sweet mango and red pepper salad, soy marinated mushrooms, spiced honey, lime, shiso.


This maple roasted duck breast was one of my favourites, served with red cabbage, foie gras vinaigrette and pea shoots. The menu stated it also came with candied pecans but they were nowhere to be found. That was ok with me though since they were replaced with these tiny little lentils that tasted just like homemade baked beans, yummy!


The smoked fish cakes we ordered were delicious. Smoking + fish cakes = heaven. These tasty bites were served on a bed of mango salad, guacamole, Daikon sprouts and roasted jalapeno mayo.


Then came the shrimp lollipops – so fun! Tempura shrimp, so light and crispy, melted to an oil as soon as it hit your tongue. The sweet chili sauce for dipping was to-die-for and made you want to eat so many more than the three on your plate. And the slivers of carrot on the side were doused in aromatic truffle oil.


The seared foie gras with roasted pepper French toast and maple syrup was painfully rich, but the pickled apple and apple chutney helped bring you back to normal levels of indulgence. The entire thing was like butter in your mouth.


And last, but certainly not least, the steak tartare. One of the more mild tartares I've ever had, flavoured beautifully with truffle oil, my favourite herb – cilantro, chives, lime, 8 year old balsamic, bacon candy – ohhhh bacon candy, and aioli.

Petite portions with a multitude of ingredients that made each dish unique, along with good service and a warm atmosphere made this evening one to remember. Tapas prices range from $3 to $12 per plate.

www.alliumrestaurant.com

Papas Tapas Martinis – Montreal

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My husband and I were in Montreal on Saturday. The evening portion was reserved for the hockey game and yes, a hot dog. So taking the time to dine at a nice restaurant that evening was out of the question. But that didn't leave the afternoon out! During our search for the perfect afternoon restaurant, we came upon this lovely Portuguese tapas bar on St-Laurent.

We grabbed the table right at the front of the restaurant where the sunshine was pouring in. Giant white leather chairs pulled up to a table that had been hand painted by a local artist. The other tables were plain, so I say we got the “special” spot! (That's what happens when you go to a restaurant at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.)

We started off with 2 perfect bloody ceasars. Then came the hard part, making choices. The menu looked fantastic, bison rib, pan seared tuna in port sauce, oh where to begin! We finally decided to go with, what I think, were the best choices we could have made.


First, flambeed grilled octopus with sliced fennel. The plate arrived with smoking rosemary – so fragrant. The chewy octopus bathed in a yummy, slightly spicy sauce that just begged to have the warm buns (delivered earlier) mop it up. And the fennel, long slivers still crisp and fresh just completed the dish.


Then came the most amazing cod fritters. These lightly breaded, crusty fish cakes were served with a trio of dipping sauces. Creamy aioli, house ketchup and spicy. We were in heaven.


The final two dishes continued on the same track of awesomeness. Oyster mushrooms and egg sauteed with garlic.


And beef tartare, tender and piquant – I adored every bite. I was sad to see the meal end, but this was the perfect finale to this satisfying afternoon lunch.

Service was excellent and dishes range between $5 and $16. Had we been there for dinner I would have indulged in one of their older ports and possibly one of their half dozen desserts. Also if you're a martini lover, the list is pretty extensive.

Papas Tapas-Martinis

Oysters and Pork

When my husband and I first started seeing each other, we ate out a lot. One thing we enjoyed doing was going to one restaurant just for apps, then to another for the main. This sort of “restaurant hopping” allowed us to get the best of both worlds and saved us the painful act of having to actually make a choice (oh poor us).


We don't do that much anymore. But we do still enjoy getting the best of both worlds. And on Friday night, that's just what we did. We actually had company coming over. But before they arrived, we snuck over to the Whalesbone for some oysters and beer. Yum!


Shortly after we got back home, our friends arrived. Donnie brought the meat (thanks Donnie!). A delicious hunk of pork stuffed with spinach, red pepper, ham and cheese. It almost seemed like pork stuffed with breakfast, the only thing missing was the eggs. He picked up these lovely rounds of meat from the Glebe Meat Market. My husband cooked them on the barbecue and served them with heavenly garlic, pureed cauliflower and sweet potato fries. What a great way to start the weekend!

BBQ Chicken and Pork Burgers

My husband had some business to do in Almonte today and before returning to Ottawa he stopped in at Don's Meat Market for some ground chicken and pork. The results of that visit were to-die-for.

Pretty much mix pork into anything and it will be delicious. Add some Philippe de Vienne spices and it becomes phenomenal. My husband did just that tonight, following the many food pairing recommendations they have on their web site. The duck hunter's spices were the perfect match. Fennel, cardamom and mandarin peel, the mix of spices was flavourful but mild enough to not overpower this juicy burger.

My husband also served some sweet potato fries with a heavenly mayo for dipping. All he did was add some more magical spice. This time he used the cipâte du lac St Jean. Yummy!!

These spices really do bring a meal up a few notches, adding new flavours to some familiar dishes. My husband's meals are already outstanding – so you can just imagine how blown away I'm feeling right now!

Yay! An Award!

My very first blog post was inspired by a woman working at Navarra. The outstanding service I received in addition to the amazing food had me in such awe that I had to do something about it. And then it happened – Rachelle Eats Food.

Just over a year later, I returned to Navarra (I'd actually been a couple times in between) and found myself speechless when I realized that my server that evening was in fact the one who served me that first night. She had just returned from maternity leave. Nervous, but excited, I told her about that first post and how it was because of her that I started my blog. Her eyes grew wide and with sincere enthusiasm told me that at one point she had been questioning whether or not she was meant to be doing what she was doing. And then a co-worker brought to her attention my post, making her realize that she does make a difference in other peoples' lives, doing what she does best.

I now understand how she must have felt. Don and Jenn at foodiePrints have, since my early blogging days, been by my side. I believe Don was one of the first followers I had whom I didn't know (a very exciting step in a new bloggers journey!). And to have kept their interest this long, and now receive an award because of it, well, I'm extremely honoured. Thanks so much you guys!

Of course this award comes with some rules that encourage bloggers to get to know each other better.

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.

2. Copy the award logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link the person who has nominated you for the award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

Now the tough part, 7 things about myself that people may find interesting.

1. I have always loved food. But I didn't actually become obsessed with it until I moved to Ottawa. I moved here from Moncton, NB and back home, lobster was what always got me excited. I never did much cooking. I could bake awesome cookies though. My friends would laugh as I always had the same things in my kitchen – canned tuna in the cupboard, a loaf of bread in the freezer and a jug of water and a bottle of mayo in the fridge. That's it. I ate out often or would casually show up at my parents' place right around dinner time. It's when I moved here and in with my friend Zoya that I really became passionate about eating. She would cook me the most amazing meals every single night. I would sip wine as I watched her in awe. Our deal was – I cleaned, she cooked. And both being food lovers made us savour every bite we ate together. I think I'm like a magnet to those who cook, which brings me to my second point about me.

2. My better half. The man who makes me feel like a million bucks. The man who inspires me to write my blog every single night with his amazing dinners. He's also the man who taught me to take such beautiful photos with my point and shoot camera and who designed my header. I wouldn't be me without him. My husband is my rock and I am indebted to him.

3. I'm a huge dog lover. Quite a few years ago I wanted to open my own dog café and cook healthy dog treats and serve water to my four-legged friends while their owners enjoyed coffee. My Seb is my best friend, he's there when I need someone to talk to and keeps me enjoying the outdoors day after day. Seb has not been the easiest dog to deal with. I adopted him when he was 5 and he came with a lot of baggage. I believe the frustrations I've gone through because of him has only brought us closer together. Now at his ripe old age of 14, I can honestly look back and say that I've given this dog the best life ever. I love him so much.

4. Just over 10 years ago, I hated bikes and I hated biking. Shortly after I moved to Ottawa, I bought a bike. How could I not? Have you seen the beautiful paths we have!? I am now considered a cyclist, owning 3 bikes. A commuter bike to get to work and back and around the city. A road bike for long weekend rides and a mountain bike for technical trail rides. I love it!

5. My day job is in the field of advertising. I bounced from agency to agency for about 10 years until I finally settled on the client side about 4 years ago as the advertising manager for a retail company.

6. I love wine but feel I know so little about it. I've signed up for the wine tasting course at Algonquin which begins in May. Yay! Some more great stuff to write about.

7. I have the most amazing friends. I've been a pretty big loner my entire life, sticking to a few close friends. It wasn't until I moved to Ottawa that my friendship circle began bursting at the seams. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I'm glad it did. I've learned so much from all of them and am so thankful to have them there. Life would not be the same without them.

Now, to nominate 7 blogs. I thought this was going to be a tough one because a lot of the blogs I follow have been nominated already – She Eats Bears, Whisk, beFoodled, and of course, foodiePrints. But there are so many fantastic bloggers out there, it ended up being very easy.

A Kitchen Diary – This blog has a fun take on the traditional cookie-cutter layout most of us have. Beautiful photography and comforting recipes.

After the Harvest – Heather does an amazing job taking you behind the scenes – talking to chefs, bringing you good food choices and lots of fun random food posts. It's all about the food!

Girl About Otown – Katharine keeps me posted on all things Ottawa. Be it food, fashion, community or the arts. I know what's going on in this fine city.

Grab Your Fork – Every post on this site has me drooling. Helen's mouthwatering descriptions are my biggest inspiration. They make me want to eat so slowly so that I can pick out every single amazing detail that each ingredient has to offer.

How to Start a Brewery – Beau's doesn't do too many posts but I love it when they do. It's fun to watch a small, local company grow so fast. And they deserve it!

Simply Fresh – Jodi's love of fresh, sustainable and locally produced food is an inspiration. She does her best to buy the best. Great photography and some awesome restaurant posts too.

Smitten Kitchen – Two words: Food Porn. Seriously at it's best. I'm not sure I'd ever attempt to make any of the dishes but I sure love drooling over them.

Jak’s Kitchen

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As my husband headed out the door tonight for dinner with a friend, I could see he had a worried look in his eyes. “What are you going to have for dinner tonight?” I assured him I would be fine – as he listed off all the things we had in the fridge, freezer and cupboard that were relatively easy to make. He closed the door, I finished up some chores and jumped on my bike for the 2 block ride to Jak's. Come on, you really didn't think I was going to cook for myself did you? (For the record, I actually do make the effort now and again.)

One of the things I used to love more than anything in the world when I lived in Moncton was going out for a nice dinner by myself. There's something just so therapeutic about it. Every single sip of wine, and every delicious morsel of food has your full attention. And did it ever tonight.

Ever since I saw their tasting special (5 apps or dessert of your choice for $37), I've been wanting to come back and dig in. The evening I saw it I had to be somewhere by a specific time and didn't want to rush it. It's been calling me since. However, after a few words with my server, I quickly realized that that would be too much food for me on my own (I guess I'll have to go back!). So I dumbed it down to 3. Three magnificent choices.


Before any of my apps arrived, a plate of olive bread and fresh rolls straight from the oven were delivered with olive oil and balsamic for dipping. As I began pulling the warm rolls apart, revealing their dense, doughy center, I begged myself not to eat too much. I hate filling up on bread, but it's so damn difficult to pass it up sometimes!


Luckily my soup arrived before I made it to the second roll. One of the best French onion soups I've ever had, made with rye rarebit croutons. I cut into the slice of bread with my spoon and realized that this was not your typical soup-soaked crouton. It was like a dream, melted cheese blanketing a slice of toasted bread that was still crispy, yet melted in your mouth. Each spoonful got softer as I worked my way to the other end of the slice, but the final bite still had a slight crisp. Mustard, thyme and beer were the added flavours that made your heart sing.


I love fruit in savoury situations, which is why I went for the rosemary caramelized pear and garlic confit tart as my next dish. These delectable slices of pear were framed in a light, flaky crust and served underneath a dollop of soft fromage du maison. Yumm.


Finally (and yes, I was getting full at this point), fish croquettes with smoked tomato remoulade and échalottes-lemon oil. Three tasty dumpling-shaped fritters breaded a little too dry and coarse in comparison to the succulent interior, but the mouthwatering remoulade made up for it.

This restaurant is a staple of mine for breakfast, but after tonight will have to include dinner. Although the view of the busy street outside isn't the most appealing, the warm and inviting decor inside, paired with the easygoing, cordial staff, make you feel like you're dining at a friend's place. Apps range from $6 to $9 and mains from $17 to $40. They even have smaller portion options!

www.jakskitchen.com

Rice Wrap

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Rice Wrap appeared quite a few months ago on the corner of Bank and Gladstone, taking over the old Don Alfonso restaurant. I was sad to see it go, but must say that I was happy to see a Vietnamese restaurant take it's place (because you can never have too many!). Ever since the construction on Bank, the Vietnamese Kitchen has never been revived. And I must have a spot where I can get bún that is close by and open on Tuesdays for that oh-so-sudden craving (a lot of Vietnamese restaurants in the city are closed on Tuesdays).

If you ever saw the restaurant before, you'd be surprised at the transformation. It's so fresh and bright in comparison. The soft lighting allows for a relaxed atmosphere and the service very friendly. One thing I'm not sure about is the tv. In some ways I love it – if the hockey game is on, what better way to watch it than while slurping pho. But it does take a bit away from the ambiance.


I went with my usual of course. Rice paper shrimp rolls with yummy peanut sauce. They were heavy on the mint, which I love (sorry T, you'd better not forget to ask them to omit the mint if you go!).


And vermicelli with meatballs and spring roll – crisp lettuce, slivers of carrot, cucumber and slices of meat that did not look like meatballs but sure had the texture and taste of meatballs – so tender and delicious. The spring roll was thin with a substantial wrapping, leaving little space for the filling.


My husband had the beef and egg noodle soup.

The dishes were good but not quite as flavourful as I'm used to. I found myself returning to the hot and hoisin sauces for an added kick. It's good to be the one controlling the added flavour though, rather than unwillingly pushing my sodium meter through the roof. I could add as much or as little as I wanted.

It's a great little spot that I'm sure I will be back to again.