FOODNOTES
Phew!
We’ve made it through another winter. Time to get out into the neighbourhood, celebrate spring with some favourite treats and see what’s new to eat. Please share stories of your favourite Sandy Hill food experiences with image22@rogers.com
Champa Thai, 193 King Edward Ave.
This long time takeout place in Lowertown is under new ownership. They’re now run by the folks who own Wandee, a Thai place in Little Italy that has been called one of the best in town. Champa Thai delivers to Sandy Hill, and word has it that their Khao Soi, a chicken curry dish with egg noodles, is delicious.
In’s Kitchen, 65 Templeton St.
This pleasant space has seen a couple of different menus come and go in its short life, from Yemeni flatbreads to wraps and milkshakes. It’s now home to a Korean restaurant, where we really enjoyed our recent dinner. There’s a choice of seven main courses, which arrive on a hot iron plate or bowl with rice and an assortment of condiments in small side dishes. Newcomers to the Korean food scene will be won over by the very tasty marinades applied to lean beef, in Bulgogi, and pork in Jeyuk. Bibimbap is a beautiful sight, with an array of finely sliced vegetables and egg and a splash of spicy sauce atop a bowl of rice, and there are some intriguing soups and stews on the menu as well.
Si Senor, 506 Rideau St.
There are a couple of tables at Si Se—or, but for now you may want to take your large, juicy burrito home where it will be easier to overlook a little salsa running down your arm. Soon, though, we can look forward to seeing what creative outdoor dining spaces Si Senor will have for us this summer when we drop by for guacamole and tacos. Last year, their alley/backyard was very colourful and inviting.
Syrian Kitchen, 48 Nelson St.
The lunch counter at the old Portuguese bakery is becoming a really worthwhile destination. Their falafels are delicious—crisp and sprinkled with sesame seeds—and you will find a changing menu of dips, rice, meat skewers, pickles and stuffed grape leaves to make up a platter or sandwich. If the stack of takeout containers at your house is starting to feel a bit overwhelming, they are nice about filling dishes you’ve brought from home. And there are still Portuguese custard tarts to look forward to for dessert.
Working Title, 330 Laurier Ave. E.
There’s a nice buzz in Working Title these days, with some folks chatting over coffee or tapping away on their laptops at the front of the house, while others enjoy more substantial offerings in the restaurant and a steady flow of customers drop in for coffee and treats to go. Those treats continue to be top-notch; the chausson au pommes is a personal favourite with its tender pastry and tart apple filling, and the moelleux au chocolate is pure chocolate goodness. Next to these refined French classics, the vegan cookie has a rather ruggedly wholesome appearance, but it also turns out to be delicious, its nuts and grains held together with plenty of chocolate and just a hint of spice.
Food and fundraising are Ric’s house specialities on Rideau St.
Chef Ric Watson and his 23-member team were the top fundraisers in Canada for the 2022 Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser. They raised a whopping $29,299 for The Ottawa Mission, surpassing their fundraising goal of $25,000!
Watson is the head chef at Chef Ric’s, a social enterprise located at 384 Rideau St. in the former Rideau Bakery location. The business sells healthy, affordable, home-cooked meals prepared by folks enrolled in the Mission’s Food Services Training Program. That includes Chef Ric’s specialty chili, pictured here!
Fresh food on the way from Ferme L’eau du Ruisseau
Photo supplied
Craig Anderson and France-Pascale Ménard live with their family on Blackburn Avenue. Their farm, L’eau du ruisseau in Low, Quebec, has been featured in IMAGE in recent years as it has developed from an idea into reality. Many new things are underway at the farm in 2022.
Photo supplied