It might be old hearing people from the West Coast complain about Japanese food being bad over here, but it is an undeniable truth. Sushi is Really Really bad here.
Expensive too.
The cheapest California roll I've encountered in Ottawa is $6.95, while in Vancouver, I can easily find one for $3.50. Not to mention the ones in Vancouver are 10 times better and infinitely more authentic. (If you can use authentic on California rolls that is.) Even the ones sold in food courts are better than any I've had here.
But what are we to do? It is an addiction, I admit. It's hard to deny the inner urge to get sushi every once in a while (and by once in awhile I meant once a week).
I was once told that Alcoholics Anonymous defined insanity as "repeating the same action over and over again, hoping to achieve different results."
So I guess we're insane, because week after week, we would go to the same sushi lunch spots in downtown, spend $15 on a box set, and hope that this time the fish won't be stale, the rice won't be hard, and the sushi won't taste like it's been sitting in the fridge overnight.
It's a lot to ask, I know.
That is basically what happened at lunch yesterday, and I was so unsatisfied with the sushi I had that I went to MCDs right after and got myself a filet O'fish. (It's been 4 months since my last trip back to Vancouver, and even my stomach is calling for the ocean.)
But since filet o'fish isn't quite 'fish' fish, I was still left with a craving for sushi, which is why we made our way down to Tokyo sushi for dinner tonight.
Tokyo Sushi
Ambiance: It's in a small house, operated by a Korean family (I assumed they are a family). Not much room inside and the tables are really close together, but it's not big of a deal. Orders might be slow when its busy.
Menu: A decent amount of rolls, with vegan options. There are limited hot food though.
Price: $15-$25
Rating on Urbanspoon: 86%
What we ordered:
Chloe: Volcano roll with spicy tuna, Dragon roll
Crystal: The Volcano roll looked pretty good, and the tuna was quite good too. The sauce was just a little too spicy for me. The eel on the Dragon roll was not too good looking though. It didn't look too well cooked.
Crystal: Rainbow roll, Salmon Terri roll
The rainbow roll is basically a California roll with different slices of sashimi on top. The California roll was, of course, not prepared in the authentic way. It doesn't taste bad, I am just very particular about my sushi. The sashimi were fresh, and that is basically all I ask for in Ottawa.
The Salmon Terri roll was pretty good too. It is basically cooked salmon flakes with terriyaki sauce and tempura crumbs. (What is it with tempura crumbs in the East? I've never seen it used as an ingredient in sushi in the West.) They also used actual terriyaki sauce too! Not some weird dark brown soy-based sauce they use in some unnamed food court terriyaki place!
Verdict:
80%
It is a little pricey for me still, but compared to other Japanese places in Ottawa, it is rather reasonable. The sashimis are thinly sliced, which is not what I'm used to, but it is comparably fresh.
We both left satisfied, and would definitely return.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
107 Fourth Avenue Wine Bar
It was a relatively warm and sunny day today, so Chloe and I decided to be adventurous and made our way to the Glebe. After spending the afternoon reading in a coffee shop, we thought we might as well try a restaurant nearby.
As distorted as we think the ratings are on the restaurant rating websites, they are great for finding restaurants.
We wanted to go to The Urban Pear, but since they don't have a table till 9pm, we decided to go to 107 Fourth Avenue instead.
107 Fourth Avenue Wine Bar
Ambiance: Cozy and nice for a wine bar, but the seating arrangement is not too great for a restaurant.
Menu: Rather limited. There were things on their website that were not on their actual menu. Plenty of appetizers but only 3 main courses. None of the main course were especially appetizing. They do have a list of daily specials.
Price: $15-$30
Rating on Urbanspoon: 83%
What we ordered:
Chloe: Seared sea scallops
Crystal: Shrimp Spaghetti with chard and artichoke
I don't even know how to begin. Before I go into the execution of the dish, I have to say the mix of ingredient is more than a little odd. It has sun dried tomatoes with artichokes and chard, and about a pound of green peas along with the shrimp and spaghetti. I don't know where the peas came from. It doesn't add to the flavour or the presentation of the dish. Onto the execution, the shrimp (I'm not even comparing it to fresh shrimps we're used to in Vancouver) was cooked with little to no seasoning, separate from the rest of the dish. The spaghetti was a little overcooked, but was nicely flavoured with a hint of garlic and shallots. The sun-dried tomatoes, chard and artichokes, however, were just tossed in like an afterthought along with the peas. There were absolutely no interaction between the components and I might as well have ate them all separately.
Verdict:
60%
Will not be returning.
As distorted as we think the ratings are on the restaurant rating websites, they are great for finding restaurants.
We wanted to go to The Urban Pear, but since they don't have a table till 9pm, we decided to go to 107 Fourth Avenue instead.
107 Fourth Avenue Wine Bar
Ambiance: Cozy and nice for a wine bar, but the seating arrangement is not too great for a restaurant.
Menu: Rather limited. There were things on their website that were not on their actual menu. Plenty of appetizers but only 3 main courses. None of the main course were especially appetizing. They do have a list of daily specials.
Price: $15-$30
Rating on Urbanspoon: 83%
What we ordered:
Chloe: Seared sea scallops
Crystal: Shrimp Spaghetti with chard and artichoke
I don't even know how to begin. Before I go into the execution of the dish, I have to say the mix of ingredient is more than a little odd. It has sun dried tomatoes with artichokes and chard, and about a pound of green peas along with the shrimp and spaghetti. I don't know where the peas came from. It doesn't add to the flavour or the presentation of the dish. Onto the execution, the shrimp (I'm not even comparing it to fresh shrimps we're used to in Vancouver) was cooked with little to no seasoning, separate from the rest of the dish. The spaghetti was a little overcooked, but was nicely flavoured with a hint of garlic and shallots. The sun-dried tomatoes, chard and artichokes, however, were just tossed in like an afterthought along with the peas. There were absolutely no interaction between the components and I might as well have ate them all separately.
Verdict:
60%
Will not be returning.
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Brig Eatery & Pub
After getting a little bit of retail therapy, Chloe and I were looking for a place to eat before we head to the movie theater. We have pretty much exhausted the restaurants in the market, and since we don't particularly feel like going back to any of them for the night, the Brig Pub came to mind.
I didn't actually know the name or what kind of restaurant it was until we got there, but we were pleasantly surprised when we went in. Despite its sketchy outer appearance, it was quite busy inside. Chloe thought it was kind of loud, but liked the rustic decor. The menu was also a nice surprise as it was nothing like a conventional pub menu. It actually serves sashimi-grade Pacific salmon!
I didn't actually know the name or what kind of restaurant it was until we got there, but we were pleasantly surprised when we went in. Despite its sketchy outer appearance, it was quite busy inside. Chloe thought it was kind of loud, but liked the rustic decor. The menu was also a nice surprise as it was nothing like a conventional pub menu. It actually serves sashimi-grade Pacific salmon!
The Brig Pub
Ambiance: Nice casual pub atmosphere, but music is quite loud.
Menu: A nice variety with vegetarian options.
Price: $15-$20
Rating on Urbanspoon: 86%
What we ordered:
Chloe: Yucatan Steak Salad
Crystal: Salmon Soba
I was originally skeptical about ordering Japanese food in a pub, but I just couldn't pass up on the chance of getting Pacific salmon. Sashimi-grade Pacific salmon too!
I wasn't exactly disappointed, but I wasn't terribly satisfied either. The soba isn't authentic soba, which is expected, but it wasn't bad. I probably don't want to know how much sesame oil was in the noodles, and I can definitely make the same thing at home myself, but not bad is not bad. The salmon was overcooked and over seasoned though, which is unfortunate. It was fully cooked on the edges and just slightly tender in the middle. Tragic. If it's sashimi-grade, they should just have seared the outside and left the inside rare.
Oh, the soba also came with a bed of greens, which I am not quite sure how to deal with...
Verdict:
75% (?)
Split. Chloe would not return, I wouldn't mind giving it another chance.
Ambiance: Nice casual pub atmosphere, but music is quite loud.
Menu: A nice variety with vegetarian options.
Price: $15-$20
Rating on Urbanspoon: 86%
What we ordered:
Chloe: Yucatan Steak Salad
Crystal: Salmon Soba
I was originally skeptical about ordering Japanese food in a pub, but I just couldn't pass up on the chance of getting Pacific salmon. Sashimi-grade Pacific salmon too!
I wasn't exactly disappointed, but I wasn't terribly satisfied either. The soba isn't authentic soba, which is expected, but it wasn't bad. I probably don't want to know how much sesame oil was in the noodles, and I can definitely make the same thing at home myself, but not bad is not bad. The salmon was overcooked and over seasoned though, which is unfortunate. It was fully cooked on the edges and just slightly tender in the middle. Tragic. If it's sashimi-grade, they should just have seared the outside and left the inside rare.
Oh, the soba also came with a bed of greens, which I am not quite sure how to deal with...
Verdict:
75% (?)
Split. Chloe would not return, I wouldn't mind giving it another chance.
List of Restaurants in the Glebe
The Arrow and the Loon
Berryman Pub
Calabria
Caprese
The Farmteam Cookhouse
Feleena’s
Fratelli
Irenes
Jak’s Kitchen
La Strada
The New Nupur
The Urban Pear
Von’s Bistro
The Works
List of Restaurants in Centretown/Downtown
Atomic Rooster
Basmati
Beckta Dining and Wine
Bramasole Diner
The Buzz
Café Saffron
Caribbean Sizzler
Cock and Lion Pub
Coriander Thai
Corner Kitchen
D’Arcy McGees
Eggspectation
Elgin Street Diner
Fox and Feather Pub
Fresco Bistro Italiano
Genji
Green Tea Sushi
Grill 41
Grounded Kitchen and Coffeehouse
Hooley’s
Hy’s Steakhouse
Imperial
Indian Palace
James Street Pub
Johnny Farina
Kirin Express
Lieutenants Pump
MacLaren’s
Mama Teresa
The Manx
Maxwell’s Bistro
Mayflower Restaurant and Pub
Mill Street Brew Pub
Prime 360
Rangoon Restaurant
Scone Witch
Sir John A Pubb
Southern Cross
Spin Kitchen & Bar
Sun Café and Flowers
Tokyo Sushi
Town
Whalesbone Oyster House
Woody’s
Yesterday’s
List of Restaurants in the Byward Market
18
Ahora
Aulde Dubliner & Pour House
Benny's Bistro
The Black Thorn Cafe
The Black Tomato
Blue Cactus Bar and Grill
Cafe Mezzanotte
Casa Do Churrasco
Castle Shawarma
Chez Lucien
Clock Tower
Cornerstone Bar and Grill
Courtyard Restaurant
Domus Café
Don Cherry's Sports Grill
Earl of Sussex
The Exchange Pub
Fish Market Restaurant
Heart & Crown
Highlander Pub
The Honest Lawyer
La Bottega
Lapointe Seafood Grill
Le Cordon Bleu Bistro
Lone Star Texas Grill
Luxe Bistro
Mamma Grazzi's Kitchen
Metropolitan Brasserie
Moji
Murray Street
Must Wine Bar
Navarra
Oh So Good Dessert
Palais Imperial
Passage to India
Play
Pub 101
Saigon
Shafali Restaurant
Shawarma Palace
Sidedoor
Smoke's Poutinerie
The Smoque Shack
Social
Stella Osteria
Vineyards
Vittoria Trattoria
Zak's Diner
First post
After a year of being in Ottawa, Chloe and I have finally visited one too many bad but highly rated restaurants around here, and decided to start our own blog to express our opinions.
Being from Vancouver (and Chloe from Montreal), we hold restaurants to a (relatively) high standard, and we feel that the true quality of the restaurants are not accurately reflected in the restaurant rating websites.
Our objective, I suppose, is to put the truth out there for anyone who scratched their heads doubting their own taste buds after visiting some of the most highly rated restaurants in Ottawa.
Being from Vancouver (and Chloe from Montreal), we hold restaurants to a (relatively) high standard, and we feel that the true quality of the restaurants are not accurately reflected in the restaurant rating websites.
Our objective, I suppose, is to put the truth out there for anyone who scratched their heads doubting their own taste buds after visiting some of the most highly rated restaurants in Ottawa.
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