My contributions, written quickly and probably slightly babbly because I've been into the Christmas Baileys and I'm half asleep. :)
Dining experience: Sunflower Cafe on Rideau Street. It's a tiny little restaurant and, while it's not the best place I've ever eaten, it's certainly one of the best dining experiences. The owner is friendly and approachable and open to changing the menu/ingredients to account for food allergies and likes/dislikes. She makes a wicked egg (baked in a ceramic dish and served to you like that) and it's accompanied by little dishes of salsa, cream cheese, black olives, etc. It's in a bit of a dodgy area (in a block of Rideau that is still undergoing a revitalization) but well worth the trip; comfortable and cheerful interior, if a little sparse, and friendly staff. A very pleasant surprise (though not really a cheap-eat… I don't have the prices in front of me but it's not a greasy spoon cheap meal).
New taste: I discovered camembert and brie this year. I had to stop bringing them into the house because… well, have you seen how fatty they are? *burp* We're sticking to Swiss and cheddar now but I'm not sure how long that's going to last. Dang, now I want cheese… of any sort… *wanders off to check the fridge*
Best bottle from 2008: My husband doesn't like wine; this year we found a cranberry wine that we both fell in love with. The LCBO carries it only sporadically but… wow, it's good. I'm pretty sure this is it but we don't have a bottle in the house and I can't remember the name of it, isn't that ridiculous?
STONEY RIDGE CRANBERRY WINE 2006
VINTAGES 392191 | 750 mL bottle, Price: $14.95
Wine, Fruit Wine, 10.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Favourite restaurant: It's still got to be the Green Papaya on Queen Street in Ottawa… I can't get enough of their green curry and it's been three years or so. The staff know me by name and they're always friendly.
DANG! Now I want cheese AND curry!
Cuisine: Does breakfast count as a cuisine? Between Sunflower Cafe and the Mayflower and the Elgin Street Diner (Swiss and mushroom omelette!) If I'm not eating Thai, I'm thinking about breakfast.
I need to go and top up my Baileys glass now...if you need more ramblings, I'm sure I can come up with some. I didn't even mention the truffle cake at Oh So Good on the ByWard Market.
- Sunflower Cafe, 521 Rideau St, 613.288.2439
- Green Papaya, 246 Queen Street, 613.234.7161
- Mayflower, 247 Elgin Street, 613.238.3731, CheapEats Ottawa pg.68
- Elgin Street Diner, 374 Elgin Street, 613.237.9700, CheapEats Ottawa pg. 47
- Oh So Good, 25 York Street, 613.241.8028
Sam Boswell has eating her way up and down Elgin Street, through Sandy Hill and across the Market for CheapEats for years, and will happily consume breakfast for dinner any day. As long as she still gets dessert.
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