The Albion Rooms (Review)

Looking for the next trendy hotspot?? Then look no further. The Albion Rooms is a new lounge bar located at 33 Nicholas offering exceptional cocktails, craft beers and an ever changing fresh menu. Had Lola and I not discovered this new dive during the Ottawa Foodie Challenge, this place may have still remained a mystery to us.

Tucked away in the bottom of the Novotel Hotel, it is easy to pass by without noticing it. However, this place is unlike any typical hotel restaurant. The decor is fresh and modern, the waitstaff are friendly and personable, and the food is to die for!

While it appears to cater more towards sharing plates and 'bar bites' offering a wide selection of charcuterie boards and cheeses, we went there for a full dinner and drinks.

Elk Burger

The hits of the night were the Elk Burger ($18) and the traditional Fish and Chips ($18). The Elk Burger was topped with seed to sausage bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar and roasted shallot aioli. You had a choice of thrice-cooked chips or a side salad, but the chips were the obvious choice, as the waiter jokingly teased, 'It was clearly a cheat night!" The finger-sized batons of potato goodness, upright in a tiny pail, were delicious, but extremely heavy, making it difficult to eat too many. The Elk Burger won the prize though, which was moist and flavourful and cooked to perfection.

The Fish and Chips was also mouthwateringly good! Fresh Lake Erie Pickerel was covered in lemon thyme beer batter and served with a side of 'clam chowder' tartar and thrice chips. Again, the chips made the meal quite heavy, however, the fish was light and tasteful, creating a nice balance.

Fish and Chips

Other yummy meals included the Scotch Egg, which enrobed a chicken egg in house-made chorizo on a bed of arugula with paprika aioli for $10, as well as the House Pasta, which consisted of beetroot fettuccine, pistachio pesto, goat cheese, parsley, pistachio walnut oil and creme fraiche for $15. Whalesbone oysters are another option for all those oyster lovers out there!

Overall, we had a great experience...the atmosphere was hip and intimate, and the food was indulgently good! I highly recommend this gastropub to all foodies alike!

For you early birds, this place also opens at 6:30am and features a coffee bar and breakfast counter.

Verdict: Contemporary Canadian cuisine with great service and a trendy vibe

Cost: Items range between $7 and $30

Hours: Monday to Thursday 11am to 12am, Friday to Sunday 11am to 2am, Breakfast - Monday to Friday 6:30am to 11am 

The Albion Rooms, 33 Nicholas Street, Ottawa Ontario
http://thealbionrooms.com

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes! (Recipe)

Last week, in honour of my sister's birthday, I decided to bake two of her favourite flavours: red velvet and lemon. I went with red velvet and white chocolate chip cupcakes and lemon explosion cupcakes. Both were a major hit and definitely pleased the birthday girl.

The red velvet cupcakes were a delicious blend of chocolate and vanilla, and the white chocolate chips were a sweet surprise. The decadent cream cheese icing was the perfect topper to these velvety smooth treats.

The lemon cupcakes were also a crowd pleaser. They were deliciously light and the whipped lemon cream cheese icing paired beautifully with the lemon vanilla cupcake.

You too can recreate these delicious cupcakes by following the below recipes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Chips and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes
3 ½ cups flour
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons red food coloring
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

Frosting
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

Make the cupcakes.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl, sift flour and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In a small bowl whisk together red food colouring, cocoa powder and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
6. In a measuring cup, stir the salt with the buttermilk.
7. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.
8. In a small bowl stir together the cider and baking soda and add to the batter. 
9. Stir in the white chocolate chips until well incorporated. 
10. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure all the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
11. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. 
12. Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and bake the cupcakes, switching positions of the pans halfway through baking, until tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 
13. Cool the cupcakes before frosting. 

Make the frosting. 

*Word of advice: cut all ingredients in half, or else you will end up with a ton of extra icing.

1. Using an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
2. Add the salt and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. 
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired consistency. 
4. Frost cupcakes and decorate with candied pearls or sprinkles!

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 ¼ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

Frosting
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions 

Make the cupcakes.

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.
2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in colour, about 2 minutes. 
4. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. 
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended into the batter and it looks creamy, about 1 minute. 
6. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. 
7. On low speed and in 3 additions (3 flour, 2 milk), add the flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. 
8. Mix until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
9. Fill each paper liner with 1/4 cup of batter (an ice-cream scoop works well), to about 1/2 inch below the top of the liner. 
10. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. 
11. Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the cupcakes from the pan onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Make the frosting. 

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, cream cheese, grated lemon peel, and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. 
2. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. 
3. Add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, about 1 minute, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute to lighten the frosting further. 
4. Use a small spatula to spread frosting over the top of each cupcake.

Ottawa Street Food (Review)

This summer, the City of Ottawa approved a new street food vending program to encourage new, convenient and culturally diverse fare on city streets. For us foodies, this meant lots and lots of new grub to experience! From oriental cuisine to Mexican treats, seasonal creations to sustainable seafood, over 60 new street food vendors have really complemented the existing mix of street vendors and have successfully satisfied this culinary duo's diverse appetites.

Lola and Riley went on a mission this summer to experience as many food carts and trucks as possible. Although many were quite delicious, we will only share with you our top favourites.

1) Ottawa Streat Gourmet

• Cuisine: Gourmet Canadian
• Location: Corner of Queen and O'Connor
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am until food runs out (get there early!)

Ben Baird, the renowned chef and owner of Urban Pear, uses local sourced ingredients to create a different menu each day (usually consisting of two choices). The day we went, the menu consisted of Ground Beef Sirloin Empanada served with Black Bean Salad for $12 and Veggie Tacos with Quinoa, Corn and Mushroom Filling, Cilantro, Sour Cream, Radish, Fennel, Lime and served with Bean Salad for $10. We both decided to go with the Empanada, which was ridiculously delicious! The taste and texture of the dough, including the sirloin filling, was done to perfection! We finished off the meal with a truck cookie for $1.50. The cookie of the day was Rosemary, Lemon and Pecan...a heavenly combination!

2) 밥 [bap] by Raon Kitchen

• Cuisine: Authentic Korean 
• Location: Bank Street, between Slater & Albert
• Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00am to 3:00pm 

Raon Kitchen is a small food cart serving Bibimbap (or bap) - one of Korea's signature dishes. Bibimbap consists of a bowl of warm white rice served with marinated, cooked beef, chicken or tofu, red chili pepper paste and lightly sautéed vegetables including dark green spinach, julienned carrots, white daikon radishes, red bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms and a side of kimchee. The array of ingredients present a beautiful palate of colours, as well as create a tasty combination. We went with the chicken bap for $7.50, which definitely satisfied our lunchtime craving!

3) Ad Mare

• Cuisine: Gourmet seafood
• Location: Corner of Slater & O'Connor
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:00pm

Parents Mario and Miriam Burke are the masterminds behind this gourmet seafood truck, which prides itself on fresh, sustainable fish and seafood. The signature dishes include fish & chips, fish tacos and lobster rolls (which are rumoured to be the best in Ottawa)! They also offer a variety of daily specials such as crab cakes, seafood chowder, vietnamese shrimp rolls, seafood salad, salmon burgers and shrimp po'boys. Riley went with the classic fish tacos for $10, and Lola tried the salmon burger for $12. While the salmon burger was scrumptious, the fish tacos stole the show! Served with a side of fresh chips and slaw, the tacos hit the spot and were absolutely delicious! The fish tacos were one of Riley's favourite street food vendor meals all summer! But be ready to wait in a long line to taste this remarkable seafood...show up before 11:30am or after 1:00pm to avoid the rush.

4) Dosa Inc.

• Cuisine: South Indian crepes
• Location: Somerset and Lyon
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:00pm

Owner Jake Thomas has successfully injected a little Southern India into downtown Ottawa with his menu of dosas. A dosa is simply a type of crepe or pancake made from rice batter and lentils. The menu consists of an eclectic selection of nine dosa creations. We went with the classic Masala Dosa, which was filled with potato, mixed vegetables and spices, and served with a side of sambar (vegetable soup), chutney and plantain chips for $7. The filling was flavourful and the dough was light and crispy. Other options included a Californian Dosa filled with spinach, tomato, olives and feta cheese, or the Gooey Gouzenko Dosa filled with spiced cabbage, mushrooms and cheese. We paired the meal with a traditional Mango Lassi, a perfect combination of cool and sweet.

5) Angry Dragonz

• Cuisine: Asian Fusion
• Location: Corner of Gloucestor and Lyon
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:00pm

As the truck clearly advertises, Angry Dragonz is Asian Fusion with a twist. The menu features a range of classic Asian dishes, such as egg rolls, Pad Thai, General Tao Chicken, chicken and beef skewers, as well as other specialities like the 'Dragonz Bowls' (hot rice topped with cold shredded seasonal vegetables, grilled meats and sauces) and 'Dragon Puffs' (Hong-Kong style sweet waffles). The menu, in our opinion, is too large for a food truck, which only amplifies the long wait in line. Regardless, we stuck it out and we both tried the Chicken Panang for $8 and an egg roll for $1. It was delicious, fragrant and had just the right amount of heat. Overall, the food was great, but be prepared to spend at least in 45 minutes in line! 

6) Trailer Pork Boys

• Cuisine: Southern Barbecue
• Location: 1272 Carling Avenue; Corner of Carling and Merivale 
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 7:00pm & Sat 11:30am to 6:00pm 

The boys of this pork lovers food truck continue to impress and fill hungry tummies with their pulled pork, Cuban and grilled cheese sandwiches, schnitzel, pulled pork poutine, and ribs. The portions are definitely larger than we would normally eat during lunch, but the bold and unique flavors won't let you leave anything behind. The pulled pork sandwich ($7) was highly recommended, so we didn't have any hesitation when ordering. The pork was marinated in a sweet and spicy sauce, topped with delicious creamy coleslaw. We've had a few pulled pork dishes in the Southern states before and these guys have definitely topped our list of the best!! 

7) Stone Soup Foodworks

• Cuisine: Local and sustainable soups, salads and sandwiches  
• Location: Currently at the University of Ottawa Campus 
• Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00am to 4:00pm 

The Stone Soup Foodworks truck is a convertible solar chip truck serving local and sustainable foods. Their menu changes daily but you can expect a delicious soup, salad and sandwich option each day. They appeal to the Westboro/Hintonburg crowd during the summer, but they move to the University of Ottawa campus once school starts in the Fall to offer different cuisine to students trying to avoid the freshman fifteen. The daily special when we went was a bulgur and walnut vegetarian burger with blue cheese, pears and dijon mustard, served with a delicious side salad. The flavors were bold and so fitting for the first cold day of September. Definitely try this truck if you're wandering around UofO on your lunch break.

Other food carts and trucks worth trying:

• Urban Cowboy, Texan, Bank and Glen
• Red Roaster, Rotisserie, Bank and Clemow
• Leroy's Detroit Style Soul Food, American Soul Food, Courtwood and Woodward
• Mr. Churritos, Churros, O'Connor and Sparks
• BOBITES, Organic Baked Potatoes, Metcalfe and Sparks 


Also, be sure to check out the 1st Annual Ottawa Food Truck Rally on Saturday September 28th from 12pm to 4pm on the corner of Rochester and Pamilla (in the heart of Little Italy). The rally will feature a number of Ottawa food trucks in culinary competition with one another. Best part of the event – it supports a scholarship for an Ottawa Community Housing tenant wanting to attend the Culinary Arts program at Algonquin. Small plates will go for $4 and larger plates for $6. For more information check out the following link: http://ottawafoodtruckrally.com

El Camino (Review)

Back in January, Riley and I set out our dining resolutions and came up with a list of our top 10 spots for 2013. We still have a few restaurants left and unfortunately not a lot of time until we ring in 2014, but this past weekend we ticked El Camino off our list and it definitely deserves its' spot at the top. Ottawa was buzzing for months about chef Matthew Carmichael's much anticipated new establishment on Elgin Street. The atmosphere is casual and unpretentious, the lighting is dim, but perfect enough to see your food and dining companion. The cocktails are quite unique and almost deserve their own post. They mix together intricate flavors and the tequila is definitely a requirement. We started off with some chips and guacamole while we pondered over the menu. The chips were crisp and deliciously spiced and the guacamole had added flavors of chili peppers, tomatoes and some secret spices. We had the best seat in the house overlooking the kitchen where we were able to chat with some of the chefs while they prepared our meals. Their passion for perfection and flavor combinations was really impressive and made our meal that much more enjoyable. 

We decided to share a few appetizers and try some of the award winning tacos recently named by Ottawa Citizen Style. We tried the Shrimp Dumplings, the Crispy Prawn Betel Leaves and an assortment of tacos (beef, lamb, crispy fish, pork and ox tongue). I like to think I have a pretty adventurous palate, but I was very hesitant to try the ox tongue taco, but our server highly recommended that we try and I am sure glad that we did. It was definitely the best taco we tried as it was so tender, juicy and full of flavor. 

Our server was very friendly and down to earth and props to him for getting us to step out of our comfort zone. We enjoyed the company, atmosphere, food and drinks for hours and were never rushed to leave once we finished our meal.

They don't take reservations so you may have to wait a while, but it is definitely worth it. We gave the host our phone number and grabbed a drink next door instead of standing around smelling the delicious food.

Verdict: Cozy and chill atmosphere, unique flavor combinations, unpretentious service.

Cost: Tacos are $4 each. Individual plates are $8-$9 each or $16 and $18. Cocktails are a bit more expensive at $10-$13.

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 12:00pm-2:30pm. 5:30pm-2:00am. Saturday and Sunday 5:30pm-2:00am.