Clover Food | Drink (Review)

We recently stumbled upon Clover Food and Drink, a new culinary hot spot that took over the organic sandwich shop Bowich on Bank Street. Chef and co-owner West de Castro left her sous-chef position at ZenKitchen to open Clover in the summer of 2014.

Drawing upon her experience at Zen, de Castro has put together a creative, yet simple menu, full of delicious soups, sandwiches and pastas—most of which are vegan friendly. All of the dishes are prepared with locally sourced ingredients from Ottawa’s very own farmers and suppliers.

The restaurant is small, yet cozy and has a very minimalist and industrial-type design, with wooden chairs, benches, caged lights and exposed brick walls. However, despite the stark and sparing decor, it still feels warm and inviting.

This past Wednesday, we ventured over to Clover for lunch. I was torn between ordering the Organic Chicken Wrap ($14) and the Sautéed Chickpeas ($13), but in the end, I went with the Chickpeas, which were served with carrot ribbons, shaved cauliflower, scallions, parsley, and lemon & white balsamic dressing. The flavours were phenomenal and tasted quite fresh, and the dish itself was very nicely presented. It was also just the right portion for lunch and sufficiently filled me up.

My lunch companion went with the Ploughman's ($15), which consisted of hunter's salami, hard boiled egg, aged cheddar, house pickles, maple mustard and a sourdough wedge. The dish was simple, yet satisfying; however, we both had expected an actual sandwich, rather than a charcuterie-type board.

Overall, I was very impressed with the menu and the staff here, and I highly encourage other Ottawa foodies to give it a try. The dinner menu looks equally delicious, and I definitely plan to go back to experience another of de Castro’s culinary creations.

Clover is certainly taking interesting culinary risks and it is just another example of how Ottawa is turning into a food mecca, much like Montreal and Toronto.

Verdict: 8/10 – creative, fresh and locally-sourced dishes

Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Price: Lunch ranges from $8 to $15, Dinner ranges from $10 to $25

Clover Food | Drink, 155 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON 

cloverottawa.ca

NeXT Ottawa (Review)

NeXT is THE place to go for brunch in Ottawa. Chef and owner Michael Blackie is the hottest chef in Ottawa right now - he's the man behind the Brookstreet Hotel and also worked as executive chef at the NAC. He has had a long culinary career, spanning 30 years all over the world. Needless to say, we couldn't be happier that he decided to set up shop in Ottawa and has put his heart and soul into his Canadian and internationally mixed cuisine.

NeXT is located in Stittsville, but is well worth the drive from anywhere in Ottawa. Their brunch is the main attraction on weekends. Go in with an open mind, as they serve their brunch on a board filled with fifteen different mouth watering delicacies, a mixture of Canadian and Asian flavours.

I can't even begin to name everything on the board, but a few of the highlights include the Tempura Cheese Curds, the Buttermilk Banana Pancakes and the Currywurst. Each board serves two people and is priced at $25 per person. The meal is accompanied with unlimited coffee, tea and an assortment of fresh juices. If you have allergies or simply dislike certain foods, Chef Blackie will accommodate and make a few substitutions.

The Brunch Board for Two ($25 per person) 

The service is excellent and the ambiance reminds us of a cool, casual hotel lobby, with comfortable seating, bright natural light and an open kitchen, where you can witness Blackie and his kitchen staff making the magic happen. Chef Blackie ensures every guest is completely satisfied with their meal and he explains each item on the board and answers any questions or concerns you may have.

NeXT also serves a fabulous lunch and dinner, but the brunch is an absolute must try. They also serve functions and cater special events, such as weddings that seat up to 185 guests.

Stop by NeXT this weekend!

Verdict: 10/10

Hours: Brunch served Sundays 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; Lunch served Thursday to Friday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; Dinner served 7 days a week 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm

Price: Brunch - $25 per person; Lunch - $25; Dinner - ranges from $7-$38

NeXT Ottawa, 6400 Hazledean Rd, Stittsville, Ottawa
www.nextfood.ca

JOEY Landsdowne (Review)

Joey's is a chain establishment, which we usually shy away from, but Jeff Fuller (CEO and President) has managed to create a unique and personalized dining experience with each one of his restaurants. Each location is suited to the local vibe, but they all have a few things in common: "great food, fun times and exceptional dining experiences". We can certainly attest to each of these facts. The service was great, the food was fresh, bold and dynamic, and the atmosphere is nothing shy of extraordinary. It is very apparent that considerable time, effort and quality design was put into every square inch of this restaurant.

We will focus on the culinary creations as it is the main reason why we will continue to frequent Joey's for many of our dining events to come. We obviously shared a number of appetizers and the servers were very knowledgable and flexible with our gluten free guest orders. We started with the Calamari Fritti with tempura vegetables and spicy aioli, the Japanese Gyoza and the Mezze Plate. The Mezze Plate came with crispy pitas, but they added some fresh cucumbers and carrots for a gluten free palate. All the appetizers were to die for.

Calamari Fritti ($13)

Mezze Plate ($13)

Our main dishes were as equally savoury and unique. We tried the Ahi Tuna Club topped with bacon, sweet pepper relish and onion rings (yes, onion rings), and the Sashimi Tuna Salad paired with mangos, peanuts, avocado, crispy noodles, and cilantro ginger dressing. We also tried the Steak and Sushi, a Japanese twist on the traditional Surf & Turf, which was served with prime steak, ponzu sauce and rainbow roll. All of the entrees were delicious. Looking back at our photos and perusing through the menu again is making us hungry for another trip to Joey's.

Sashimi Tuna Salad ($19)

Ahi Tuna Club ($17.25)

Steak & Sushi ($25.25)

The location also couldn't get any better. With its proximity to the shops and sporting events at Landsdowne, Joey's is in the centre of Ottawa's newest entertainment hot spot. That being said, you will probably be waiting for a table longer than usual if you don't have a reservation, and apparently they don't take reservations on game nights. So make sure to keep this in mind.

Next time we return, we will tackle their delicious dessert menu as we were too stuffed to order anything sweet.

Verdict: 9/10

Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:00 am to Midnight; Friday and Saturday 11:00 am to 1:00 am

Price: Appetizers $7-$20; Main dishes $15-$35

Joey Restaurants (Landsdowne), 825 Exhibition Way, Ottawa, ON 
http://joeyrestaurants.com/locations/#!/restaurant/1597/canada

The Waverley East (Review)

Orleans is slowly waking up from its suburban slumber and becoming quite the hub for foodies. Over the last year, a number of culinary hot spots have been popping up in this growing suburb and we couldn't be happier. One new gem that opened recently is the Waverley East. Located at the corner of Trim and Innes, this gastropub is all about reinvigorating the social aspect of dining. Don't be fooled by its' strip mall appearance, with its dim lighting, funky artwork and statement furniture, the ambiance is cool, comfy and welcoming. The vibe is also welcoming for all - stop by for a quick bite, spend a few hours on a romantic dinner or a large birthday gathering, or meet friends for late night drinks.

Because it's a new establishment, it does have its little kinks to work out, but nothing that will deter us from returning for more delicious food and cocktails. The service was a bit slow on our first visit, but they were apologetic and the owner was available throughout the evening to address any questions we had.

The wine and cocktails are unique and tasty and the food is fresh and plentiful. We shared a few appetizers with our first round of drinks and they did not disappoint. We delved into the French Onion Soup ($9), the Steamed Mussels ($13) and the Fresh Oysters. The French Onion Soup was definitely tasty and satisfying (big enough for a meal), loaded with cheese and fresh crouton pieces. The Mussels were a bit lacking in flavour, but the Oysters were fresh and priced decently.

Our main meals consisted of the Roasted Beet Salad ($10), the Kale & Romaine Caesar ($10) and the Orecchiette Carbonara ($18). All three were delicious. I don't usually opt for a pasta meal, but the Carbonara caught my eye instantly - it was loaded with pork belly, and topped with pan seared pork tenderloin. I couldn't pass it up.

Overall, we were pretty impressed with this new hot spot in Orleans. The party and the drinks are flowing on weekends and you can catch a late night DJ to keep you entertained.

We will definitely be back!

Verdict: 7/10 - still a few kinks to work out

Hours: Monday to Friday 11:00 am to 2:00 am; Saturday and Sunday 9:00 am to 2:00 am

Price: Appetizers $9-$15; Main dishes $9-$25

Waverley East, 5160 Innes Road, Orleans, Ontario 
https://www.facebook.com/thewaverleyeast