Datsun: Asian Plates & Bar (Review)

I finally got the chance to experience the culinary delight that is Datsun, which opened its doors last October. I had heard great things about this pan-Asian restaurant, including being recognized as one of the best new restaurants to try in Ottawa in 2015, and so I went into it with very high expectations. And for the first time in awhile, I was not disappointed. I loved everything about Datsun, from its trendy and contemporary decor to its sharable Asian small plates, unique cocktails and friendly service. Basically, everything was on point.

Matt Carmichael, Ottawa’s hottest chef and mastermind behind the taco eatery El Camino, has indeed done it again! Located right beside his taqueria on Elgin Street, Carmichael has once more proven his ability to be explosively successful. Even though both restaurants are located in similar spaces with almost identical take-out windows, Datsun couldn’t be more different. El Camino is rustic and dark with a raucous vibe, while Datsun is light, modern and screams what I like to call ‘simplistic cool’.

We went on a Wednesday night and it was packed. Despite the cold weather, every single seat was filled. Clearly, we came to the right place. We were seated near the front of the restaurant at a cafeteria style table fitted with swivel seats, sandwiched between fellow Ottawa foodies. I would have much preferred a regular chair or high stool, but I suppose the cafeteria seating added to the experience. 

Throughout the evening, our server was friendly and efficient, though not overly attentive. We were given the ‘new diner’ spiel and advised that the menu focuses on small plates intended to be shared amongst the table, tapas style. I quite enjoyed the fill-in-your-order paper menu, which I’ve grown accustomed to at most dim sum joints.

Now, I have to give you a heads-up that we were rather modest when it came to ordering. We decided to be reasonable and we only ordered 3 dishes to share. Looking back now, a party of two could easily share 4 to 6 dishes (depending on the plate). But we’ve learnt our lesson, and this just means that we will have to return again soon.

So for our three dishes, we went with the Crispy Chicken Steamed Buns (2 for $9), the Tuna Tartare ($15) and the Shrimp and Water Chestnut Dumplings ($10). Virtually everyone had told us beforehand that the steamed buns were a must-try (and they were not wrong).

The night started off with a bang when two perfectly cooked steamed buns wrapped around crispy fried chicken drizzled with ranch dressing and furiyake were presented to us. The combination of flavours and textures was out of this world. Hands down, this was my favourite dish of the evening.

Next up was the Tuna Tartare, which was topped with cream cheese and furiyake, and served with nori (seaweed sheets) and a side of wasabi. The best way to eat this dish was to place the tuna on a seaweed sheet, fold it over and enjoy it like a wrap! Again, this dish was mouth-wateringly delicious and really hit the spot.

Finally, eight flawless dumplings filled with chunks of shrimp, water chestnuts and soaked in soya sauce capped off our culinary experience. The dumplings were flavourful and cooked to perfection.

I have absolutely no complaints when it comes to any of the food. Everything was phenomenal, especially the steamed buns. If the other dishes on the menu are as good as these three dishes, then I can’t wait to return and try the rest! I definitely have my eye on one of the ramen bowls and the succulent pork belly steamed bun.

I’ve also heard that their cocktails are as much of a draw as the food. Unfortunately, we stuck to beer and wine (which was still great), so we didn’t try any of their unique cocktails. One of these days I may have to try the Datsun Flip ($22), an elaborate two-person cocktail served in a real coconut.

So in the end, Datsun is a tremendously fun restaurant with plenty of character, creative food, apparently great cocktails, and competitive prices (that's a plus)! One part well-made cocktails, one part comfort food, one part soy sauce and spice: it’s a recipe for success.

If you haven’t yet experienced Datsun, you better get going…your taste buds will thank you! But be prepared for a wait, as this new hot spot does not take reservations. So perhaps I will see you in line, as you can guarantee that I will be returning to sample everything on their menu, including more steamed buns of course!

Verdict: 10/10 – I loved the food and vibe! Datsun may just be one of my new favourite restaurants.

Hours: Monday to Saturday - 5:30 pm to late; Take-out window also open from noon to 2:30 pm from Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays)

Price: small plates $9-$20

Datsun, 380 Elgin Street, Unit B, Ottawa, ON
eastdatsun.com

Kiev Cake (Recipe)

In honour of Lola’s Ukrainian roots, we celebrated Ukrainian Christmas together this weekend. Lola and her mother slaved away in the kitchen and served us a gourmet Ukrainian meal with a twist. It consisted of an assortment of cheese and smoked salmon to start, followed by beet and goat cheese salad, deconstructed cabbage rolls, roasted carrots and stuffed pork tenderloin. Everything was absolutely delicious, but my favourite was by far the deconstructed cabbage rolls!

If you’re a regular follower of our blog, you’ll remember that I spent some time in Kiev in 2013 and fell in love with their food. (Check out my previous post on Ukrainian cuisine here).

So, while Lola and her mother were responsible for the appetizers and main course, I took over dessert (as I usually tend to do). My challenge was to create a traditional Ukrainian treat. Immediately, I thought of my birthday spent in Kiev where I was served the famous Kyivsky tort (also known as Kiev cake). It was so different from any other cake I’ve tried, with various layers of sponge cake, meringue, syrup/jam and cream filling. I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to replicate this tasty cake, which is a top choice among the favourite dishes of Ukraine!

This cake, however, is by no means ‘quick and easy’ to create. It takes a good deal of time and effort with various steps; however, nothing is overly complicated. As long as you have patience and closely follow the directions, you can’t go wrong! Or so I initially thought!

The cake consists of four separate layers (meringue, sponge cake, cream frosting and syrup) that must be prepared separately and then assembled at the end. The meringue layer takes over 4 hours to bake, so I recommend preparing this layer a day in advance, and then completing the remaining layers the next day. Don't worry if your meringue isn't perfect, as you can easily level it out.

For some reason, I had some trouble with the sponge cake layer (it wasn't combining properly, and as a result it didn't bake right), and so I had to resort to a different sponge cake recipe. Next time, I need to make sure to thoroughly beat the egg yokes and slowly add in the flour a little bit at a time.

But in the end, my time and effort was worth it, as everyone loved the cake! It was a great end to a fabulous Ukrainian-inspired meal.

So here are the ingredients and directions to recreate this Kiev specialty.

Ingredients

Meringue:

• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups of sugar
• Cooking spray and wax paper 

Sponge Cake:

• 8 eggs (separated)
• ¾ cup of sugar
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Frosting:

• 1 can of condensed milk (300 ml)
• 2 sticks of butter at room temperature
• ¾ of package of cream cheese
• 8 oz whipped cream

Syrup:

• 15 oz can of apricot halves in light syrup (keep the syrup)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Meringue:

1. Place wax paper in baking dish and spray with cooking spray, or butter. I used a 9” round cake dish. 
2. Preheat the oven to 250° F.
3. Beat the egg whites with the sugar on high speed. Add the sugar slowly, in small amounts. Beat until soft peaks form when you lift the mixer, roughly 5-6 minutes.
4. Bake for 4 hours and 10 minutes. 
5. When it is done, peal the wax paper while the meringue is still warm. Let it sit on the counter on a clean kitchen towel to cool. 

Sponge Cake:

1. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Make sure to use the same baking dish that you used for the meringue.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
3. Separate the egg whites from the yokes. 
4. On high speed, beat the egg whites with sugar for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg yokes, then add the flour and the vanilla extract. Make sure you beat the egg yokes well and slowly add in the flour. 
6. Fold the yokes into the egg whites. Go slowly, so the whites stay fluffy.
7. Transfer the batter into the baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. It is done once a toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Frosting:

1. On medium to high speed, beat the condensed milk with the butter. It will thicken and look like frosting.
2. Next, add the cream cheese one spoonful at a time, so that there are no lumps in the cream. 
3. Once the cream cheese has blended in, slow down the mixer and stir in the whipped cream. (I chose to make the whipped cream from scratch. *See below recipe).
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*Whipped cream: Add 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla to a bowl and whisk on high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 minute.

Syrup:

1. Pour all of the ingredients into a blender (apricots with its juice, lemon juice, and sugar) and puree.

Assembly:

1. Cut the sponge cake in half. Pour half of the syrup on the bottom half and spread evenly.
2. Next, spread ¼ of the cream on top of the syrup.
3. Then take the meringue and place it on top of the creamed half of the cake. Cut the edges if necessary, so the meringue fits with the sponge cake. Save the crumbs.
4. Now, spread ¼ of the cream on the meringue. 
5. Take the second half of the sponge cake and pour the remaining syrup on it.
6. Gently transfer the syrupy sponge cake on top of the creamed meringue.
7. Use the remaining cream to coat the top and all four sides of the cake. 
8. Once frosted, crush the meringue crumbs and sprinkle on top and on the sides of the cake.
9. Decorate, as desired.

Yields: 12 servings

Verdict: a creative and enjoyable treat with various layers, flavours and textures

Total Prep Time: 2 hours (provided everything goes as planned)

Baking Time: roughly 4.5 hours (for meringue and sponge cake)

Rating: 9.5/10