Industry Room Liquor Store - Ottawa

I'm new to the Ottawa scene so I'm not sure if this is a hidden gem or a local favorite but it should be all of the above. I'll briefly mention the charming setting in the ByWard area of downtown Ottawa as charming and romantic. There was a beautiful outdoor courtyard as well as a quaint, cabin with a fireplace feel inside. I was immediately thrilled that they offered a good selection of tequilas from low end all the way to the good stuff and I can tell you, this has been rare in Canada. The food was on par with some of the better steakhouses I've been to and this is no exaggeration. The appetizers, especially the hearty carpaccio were very creative and exquisitely presented. The beet salad was on a bed of feta and left an incredible aftertaste. I love beets and this was in the top three beet salads I've ever had. The tenderloin was delicious but the vegetables!! You could actually taste freshness in the broccoli and the potatoes had a slightly charred edge which was memorable! I was very impressed and absolutely didn't leave room for dessert. I'm ecstatic to find true five star dining in downtown. Ottawa.

For appetizers, we enjoyed the fresh bay shrimp toast, a unique dish of thin rare meat with sauces and veggies, and a cheese plate with manageable cheddar cheese. The accompaniments of sauces, pickled veggies, jam, and thin crispy bread complemented the dishes well. I opted for a fruity, less sweet mocktail which was refreshing. For my entree, I ordered a 6oz medium rare sirloin steak with salty broccoli and deliciously prepared potatoes. Although there were a few chewy parts, the overall dish was satisfying. While I didn't have any dessert, my relatives enjoyed the homemade sorbet and ice cream, though they found the desserts to be overly sweet. The portion sizes were generous, but the dark lighting may not be suitable for families with babies or elderly individuals. However, the outdoor seating area provides another option. Overall, the restaurant offered a nice dining experience with good food and a cozy atmosphere.

We come here for dinner every time we are in Ottawa. Yes it is that good!! We ordered for appetizer this time the spiced meatball. For entrees, we had the lamb shank and sirloin. The lamb shank is fall off the bone, mouthwatering delicious! For my toddler, during dinner service, they offered to fix him a grilled cheese sandwich from the late night menu. This is no typical grilled cheese, so yummy!!! The cocktails are also excellent. My hubby highly recommends the dark and stormy.

Wow, Ottawa is really upping its restaurant game in the past few years. This place is a great new addition to the Byward market area, set in a small courtyard. Slightly hipster vibe but not in an annoying way. Service is friendly but a little slow, it's a place to hang out and relax, not get in and out for a quick meal. On a Saturday night the music was pretty loud which made conversation a little difficult, but they were playing some great tunes. There's also an outdoor area that was a little quieter and would be a nice place in the summer to hang out. I had a French 75 cocktail to start, which was pretty good. They have a nice cocktail list and a short but interesting wine list. We had an Italian red from Sicily that was very flavourful and complex but maybe a tad light for my taste. Our group shared several appetizers, the fried fiddleheads were a standout, they were amazing. A few charcuterie and cheese options were quite good as well. I had the boar shoulder as my main and it was fantastic, one of the best dishes I've had so far this year. It's a large portion and very filling, it was so good I kept eating even when I was already full. So no dessert obviously...

My friend decided to have her 30th birthday at the Oz Kafe, and that alone set my bar pretty high. 30 is a big deal, after all. I can say my expectations were met AND surpassed. The prices seemed a bit steep at first, but the portions are generous- this is not one of those places where you pay an arm and a leg only to get a thimble's worth of soup. No. You get your money's worth and then some. As a group of 10 we got to try a variety of cocktails, appetizers, mains, and sorbets (for dessert . They truly had something for everyone and I think it's safe to say that everyone left feeling satisfied! I ordered the Roasted Quebec Duck Breast and it was cooked to perfection! Served with a cabbage, apple, and bacon (hello- automatic brownie points! hash, caramelized onion tartine and roasted squash- the dish totally hit the spot without being TOO filling. It had been a while since I had treated myself to a duck dish, and I'm glad that I held out for this one. The service was great- they were really attentive and gave our birthday girl extra attention (as she deserved! and the decor was also really great. Rustic and classy at the same time, but welcoming and also understated. I honestly can't wait to come back again, maybe for my 30th birthday....if I can wait that long.