brunch

Better know a neighbourhood: Beechwood/New Edinburgh

Written
by
apartment613
on Tuesday, August 31, 2010
.
All photos courtesy of fieldtripp on Flickr.

All photos courtesy of fieldtripp on Flickr.

Better know a Neighborhood is Apartment613’s knockoff homage to Stephen Colbert’s famed Better Know a  District. Our goal is simple: find and write about interesting parts of the city. For the first part of this not-so-innovative series, we headed to West Wellington Village (or Hintonburg, we’re never quite sure). For our encore we went to the oasis of hipness nestled on the border of deepest, darkest Vanier.

Click to continue reading “Better know a neighbourhood: Beechwood/New Edinburgh”

Filed
in Ottawa Tourism, beechwood/new edinburgh, books & lit, brunch, restaurants, taste and visual art
. 12 Comments

Siren Bakery Granola: It’s Good for You

Written
by
Dominic
on Tuesday, August 3, 2010
.
Photos courtesy of Siren Bakery

Photos courtesy of Siren Bakery

Post by Dominic Maggiolo, Ottawa food philosopher and blogger on vegetarian food and culture. With his series of exposés on women food entrepreneurs, chefs, bakers and more, he hopes to showcase the wonderful talent here in Ottawa and in the area. Check out other posts in this series or some of Dominic’s other writings on his blog, Le Jeune Gourmand.

As a kid, I always hated granola. Why would I? It was mushy when cooked and annoyingly tough when raw. I only liked it covered in brown sugar or warm milk. Maybe I was a weird kid? Maybe I was missing out on something I really didn’t understand? As far as I was concerned, my priority was to get my hands on the next box of Fruit Loops.

Luckily I was brought up in a family where we ate good food and thought about proper nutrition. Eventually the idea of oats grew on me, but it took some convincing and a few good artisans bakery trips to reinforce this new-found delicacy. I’m happy to introduce something I now love. Something simple, honest and righteously great for you!

Devoted readers, I present to you Siren Bakery: a forward thinking business specializing in mouth-watering, low (and I mean low) sugar, high-fibre treats. Tasty, tasty oats!

Click to continue reading “Siren Bakery Granola: It’s Good for You”

Filed
in brunch and taste
. 2 Comments

There’s a new kid in town.

Written
by
apartment613
on Wednesday, June 23, 2010
.
town. on Elgin St.

town. on Elgin St.

By Britt Novakowski

If you’ve strolled down Elgin this summer, you’ve likely noticed the brown papered windows showcasing the logo of Town, a new restaurant on the street promising to “open soon” (if you happened to stroll by at the right moment, you may also have encountered a few lovely people handing out samples of scrumptious little whoppie pies and coupons for free desserts, score!).

Occupying the space of the late Elgin St. Freehouse at 296 Elgin, the highly anticipated, Town. will open its doors for dinner on Friday June 25th – and I’ll finally get to use my coupon.

Call ahead to reserve your place in the revamped 50-seater restaurant and prepare you taste-buds for a new take on Italian cuisine – think limoncello and small plates, not red sauce and spaghetti. If you’ve never experienced a social evening of small plate dining then this is the perfect opportunity (and excuse) to round up some friends, order a few plates along with a bottle of wine and nibble your way through the night.

The menu will also include four or five rotating main dishes limited only by what fresh and seasonal ingredients are available and some tasty sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd.

Click to continue reading “There’s a new kid in town.”

Filed
in Ottawa Tourism, brunch, drinks, golden triangle, restaurants and wine
. 1 Comment

Wellington West ArtsPark

Written
by
Katie
on Tuesday, May 4, 2010
.

Event Date: May 9, 2010
Event Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Parkdale Market (Parkdale at Armstrong)

Every year, people tell us they look forward to ArtsPark and we know why. It’s a low-key, one-day outdoor festival of art, music, performance… it’s free… and it’s fun for everyone in your family. (Don’t forget it’s Mothers’ Day too.)

Join us Sunday, May 9 2010 from 10am to 4pm at Parkdale Market (Parkdale Avenue at Armstrong Street in the heart of Hintonburg’s QUAD arts district). Browse the work of local jewellery, textile and clothing designers, see displays from QUAD artists, visit the Poetry Factory, have a bite to eat and enjoy the talent of scores of musicians and performers.

* Hosted by CBC’s Amanda Putz
* Invitational art exhibit featuring these QUAD artists
* Music all afternoon with the Ottawa Community Concert Band, The Woodrunners, Lucky Ron, Amanda Rheaume and The Flats!
* Artisan Showcase featuring fine jewellery, textiles, glass, sculpture and clothing
* Salamander Theatre for Young Audiences at 10am (target audience 5-13 years old and their companions)
* The Arc Poetry Factory: get an original poem for just a loonie or two. A REAL poet will compose verse on-the-spot using a manual typewriter after you select a theme, courtesy of ARC the poetry magazine. Proceeds to the Education Foundation of Ottawa.
* Heritage walking tour: free 60-minute guided tour of Hintonburg’s heritage highlights at 1pm — wear good walking shoes.
* A Taste of Hintonburg featuring local eateries

Plus…

* Exhibits from the Hintonburg Community Association, Newswest, and the Wellington West Business Improvement Area

and, for children…

* Salamander Theatre for Young Audiences at 10am (target audience 5-13 years old and their companions)
* Free children’s art activities with Wabi Sabi from 11am to 2pm

Filed
in DIY, brunch, calendar, cooking, crafts, frugal feast, listing only, meet up, music, shopping, visual art and west wellington
. 0 Comments

MAPLEFEST 2010

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, March 31, 2010
.

MAPLEFEST 2010

What: The CUMBERLAND LIONS CLUB is celebrating the 41st anniversary of MapleFest. Pancakes, Sausages, Maple Syrup, Orange Juice, Tea, Coffee, and all the Pancakes you can eat! Maple Syrup products on sale by the Cumberland Scouts A Bake sale by the three village churches is being held across the street from Maple Hall at the United Church on Saturday from 8 AM to 2 PM

When: Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th , 8 AM to 3 PM.

Where: Cumberland Lions Maple Hall 2552 Old Montreal Road, Village of Cumberland (8 minutes east of Place d’Orléans)

Cost: Adults $6.00 Children (12 & under) $4.00 Seniors $5.00

Filed
in brunch, calendar, frugal feast, listing only, lunch and taste
. 0 Comments

Nom Nom (Some of) Ottawa’s Foodie Bloggers!

Written
by
saxby
on Wednesday, March 17, 2010
.
Courtesy of Jo Stockton from apat613 Flickr Pool

Courtesy of Jo Stockton from apat613 Flickr Pool

Ottawa might not be known as a foodie capital, but there is no doubt that there is something of a food culture living below the surface of our city. A world-class culinary school and top-notch restaurants certainly help, but the lifeblood of any foodie community (and we hope any community really) is its bloggers - an area where Ottawa is excelling!

The institution of Food Blogging has really taken off - I’ve followed about ten new ones since watching Julie and Julia alone. In my Google Reader list there are a couple of local Ottawa folks who I keep going back to. This list is in no way comprehensive! I’ll add your suggestions to my feed reader and do another post on this ASAP.

Click to continue reading “Nom Nom (Some of) Ottawa’s Foodie Bloggers!”

Filed
in brunch, cooking, lunch, personalities, restaurants and wine
. 25 Comments

Settimana Italiana! Italian week - celebrating Calabria

Written
by
Francois
on Thursday, June 4, 2009
.

Every year for the last 35 years, there has been an Settimana Italiana in Ottawa. This year, the festivities take place from June 10th to 21st and will celebrate the Calabria region of Italy.

There’s a lot to do throughout the 11 days. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Viva Italia Concert by Capital Brassworks at St Anthony’s Soccer Club on Monday, June 15.
  • Gastronomy Night “Calabria” on Tuesday, June 16 at Villa Marconi (free admission).
  • The Ferraris (!!!) part of the Festivities on Preston St., Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21 all day.

If you want to check the full schedule, go here. Check the Italian Festival’s website for more details on what’s happening.

Filed
in brunch, calendar, dance, drinks, listing only, little italy, lunch, music, personalities, restaurants and visual art
. 0 Comments

Mother’s Day in Ottawa

Written
by
Katie
on Friday, May 8, 2009
.

Katie and her mommy

Mother’s Day: the ultimate marketing campaign, because even if you know you are being manipulated into buying useless crap, you can’t really object because it’s for your mommy. This year, I find myself separated from my mother dearest, and consequently I’m more than usually susceptible to the holiday’s insidious charm. Since I won’t be able to take my mom out on the town, I’ve decided to do it vicariously by suggesting some activities you can do with yours. I tried to scope out events to please a wide-range of tastes, but feel free to add your suggestions below.

Click to continue reading “Mother’s Day in Ottawa”

Filed
in brunch, calendar, centretown, crafts, local, old ottawa south, sandy hill, shopping, sight & sound, taste, theatre and touch
. 2 Comments

The Best Croissants in Town

Written
by
Katie
on Saturday, February 21, 2009
.
Courtesy of fieldtripp

French Baker Croissants Courtesy of fieldtripp

They’re tasty, flaky and french… kinda like my boyfriend. Add a latte or a cappuccino et Voilà! Instant sophistication. Here’s where to go in Ottawa to get a little taste of Paris.

Click to continue reading “The Best Croissants in Town”

Filed
in best of..., brunch, centretown, glebe and market
. 6 Comments

The Best Two-Egger in Town

Written
by
Katie
on Sunday, December 14, 2008
.
Courtesy of malias on flickr

Courtesy of malias on flickr

It’s the little black dress of breakfast: two eggs, toasts, potatoes. This cheep and easy standby is a favourite of students trying to forget last night and seniors trying to remember the last ten minutes. For those of you left jaded by decadence weekend brunches, try getting back to basics at these downtown(ish) hangouts.

  1. Mayflower – 247 Elgin Street – $3.35
    What the two egg breakfast is all about – the only way to get more bang for the buck is to lay the eggs yourself. Be sure to get a table in the back where the atmosphere is more English pub, less greasy spoon. Hippies beware: The Mayflower is a known conservative hangout.
  2. Bramasole – 428 Bank Street – $5.95
    Time warp back to the 1950s… or at rather to the 2008 hipster version of it. Although its not the best deal in city, the food is good and plentiful and the decor is the cat’s meow.
  3. Ada’s – 510 Bank Street $4.50
    Maybe its the sizzle from the kitchen, or the colourful checkered table clothes, or the waitress in her blue jeans and a T-shirt, but Ada’s is where you go to feel like an Ottawa insider. The meal is cheep and satisfying but, coffee refills are $0.50 a pop! Gasp!
  4. Wild Oat – 819 Bank Street $6.50
    The two-egger with a hippie twist: you pay a little extra for the virtue of Fair Trade Coffee and organic eggs. Go for the Spelt bread and the homemade jam. Conservatives beware: dreadlocked vegan types love spelt bread.

Any other favourites? Add a comment and let me know.

Filed
in best of..., brunch, centretown, golden triangle and taste
. 14 Comments