Ottawa food producers deliver a taste of Easter

Taste of Ottawa’s Easter edition will be held this weekend at 430 Churchill Avenue.

Nicola Maule is a local writer who is always looking for new events that bring excitement to Ottawa.

A couple of years ago I decided I was going to start trying to live my life a little more green. This included riding my bike to work more than once a month (in the summer), improving my compost recycling habits and eating locally-produced food more often.

Well, guess which one I excelled at? Hands down: Eating local!

Eating locally produced food is getting so much easier in Ottawa with all the new local artisan food producers making delicious everyday items like honey, chocolate, baked goods, coffee, salsas, and chutneys — to name a few.

Farmers’ markets have popped up all over the city, however, in the cooler weather it is sometimes harder to find the local products we love. Well this weekend is an exception! To help you shop for all the Easter essentials, stop by the first annual Taste of Ottawa- Westboro Easter Food Market on Saturday March 23^rd at 430 Churchill Ave. at Byron between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

 This Easter market will feature 18 of Ottawa’s local artisan food vendors selling hot cross buns, gluten free treats, gourmet teas, organic pork from Pork of Yore, ganache-filled chocolate eggs from Koko Chocolates and dark and milk chocolate bunnies from the Hearty Bakery.

Koko Chocolates: ganache filled eggs with flavours of spring mint, lemon lavender, plum star anise and caramel.

 A special appearance will also be made by Major Craig’s Black Garlic.  

Major Craig’s Canadian Black Garlic

Be among the first to try it in Ottawa! Black garlic is made from fermenting and aging regular garlic for around 45 days. The process started in Korea, and has now become a popular method of achieving a unique flavour. Black garlic is said to have a sweet and rich molasses- like flavour with balsamic, caramel, fennel, and licorice undertones.

The Snell House Creamy Garlic salad dressing is the product that turned my kids into salad eaters and they can’t get enough of it. Also, be sure to come hungry and stop by the Relish The Flavour food truck which will be serving a delicious fresh lunch on-site. Come and see why food trucks are no longer just for poutine and hot dog lovers! Also, you can try out some of the newest gadgets from Kitchenalia.

Entrance to the Westboro Easter Food Market is free and there is plenty of free parking. Donations will be collected for the Westboro Region Food Bank.

 For more information you can visit www.osfa.ca or follow on twitter @Taste_of_Ottawa.

 The sponsors for the event are Diane and Jen – brokers from Royal LePage, Givopoly- online concierge gift service, Kitchenalia- Westboro kitchen store and Sheri Creese – broker from Mortgage Brokers Ottawa.

 Bon appétit!

Ottawa’s newest restaurant Gezellig opens today

Gezellig is located at 337 Richmond Road.

Sometimes we feel a little spoiled. 

On Friday, a group of Local Tourists were absolutely delighted to be invited to the pre-opening party for Gezellig – entrepreneur Stephen Beckta’s brand new restaurant. 

If you’re a fan of Play Food & Wine (as we are) or Beckta (also delicious) you’re probably already trying to get a reservation at Gezellig – and we can wholeheartedly tell you that it is absolutely worth a pop by.

Wondering what’s on the menu?

Click for a bigger glimpse.

We tasted the beef tartare, squash risotto, Alberta strip loin, seafood chowder, chicken salad roll, mussels, and probably the greatest dessert ever tasted by a human being – some sort of chocolate, peanut butter, caramel….piece of heaven.

It was fantastic to be welcomed into the kitchen to chat with executive chef Michael Moffat and chef de cuisine Che Chartrand: offering up this behind-the-scenes glimpse was a really special touch.  

The staff – and there’s no surprise here – were also fantastic; all night we felt like we were chatting with great friends.

Inside Gezellig (this used to be a bank!)

So!

A formal review will come once we get our butts over for the full experience, but in the meantime if you’d like a closer look at the food..head on over to Ron Eade’s blog at the Ottawa Citizen. 

Thanks again for inviting us to this wonderful launch, Gezellig!

Gezellig officially opens for dinner today, October 22. The resto will begin offering lunch on October 29, and brunch (Ottawa’s most important meal of the day) begins November 3.  

Let us know what you think!

A moving feast: Mellos Pop-Up to serve its last dishes tonight

Amy (Twitter) is one of the co-creators of Local Tourist Ottawa, moving to the city nearly a decade ago to attend Carleton University. Originally hailing from a small town in southwestern Ontario, she loves everything about Ottawa, from the buzz of Parliament Hill to Dalhousie’s local shopping and the thriving food scene.

Chef Matthew Carmichael launched a pop-up restaurant at the iconic Mellos Diner on Dalhousie Street in late June.

Ottawa’s food scene has been holding its own for awhile now, shaking awake the palates of what most people call a sleepy government town. But down in the heart of the Market — on Dalhousie Street — the city’s first pop-up restaurant is about to end a food experience that’s been truly novel. The Mellos Pop-Up Restaurant will serve its last plates to in-the-know foodies tonight.

The concept of a pop-up restaurant is just as it sounds: A restaurant ‘pops up’ in a temporary space to surprise and delight local eaters for a short period of time before vanishing without a trace. For the chefs, it offers a new challenge and different environment to stimulate a bit of culinary creativity. (Canada’s best-known pop-up, arguably, is Toronto’s La Carnita, a roving taco stand first appearing last summer that gave hungry fans mere minutes of notice via Twitter. La Carnita has proven so successful over the past year that the restaurant now has a permanent space on College Street.)

Chef Carmichael prepares dishes behind Mellos cramped counter. (Photo credit: The Mellos Pop-up Facebook page)

The Mellos Pop-Up is the brainschild of Matthew Carmichael, one of the city’s most-celebrated chefs who was formerly heading the kitchens at 18teen, Social and Sidedoor. After leaving those posts in early May, the Mellos concept ‘popped up’ just six weeks later, at the end of June. And every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (and sometimes Wednesday) for the past month, Chef Carmichael and his team of local chefs and servers have been cranking out quality food using Mello’s cramped, open-space kitchen, essentially consisting of  a flat-top grill,  a gas range and a couple of deep fryers.

If you’re a true Ottawan, you’ve been to Mellos before — the Dalhousie greasy spoon diner that Rick Mercer has previously called his favourite restaurant in our nation’s capital. Mellos has been an institution for the past 60-plus years, complete with its mirrored walls, tight booths, swivel stools and faded formica countertops. And, oh yes, its cheap, always-available breakfast and co-owner/server Leisa who calls everyone ‘dear.’

Carmichael’s pop-up obviously has amped up the menu, but the relaxed, come-as-you-are atmosphere remains the same, which is possibly the best part of the whole set-up. Amazing food in a somewhat dingy diner is more awesome than oxymoron … It’s a bit of a magical. And for those that have sought out the unconventional space, the food is what should be taking centre stage, anyway.

Tuna sashimi with diakon and yuzu ponzu

Malpeque oysters

Shrimp dumplings with freshwater chestnut

The entire team works together to crank out food at an alarming pace: Showing up for the 6 pm seating last night, the first dishes were leaving the kitchen with 5 minutes. I suggest grabbing a seat at the counter, so you can watch the four-person team of chefs prep, cook, plate and present each dish … Mellos is a tight squeeze, so the chef’s pass is essentially the diner’s countertop. Plus, you can chitchat with the chefs will you wait — something not offered by the average restaurant.

The menu is simple but universally appealing: Fish tacos, shrimp dumplings, tuna sashimi, tomato salad, steak frites and two types of pasta. There is also cocktails, five wine options and two specials: oysters and a pork-shank grilled cheese. I was a little disappointed to miss out on Chef Carmichael’s curry, which has been on the menu over the Mellos Pop-up’s month-long run, but the tacos more than made up for it.

Black tomato and mozzarella salad

Steak frites with peppercorn sauce

Wild Coho salmon taco

If you can make it down to Mellos tonight — which is highly suggested — the tacos are a must-have. They also perfectly represent pop-up execution. Using only about a foot of counterspace, the tasty tacos are assembled in mere minutes. The pre-portioned fish is dipped in batter, deep-fried for a couple of minutes, and placed in a torilla topped with jalapenos, guacamole, spicy mayo, cilantro, purple cabbage and shaved radish. Quick, dirty and beyond delicious.

With tonight being the last night, you can expect that the line-up for the last Mellos Pop-up will start early: The space only holds about 35 people and there are two seatings, at 6 pm and 8 pm. The price point might seem a bit high based on the ‘quick and dirty’ descriptions offered above, but I assure you, the experience is worth every penny. My bill for two apps, a cocktail and dessert came to just under $40, so it won’t break the bank. Something to keep in mind: Cash only.

After the doors close on the Mellos Pop-Up tonight, I can’t wait to see what Chef Carmichael will do next … Or if there are others in Ottawa willing to follow in his footsteps with another pop-up.

And for the true foodies out there, Chef Carmichael is the guest speaker at this Friday’s Creative Mornings, a new monthly breakfast series for which only a handful of tickets remain. Details here.

Tasting gourmet pizza across the National Capital Region: Geneviève Brisson visits Dantessa

Geneviève Brisson (Twitter) is a master’s student in communication at the University of Ottawa, working on a thesis on gastronomic tourism. An Ottawa native, she has an appetite for discovering everything the National Capital Region has to offer, especially its burgeoning food scene.

I had been meaning to pay Dantessa Italian Restaurant & Bar a visit for a while now, and an online voucher promotion was the little push I needed to finally make my way over to try their pizza.

My boyfriend and I had made a reservation for a Friday night this past January, but realized upon our arrival that it had been unnecessary, as the restaurant was only about a third full. (Perhaps the location is to blame? While Dantessa is situated in the Golden Triangle, it is a block off Elgin Street with its many restaurants.)

As we found out, the restaurant and the adjoining hotel share the use of the washrooms, which may explain why Dantessa serves breakfast and lunch in additional to dinner. Dantessa’s dinner menu is quite extensive, featuring a large variety of pizza, pasta and meat entrées as well as appetizers and desserts.

After some deliberation, we started with the calamari alla grigli, grilled calamari with market greens, which was listed on the menu as a house specialty.

I found the calamari too tough, and it also left me wanting in terms of taste; blobs of tangy pesto on the plate helped to liven up its flavour. The salad, on the other hand, was crisp and fresh, and nicely dressed in its simplicity.

Grilled calamari

For our entrées, we naturally gravitated towards the pizzas. There are two styles of pizza on offer, and we went with the Old World thin crust pizzas without hesitation, after seeing that the New World medium crust ones were limited to your typical takeout pizza toppings. The individual-size thin crust pizzas range in price from $11 to $15, and can be made on gluten free dough for those with a sensitivity.

I chose the Napoli pizza, which was dressed with tomato sauce, pesto, roasted red peppers, artichokes, grilled Portobello mushrooms, Fontina cheese, and fresh basil. It was delicious! The flavours were in harmony, the toppings of good quality, and the mushrooms and artichokes exceptionally tender and meaty.

Napoli pizza

My boyfriend, going for the obligatory meat, went with the Siciliana with its tomato sauce, pepperoni, smoked prosciutto, Bocconcini cheese, sundried tomatoes and spinach. Again, it was absolutely delicious. I don’t think I would have changed much about that pie.

Siciliana pizza

The pizza crusts were thin and nicely crisp throughout, with barely-there edges as the toppings spread almost to the extremities of the circle of dough. Both pizzas had been dusted with fresh Parmesan cheese – a nice touch.

From a wine list populated with international choices, but necessarily heavy on the Italian options, we opted for the good value house red wine, a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It was perfectly pleasant, and a nice accompaniment to the pizzas.

To end the meal, since I am almost unable to resist a little something sweet, we decided to order a dessert. We split the housemade tiramisu, which was delightfully light and creamy, if a little lacking in the presentation department.

Tiramisu

Service at the restaurant was welcoming and courteous, although a little uneven at times, our order having to be reconfirmed by the staff on a few occasions during the evening for instance.

The large restaurant space is classy, and offers a good variety of seating arrangements, from small and large booths, intimate tables, large tables for groups, and seats at the bar.

The next time you venture in the direction of Elgin Street, consider walking a block east towards Dantessa if you are in the mood for a quiet dinner over delicious pizza and wine.

We love your reviews Gen, thank you so much for sharing!

Introducing… Ottawa’s Locavore Artisan Food Fair!

Nicola Maule is an event planner who is always trying to bring a bit more excitement to Ottawa.

In recent years I have been struggling with the overwhelming commercialization of Christmas. Everywhere I turn, I feel as though I am bombarded with ads for new technology gadgets and latest toys.  This year, my eight year old’s letter to Santa this year  consisted only of items that started with an “i”! 

http://www.ottawalaff.ca

So instead of hunting for the latest electronics, I have been cruising the local craft shows for items that have been made with love and care for my loved ones.

So, I can recommend to you one fair that is not to be missed this December – the Ottawa Locavore Artisan Food Fair. On Saturday December 10^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 26 of Ottawa’s finest artisan food producers will be gathered at Memorial Hall at 39 Dufferin Rd. in New Edinburgh (part of the new Crichton Cultural Community Centre).

The locally made gourmet products will include cookies, pies, breads, macaroons, tortieres, teas, coffees, jams, chutneys, marinades, salsa, olive oils, granola, cheeses, soups, chocolates, ice creams, mustards, take home meals and gluten free baking – all wonderful gifts that will also reduce the stress of your holiday cooking and shopping.

Wood-fired pizza from The Flatbread Pizza Company (Photo Credit: Gen Brisson)

There will be lots of sampling of the products and the on-site café will be serving delicious soups all day long and The Flatbread Pizza Company will have their wood burning oven outside the hall making irresistible pizza that will make you dream of Italy!

Some of Ottawa’s well known food artisans that will be there such as Life of Pie, Pascale’s Ice Cream, Art-is-in Bakery and Rochef Chocolatier. Just think you can get all your holiday shopping done in one day, in one place and know that you are supporting the local Ottawa food scene.

Also, you can be sure that your taste buds will thank you too!

Admission to the fair is free and there will be a silent auction at the fair with products donated by the vendors. The proceeds will go to the School Breakfast Program which feeds 11,000 children in Ottawa every day.

Thanks Nicola! For more information visit: www.ottawaLAFF.ca.

Mangia! Gen goes dishcrawling on Corso Italia

The latest Dishcrawl took place on Preston's Little Italy

Geneviève Brisson (Twitter) is a master’s student in communication at the University of Ottawa, working on a thesis on gastronomic tourism. An Ottawa native, she has an appetite for discovering everything the National Capital Region has to offer, especially its burgeoning food scene. 

Here at Local Tourist Ottawa, we love discovering our city’s food establishments. And so, naturally, we love our Dishcrawls.

Since June of this year, when the very first one was held in Ottawa, Dishcrawls have become so popular with foodies here that the latest one, in the Little Italy neighbourhood, sold out within a few hours. In fact, there was so much demand for this event that the organizers decided to do a repeat of it a week later.

I had jumped at the chance to crawl Preston Street, in part hoping to savour some gourmet pizza. Alas, there was none to be had that evening, but I was certainly not disappointed after having tasted the many other Italian-inspired dishes that were in store for us.

Our meeting spot, emailed to us a couple of days before the event, was Allegro Ristorante, a Corso Italia establishment for about 20 years. While Dishcrawl participants usually meet outdoors (so as not to spoil any surprises regarding locations to be visited), the organizers had us meet at the first restaurant due to the cooler temperatures. Good thinking, given that last Tuesday was a very chilly night. The cozy second-floor room of Allegro became packed shortly after my friend and I arrived, what with approximately 50 eager dishcrawlers squished in. Nevertheless, people were chatting away, eagerly awaiting the official start of the crawl.

After a brief introduction by the organizers, Allegro’s owner presented plates of his restaurant’s most popular hot and cold appetizers: fried calamari and zucchini; prosciutto, provolone and melon slices; marinated vegetables; and, sausage bites. The sausage, nicely spiced, was the standout for me. With the food served buffet style, we helped ourselves, and I made sure to leave enough room for the numerous plates I knew were still to come.

Appetizers at Allegro Ristorante

Dishcrawl participants then left in two cohorts, my group leaving with our enthusiastic guide Sarah.

In spite of the cold outside, the atmosphere on charming Preston Street felt festive and inviting, lined as it was with small tree decorated with white lights. It provided a nice backdrop as we explored this neighbourhood’s food.

As we headed north up Preston Street, my anticipation mounted until we reached DiVino Wine Studio. I was ecstatic, having wanted to try this place for a while! We entered the attractive space, passing a wine rack covering an entire wall to our right, and settled in a private room at the back of the establishment. The sommelier spoke to us about DiVino: more than just a restaurant, it also offers room rentals for events, cooking classes, seminars, and even culinary tours of Italy.

We were then taught how to taste our olive oil using a piece of bread before small plates arrived. First came a tuna tartare with greens, orange aioli and crostini, followed by gnocchi in a tomato sauce. The tuna was fresh and delicate, and the gnocchi – all pillowy goodness and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness – was like none other I had ever had before.

Tuna tartare at DiVino Wine Studio

Gnocchi at DiVino Wine Studio

We crossed path with the other group on our way to our third restaurant of the night: Il Primo. There, we were greeted warmly by the owner, and then served a single plate with multiple components: a Ceasar salad topped with a garlic crouton, bocconcini and fig wrapped in prosciutto, a piece of breaded chicken with a pesto-like sauce, and a roasted potato with rosemary. It was satisfying and hearty food.

Mixed plate at Il Primo

As we left for our last stop, I found myself almost wishing that it was far down the street, since I think we all could have used the walk to digest a bit at this point! We walked into La Roma for dessert. There we were given an olive oil and orange cake, accompanied by a scoop of olive oil ice cream with a balsamic drizzle. Innovative and delightful, it was a great way to finish the evening.

Dessert at La Roma

Upon leaving the restaurant and bidding adieu to our guide and our new friends, we were given a little surprise treat: macarons from the new Macarons et Madeleines. I had tried macarons a couple of times in the past, but absolutely nothing compared to these ones. I had a raspberry and a chocolate one, both filled with a mix of jam and buttercream. They were so fresh and soft – simply divine. I am still dreaming about them.

Treat from Macarons et Madeleines

The four restaurants, plus the French pastry shop, featured during this Dishcrawl of Little Italy Dishcrawl were all new discoveries for me. I will return soon, Preston Street. Ciao!

Dishcrawl Ottawa is hosted a SOLD-OUT repeat event on Preston Street tonight, but keep your eyes peeled for the next event — coming soon to a community near you!

Cuban comfort food as the snow flies: Yuko finds big flavour at a small price with Havana Cafe

Yuko Inoue (blog) came to Ottawa from Japan one year ago to study at Carleton University. After a summer serving as photo editor of The Charlatan, Carleton’s student newspaper, she’s now starting her second year of journalism. In her spare time, Yuko likes art, live music and exploring the city’s food scene. 

Snow finally fell in parts of Ottawa on Thursday — but, meanwhile, I was drinking lemonade and waiting for a hot sandwich inspired by the country Canadians escape to during the winter: Cuba. 

Nestled into a little stretch of shops in Old Ottawa South, I came face-to-face with Havana Cafe‘s “Cuban Club.” Let me explain my first date with him: 

The Cuban Club from Havana Cafe

Tender grilled chicken, lightly flavoured with pepper and cilantro jumped into my mouth, dancing in harmony with caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato and a bit of mayo. Both sides of the bread were crunchy, while the bread inside absorbed the juice from the chicken and veggies. I nearly burnt my tongue, but couldn’t stop from hastily munching on it as soon as it arrived.

But perhaps the best perk was the price: $5.65 — WITH taxes and a lemonade thrown in. Way to go when living a student life. (Even better, considering that Havana Cafe is within walking distance to Carleton University.)  

Another option is the Cuban wrap with rice and beans, grilled veggies and Yucca chips (fried Cuban root vegetable that is something between sweet potato and potato). Once you know and trust Havana Cafe’s sensitivity in flavouring food, I would definitely recommend this $10 plate.

 

The Cuban Wrap from Havana Cafe

Old Ottawa South — “between the bridges” — is a neighbourhood that’s growing quickly. With the recent arrival of great spots like Taylor’s Food & Wine and Stella Luna Gelato Cafe, it’s easy to spend an afternoon walking the sloping streets and perusing the shops. 

On a wall instead Havana Cafe was a (typical) Cuban photo of both the young and old sitting in front of a porch, smiling, as a big, happy family. And it seems to be an attitude that carried over to the cafe’s staff, too. “Smile,” said one staff member, taking a photo of a family that came for a take-out order. Looks like they’ve brought the Cuban flavour, and haven’t lost the energy yet either.

While this will be Havana Cafe’s second winter to go through in Ottawa, like me, they recently renovated the lower floor for cocktail parties, birthdays and meetings. The vibe is private, yet friendly. Another great perk is that people can order meals that are not in the menu, as long as they are Cuban. The menu offers a suggestion: “Backyard pig roast.”

So instead of splurging on a $500 flight to escape the Ottawa winter, why not hop on an bus and come over for some Cuban comfort? And all for $5. 

Havana Cafee is located at 1200 Bank St in Old Ottawa South, and can be reached at 613-733-1200 or via havanacafeandcatering@gmail.com

Thanks for the winter-friendly food tip, Yuko! Great to know as the temperature drops!

The Ottawa Foodie Challenge: a delicious day for an excellent cause

Carolynn Lacasse is a 24-year-old marketing manager at SWIX. She’s also the founder and director of the Ottawa Foodie Challenge, a coffee addict, fashion enthusiast, rookie foodie and token geek.

We asked Carolynn to tell us a little more about a delicious upcoming event – the second annual Ottawa Foodie Challenge happening on Sunday, November 13. 

How did the Ottawa Foodie Challenge get started?

Click the picture to visit the Ottawa Foodie Challenge website!

The Ottawa Foodie Challenge (OFC) actually took its inspiration from another blogger: Adam Roberts of the Amateur Gourmet Blog. Adam is an uber-hilarious, New York City law student turned food reporter and blogger and ran an event similar to OFC called the New York Foodie Photo Challenge. I am an avid reader of his blog and read about the event and thought ‘THIS IS AWESOME.’ Ottawa isn’t as big as New York and might not have the same amount of “notorious” restaurants, but what I do know about this city is that its food community is PASSIONATE. What better way to celebrate what Ottawa has to offer then to run a similar challenge?

The Ottawa Foodie Challenge organizers: (l-r) Carolynn Lacasse, Kyle Braatz, Larissa Beznaczuk-Smyrnew and Matt Richling

Who else is helping you organize the challenge?

I enlisted a group of my close friends, all of whom bring different expertise to the table. Our team consists of Larissa Beznaczuk-Smyrnew, currently the catering manager of Essence Catering; Kyle Braatz, the CEO of Netgen, a local web design firm and a local philanthropist (Kyle biked across Canada to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society in 2009); and Matt Richling, a real estate agent with a passion for the community as well. We all pitched in to make the event work for its first go in 2010.

Why did you want to get involved?

What we wanted to do with the Ottawa Foodie Challenge was different than what Adam’s event did in New York. We wanted the OFC to bring to light something that most foodies might not think about when they are about to dig into their tasty meals. The Ottawa Food Bank provides emergency food to 43,000 people a month in our city and a whopping 35 per cent of those people are children. We thought we could help fight community hunger by enlisting those who are most passionate about food to help the cause. That’s why our event is run completely on sponsorships and donations; so we could donate 100 per cent of the money we raise to the Ottawa Food Bank.

The website says the challenge is like a scavenger hunt. How exactly does it work?

Two participants in front of one of last year's foodie destinations

This is how it all comes together. On the morning of the Ottawa Foodie Challenge, a list of 40 clues will be released on our blog. The clues will ask teams to venture to different Ottawa eateries, shops and other fun foodie destinations where they will perform different tasks. It’s the job of the participants to capture the completion of each clue with a photo. Each clue completion is associated with a different number of points. The team with the most points at the end of the day wins the challenge and the prize. There are a few catches though – not all the clues are worth the same number of points, and some tasks are more difficult to accomplish than others. You could win the challenge by collecting the highest number of points, but not necessarily completing all clues.

What were some of the fun tasks participants had to complete as part of last year’s challenge?

A participant from last year's challenge riding the Serious Cheese Beemster Cow

We have to admit, half the fun of running last year’s challenge was going through all the photos. Ottawa’s foodies are adventurous and creative, and some teams went above and beyond what we had imagined when snapping photos. Last year teams where asked to climb on the Beemster Cow at Serious Cheese, shuck an oyster somewhere that wasn’t at home and track down some of Ottawa’s finest chefs. The results were amazing!

What have you discovered about the Ottawa food community through your involvement with planning the Foodie Challenge?

I’ve discovered that our food community has an obsession for any new. Last year was our inaugural year and gastronomes that we had never met before were signing up to participate. The organizing team was shocked at the amount of sign-ups we received for our first year out of the gates. Food fanatics are always into trying plates they’ve never had before and exploring restaurants they’ve never visited. The same goes with trying new experiences – they are up for any new challenge.

Where can people go to find out more information about the foodie challenge?

If you want to find out more about the Ottawa Foodie Challenge visit our website, follow us on Twitter, check out our blog or like our Facebook Page!

We loved last year’s photos so much that we thought we would share a few more with you…

Thanks for the information, Carolynn. I can’t wait to participate in this year’s challenge with my food-loving roommate!

You can still sign-up to take part in the Ottawa Foodie Challenge – it’s easy, just visit their website. May the best foodie win!

Harvest Noir, Take II: Fiona finds it a great chance for the city to shine, if a bit hectic

Inside the Grand Hall of the Museum of Civilization for Harvest Noir

Fiona Tapp is a British Elementary School Teacher, who has called Ottawa home for the past 5 years. As a native Londoner, she tries to explore and enjoy Ottawa as a tourist, and so far is pretty impressed with this “tiny but brilliant” city!

I often scour the “cool kids’” Facebook pages to scoop out all the fabulous happenings in our little city, and a few weekends ago I happened upon Harvest Noir. (The cool kids are basically just friends of mine that I am in awe of!) So when an opportunity came up to eat a picnic en masse dressed in your finest, followed by a party afterwards, it sounded too good to be true.

Local Tourist Fiona Tapp (right) with friends at Harvest Noir

Slowly the anticipation built: I “liked” their Facebook page, saw articles in the Citizen and even here on LTO. I then decided that it was something I needed to be a part of. After recruiting some equally adventurous ladies, co-ordinating our picnics and outfits, we made our way to the secret location, which turned out to be the Museum of Civilization — one of my favourite places in Ottawa, as it turns out.

I chose an ensemble of a floor-length black velvet dress, jewelled bolero, black fake fur coat and black patent rubber boots — not to mention my peacock-feather fascinator, My friends were dressed beautifully and everyone really took the dress code seriously. It felt almost clandestine, spotting other folks dressed completely in black and following them along a path to our assigned meeting place.

We sat down next to a lovely, humorous trio, who treated our obnoxious cackling and dirty jokes with real aplomb and warm welcome. After setting up our table places with real china, glasses, silverware and some black roses, and unpacking our picnic of portabello mushroom quiche, caramelized sweet potato pasta salad, bread and veggies and a dessert of marshmallows and chocolate fondue, we tucked in, purchasing a rather expensive bottle of wine to accompany our meal.

Huddled up when the rain (briefly) hit Harvest Noir

The weather lurched between compromising chilly but bright, and mocking severe winds that launched hats and candlesticks into the air. A few showers did not deter us picnic diehards and a sea of umbrellas sprang up over the tables. After the picnic portion was over, we were supposed to parade together following the marching band into the museum, however it had become very chilly and some lacklustre organization meant that the band left without most of the guests. It also seemed that sparklers were given out to some guests — but not all, which created a little “ahhh no fair” mentality amongst my group. The loud speakers were not working well, and we couldn’t hear the organizers, which added a bit to the sense of disorganization.

Once inside we warmed up and deposited our coats and picnic baskets and swapped rubber boots for dancing shoes. The party was held in the museum’s Grand Hall and the lights beautifully illuminated the massive totem poles. The space was quite captivating and the excitement was palpable. The music started off very promising with an eclectic mix of Sinatra and the Scissor Sisters, and then we watched a very talented lady spinning around in a giant hula hoop. I had expected for the $42 ticket price to see more performers.

Fiona's dining companions at Harvest Noir

For some reason they had a system where by you had to line up for a ticket and then line up at the bar to exchange your ticket for a drink, this may have been to slow the consumption of alcohol but the clientele was quite a sophisticated bunch and this measure seemed unnecessary, especially as it meant I waited almost 40 minutes for one gin and tonic!

The organizers then took to the stage to congratulate us for all coming out, and a fashion show of sorts took place, as well as prizes being awarded to the best decorated table and the guest who recruited the most people.

After this, the DJ began his set and this is the only time my group really felt the event hit a low point. The same bass continued through multiple seemingly different songs, which gave the feeling of an annoying hammering rather than music and for some unknown reason the vocals were incredibly high pitched. Also the songs were unfamiliar to everyone I asked and only a handful of people danced; it’s a real shame they didn’t keep to music that’s more universally enjoyed. However after an hour or so of this, my group left — so who’s to say the music didn’t improve after our departure. We finished the night with a trip to Bridgehead and a delicious latte.

On reflection, I felt Harvest Noir was a fabulous idea that was executed quite well, the picnic portion of the evening was especially enjoyable, I would return in future years, hopefully some of the teething problems would have been worked through.

One of the goals was to dispute the recent tag that Ottawa was the eighth-worst dressed city in the world, and looking around at the beautiful outfits and creative headdresses, jewellery and hats that myth was challenged in style!

Thanks for your description, Fiona! For some great shots of the night, check out the Ottawa Citizen’s photo gallery.

Suave, secret and a success: Ottawa proves it’s cool with pop-up picnic Harvest Noir

About 750 people turned out for Ottawa's first 'pop-up picnic' on Saturday

Amy (Twitter) is one of the co-creators of Local Tourist Ottawa who moved to the city more than eight years ago to attend Carleton University. Originally hailing from a small town in southwestern Ontario, she loves everything about Ottawa, from the buzz of Parliament Hill to Dalhousie’s local shopping and the thriving food scene.

For those of you who missed this past weekend’s ‘secret’ Harvest Noir picnic, a picture can tell 1,000 words.

Some of my dining companions at Harvest Noir

Inspired by the trend of the pop-up picnic that’s taken a number of global cities by storm — think Berlin, Paris, New York and Montreal — Ottawa hosted its own version of the foodie phenomenon on Saturday evening, which saw 750 people decked out in their finest black clothing descend about the Museum of Civilization for Harvest Noir. (While the food-focused movement traditionally features a white dress code, it’s nice to see that Ottawa did things a little different.)

My dining companion, Jane

Confused by the conception of a ‘secret’ picnic? Basically, it was a “Destination Unknown” event described as “Ottawa’s secret picnic feast & black tie dance party.” Those wishing to attend Harvest Noir would sign up online for the $42 ticket and were told to:

• Dress their best in black
• Stock a picnic basket filled with local food
• Bring along your own plates, cutlery and white tablecloth

Harvest Noir’s organizers took care of the rest — namely the tables, venue and entertainment (a band, a DJ and Cirque-style performers). While guests knew the festivities would get underway at 4 pm on Saturday, we weren’t given an address until noon that day. We were only promised that the venue would be ‘architecturally stunning’ — which it was.

Still not sure what I’m talking about? Check out this video that the Ottawa Citizen’s Ron Eade put together:

Organizer Greg Serle said Harvest Noir’s attendance exceeded his expectations and he made it no secret that he plans on organizing another event next year — potentially earlier in the year as the weather wasn’t cooperative. Still, when the rain came out, everyone, it seemed, had an umbrella on hand. And very few packed it in as a result — there was just too much fun to be had.

Why should a little rain stop us?

Still, Harvest Noir was a testament to the fact that Ottawa really can be hip and happening, in spite of the stuffy reputation the city often has. The level of commitment by the guests was evident in the effort put into the dress (think top hats and ballgowns), the food (I spotted amazing spreads of roasted lamb, tortiere, cheese plates and pies) and perseverance through the rain. Guests were arranged at long tables sitting 80-100 people each, creating this cool sense of camaraderie amongst neighbours. Everyone was freely sharing and chatting with those next to them — whether they knew them or not.

The dance party took place inside the Museum of Civilization's Grand Hall

While the choice of the Musuem of Civilization was certainly visually stunning, I personally would’ve like to see Harvest Noir take place in a more pedestrian-friendly location so as to have an effect similar to that of a flash mob. When eating, we were tucked away behind the museum in a flat area that few would tread unless specifically seeking out the spot.

Still, I would call Harvest Noir a smash success — I overhead many of us whispering about the impressive picnics packed and outfits donned; we were clearly all planning for how we could top ourselves next year.