Once again the food was amazing. This was my first time trying the lamb. I always/ofter have the…read morechicken platter. This was my first time trying the spicy pepper dip. It had a nice kick to it! Size, taste and freshness is what we find at the olive branch. I really want to mention the little attention that Andreas gives his customer really makes you feel at home. I have talked with him on a few occasions. We are regulars... haha. I really liked my lamb but chicken is still my Personal favourite.

We had originally tried The Olive Branch in Manotick during the first week it was open and they…read morewere good, but we didn't feel the need to come back. After hearing some recent reviews on a Manotick Facebook group, we decided to give them another shot almost a year later. We used the online ordering system and our order was ready on time for pick up. I ordered the Lamb Souvlaki Platter ($26.95) and added in the comment section that I wanted the meat to be done medium-rare. It came with two skewers. My wife ordered the Keftedes Platter ($22.95), which she heard from others was really good. Each platter came with Greek rice, medallion potatoes, Greek salad and tzatziki sauce. The rice was a little more plain than we would have hoped, but it improved once we squeezed the provided lemon over top of it ourselves. The medallion potatoes had yummy dry seasoning sprinkled on top. Next time we will ask for more of that dry seasoning in the comments in the online ordering system because it was delicious, but not spread very evenly. The Greek salad was fresh and tasty with a good amount of feta and the dressing was packed on the side. The tzatziki sauce was thick and creamy. We also ordered a Pita Bread ($2) to go with everything. Now let's talk about the meat! Wow! We were impressed with both the Lamb Souvlaki and the Keftedes (4 mini meat patties). All the flavours and spices used were perfect, plus the cook on the meat was very memorable. We kept raving about the meat throughout the meal, savouring every bite. We would easily go back again just for how good the meat was! We're also curious now about how they would handle seafood like their Calamari Platter. The food is slightly more expensive than Cozmo's on Greenbank, but the quantity is fair and the quality is excellent for the meat.

Low prices, good service and great food. Can't recommend enough to anyone in the area.read more

The Short Version: Casual Moroccan restaurant in the Byward…read moreMarket Square building. Food is pre-made and on warming trays so service is quite quick. The Long Version: I believe I have eaten at La Casablanca before but it was many years ago before I was on Yelp. Most recently I got food from here through the Too Good to Go app. (It's an app to reduce food wastage. Restaurants sell leftover/day-old food at a discounted price on the app. The catch is it's a surprise bag so you don't know what you're going to get.) I was on my way home and was walking by the restaurant and noticed they had a surprise bag for sale on the Too Good to Go app for $9.99 and I decided to buy it. The man prepared my meal by scooping various items in the warming trays into a takeout box. I got some chicken skewers, rice, roasted potatoes, cabbage, and a vegetable stew (which consisted of carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli). I seemed to get a few rogue chickpeas too, lol. The food was flavorful and I liked the seasonings on it. I also liked the variety and that I got to try a little bit of different items. I felt it was a satisfactory deal for $9.99. However on the app it did list that the value of the surprise bag was $29.99, which I don't feel is true, lol. For the $10 I paid, I'll rate it as 4 stars. I'd give it half that rating though had I paid $30 for a takeout box of food (mostly vegetables and rice) from warming trays, lol. The restaurant is inside the Byward Market Square building so it's kind of food court-like but each restaurant has its own seating. The vibe is very casual. The man serving me was courteous. A good place for quick casual Moroccan food. Review #233 (2025)

We have been several times and enjoyed it very much. Delicious food and excellent decor, evoking…read moreAlgeria. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I'm celiac and have had no problems after eating there.

Idriss is an Algerian restaurant. I went there to get takeout for my mom and I. Neither of us have…read morehad Algerian food before so we got a few items and shared. Overall, we were very pleased with everything. We got the Mhajeb (2 pieces for $5.99), Beef Bourak (2 pieces for ($4.99), Chicken Bourak (2 pieces for $4.59), a Chicken Sandwich ($8.29), a Beef Sandwich ($8.99), a Mkabez ($3.25) and a Nest Pastry ($3.39). Mhajeb is an Algerian flatbread. It reminded me a bit of the paratha from India. The Mhajeb was filled with onions and tomatoes. It was slightly chewy and I loved the texture. It had a warm cinnamon/nutmeg element to it. I would definitely order this again. The Bourak were like spring rolls. They were filled with ground meat and cream cheese. I would describe them as a cross between an Asian spring roll and a Greek Tiropita. They were crispy and I enjoyed them. The sandwiches were on a long baguette that reminded me of the bread that is used in Vietnamese Banh Mi. Now both Vietnam and Algeria were once French colonies, so I am not too surprised that they would have sandwiches with French influence. The chicken sandwich had grilled chicken breast kabab pieces in it, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and sauce. The beef sandwich had ground beef kabab pieces in it instead of chicken breast, bit otherwise the sandwiches were similar. I enjoyed them, but I will try other items next time. The heart shaped dessert (Mkabez) had a marzipan filling and the icing was rosewater flavoured. It was very sweet. The nest shaped pastry was vermicelli with ground pistachios inside. It was also very sweet. The desserts were very pretty, but too sweet for my tastes. Service was very friendly. I had lots of questions and the lady answered them all and was very patient. I liked that they labelled which Bourak was chicken and which was beef; they did the same for the sandwich. I also like that the receipt is itemized so you can see how much each item costs and also the names of the items. The restaurant is where Cat's Fish and Chips Used to be. It's in a converted house. There is parking at the front and at the back on their private lot. I would love to return to try some other items. I will also be ordering some more Mhajeb :)

We had come here as we were staying in the area from out-of-town, and wanted to try the food, as we…read morehad read excellent reviews. We were happy that we did decide to give this place a try, as it was everything that we had expected, and more! When we walked-in, we were greeted by a young man, that asked if we wanted take-out or dine-in. We chose dine-in however, the restaurant was quite busy at the time so, we had to be seated at a table near the front entrance. Upon sitting, we noticed the iPad that was on the table for ordering. We were also given paper menus to look at, which was easier. Once we had placed our orders, we waited only about ten minutes for our salads to arrive, along with the hummus and pita bread. The salads were absolutely amazing; the bowls were filled to the brim with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, and feta cheese. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasty, and that dressing, WOW; it was delicious! It tied the salad in so well, it was the best salad we had ever tried at a Greek restaurant. The hummus was also delicious, with heated-up pita bread creating the finishing touches. This hummus was definitely homemade, and marvellous! We even asked for an additional pita, as the one we had wasn't enough for the four of us. This appetizer was definitely a great start! Once our main meals arrived, we were pleasantly surprised at how large the portions were. And the homemade sauce on top of the rice was wonderful; I don't know how they made the sauce, but it was perfect with the rice. The chicken was tender, with the tzatziki sauce not being needed often due to the tenderness. The potatoes were huge, and deliciously spiced. The meal was massive, and we couldn't finish it all; definitely worth what we had paid for! Throughout the entire meal, the server checked on us, bringing us water when we had asked, and making sure we were well taken care of. As we were leaving, the owner/chef asked where we were visiting from, and if we enjoyed the food. This place was hands-down the best Greek restaurant that we've ever been to; down to earth family-owned, amazing food, and great hospitality. Will definitely be back, and would recommend that you all try it as well; you won't be disappointed!

I was looking for a good Mediterranean food restaurant outside downtown to avoid the traffic and…read moreexpensive parking... This restaurant did it. It's located in a small strip and sometimes it takes time to find parking but not bad at all. The food is really good and fresh... You can feel the flavor of the marination and cook in the grill. The plate that I would go back for?.... The pork souvlaki and the excelent garlicky hummus. The service is super friendly and the chef will always ask if everything was as a good as we expected. The atmosphere is simple but practical and confortable. I've been here 3 times and I think I will go back everytime I come back to Ottawa.

Delicious food, beautiful interior & lovely customer service! We ordered the calamari, seafood…read morepasta & chocolate torte. It was nice of them to exclude clams for the seafood pasta upon request. Calamari was delicious, seafood pasta was creamy and delicious, chocolate torte was delicious I love how cherry reduction cut out richness as it was very rich!

Mati is a great spot for dinner or lunch. Everything on that menu is delish. I highly recommend…read moregoing there if you're just looking for casual drinks or a nice dinner date. Great service all around and it never disappoints.

We came here during a girls' bachelorette weekend that happened to fall on Valentine's Day, and it…read morecould not have been a better choice! The restaurant has such a cozy, welcoming vibe -- perfect for celebrating something special without feeling overly formal. The service was amazing and incredibly speedy, even on such a busy night. The staff made us feel so taken care of from the moment we walked in, and the welcome shot they offered was such a thoughtful, fun touch that really set the tone for the evening. We loved the fixed menu options -- it made ordering easy for a group, and everyone genuinely enjoyed their dishes. The presentation was beautiful across the board. The seafood boil was a standout and an absolute must-order. The grilled halloumi was perfectly charred and seasoned -- hands down one of the best I've had. And the souvlaki options were such a fun experience, served on little fire stands that made the table feel extra festive. If you're looking for a spot that delivers on atmosphere, flavor, and great service -- especially for a celebration -- I'd highly recommend this place!

Dinner here was a treat.. let me begin on how cute and cozy this restaurant is, nothing fancy but…read morelooks nice and welcoming. Our server was very poolside and helpful. To begin with, she agreed very happily to move our table to another spot. Then she helped us navigate through the menu! We started with virgin mojitos, they were ok , a little bitter. For appetizers we had the Fatoush and the kataifi shrimp both were very flavourful . I absolutely loved the lemon dip that came with the shrimp! We got their grill for mains, we mixed things up with chicken, meat and kafta.. kafta was our least favourite a little chewy but the 2 others very juicy and tender, presentation was fun! For dessert we tried their crème brûlée which was a nice ending ! It was our first visit and now looking forward for the next one!

I had a really great experience here--I was warmly welcomed as a new customer and walked through…read morethe process of making my custom pita wrap. Each wrap can have 2 spreads, 1-2 proteins, 6 toppings, and 2 sauces. I opted for 1 protein (lamb meatballs) and not adding 6 toppings. They were pretty generous, and I don't know how I would have held it! For the spreads and proteins, I was proactively given a spiciness level out of 10. That was super helpful for choosing what I might like (4 out of 10 on the lamb meatballs was good for me). Checkout was quick and easy. I came back up after consuming my wrap and asked for the baklava cheesecake. It was in the fridge and accessible like the beverages. The cheesecake honestly wasn't as special as I had hoped, but it was still good. I decided to set up shop and work on my laptop for a while. There are two seating options: countertop and booths. It's a little cozy, but I could still choose where I wanted to sit. The booths and tables/counters are made of real wood, and the grain gives it a texture. The seat wasn't super comfortable, but it sufficed for the couple hours that I stayed.

The food was delicious. The sauce was extremely flavourful. The staff was kind and the service was…read morequick.