Town is a little gem in the downtown area. It is a great spot for drinks, tapas, and dinner. The service I received at dinner was amazing. Server was personable and very knowledgeable of the menu. What she recommended to have was delicious. The olives wrapped in sausage was mouthwatering. My meal, which included pork belly and quail was outstanding. Although the decor and style of the restaurant is unique and stylish, it is quite cramped for space. But it doesn't take away from the experience too much. If you haven't been to Town, you have to check it out. read more

Town - Pork belly and quail. - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

So freakin good. This has been on my list for some time. Happy to get it checked off. Decor is comfortable and interesting without being fussy. Art on the wall is all interesting. I loved the hand! Our servers were amazing in their knowledge of both the food and beverage menus. We received excellent advice on drink pairings. We were checked on at just the right moments. Really, service was exquisite while also being relaxed. My Buttermilk Fried chicken was the best fried chicken I've ever had, and I look for opportunities for that meal everywhere! Yes, I have a fried chicken 'problem'. Tried a bite of Hub's Little Neck Clams, also tasty, with a wonderful mix of flavours. Tuna Tataki as a starter, also delicious. All in all, a great meal. read more

Town - Buttermilk Fried Chicken - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

So happy to be able to dine at Town again post Covid. Excellent service and amazing food!! The best focaccia bread I've ever had! read more

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We celebrated our wedding at Citizen with a group of 17. The service from start to finish was wonderful, the space was beautiful, and the food was absolutely amazing! We can't say enough about this place and would highly recommend it. read more

A little disappointing considering the other Yelp reviews, pictures, and menu prices. I chose this restaurant specifically for a more "special" occasion, as I liked how the menu is totally shareable and had tasty sounding dishes. I'm actually super surprised at all the 5 star reviews and ravings about the food here. Honestly, it was just okay and I cannot justify the food for the price. I made a reservation as reviews said they can be really busy. They have a chef's bar available, too, which is neat experience I think. The interior of the restaurant is trendy and a little casual. Service was really good. The server patiently described his recommended dishes, was always filling or replacing our water, and was happy to bring over more bread. In terms of the food, it was all just okay. I've had much better Italian food for a comparable price. I actually think my favourite part of the meal was the complimentary foccacia bread! Burrata, squash, prosciutto, $17: The 3 components really work well together. But there is way too much squash and not enough prosciutto. Because of the squash, the portion was decent. Beef tartare, $18: the parmesan chip on top was not light and crispy at all, but thick and hard. It didn't do much for the flavour of the dish, but presentation was nice. The flavour of the steak tartare was good and the portion size was good. Pork cheek ragu, $18: Was recommended by the waiter as their pasta is all housemade. I liked the texture of the pasta and the sauce. The parsnips were a bit sweet and didn't really balance the dish well, in my opinion. They tasted like apples. The pork cheek was very tender and flavourful. I left a lot of the parsnips on the plate, and noticed the table beside doing the same. Meatballs, large size $22: This is supposed to be their star dish, having had it on the menu for 9 years. So many people rave about this dish in the reviews. So, as we wanted to have this as the entree, we got the large which has 4 meatballs instead of 2 for the smaller size. I felt like the meatballs tasted average, and the polenta underneath the sauce was not the best tasting. Honestly, it was a very average meatball in marinara sauce dish. The ricotta stuffing was great, though. Pavlova dessert, $11: This is presented in more of a deconstructed way in a bowl. There were super sour bits and decadent rich parts. To me, this dessert was easily forgotten. In the end, for 2 people without drinks, the bill came to about $100 after tip. As I mentioned, I've had better Italian food for less. I likely won't be back, although service was very good and the bread was tasty. Maybe it's the dishes we ordered. read more

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Town is an ottawa gem- it feels like it's been around forever and I hope it stays that way! Town itself is pretty small but since the pandemic they have merged with their sister restaurant citizen around the corner so it is now the same menu but you can choose which location you want to dine at. Their menu is seasonal and always changing but there are generally a few staples like their unreal focaccia with brown butter and their meatballs. I have NEVER had a bad experience there, it is always delicious and welcoming with super friendly and unpretentious and considering the prices of most places theses days I would say the prices are very reasonable and the portions are great for sharing. They also have an insane beer menu and the the majority of their stuff is locally sourced. We love town!! Would always recommend. read more

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I came here at 5:30pm on a Tuesday without a reservation and got the last table. I didn't know this place would be so busy! I would definitely recommend reserving ahead. The service was very attentive and friendly. We ordered the steak tartare and pork belly to start. Both were so delicious. The portions were generous. The tartare wasn't the super traditional kind since it was more like chunks of beef instead of ground beef and there was no egg yolk. But I really enjoyed it regardless. I got the lamb cavatelli. So good. Generous portion and I loved the bread crumbs, pecorino, and fresh mint on top. It definitely added some texture and freshness to the dish. My friend got the duck frites and enjoyed it as well. Definitely bringing more friends here when they visit Ottawa! read more

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We had the leeks vinaigrette, little gem and endive salad, focaccia, pork shoulder ragu and meatballs and polenta. The appetizers were the stars of the show, with both having unexpected and interesting ingredients. The mains were as expected although the charred broccolini was a welcome addition to the ragu. A very nice pavlova completed the meal. read more

The service was impeccable, and the staff was very friendly and attentive throughout our entire meal.

It is pricey but it is delicious, so a treat every once in a while is definitely worth it!

I came here actually last year when I was in town for the weekend. Was able to book a table through DINR app and had an amazing meal! I'ts a very small restaurant so the space is a bit tight and the tables dont' have a lot of space in between them. But the food was amazing! Steak tartare - i love raw stuff in general particularly beef and fish. The tartare came with pieces of toast that went very nicely along with the tartare - added crunch factor and the creaminess of the steak tartare was great!! forgotten risotto - award winning risotto - it is def. different than risottos i've had in the past. it's not your typical rice... but it's a type of grain instead (barley) but the texture is amazingly similar to a risotto! linguine with mussels - that sauce. OMG. it's so good. and fresh pasta.. who can argue with that? the picture speaks volumes... needless to say, texture of the pasta was perfect, mussels were fresh, and for any seafood lovers, this was a really good seafood pasta :) seared scallops - i love seared scallops - and they did not disappoint! choice of greens are acceptable and did not overpower the main character which is the scallop itself. It was medium cooked - perfect texture. stuffed meatballs with ricotta - i love meatballs as well... but this tomato sauce that came with the meatballs just does it in. These are probably some of the best meatballs I've ever had - just heavenly. I like that town changes its menu from time to time based on what's available locally - but all in all it was a very satisfactory meal and definitely one of the top italian restaurants you need to try if you're ever in Ottawa! read more

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Had been recommended we try this place out for a while! The service was friendly and drinks were good, they had a number of good beers! But the food was really not that memorable, especially for the price! Have to say I was a little disappointed! We had the crispy chicken burger and a steak as pictured! Portions were quite small and we were still hungry after the two of us split both! read more

Town - a plate of steak, fries, and broccoli - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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love it, very cozy , super friendly service, everything we ordered was a hit. From the appetizers, to the main course to desserts. The decor is simple and nice. We have been wanting to try this place out for a long time and glad we did, we would definitely come back! read more

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I recently tried out the collaborative meal delivery service from Town x Citizen a few weeks ago! It was my first time trying both restaurants, and I was very impressed! I ordered the chicken parmesan pizza, pecorino rosemary smashed fingerling potatoes and a side of lavender almonds. It was one of the best and most creative meals I've had in a while!! Love it and will definitely be back to try more! read more

Town - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The restaurant is a 3 while the beer/cider bottle shop is a 5. They have a gigantic selection of very interesting beers and ciders from all over Canada (and some from outside the country). Their food, however, was a bit disappointing and expensive. The calamari was decent with big pieces of calamari lightly battered. The pulled pork mac and cheese was cheesy, but small and had barely any meat in it. The portobello / Caesar was underwhelming with the portobello being just a big sweaty mushroom sliced up with no flavor, though the BBQ corn and fries were quite good. The meatballs were actually very flavorful but the crispy spaghetti on the side was unnecessary. read more

I really enjoyed this little restaurant! It seemed like the service was fantastic and that the food was really creative! Everything was very well thought out and very unique. They had a good wine and whisky/bourbon selection as well! We had beef tartare, fried Brussels sprouts, burrata, and flourless chocolate cake. It was all prepared fantastically! All in all I personally think you get a lot of value for your dollar here while experiencing some amazing food, drink, and ambience! The Chianti wine and the Blanton's whisky is also quite good! read more

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Went for a birthday dinner and was not disappointed. The sharing style menu is great, and everything was delicious. Also the service was amazing - very kind and quick! Will be returning soon. read more

Town - Cider selection - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I walked into a full restaurant and was immediately greeted by the hostess. I sat at the bar and the bartender took my order right away. Only 4 taps, none of which really stood out, so I ordered a bottle of beer, but changed my mind as soon as I saw the bartender preparing the smugglers punch #2 (mint/plum and peppercorn shrub/Dark Horse whisky/lemon/soda/St. Germain). For the taste, and amount of effort that went into the cocktail, it was worth every sip of the $10 price point. Same goes for the fern gully, which contained rosemary and egg whites, two ingredients not common in cocktails, but ones that made for a very creative and delicious recipe. I wanted to try a variety so I started with the salt cod fritter small plate (romesco sauce/bagna culda espuma/preserved lemon zest). Excellent texture and taste. Great crunch on the fritters. Well worth the $12. The ricotta stuffed meatballs main dish is available in a smaller portion (4 meatballs for $21 versus 2 for $11), so I went with the small to stick to my theme. The meatballs were good but had the consistency of meatloaf. Zero crunch whatsoever on the exterior, almost as if they were cooked in the sauce itself rather than seared or baked beforehand. Not a huge deal, but not my preference either. The complimentary homemade focaccia is unbelievably good. So soft and so fresh. I had to ask for more of it to soak up the remainder of the sauce (they didn't skimp on the sauce). Unfortunately for them, my need for extra bread meant I no longer needed dessert, which I planned on trying all along. Speaking of dessert, all three options contained nuts. Kind of a problem for someone with nut allergies or someone like me who just doesn't care for them in desserts. The Follgate red is a nice blend if you want to try a local wine (Niagra). read more

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Came to Ottawa for NYE celebration, and booked this place for our NYE dinner. Turn out that it was such a wise choice! We had octopus for starter, meatballs and lamb pasta for sharing. I never liked octopus, no matter it's fried, grilled or steamed. But the octopus they made was so delicious! It was so soft that just melted in you mouth, not chewy at all. Covered with BBQ sauce, mede the taste even better. The fried potatoes were yum too. It was the first time I had meatballs, and the ones they made were indeed amazing. The mince were loose and yet can still be stuck into balls. With ricotta cheese inside and the tomato sauce all over the plate, they tasted so good. It would have been nice if we had bread to eat with the sauce, but sadly we were so full at that time...forgot to say that their bread was great too! Best ones I've ever had in all kinds of restaurants. The lamb pasta was handmade pasta with lamb belly mince. We added some meatball sauce and it tasted even better. The service was very thoughtful. They even changed the plate set for us between starter and main courses. Even some very upper-scale restaurants may not practice it. This place is awesome. Will definitely come again when next time in Ottawa! read more

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I'd give 5 stars or 50 stars for the tuna because it was divine - it melted in my mouth and was a memorable experience. I regretted ordering the pasta because it tasted normal and was more expensive than the tuna dish which is a rare find. The pasta tasted a bit too salty and the pork/sauce felt a bit oily but that could just be personal preference; it wasn't terrible. read more

Town - Bugatini - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Oh. My. G. Walking in, I had the impression that I was in Toronto again; the place and the people have a hipster vibe that's rarer to find in Ottawa, with a blackboard/wood/bottles decor scheme that is nice enough for a date but casual enough for friends. I had found the place via Yelp, of course, but I was still unprepared for just how amazing this place actually was. For starters, the calamari BLT was brilliant - the best calamari dish I've ever had AND the best BLT I've ever had. Calamari was deep-fried delicious and it worked surprisingly well in the BLT. The mortadella crostini was, hard to believe, even better. The mortadella mousse was perfect, the crostini was crispy and savoury, and everything down to the fried egg and greens was spot on. I ate this mostly with my eyes closed, a sure sign of Shari's satisfaction. And I have to add, it was only $9. The ricotta stuffed meatballs were also quite good - probably the best meatballs I've had, but unless you're a meatball fan, just getting the small size would be enough for two people to share; my friend and I kind of got meatballed out by the second one each. This place is better for sharing small plates (mostly ~$11) instead of getting large plates ($20-30). My friend and I left pretty satisfied with a $25 bill each. Which, for 3 exceptional dishes at a restaurant of this caliber, is pretty impressive. Service was also friendly and very helpful (and very good looking) Food vs price: 5/5 Service & ambience: 5/5 Overall, I think I've found my new favourite restaurant in Ottawa. I will be back, with old Ottawa friends in tow. read more

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My third time at Town and overall, we were satisfied with the plates, but did not find the taste and flavors as exceptional as my previous visits. I was looking most forward to the BBQ octopus, but was disappointed in how it was cooked. Loved the tenderness of the octopus as it was cooked sous-vide. However the char on it was too strong - almost the entire octopus was covered in black char - and the burnt taste was too overpowering to ignore. We brought it up with the waitress and she said it's supposed to be cooked that way. Not enjoyable at all. Loved the fresh bread and butter offered, which they delightfully give refills of. The beef tartare and meatballs were good. The bucatrini was cooked perfect al dente however this dish was too heavy on the tomato sauce when combined with the meatballs. The guanciale pork was crispy and delicious but they offered too little relative to the pasta. Overall, the food was not as exceptional as previous times but still pretty good. The service was great and fast and the atmosphere was very laid back. read more

Town - BBQ octopus (top) and beef tartare (bottom) - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I sed why people love this place so much. This is the perfect date spot with dimmed lights and soft jazz music. Very romantic. The ace is busy so reservations are strongly recommended. We chose chefs counter and it was a fun experience. The service was great! Fast and courteous. The food arrived very quickly as well. We ordered duck confit, tartar and some appetizers. Duck and apps were very good, tartare was not their best but ok. I feel their desserts deserve some special attention. They make all of the deserts in house and sitting at the chefs counter you see how the desserts are plated. We had a flourless cake and I though I was delicious! Other 2 dresses looked great as well (yum). Overall we had a great time and really enjoyed the place! read more

Amazing dinner at Town last night. We had a reservation for 6:15 because this place always gets busy ... even on a Wednesday in September. I wanted to snag a window table, but they were already reserved so we got a nice table near the front. Always so much hustle and bustle and life at Town! Our server was amazing. She was bubbly and smiley and got us to our table in no time. Throughout the evening, she was very attentive to our needs and plates were cleared off in no time at all. It was like restaurant magic. My friend started with the oven roasted bone which he devoured. His words: "the tomatoes, gorgonzola, parmesean and basil made this dish. It's almost like they snuck bacon into it!." All I have to say about the entrees is 2 words: "meatballs" and "gnocchi". Amazing house specialties that should be sampled asap. The ricotta stuffed meatballs were melt in your mouth with a lovely seasoning. The ricotta gnocchi was equally appealing to the palate. The presentation for both plates was also excellent. A bottle of La Tunella's Refosco dal P.R. added to the evening. Town loves you. We love Town. Lots of street and bike parking on Elgin. Reservations recommended. townlovesyou.ca read more

Town - Meatballs, anyone?! #Town - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Walked into Town at about 8pm on a Saturday and had the good fortune to be seated at the chef's bar. The two of us were cozy perched there with our backs to the rest of the clients, taking in the food network worthy action in front of us. Our waitress Kerry was delightful - at first I found her startlingly cheery but then I remembered I was in Ontario, not Quebec, and I relaxed into it (it's better if you don't resist =). We chatted a bit with co-owner and chef Marc Doiron throughout our meal and enjoyed his wife's sense of comfort and class in the decor. We shared the beet salad, meat balls stuffed with homemade ricotta, pork chop and homemade ice cream sundae. Everything was just exceptionally good. The beet salad included some kind of delicious charcuterie, a paste of walnuts and aioli, little deep fried goat cheese balls - fricken heaven. The meat balls were big as your fist and grandmother-good. The pork chop was huge and better than any I've had elsewhere, and the bacon-wrapped endive on the plate will be duplicated with a tip of the hat to Town at all my bbq's henceforth. The homemade ice cream put the experience over the top. My date observed that the meal made us full in a clean and wholesome feeling way, and with that we left loving Ottawa more than ever before. Thanks so much to yelper Coy W for the excellent recommendation! read more

Town - View from the chefs bar. - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Oh my goodness this place is good! If I lived in Ottawa I'd end up eating here all the time! I am trying to think of an excuse to go back before we leave this city!! We loved: - The scallops were gorgeous! They were quite light and zesty, but tasted amazing!! - The octopus (apparently this was new to their menu last week) it is poached in wine, and perfectly tender, not chewy at all! Even people that don't normally like octopus would enjoy this. I LOVED it. - The meatballs stuffed with ricotta lived up to the yelp hype. They were simply lovely. - The salted cod balls were really tasty too. - We shared some banana bread and ohmygoodness... It was moist, not too sweet and really delicious. Then I tried the salted caramel pecans that came on the side! I loved them sooooo much... I would be happy if that is the last flavour I taste before I die. Seriously! They were just a tiny part of our meal but I can't stop thinking about how gorgeous they were. Town should consider selling them by the sack load. Nom. I can't think of anything that I didn't like... So thank you Town folks! read more

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We sat at the bar. This place was packed! Very nice space with interesting art on the walls. We received attentive service. There is a nice list of beers and wine by the glass. They even had aglianico by the glass. We ate the trout, squid, salad, lavender almonds, and meatballs. We loved the food. The salad and the trout were stars. read more

First time in Ottawa (Canada) even and Town already set a very high standard to the rest of the restaurants here! When traveling for work, I have the luck to visit many awesome places and have some of the local foods and drinks. Friends who also had not eaten at Town, thought it'd be a good idea to have this first experience here. When you enter, I got a bit of a Brooklyn vibe: both cozy and hip, small but not cramped, great art on the walls.. Nice job! The service was great: got served water from the start and gave some great tips on meals to go for. You can choose between small plates to share (similar to Tapas) and bigger plates (which we ended up sharing as well). But man, the cocktails are what made me give that 5th star! Some very original cocktails, with the 'yes peas' really standing out as a very fresh, smooth drink. As you can see by the pictures, all plates were gorgeously decorated and the flavours were nice and intense. Two plates that I will highly recommend; the Italian Ramen and their signature Meatballs. No regrets! Nicely portioned: never will you have a plate with too much on it. More is NOT more: thankfully they get that here. :-) We had no dessert, but only because we were quite full. I will highly recommend going here for food when you're in Ottawa, make sure to call ahead for a table! read more

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It's been a few weeks since I came by Town for a friends birthday party so I'm a bit late in reviewing this place. Town is a small and cozy place with limited seating. Book early or you might not have a chance to get in. The food is Italian...updated Italian I guess. The servers are awesome! Easily the best service on Elgin. The atmosphere in here would be great for a date. As a group we ordered a lot of items on the menu. Though I enjoyed most things I didn't really love anything. My main which was the chicken (I want to say it was blackened chicken) was extremely over-seasoned and soggy. I think my favourite thing was the meatballs. Much like Backlane Cafe I think it's between 3 and 4 stars. I'm not a fan but it's definitely better than OK. read more

Love the ambience, and food! If you haven't gone yet, take your significant other for a fun, delicious night!

Town is a great place to share dishes tapas style. As a group of 4, we ordered the albacore tuna, the meatballs, octopus salad, and the pork cheek. The cheese complimented the meatballs really well and was my favourite dish. The octopus salad was a close second. Being a person that doesn't like salads, I thought the seasoning of the salad went well with the octopus. The pork cheek tasted a bit bland to me with the pasta, and would look to ordering other dishes on the menu. The tuna paired well with the fruits. Overall, service was prompt and friendly and we were able to get a spot without prior reservations, though it was quite difficult to obtain parking on a Saturday night. While it was a great place to eat at, I don't believe I would make a second trip. read more

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Town is a small place, with small plates and entrees. The menu is small, but what is on it is well prepared, flavorful, and had great presentation. It's on Elgin, so the location is ideal. I had the risotto stuffed meatballs, the seafood pot, and the chicken thighs! Everything was great. Our server was great also. read more

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The service is high end. The food is creative and outstandingly tasty. ( I never thought lentils could taste so good). The price is worth it. Th only inconvenient if you are out on a romantic date......tables are very close to one another. Its a small enough downside to keep the faith star in. read more

Three things about Town, a place you should try: 1) the Northern Smoke is one of the better Old Fashioned variants you'll find around here. 2) the beef tartare is one of the best I've had in recent memory, with an intriguing spicy-hot kick. 3) they're generous with the tasty house-made focaccia, which is nice! read more

Service was excellent! The dinner was great but it was not as good as it would be. Ordered the octopus salad which was absolutely yummy! Ordered the famous meat ball which came with the perfect sauce and we were offered more bread - the bread was great! Also had the pork cheek ragu which was a bit too sweet for me. read more

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I signed up for Yelp just so that I could review this place. Firstly, we were a group of 8 celebrating my mother's birthday, and Town was able to accommodate us last minute. The building is beautifully small and intimate, with nice decor and an open door to the kitchen so you can see the bustling at the end of the hall. Max, our waiter, was attentive, not too present, and gave excellent advice when it came to the food. As someone who works in the industry, I was impressed with his management of the entire table and how he was able to balance our large group with his section as a whole. And the food... oh, the food! As university students, my friends and I have been subsisting on pan-cooked chicken and pasta for the last 3 months, but this food made us regret ever opening a box of mac and cheese. The octopus was tender, like a scallop, and the rabbit risotto was absolutely delicious. I would recommend the beef short rib, but the cooked cauliflower was a great vegetarian option as well. We tried one of everything, and though the bill was astronomical (you definitely pay for the quality and the chef's time), it was worth every penny. The pumpkin-tiramisu was also delicious, though I wasn't a fan of the chocolate-hazelnut tarte. All in all, I have a new restaurant to come to for special occasions! (since we're as broke as broke can be) Next time I think we'll try their sister restaurant, Citizen, which is apparently less gourmet but just as good. read more

I came here to celebrate a birthday, and left impressed with most of the food. The octopus was tender and grilled with great flavour, I wish I had a second order! The seared tuna was very tender and the greens that came with it provided good contrast of colours and taste. The dessert was presented beautifully; even though it was simple panna cotta, they added some artful touches. Everything looked beautiful. You sit very close to others though, so you can hear their conversation, which can be annoying, but it is a very cozy spot! read more

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One word 'Octopus'...The Octopus salad is to die for, the taste is unexpectedly delicious!! This is not your traditional grandma's cooking, it's new age cooking! Chef Marc can turn up the heat in the Kitchen, I 1000x recommend this place if you're visiting or live in Ottawa! The service is great and the staffs are super friendly. It was like spending I spent my birthday with family. Thank you all! read more

Town - The amazing Octo Salad, a must have! - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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When looking up locations for my birthday dinner, Town's location to my wife's apartment and its stellar reputation made it an easy choice. A look at the menu on their website didn't hurt either. The place was nearly full when we showed up for our reservation at 8 on a Thursday, with just a couple spots open in the narrow restaurant. Decor is minimal, but gives a warm and casual feeling. One of the waiters' tuxedo t-shirt helped keep things from feeling too uptight, with most of the crowd being the 50-year-old, monied Ottawa types. Town's menu is compact, with just six to seven options each of small and large plates, but this didn't mean that it was tough to find something that I liked. The roasted bone marrow, salt cod fritters and beet salad all called out to me, while mains like the short rib and hominy, and Italian ramen were two stand-out items. I ended up settling on the salt cod fritters to start, paired with a 3oz glass of insolia, and the short rib for the main event, with a glass of braccale. We were given a few slices of focaccia and butter while we waited; ultra airy and with a not-too-tough crust, this was some great bread. A light touch with salt on top made it even better. Our wine and small plates came soon after. Three golden brown fritters lay on top of a dark green pool of salsa verde, with a preserved lemon zest garnish, and foam for dipping. The fritters themselves were great - as crispy on the outside as they looked, and with a smooth filling on the inside of whipped potatoes and finely shredded cod. The salsa verde definitely lived up to its menu labelling of "spicy", and although the very neutral foam helped balance this out, I felt it was a bit much heat for the dish. The insolia paired well with the fritters, with some acidity for contrast and a pleasurable lack of the funky finish that some whites have. Up next was the cleverly named "bone thugs n hominy" (town eschews capital letters). It was an impressive plate, with a large serving and a lot going on food-wise. There was the hunk of short rib covered in the romesco sauce, another unknown, steak-sauce like sauce, the charred half of a romaine heart, roasted peppers, pickled green beans, braised mushrooms, hominy, ground hazelnuts and the beef tendon puffs (ala pork cracklins). Phew. Blame that run-on, poorly structured sentence on Town and not me, please. I have to say though, everything on the plate was excellent. Even the lettuce! With a great char flavour and perfect amount of oil, it made regularly prepared romaine look down right embarrassing. To quote my wife, "This is the best lettuce I've ever had!". The onions had a great sweet, roasted flavour and the peppers weren't hot, just adding a little bit of tang to the dish. The hominy was rich and provided a nice textural contrast with its chunkier bits. I was disappointed in the puffed beef tendons, which were a lot tougher than their more common pork skin cousins, which typically dissolve in your mouth after that wonderful, pork-tastic crunch. Luckily, the short rib was nothing short of fantastic. Confited and finished on the grill, it was tender but not mushy like many short ribs, and had a great char on the outside. The light acidity of the romesco provided a counterpoint to the rich meat, and I preferred it over the miscellaneous pool of steak sauce that was left off the menu. I loved nearly everything in this dish, but it's definitely suffering from feeling like there's too much going on and being a bit disjointed. Simplify it and you'll help out your kitchen staff and save on printing costs for its description on the menu. The second glass of wine that I had, the braccale, is a blend of Sangiovese and merlot grapes and its rich flavour and hint of fruitiness paired well with the big flavours of my entree. With very little tannins, it was easy to drink on its own as well. Service was friendly, informative and had great timing throughout our meal. The kitchen worked like a well-oiled machine, pumping out great food in very reasonable times considering the persistent crowd. Town is the total package - food, service, and atmosphere - and made for a great way to ring in being another year older. read more

Town - Salt cod fritters with salsa verde and bagna cauda espuma (an Italian dipping sauce made into a foam, not a Harry Potter spell) - Italian Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Location: Downtown Ottawa. Street parking is available however good luck finding a spot. The night I was here, there was absolutely nothing available and we had to use a paid lot a few blocks away. The place: Very small and dimly lit. I can't find better descriptives to tell you about the place because I found it to be lacking in vibage. The goods: Well, I'm going to go against to majority here and tell you that I was really disappointed. The primary issue for myself and my friend was the sheer lack of flavour in everything we had. I wanted to love this place, really, but I'd be lying if I used three stars to rate my personal experience because it doesn't fall under the category of 'A-okay'. So, we started with the BBQ shrimp and octopus tostada; first, the term 'BBQ' lead me to believe that at the very least, the shrimp and octopus would be served hot. That wasn't the case. The shrimp was OK but the octopus was tough and chewy. My friend and I both agreed that the ingredients topping the tostado would be better served in a bun or something that could hold it all together because the tostada broke easily so things tended to fall off. Anyway, despite the various ingredients (avocado, cilantro etc), we were underwhelmed by the lack of, well, taste. My main included the seared scallops with white beans and pancetta (and greens - I forget what). In terms of size, I'd say it was on the small side. The scallops were well seared and had a good consistency but again, they, and the rest of the items on the dish, lacked flavour. I mean, I'm not one to encourage an excessive use of salt but give me something here - herbs - spices - anything?! The roasted cauliflower that my friend had was the same. Additionally, I tried it and felt that it wasn't cooked enough. Finally, when we ordered dessert, we were told they were out of the chocolate tart. I don't get it - how do you run out of dessert on a Friday night? Before we left, we overheard the waitress telling other patrons that they had run out of something else as well. Anyway, since nothing else appealed, we left. Service: OK. Most of the staff just seemed so neutral. No other way to describe it. Price point: considering all of the above and the overall experience, I personally find this place to be overpriced. With tip it cost me $67 (including a glass of wine). For about the same price, I would have better eats and dessert in Montreal. read more

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