This past Family Day Long Weekend I coordinated a visit to our Nationals Capital with Ottawa Tourism. I arrived with my father just in time to showcase The Winterlude Festival. We had a jam packed culinary itinerary which had us visiting five of the cities top restaurants. When we weren’t oooing and ahhhing at fantastical ice sculptures or strolling through the National Gallery we were either snapping pictures of our food, napping with bloated stomachs or talking about our next meal. Food was the focus, as it should be.
Our final restaurant review in Ottawa was on Sunday night at the famed Murray Street Kitchen Wine Charcuterie. I intentionally booked Murray Street as our last review. I wanted to finish our culinary adventure, just over the rainbow at a wee pot of gold. When I informed people on my blog, twitter and facebook that I would be heading to Ottawa I had countless people joyfully exclaim that Murray Street better be on my list. While all the restaurants I visited in Ottawa were stellar, Murray Street stole my heart. I dare say it may be one of the top restaurants in Canada today. Chef Steve Mitton has been known in Ottawa for some time for his uncomplicated regional fare. His passion for using locally sourced ingredients and celebrating Canadian culinary tradition is clear simply by reading through his menu. I have a lot of respect for a restaurant that regularly switches up their menu (and the majority of the menu here changes not just seasonally but almost weekly). This enthusiasm in the kitchen indicates a passion for showcasing only what is fresh and in season as well as a heartfelt passion for culinary creativity.
Everything from my first cocktail sip to my last spoon swoon from my ‘Smores mason jar induced such a pitch of pleasure. I often found myself gripping the side of my table, just to hold on. The spatzle poutine was unforgettable and the breadth of our cheese and charcuterie board was a marathon mission I told my dad “we must pull through to finish.”
We enjoyed (* notes my favorites):
Parliament Pimms *
fresh muddled fruit, cucumber, lemon, Hendricks Gin, Pimms No. 1, Ginger Beer
Always Fashionable Old Fashion
fresh orange n lemon juice, in-house bourbon soaked cherries bitters n woodford reserve bourbon
Manhattan *
red vermouth, boubon in-house brandied cherries and bitters
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, New Zealand
Domaine del la Villaudiere Sancerre, France *
***
Poutine *
hand cut spatzle, shredded duck leg confit, beast gravy, glengarry fen squeaks fresh cheese curds
Ptit Dejeuner *
potato pancakes, smoked and confit pork belly, ashton harvest brown ale, xo cheddar fondue, garlic maple syrup
Hearts and Bones
crisp gnocchi, browned roast marrow butter, capers and chopped parsley, smoked elk heart, glengarry’s aged lankaster gouda
Rob’s Pork *
hall’s cider and milk braised leg, sour cream spaetzle, braise jus
***
Charcuterie and Cheese Board *
mrs mcgarrigles balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper mustard
spy apple jelly
cumberland sauce
roasted red pepper jelly
cider vinegar marinated carrots
gherkins
olives
picked red onion
mario pingue niagara proscuitto
cretons
white bean and garlic pate
souer angele, goat, quebec
avonlea clothbound cheddar, cow, pei
glengarry fen, cow, ontario
***
‘Smores *
dark chocolate-espresso pudding, in-house graham cookies, murray street toasted marshmallow
On Tap
kichisippi spice cake, steam whistle frosting, beau’s milk chocolate ice cream, wellington beer nuts
