Explore the world of Canadian cuisine with a visit to Beckta. Open for dinner only, the high-end restaurant serves such dishes as pan-roasted Quebec duck, braised shank of Alberta lamb and British Columbia halibut with house made kimchi. You can choose from the more than 250 wines on hand or, on Sundays and Mondays, take advantage of the bring-your-own-wine service. Enjoy your meal in an elegant setting, complete with hardwood floors, up-lighting, candlelight, white tablecloths, fresh flowers and suede furnishings. For a more casual Canadian dining experience, head to Les Fougeres, whose bright interiors are outfitted with yellow walls, brick tiled floors, light wood furnishings and white tablecloths with flowers. Canadian cuisine on hand includes grilled bison, pan-roasted Quebec chicken and grilled Pacific halibut. You can partner your meal with one of the numerous red, white and dessert wines on hand, including selections from Canada, New Zealand, Argentina and Portugal.
Meat lovers rejoice! The upscale E18hteen serves such hearty meat dishes as grilled steak, fish and duck breasts. If you’re a more adventurous eater, from Tuesday to Saturday night, you can head out to the patio or lounge and enjoy samplings from the raw bar. The restaurant also provides a five-course tasting menu if your interests expand beyond just meat. The refined dimly lit setting includes towering stone walls, a fireplace, dark cement slab floors, and black and white fabric-covered chairs and drapes. You’ll find more specialized meat selections at Murray Street Kitchen Wine Charcuterie. All the charcuterie meats, such as smoked head cheese, wild boar rillettes and rabbit liver mousse, are made in-house and can be partnered with an array of Canadian cheeses. Larger plates include such dishes as ginger beer-marinated venison leg and barbecue glazed pork shoulder. The cozy setting includes high chocolate brown leather booths, wood-beam pillars, and brick and stone walls.
Like most eastern Canadian cities, Ottawa has more than its fair share of French food options. Metropolitain Brasserie has the French cafe look, complete with leather bar stools, tin-pressed ceilings, cabaret chairs, creaky hardwood floors and a large outdoor patio. Dine on such French staples as filet mignon, coq au vin and bouillabaisse as you peruse the extensive wine, champagne and beer list. For added convenience, the restaurant also provides weekday happy hours and menus designed exclusively for kids. Continue your tour of French cuisine at Black Cat Cafe. Open for dinner only, the modern French bistro has a sleek interior with hardwood floors, oversized light fixtures, black leather chairs and modern art covering the walls. Partner a bottle of Bordeaux wine with such dishes as beef tartare and roasted duck breast. You can also top off your meal with French lemon tart or creme brulee for dessert.
Originally beginning as a fish market in Byward Market back in 1867, Lapointe added a sit-down seafood restaurant so visitors could enjoy a leisurely dining experience. The cozy interior includes rustic wood pillars, a fireplace and an outdoor patio which is open during warm weather months. Using whatever fresh seafood is available from the attached market, the menu changes often but may include such fare as fish and chips, seared tuna and steamed lobster. If you’ve got a hankering for oysters, then make your way to The Whalesbone Oyster House. The laid-back shabby chic setting includes exposed brick walls, creaky hardwood floors and knick-knack-covered walls. The record player behind the bar provides the entertainment. In addition to a variety of oysters, the chalkboard menu displays other possible catch of the day items, including lobster, steelhead trout and scallops.
