We sampled the restaurant last week after a quick tour of the tulips at Dow’s Lake. The take-away sandwich counter only has seating for two or three people (although they’ve added 3 small tables outside, for the summer season), but the cozy space, open kitchen and friendly staff gives the Smokehouse a nice homey feel that make you feel like a regular even on your first time.

Apparently everything on the menu - with the exception of the potato chips – is made from scratch. For your starters or sides you can pick from southern classics like Chipotle and Molasses Baked Beans, coleslaw Macaroni Salad or Potato Salad. There also the mandatory poutine with a Zydeco twist, with baked beans and pulled pork crashing the cheese curds’ party. But of course it’s the sandwiches and the Po Boys, often featuring some kind of smoked meat, that are the main act. Maple smoked Pulled Pork, Apple Smoked Andouille Sausage, Hickory Smoked Chicken, Mesquite smoked beef - it’s a veritable forest of options.

Although it’s Zydeco’s pulled pork that is making a name for itself, we decided to try other items on the menu. I went for the Andouille sausage with the coleslaw and mac and cheese while my companion tried that day’s special, beef brisket rubbed in mustard and smoked with Mesquite wood and a side of baked beans. The sausage was great –  lots of subtle flavours ending with a nice spicy kick. The sausage was covered in delicious creamy slaw. My side coleslaw was the perfect accompaniment - crispy cabbage, a bit of apple and a nice acidic finish that nicely complemented the rich flavours of the sausage. I also liked the mac and cheese, which was just the right consistency and saltiness. The weak meal’s weak point was the bun, which seemed like your standard grocery store issue. For me it was the worthy of that expertly smoked sausage.

The beef brisket was tender, with little fat and plentiful. It was covered in a bit of chipotle BBQ  sauce, and thinking back, my partner says he should have asked for a bit more sauce, to smother that baby. He loved his beans – which were tomatoey, sweet and filled chunks of bacon and delicious beans.

Dirienzos watch out! I can see the Zydeco competing for the street’s hopping lunch time market, and with time becoming just as beloved a local low-key eatery.

Photo by ActiveSteve on Flickr

There’s a distinct possibility that Ontarians will be waking up Friday morning to the LCBO’s first strike in its 87-year history. And given it’s the Victoria Day long weekend, the timing of the looming labour stoppage — unless you’re among the 95 percent of LCBO employees who’ve voted in favour of a strike mandate — couldn’t be worse.

Thankfully, if a strike does come to pass, thirsty Ottawans won’t be without options. Here are five handy ways to keep yourself hydrated during the coming dry spell.

Microbreweries

Over the past few years, Ottawa’s microbrewing scene has grown by leaps and bounds. And if you’ve yet to check out some of the lovingly-crafted ales and lagers our local brewers have whipped up, just think of the strike as a chance to rectify that! I’m especially partial to Beyond the Pale’s Pink Fuzz — a grapefruit wheat beer that’s ideal for long weekend relaxin’ — and Broadhead’s perfectly-balanced Underdog Pale Ale.

Gatineau

The final letter in LCBO stands for “Ontario,” so obviously the looming strike won’t affect our friendly liquor purveyors on the other side of the Ottawa River. So hit up the SAQ for some sweet, sweet Sortilege maple whiskey, or grab a six-pack of Boréale from one of Gatineau’s many depanneurs. And even better: the previous arcane laws that prohibited individuals from importing wine, beer, or spirits intended for personal use from another province into Ontario no longer exist. Just don’t resell that Quebec wine on the black market, okay?

Agency stores

If you’ve ever taken a road trip across Ontario, you’ve probably stumbled across one of the LCBO’s many agency stores. They’re found in small towns, usually inside grocery or general stores. And since they’re typically non-unionized, if there is a labour stoppage, agency outlets will stay open. So if you don’t find your lefty values are being compromised by visiting one — the Ontario Public Service Employees Union actually urges consumers not to patronize agency stores — head out to Navan or North Gower or one of the many towns in the 613 area code where the stores exist.

The Wine Rack

The Wine Rack might not have the LCBO’s selection, but they’re a perfectly decent option for Ottawa oenophiles should the strike go ahead. (I’m not much of a wine drinker myself, but fellow editor Ryan Saxby Hill’s go-to Wine Rack bottle is Inniskillin’s Late Autumn Riesling.) There are 13 Wine Racks in Ottawa alone — so wherever you live in the city, you won’t have to travel far for your Pinot fix. And they’re usually open later than the LCBO, anyways.

Road trip!

With Monday a holiday, there’s a good chance that most of you are probably heading out of town for the long weekend. If your destination is southern Ontario, you might want to grab some spirits from the 66 Gilead Distillery in charming Prince Edward County or the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company in Toronto. Just remember to bring a bottle or four back for the Apartment613 crew.

Of course, there’s always the possibility the LCBO and its employees will arrive at a settlement before Friday’s 12:01 ET strike deadline — we saw a last-minute resolution in 2009, after all. But if LCBO employees walk off the job tomorrow, tell us, Ottawa: where will you be finding your booze?

This was the event’s second time at the Ernst & Young Centre (formerly known as the Capital Exhibition Centre), which provided enough space to really spread out. All that elbow room and ceiling height creates an easy, casual experience where visitors can focus on the tastes instead of traffic jams.

Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, which lent to the comfortable atmosphere. A music ensemble played a few sets, as did local songster Tyler Kealey. The overall vibe in the room was laid-back and positive.

If the buzz was any indication, Bon Appetit Ottawa shows no signs of slowing down as a favourite fundraising event.

I got the chance to speak the day after to Candace Power, Food & Beverage Chair on this year’s board of (voluntary) directors.

How many people attended, I asked.

“We had about 1,600 people come through this year; our capacity is about 1,800.” When I suggested the venue’s location could be a factor, Candace agreed: “Our [current] location is not as central as it’s been in the past. In previous years we’ve been fully maxed with every ticket sold out. But we like holding it at a venue that has the space and modern facilities – things guests really appreciate.”

I’ll admit to being pleasantly surprised at the diversity of ages I saw there. Candace agrees: “The spectrum of people is all over the place! You have 19 year olds and 85 year olds. That’s what we’re after. We want the show to be appealing for everyone.”

According to Candace, this “show” has always been a favourite among people genuinely interested in Ottawa’s restaurant and bar scene: “The vendors take the time to speak with guests, tell you what their establishment is all about. It encourages people to check things out and to really get out there and socialize around Ottawa.”

The breakdown of food & beverage participants this year went like this: 47 food + 25 beverage = 75 (full list)

Some hip food trends were well represented at this year’s installation. I wondered if that was by coincidence or design. Past vendors are given first right-of-refusal, but after that, Candace says it’s a matter of recruiting new involvement. So she worked her networks (she’s been involved in the industry for several years, including with Santé Restaurant, a past event vendor) and targeted many of O-Town’s newest establishments.

“We try to encourage potential participants to not only see the value of getting involved from a publicity standpoint, but also – and equally important – giving back to the community by raising a great deal of money for really deserving people.”

Okay, so the biggest culinary trend these days is arguably street food. Lo and behold, Stone Soup Foodworks – one of Ottawa’s first gourmet food trucks – was there ladling some of its namesake specialty: a chilled roasted red pepper gazpacho. And one of 613’s newest kids on the food truck block, Lunch, made its splashy first public appearance with porchetta on crostini.

What surprised me was what a meat lover’s paradise the event was, especially with veganism also trending lately. Fans of barbeque – an enduring food trend represented deliciously that night – found nirvana. An event-within-an-event could very well have erupted: a pulled pork off featuring The SmoQue Shack, Fat Boys Smokehouse, Real Sports Bar & Grill, and Meatings.

Higher-end icons like Lago, Social, le café at the NAC, and Les Fougères balanced well with mainstays like Mamma Grazzi’s, Maxwell’s, Fresco Bistro; a number of pubs (Mill Street, Woody’s, Hooley’s); artisanal producers (Michaelsdolce, True Loaf Bakery, Unrefined Olive); and caterers like Scratch Kitchen and Culinary Conspiracy.

Guests enjoyed loads of farm-to-table offerings, fashionable desserts, celebrated regional wines, and those craft beverages this town cherishes, including Ottawa’s latest rock star soda company:

“As soon as I heard about Harvey & Vern’s [Olde Fashioned Soda], I knew we had to have them!” said Candace.

As for sweeter offerings … well, wow. Let’s just say that young outfits like Carolina’s Box of Goodness and It’s a Matter of Cake made quite an impression, as did The Flour Shoppe and those blended-sur-place milkshakes by The Works. Ottawa Magazine’s Shawna Wagman gave the peanut butter crunch cake from It’s a Matter of Cake a bronze and thinks Matthew Somer “might be Ottawa’s next great cake baker”.

Twenty-five local charities (listed here) – from women’s support to children’s programs to health-related projects – will share the impressive $139,000 raised at this year’s event. I overheard a representative of one beneficiary telling an attendee how much harder it is lately to maintain even the most basic of budgets, and that fundraisers such as Bon Appetit Ottawa can mean the difference between keeping the doors open or closed.

“Because we are such an Ottawa-centric event, we try to give to charities that are the most local and can really use the most support,” Candace said.

The 18th annual Bon Appetit Ottawa will take place on Tuesday, May 6, 2014.

Hands up if you compulsively watch the Food Network—especially “Eat St.”, their celebration of great food trucks around the world. Til now, Ottawa has not made the cut as a great street food city, but that’s all about to change.

On Wednesday at lunch time, City Hall previewed a welcome addition to our food scene – some of the new food trucks and carts that were recently granted licenses to operate around Ottawa.

Like plenty of downtown office workers and urban residents, I’ve been counting the days til these trucks grace our streets. So when I heard about this Street Food Showcase, benefiting the Shepherds of Good Hope, I rounded up some friends and headed over to sample some of the street eats that will delight our tastebuds in the coming months.

Imagine my dismay when I got there at 11:40 to find MASSIVE lines and all of the sample bracelets sold out.  It was plain that I am just one in a horde of people who are excited about street food.  Several of the new trucks and carts were there, including Royi Fruta Bar, Mr. Churritos, Urban Cowboy and others, but the buzz and really big line seemed to surround Streat Gourmet (“you gotta try the blue truck”). James Cunningham, host of Eat St., was on hand taping a segment and sampling their fare.

Mayor Jim Watson applauded city councillors for breaking through the permit logjam and finally encouraging food diversity on our streets. He said that the first trucks will start up next week, and information will be available on ottawa.ca – so check online and keep watching the streets – we’ll have tasty new food curbside any day now.

“If you wanna keep it going, you gotta keep it small.” These words of the gregarious Mr. So, owner of the So Good Restaurant, summed up the theme of Apt613’s Jane’s Walk through Ottawa’s eclectic little Chinatown: small businesses, community and people who care.

What? People who care – in Chinatown? Isn’t Chinatown just the place where you go for dim sum, where the unspoken agreement is to throw down a 10% tip and get scowled at in return? No wait, that’s Toronto – or, at least, going anywhere with my parents. This is Ottawa. Amongst Canada’s most inclusive, Ottawa’s Chinatown is for everyone: it is a small, tight-knit community of artsy coffee shops that double as nightspots, Asian supermarkets, Chinese restaurants and a legion of similarly named Pho restaurants.

Hovering over it all is the massive Royal Archway on the corner of Bronson and Somerset, our third stop, made in traditional Chinese style in Beijing, donated and opened by the Chinese Embassy in 2010. Ottawa’s archway is unique in that it contains nine separate “little roofs”, the highest number of little roofs on an archway and a sign of honour befitting an emperor, explained Grace Xin, Executive Director of the Somerset Street Chinatown Business Improvement Area. Those Chinese characters on it – the top says “Ottawa” and the bottom says “Chinatown”. Chinatown, we learned, was originally two stores on Bank Street that somehow found their way to Somerset.

As is the case with most of Centretown, a majority of the restaurants there today were residences decades ago and were converted into businesses in the 70s, which was also the time Ottawa’s landmark Chinese restaurant/social venue Shanghai was established. On Saturday evenings, Shanghai hosts karaoke night with local hosted by local icon Chinadoll (aka Ed Kwan), who let us in on the origins of the night… and her name. “Eight years ago, a girl had her bachelorette here, and they wanted me to sing, and I had this wig on, and my brother said go on… and call yourself Chinadoll!” Saturday nights were never the same again. Mild-mannered establishment by day, venue at night. This was another theme of the walk.

While Chinatown technically does not have any bars or clubs, there is no shortage of venues for nights out. We stopped at two relatively new cafés, The Daily Grind and Raw Sugar Cafe.  Though they use the word “café” – these joints are more like bar/café/music venue/art gallery/restaurant/community centre, as their offerings go far beyond typical café fare. Together with Umi Café, these three independent cafés form a triangle of community events. Into Tex-Mex and Heavy Metal? Then try the Daily Grind’s Tex-Mex menu, and then stay for the weekly metal party. Into playing board games and listening to beats? Raw Sugar hosts “Beats & Boards” on Tuesdays. Weekly music guests and special events dot Chinatown’s social calendar at these venues.

Our next stop was Zen Kitchen, which opened four years ago, owner David Loan explained, with the guiding philosophy of a place where everyone can dine regardless of dietary restrictions or moral views. Offering a strictly vegan menu, they use no animal products at all – not even honey or dairy products. “If we need something that approximates cream, we’ll make it with cashews.” I wasn’t sure how that would taste – but I want to try. Zen Kitchen supports the “Community Supported Agriculture” model: they give local farmers money to grow stuff, and in return, farmers give them the fresh stuff. This approach seemed to be held in high regard by others in Chinatown, corroborated by Mr. So, owner of So Good Restaurant. “People don’t understand where that extra dollar in the price goes – it goes to the ingredients. And we believe people will pay that extra dollar for something better.”

We also stopped at Highjinx and found out that it isn’t actually a store (as I thought passing it many times) but actually a centre for non-traditional social work. Highjinx owner Karen Neilson told us are more like a community hub for the down trodden, they offer food to the homeless, furnish the homes of the less fortunate – and they do it all by selling antiques that are donated!

But enough about all this feel good community stuff – let’s get down to the real questions: why are there are so many pho restaurants and and why are they are all called PHO BO GA? Pho Bo Ga La, Pho Bo Ga La 2, Pho Bac, Pholicious… the list goes on. The second last stop of the tour was with Pho-guides Don and Jen of Foodieprints. The reason, they speculated, is that Pho entrepreneurs just aren’t that creative. But here’s the basic breakdown: “PHO” is obviously the delicious noodle soup we all know and love, “BO” means beef, and “GA” means chicken. Noodle. Beef. Chicken. Ottawa’s pho is of high quality because like the rest of the venues visited, they actually make the stock and the pho is different in each one. Simple enough – but what about “LA”? I asked. That, they did not know – one of Chinatown’s many mysteries.

Editor’s Note: The trip also stopped by Purple Urchin Soap works and the Bridgehead Roastery, but Jason had to run as the Jane’s Walk was running long. Thanks to the owners for their participation.  

The premise of the event is simple: pay a $20 admission, then sample a variety of sweet things from around the world (there is no additional cost for the samples).  The list of countries includes France, Lebanon, China, some unspecified African countries (I’m for hoping Morocco), Italy, Israel, India, and more! My insulin levels are rising just thinking about it. The entertainment is rounded out by tunes spun by DJ Emily Jones, a live painting by Allan André, manicure by Westboro Spa, a speech by ribbon-cutter-in-Chief Mayor Watson and a silent auction.

The organizers are hoping to make this a mother’s day tradition, and not just by holding the event near Mother’s Day. The proceeds of the event will go to support St. Mary’s Home, a social service agency that provides support to young pregnant women, young moms and dads and young children, that is celebrating its 80 year anniversary in 2013.

We’re giving away two free tickets to the Desserts of the World Festival today on the blog! To enter the draw, just list your favourite dessert in the comments by 10pm tonight. Make sure to include your email.

Last month, a team from Bridgehead traveled down to Guatemala to visit the sources of their coffees. They traveled throughout the countryside, meeting growers and visiting cooperatives. One of the highlights? A cupping competition to determine the best coffees produced by CODECH, an umbrella cooperative that represents 300+ farmers in rural Huehuetanango. Here, we get a glimpse into the wonderful world of cupping – coffee beans are ground, brewed, smelled, tasted, spit out and analysed by judges. Some of the best end up here in our city – that medium roast coffee you had this morning might have traveled farther than you have!

It has been a tipsy journey, full of great excuses to get a fancy drink on a week night.  Although I retain some longing for an overly hipster, dim-lit basement in Brooklyn run by a tattooed bartender (or should I say professional mixologist) with a post-ironic mustache, I have discovered some amazing drinks, some cool people making them, and a new appreciation for the small independent and creative spots that are making Ottawa so much more than a boring government town.

1.  Union 613 (315 Somerset St. W.) – Best all around!

I had the lovely opportunity of sitting down with Ivan, one of the owners of Union 613, and asking a few questions.  Turns out he is a straight whiskey man and who can blame him? But he also let me know that “The Ottawa” – a version of which regularly sits on their “Standard” permanent menu – is his personal favourite. The current version, concocted with Centennial Rye, Melleti Amaro, Birch Syrup and Angostura Bitters, happens to be one of my favourites, too.  The 6 rotating seasonal cocktails and the Standards are collaborations between staff, the bartenders and the owners.  Their house cocktails include a hibiscus rum punch and hot spiked cider.  They always have the classic Sazerac (one of my personal favorites), which is not a surprise in a place that does modern Southern food so well.

“People say Ottawa is boring, I say it’s a blank canvas,” says Ivan, challenging a judgmental newcomer like myself.  After a couple of cocktails at Union 613, I couldn’t agree more! For their creativity, continuously new treats, and the fact that they have not one but two amazing bars, (their downstairs Speakeasy being the second), Union 613 gets my vote as #1 Best Cocktails in Ottawa.

2.  The Moon Room (442 Preston) – A Classic Cocktail History Lesson

There are many things to appreciate about The Moon Room. First, the menu has the date and location that each cocktail was invented (The Prohibition: Philadelphia, 1920; The Whiskey Sour: Port of Iquique, 1870). They also credit their own creations, like the Brazzo!, the-no-joke-bourbon-based cocktail I loved on my most recent visit (Bookers Bourbon 130 Proof, Raw W&H Walnut Brown Rare Old Oloroso and West Indian Orange Bitters on top of two enormous ice cubes).  Second, in an industry mostly dominated by men, I can’t help but appreciate the very lovely, predominantly female bar staff (and while we’re getting “more feminine”, I loved their killer style and hair).  They seem to do it all, including taking a blow torch to their bacon wrapped olives behind the bar.  On top of that, they make delicious, heavy drinks – our bartender even asked us if we were driving, warning that the cocktails were strong.  Luckily we were on foot, so we just ordered more! An appreciation for the classics, female empowered mixology, and a concern for personal safety, what is not to love?

3.  The Hintonburg Public House (1020 Wellington St. W.) – Simplicity

The Hintonburg Public House may truly shine as a great local beer haven, but they also know how to keep their spirit-lovers satisfied.  It is a simple small menu, but it’s all delightful, unpretentious and tasty. Kind of like the place overall. They have a rotating seasonal cocktail menu with around four options. I enjoyed the French 75, very classic and well-suited for the finally emergent spring.  On my visit they were also featuring a Manhattan made with Mead Wine.  My last brunch visit there included an expert Caesar.  It may or may not have included red wine as a secret ingredient – but I can’t confirm that for sure.  Either way, it was a very necessary and spicy Hair of the Dog.  I love the homey and casual yet refreshing and creative feel of The Hintonburg Public House, and the cocktails are perfectly fitting match.

4.  Gezellig (337 Richmond Rd.) – Sophisticated Standards

It is not the kind of place one can go to every week, but I was delighted with their short but impressive cocktail menu when I splurged on an anniversary treat there shortly after the opening.  They have a Smoked Manhattan, and I make a habit of loving all things smoked. Plus they make a serious Pimm’s Pint and a classic Negroni – my always enjoyable, routine order.  I would certainly return to Gezellig for another special occasion, and that special occasion would certainly involve a cocktail.

5.  Navarra (93 Murray St.) – Best Margarita

Ok, this place is not cheap, but the food is unique and full of flavor and the Margarita list has got to be the freshest and best in town.  A Margarita is not something I want every day, but there is definitely a time (summer) for one, and there is also a place!  A couple people in my party sampled the “Spicy Pineapple” and it received raves all around.  I would definitely have it again. Another member of our party had the classic and it was a totally perfect execution of a Margarita – tart, salty and boozy.  They also do a Mojito, and a Ginger Gimlet, both of which I would have trouble turning down. To top it off, our waiter could not have been more friendly and chatty, recommending all his favorite spots in town.

Honourable Mentions:

Two Six {Ate} (268 Preston) – Most of the drinks on the menu are a little sweet for me, but I think they please a lot of folks as I have heard good things.  They do have an Old Fashioned – which is crucial – and a few appetizing sparkly drink options. Plus, the food, the prices, and the service are so great, that Two Six {Ate} needs to be included on any of my favorite lists.

Brothers Beer Bistro (366 Dalhousie Street)– Mostly a beer joint, obviously, but they can mix up some classics upon request. The bartender fed me a great Manhattan recently.  They also feature a rotating barrel aged/infused liquor option. It was not ready yet when I asked, but apparently some inspiring flavored gin is in the works and I hope to make it back for a sample.

This is a competition where baristas and coffee tasters get to show of their respective skills. The day switches between tasting events, where expert tasters have to pick out the odd coffee from a flight of three, to brewing events where baristas get to show off their technical skills. It should be fun to watch and I’m sure if you love the smell of coffee, it will be a paradise. Head over to see just how complicated coffee can be when you put your mind to it.

The event starts at 10:30am on Saturday, April 20 and wraps up with the awards ceremony at 3pm on Sunday, April 21. It all takes place at the Bridgehead Roastery at 130 Anderson Street in Little Italy.

Styrofoam. The bane of every environmentalist’s existence. How something so chemically complex ever managed to become so cheap and freely available, I’ll never understand. And it’s for these reasons that you’ll see Styrofoam take-out containers in restaurants and food vendors across the land.

I’ll concede on one point: every time I walk out of a restaurant with a sack full of little Styrofoam nightmares, I’m partially to blame. I could have decided to go to another, more environmentally-friendly establishment. Or I could carry around reusable food containers in the event that I might find myself in need of a mobile dinner solution, as some people already do.

But let’s be honest. In order for the shadowy, secretive Styrofoam cabal to crash and burn for good, we’re going to need more than just concerned citizens with a penchant for preparedness to take action. We need each and every food-serving establishment in Ottawa and beyond, from the most modest food truck to the priciest fine food destination, to take a stand against the styro-structure hegemony.

Look at the great plastic bag crash of the late 2000s. It wasn’t until businesses decided to explore alternatives that people stopped hoarding thousands of single-use bags, dusty and forgotten forever, in some dark corner of their basements. That’s not to say that plastic bags no longer exist, but the sea of change that has since taken place is proof that change is always possible.

Fortunately, there are non-styro alternatives. Biodegradable, compostable containers seem to be making strides in recent years. In fact, they’re becoming more and more common in Ottawa, especially in higher-end establishments. But for full-scale adoption to take place, I think we need to look at take-out containers, and their true costs, in a completely different way.

We’re used to take-out containers being free, and this is part of the problem. Cost must be a huge part of the equation for businesses when they’re making decisions about which containers to stock. Containers don’t necessarily equal higher profits for restaurants, so why invest in something environmentally-friendly when they’ll just be forced to give them away in the end? In this case, the cost should be passed down to the consumer.

That’s right, I’m actually advocating to have to pay every time I decide to take my food out as opposed to dining in. I would happily pay for an environmentally-friendly container every time, if it were an option. Actually, scratch that. It shouldn’t even be an option. As long as we’re hooked on to the idea that someone else should pay for our own convenience, things will never change for the better.

Some local foodie havens are already practicing this. The Green Door, Main Street’s best (and only) organic vegetarian establishment, has been charging its customers a small fee for environmentally friendly take-out containers for years. The best part about the Green Door’s options are that they’re reusable for a period of time, so the value you receive actually goes above and beyond the single meal you purchased the container for. (Editor’s note: they also offer a free alternative.) It’s this kind of thinking that can change the idea that take-out containers are throwaway, one-time-use products. The Green Door should be applauded for this.

You may think I’m totally wrong about this, and that is absolutely within your right. But either way you cut it, Styrofoam has been clogging landfills, consuming major amounts of natural resources and potentially contaminating our food for years. Admittedly, the alternatives aren’t perfect either, but their adoption would be a step in the right direction. And it’s up to us annoying foodie types to make it happen by voting with our wallets and making our views about Styrofoam take-out containers heard.

What do you think Ottawa? Is a modest fee for green take-out containers the way to go, or should I just stop worrying and learn to love the styro-bomb?