In this feature, Apt613 asks blog contributors and local food lovers about their recent Ottawa area restaurant highlights to help you find new tasty treats to discover or revisit when someone inevitably asks, “Where do you want to eat?” We want to hear about something that you ate and loved! Leave comments below, and if you’d like to contribute to a future edition of Best Bites, email <editors@apt613.ca>.
Best Bites this week:
- Maria’s Tacos (221 Rideau St)
- Lima Peruvian Rotisserie ( 200 Elgin St)
- Di Rienzo (111 Beech)
Yes, we’re definitely talking about tacos again, and you are welcome. Maria’s Tacos is a literal hole in the wall, dishing out fresh tacos from a window in Maverick’s on Rideau Street. If the shutters are open and the sandwich board is out, you’re in for a great meal.
We rolled up right as they opened at 5pm for Taco Tuesday a couple of weeks ago and were greeted by the incredibly charming and friendly taco maker herself. The menu includes tacos, quesadillas and pambazos (Mexican spicy chorizo sandwiches). My bestie and I both got three tacos, for only $6 each.
They serve the full gamut of taco fillings with barbacoa, tinga de pollo, carnitas, chorizo, al pastor and fish. We got the carnitas (pulled pork), barbacoa (steak) and tinga (chicken) for this first visit. While we pondered the logistics of eating on Rideau street, Maria invited us to sit in Maverick’s out of the heat to enjoy our meal, which was definitely welcome.
If you’re there when there isn’t a live show going on, you can hang out inside no problem. It would also be amazing to enjoy the tacos while you attend your next show. The fresh tortillas were perfection—not too thin, but also not gummy. They held up beautifully even though they were stuffed full.
The meats were all juicy and super flavourful. The barbacoa had some spice to it, and the carnitas benefited from some lovely cooked peppers (not spicy) for added texture and flavour. The tinga had sweet, soft, cooked onions and the addition of crumbled cheese on top for freshness. They all came with crunchy pickled onions, cilantro and a creamy fresh crema. Sublime.
Maria’s Tacos. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki
From Tuesday–Sunday she opens at 5pm and closes at 9:30pm on Tuesday and midnight Friday and Saturday. Check her Facebook page for updates, because she is also in high demand on the Taco Fest circuit and serves up her tacos at special events like the Navan Fair as well.
Staying south of the border, Lima Peruvian Rotisserie is the elevated chicken experience that we’ve all been needing. Takeout only, Lima is based in the kitchen of Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine on Elgin (which I have mentioned before). You can order directly from the website to pick up in person, or through Uber Eats.
The menu is simple, with full meal options focused on the chicken. You can order a meal for one, two, or a family of four which includes sides like herbed “Lima” fries, chicken fried rice, chicken soup, a green salad or the South American staple—yuca fries.
Yuca (or cassava) is a starchy root that is commonly served like potatoes (fried, roasted, boiled) in Peru. You can also order a whole chicken or one of their seasonal items like a chicken sandwich. I ordered the personal combo for $21 before taxes and delivery which included an enormous chicken thigh, a generous serving of yuca fries and a whole meal sized serving of fried rice. The chicken also comes with the three special house sauces for dipping: a bright and tangy chimichurri, creamy and garlicky aji pollero and a tangy aji de casa.
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The chicken was juicy and dense, and the skin was crispy and very dark brown. The Peruvian marinade is packed with herbs and spices, so you can expect an added herby smokiness to the dish that you don’t find in our regular rotisserie chicken joints. The yuca fries are mega crispy and salty and are worth the extra $3 if you are: a) a lover of yuca, or b) new to yuca.
I had to put most of the fried rice and half the chicken aside for lunch the next day. For an extra treat get yourself a chicha morada to drink. The refreshing purple corn and citrus drink (non alcoholic) is classic Peru and perfect on a hot day.
I’m on a mission this summer to find the best sandwiches around, for reasons of extreme heat and a love of picnics. I had to remind myself to head back to the sandwich that started it all decades ago, and go back to Di Rienzo in Little Italy for their famous sandwiches.
For a very long time, Di Rienzo’s has been the place to get a huge, fresh sandwich for a very reasonable price, so if you’re new to town, or haven’t been brought here by someone who loves you and wants you to eat good things, this is for you. This unassuming deli just off the main drag in Little Italy can be a very bustling and busy place, so study up before you go.
You can order one of their 18 classic sandwiches, all on the same huge, super fresh chewy bun, or go rogue and build your own from the dozen or so different meats, cheeses and toppings like eggplant, giardiniera, sun dried tomatoes, dijon and olive oil. I like to go classic with the #16 Soppressata Calabrese, Hot Capicollo, Proscuitto Cotto, Provolone, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard and onions for $10 including taxes.
DI Rienzo’s. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki
The sandwich is made lightning fast right in front of you, and then you’re free to enjoy it in the park across the street where you might catch a game of bicycle polo, or basketball underway. The sandwiches are huge, fresh and very satisfying of course. They only take cash, but they do have an ATM on site.
Grab an imported Italian soda, or a cannoli to round out the meal right. They are open Monday-Friday 8:30pm-7pm, and open at 10 on the weekends. They also have basic market items for sale, and a good selection of freshly made Italian meals to take home for later.
We want to hear about something that you ate and loved! Leave comments below, and if you’d like to contribute to a future edition of Best Bites, email <editors@apt613.ca>.
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