In this new biweekly 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:
- Bibi’s Middle Eastern Kitchen (143 Putnam Ave., 1087 Wellington West)
- Petit Peru (152 Rue Montcalm, Gatineau)
- Gongfu Bao (365 Bank St.)
There is something just so satisfying about bowls. Bibi’s in Hintonburg and Beechwood is the best place to get a fresh and flavourful bowl made exactly the way you like it. Besides being crazy delicious, the best thing about Bibi’s is the variety of options for all different diets and preferences. My personal go-to is the braised beef, which is rich and spicy, on top of rice and lettuce with the Za’atar fries, fresh veggies, and the garlic and hot harissa sauces. It’s spicy, crunchy, and rich, with so many layers of flavour. There are lots of gluten-free and halal options, as well as vegan and vegetarian. They serve wraps, bowls, and savoury pies, but the bowls are what keep us coming back. You can build your own bowl, and they are just as great eaten at the colourful and spacious restaurants or delivered to you at home. The patio in Hintonburg is a leafy and bright pink oasis in the summertime. The gluten-free tahini chocolate chip cookie is the perfect end to the meal.
Bibi’s. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
Petit Peru is a casual Peruvian restaurant in Gatineau that has been serving classic Peruvian dishes around the Ottawa area for a decade. The Lomo Saltado is a a must-try, and it keeps us crossing the bridge on a regular basis. If you don’t already know, Lomo Saltado is a steak stir-fry with onions and tomatoes, served with white rice and french fries. It is beefy, salty, saucy, and perfect. Order it with a Pisco Sour or an Inka Cola if you’re feeling brave. The service is always great in French, English, or Spanish, and they often have special all-you-can-eat events where you can try a variety of Peruvian specialities at once. Get the empanadas to start for a perfect experience.
Lomo Saltado at Petit Peru. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
I don’t need to tell you about the Bao at GongFu Bao. You already know how amazing it is. But do you always get dessert? You definitely should. Recently, we somehow had room for dessert after a table full of bao and slaw, so were encouraged to try the Golden Mantou. These are bite-size pieces of bao bun, steamed and deep-fried so they are fluffy, crispy, golden, warm perfection served with a warmed dip—either vanilla-sweetened condensed milk or a killer vegan coconut caramel. One order is enough to share, and for only $7.50, it is a steal for a little treat in Centretown. Try them with one of the house-made sodas for a real sweet treat.
Golden Mantou. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
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