In this 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:
- Louis’ Pizza (181 McArthur Rd.)
- Big Rig Kitchen & Brewery ( 2750 Iris St., 1980 Ogilvie Rd.)
- Ahora (307 Dalhousie St.)
- Moo Shu Ice Cream & Kitchen ( 477 Bank St.)
This week it is all about comfort food. Nothing fancy, no real pants in sight. Wear your stretchy jeans, or order in, because the year is ending, time has no meaning, and it’s comfort food season.
It is hardly a hot take to tell you that Louis’ Pizza is probably the best pizza in the city. If you’ve lived here long enough, you know that. But I’m here to either tell you for the first time, or remind you, that it’s time to get one of their enormous cheesy pies and treat yourself. Louis’ has been slinging pizzas for longer than most of us have been alive, and they make a perfect, quintessential Ottawa-style pizza: thick crust, sweet tomato sauce and almost too much cheese on top of huge slices of pepperoni. I always opt for the Louis’ Special: pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, green olives and bacon. Sometimes we order a salad on the side, but that is entirely unnecessary. A medium pizza for $22.50 could easily feed three adults, with room for their famous coconut cream pie for dessert. The restaurant is old-school, cozy and quick. You can pick it up and pay onsite, or even get it on Uber Eats now if you’re not feeling old-school.
The Louis’ Special. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
Many years ago, my friends and I set ourselves the goal of finding the best nachos in town. After a whole summer of research, we found them, and for the better part of a decade we have kept getting them at Big Rig. For nachos to be truly great, they need to be fully loaded with toppings, with an even distribution of cheese and toppings through all the layers, a tasty protein needs to be added on, and guac cannot ever be extra. Big Rig is the place to get this every time. Both the Iris and Ogilvie locations have been delivering solid nachos for long enough to be the go-to spot for an easy dinner. One platter of nachos is perfect to share for dinner, especially with a side salad added for the illusion of balance. The two restaurants have different menus lately, but you can add pulled pork, brisket or Montreal smoked meat for added heft. The nachos come fully loaded with green onions, black beans, pico de gallo, cheese, jalapeños, corn, sour cream and guacamole.
Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
Nothing says comfort food quite like a saucy, cheesy burrito. Ahora in the market is a fantastic, cheerful Mexican restaurant that serves the best loaded and smothered burrito in town. The Plato Ahora comes with a massive burrito stuffed with chicken or beef, beans, rice, salsa, and guacamole and then drowned in a delicious red sauce, cheese, and sour cream. You will not be picking this burrito up. The platter comes with two of rice, beans, and salad. Definitely get the rice, because it is perfect with the extra sauce from the burrito. This is a very filling meal, and if you’re not feeling quite up to the challenge, the Plato Ranchero offers the same amazing burrito without the extra bulk of the beans inside. You can add exactly the kind of heat you’re looking for at the serve-your-own salsa bar. This place doesn’t have social media, but they are on Uber Eats.
If we’re really leaning into comfort food, we can’t forget the *little treat* that I’m sure we all deserve. Moo Shu is the purveyor of Ottawa’s premium ice cream, and the ultimate comfy treat. It may not be the season for scoops on the side walk, but it’s the perfect time of year to fill your freezer with pints of perfection. Whether you love the classic local strawberry, the cult favourite Hong Kong milk tea, or you’re searching for vegan options that taste like actual ice cream—they have you covered. The Vegan Mango Sticky Rice is a creamy, fruity, rice-y concoction that tastes exactly like the famous southeast Asian dessert that few restaurants in town can master (with the appalling state of local mangoes in this region). The Black Currant and Cream Cheese is rich, and sweet, and tangy, while the Vietnamese Coffee is mild and sweet, with a hint of coffee. Buy a few pints, put them in your freezer, and enjoy them while on the couch.
Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki.
