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:
- Aperitivo (655 Kanata Ave)
- Fairouz Café (15 Clarence St)
- Heartbreakers Pizza (465 Parkdale)
Aperitivo in Kanata is a tiny gem of a space tucked into the vast Centrum outdoor mall, with dim, cozy lighting and comfy chairs you can settle into for a night of sharing plates, wine, and cocktails with friends or family. I spent a lovely Saturday evening there with my partner and two friends recently and enjoyed all the dishes we tried, but there were two standouts. The dish listed as “cauliflower with caponata, tahini, and pomegranate molasses” ($16) turned out, to my surprise and honest delight, to be a baba ganoush-style dip, served with freshly fried tortilla chips. It was rich and smooth, with a gently bitter edge from the cauliflower smoothed out by the tahini and zinged up by the sweet-sour caponata (an Italian condiment made with eggplant, onion, garlic, peppers, and vinegar). We dipped and swirled and scraped up every last bit, and I would have eaten more of it.
Shakshuka. Photo: Alison Larabis Chase
The other menu item we loved was something I’ve made at home and always enjoyed. Shakshuka ($20) is a Middle Eastern/North African dish composed of a spiced tomato and onion-based stew in which eggs are gently poached. Aperitivo’s version also included cubes of slightly melty halloumi cheese, and was served with thick slices of brioche toast for sopping up all that saucy goodness. We cleaned the plate and it warmed us from the inside on a chilly January night. I also want to shout out Aperitivo’s excellent non-alcoholic cocktail options; I enjoyed a Seedlip paloma and felt warmly included even though I didn’t want booze. All in all, a fun date night or chillout spot with tasty food and kind service.
-Alison Larabie Chase
Back in 2020, Fairouz moved from their Centretown location into the ByWard Market, taking over a heritage building on Clarence Street. While my first few visits to this location were to pick up takeout, I have since fallen in love with the cozy dining area and gorgeous back patio. The menu is full of Middle Eastern dishes: hot and cold mezzes, fresh pita and dips, pides (Turkish flatbreads), skewers, and main plates. The staff are excellent at helping pick out the appropriate number of plates to ensure everyone gets plenty to eat but I recommend saving room for dessert! For two people, we usually order a couple of appetizers, a main, and a pide: the halloumi and brussel sprouts are two of our favourites from the hot mezze menu, along with the tawook (chicken) and a Turkish flatbread.
Shish tawook and brussel sprouts at Fairouz. Photo: Hannah Manning
At $54, the chicken may seem expensive but it’s plenty to split between two or three people when ordered with a few side dishes. The menu changes seasonally, as does the cocktail menu, but we’ve always been impressed with the thought and presentation that goes into each dish and drink. Reservations are recommended and can be made online. There are some unique challenges with operating in a heritage building and their website outlines accessibility considerations.
-Hannah Manning
I am shocked that I haven’t mentioned Heartbreakers yet. It is not the pizza’s fault, trust me. They opened during the first lockdowns of the pandemic, and so became masters of the takeout pie pretty quickly, which is pretty lucky for us. It’s got to be one of the best pizzas in town, whether you take it out, or enjoy it in.
The crust is thin, and crispy, with a nice chewiness around the edges. The slices are huge, more New York style than other thin crust specialty pizzas around. A large is 16″ and 8 slices, while a small is 13″ and 6 slices. My favourite is the Sweetheart with aged mozzarella, pepperoni, jalapeño, oregano and honey. The pepperoni is juicy and crispy, and the jalapeño gives it a nice heat and freshness without being too hot. The honey does make it sticky though, so have wet naps ready. A large costs $32 and is too much food for 2 people. The calabrian chili dipping sauce is next level for a bit more punchiness, but if spicy isn’t for you, the garlic is gorgeous too. They offer vegan and halal substitutes for toppings as well. For dessert, you have to get a slice of cake. The celebration cake is the fun, sprinkled vanilla birthday cake of your dreams, with the perfect ratio of icing to cake, and the right size to share with a friend. They also have a great wine list with funky options, and a cool cocktail bar.
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The cozy, bright restaurant is not big, so if you have your heart set on eating at Heartbreakers in person, be sure to get a reservation, especially on the weekends. They also offer a monthly Chef Special pizza designed by a local business or cool person. February is “The Long Goodbye” by Bytowne Cinema, and proceeds get donated to a charity of their choice. Previous editions have been inspired by Terramor Farm, Café Palmier, and the Mayfair among others.
-Kiersten Vuorimaki
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>.
