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:
- Sammi & Soupe Dumpling (41 York St.)
- Pop’s Paninis ( 2255 Carling Ave, 5340 Canotek Rd)
- Courage Cookies (1130 Wellington)
It seemed like everyone had been talking about the new dumpling place in the market, and I’d never had soup dumplings before, so naturally, it ended up at the top of the to-do list. The Sammi & Soupe Dumpling location in York is in the former Kinki restaurant and has kept the sexy cool vibes in the heritage building. They offer two styles of dumplings: steamed soup and pan-fried. They also have a good selection of other side dishes and specialties, but we were there for the dumplings, of course. You can try two different filling flavours in your order, but we kept it simple with one order of ten Spicy Juicy Pork soup dumplings ($12.99), and one order of 15 Pork & Green Onion ($14.99) fried dumplings. They have a good variety of flavours, including lamb & coriander, juicy chicken & mushroom, juicy pork & snow crab, and egg & chive to name some of the more interesting options! The dumplings arrived pretty quickly and were fragrant and very hot.
Soup dumplings can be tricky to figure out (they are only slightly too big to eat in one bite, and are also full of liquid) but we got the hang of it quickly. The Spicy Juicy Pork was not very spicy, but it was definitely juicy.
Soup dumplings. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki
To be honest, my dinner date wasn’t a huge fan of the dumplings, but I thought they were great, so as always, take any food recommendations with a grain of salt! Next time, I’d like to switch it up in flavours and try a wider variety. The restaurant gets very busy in the evening, but you can also place take-out orders, which would be a great option to enjoy on a park bench in Major’s Hill Park.
I seem to be on a real sandwich kick lately, and for that, I do not apologize. The latest sandwich to blow my mind came from Pop’s Paninis and was delivered by Uber Eats, which is always a nice convenience to enjoy. The menu is 100% sandwiches, with options like pretzel buns, or kaisers, but the paninis are their specialty. I ordered the Jalapeño V2 which was my choice of deli meat (I did turkey), Havarti cheese, fresh jalapeño peppers, lettuce, mayo and mustard pressed on jalapeño cheddar dynamite bread.
Was it a lot of jalapeños? Oh my gosh, yes. Was it also the biggest sandwich I have ever seen? Heck yes. While the panini wasn’t necessarily thick, it was huge. I should have measured it, but I’m sure it was the size of an iPad. Or a good hardcover book, if you’re looking around my house for a size comparison. I needed both hands to get it off the plate. I’m a sucker for dynamite bread, and this was crispy, salty, and very very fresh.
Pop’s Paninis. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki
You can get your panini in regular size for $12.99 or a “Pop” size for an extra $10. I cannot imagine needing a larger sandwich unless I was feeding two other people. The panini also came with a free side of coleslaw and a home-baked cookie—a delicious touch. The turkey was fresh and piled high, and the bread was perfectly toasted without getting dry or charred. Next time, I’ll order the turkey and brie with green apple and cranberry mayo, because I have not stopped thinking about that option since I read the menu.
At the end of May, Toronto’s Courage Cookies opened up on Wellington in Hintonburg. I was lured in recently by their colourful signage and the unmistakable smell of fresh cookies. The small counter, tucked into a realty office, was staffed by an incredibly friendly and cheerful baker who gave me the whole rundown of their business. Not only was the case full of stacks of interesting and fresh cookies, but the business also donates a portion of all proceeds to local charities. Cookies are $3.40 each, and $20 for six. I got a freshly baked still warm chocolate chunk with sea salt and a double Reese’s with peanuts for the road. What can I tell you about a delicious cookie that you don’t already know? They’re chewy and rich, and the salt on the chocolate chunk was the perfect touch that I didn’t know I’d been missing in other cookies.
Courage Cookies. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki
They also offer gluten-free and vegan options, which looked just as decadent as the glutinous versions. There were at least a dozen options, like snickerdoodles, s’mores, stuffed red velvet, birthday cake, matcha, whiskey pecan and more. They are the perfect treat for dessert at a party, or just for the walk home from your errands in Hintonburg. You can order ahead, and they also offer shipping across the country, if you want to send someone a sweet treat!
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>.
