Welcome to Foodie Friday at Apartment613 — a new feature in which we slice through the many layers of Ottawa’s food scene with the dexterity of a master chef.
Our first post is particularly special: we got Juno-nominated musician Royal Wood to review the Back Lane Cafe, one of Ottawa’s most well-regarded new dining spots. And over the next year, we’ll be partnering with the National Arts Centre to bring you restaurant reviews by musicians who are part of the new all-Canadian NAC Presents concert series. Next up: a review by Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of Whitehorse, who will be playing the NAC Theatre on March 23.
Where to begin? As a professional songwriter, performer and producer who’s dedicated his life to the arts, it might seem strange to be writing a restaurant review. But when you look at my background and current hobbies, it makes more sense than you might imagine.
I was raised on 100 acres of farmland outside of Peterborough that specialized in fruit trees, vegetables, and livestock. My parents loved cooking, and trained my siblings and I to cook from a very young age. I spent almost as many nights peeling garlic and chopping carrots as I did practicing piano. My folks believed in the power of fresh ingredients and hands-on cooking. Nothing was ever premade. Nothing came from a box. Our microwave was actually used to store cooking utensils instead of for heating popcorn.
I’ve also had a lifelong love affair with wine. I’m a budding sommelier, training at George Brown College in my spare time. (Being a touring musician, it’s a very stop-start process. But one day I’ll be able to wear the title of sommelier with pride!) My music career also means I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve visited wineries throughout France’s Burgundy and Provence regions.
So let’s get underway. The ambiance at the Back Lane Café — which opened in Hintonburg in 2011 — was warm and inviting, full of people and full of life. The chatter and laughter in the room instantly made me feel at home — as did the fact it was nice and warm, especially considering the ice forming on the sidewalks outside. I was greeted with a smile and offered a glass of water to begin with, which I always appreciate.
The menu had plenty of options for even the most picky of foodie, so I excitedly planned my courses. To start, I ordered the green lentil soup, despite being worried that it would be beige and pureed to death. Instead, it turned out to be deliciously chunky, full of vegetables, lentils, and flavour.
My main course was the wood-fired New York steak with oatmeal stout jus, fries and aioli. Sadly, it turned out to be a slight disappointment. Though the array of vegetables on the plate was perfectly cooked (I like my veggies on the raw side, so these were right up my alley), the steak was closer to medium rather than medium rare, and slightly colder than a freshly cooked steak should be. Its flavour was wonderful, though, and had it been taken off the grill sooner, it would undoubtedly have deserved a gold star.
My wine choice was a perfectly big-bodied red blend of Syrah/Grenache to match the loud red meat. Hailing from Ventoux, the southeastern region of the Rhone, this wine had nice aromas of prune, undergrowth, chocolate and ripe black fruit. The producer was Vidal-Fleury, the Rhône Valley’s oldest continuously operating winery, grower and negociant.
But the end the meal turned out to be the highlight. The wine poached pear with pomegranate granita was something not of this earth. Consisting of shaved ice flavoured with fresh pomegranate juice and seeds, and topped with a red wine-poached pear, the dish left me refreshed and revived, wondering how something so seemingly simple could taste so transcendent.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Back Lane Café, and would with every confidence recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy a night out in Ottawa. Just be sure to order the granita!
