So every year for the Remembrance Day, we get the day off as a Bank Holiday. And since this year it happened to fall on a Monday, I figured what better to do a weekend getaway? (Do you really need an excuse for a weekend getaway though?!) So I packed up my bag… yes I only packed one – and was off on a 4.5 hour drive to Ottawa, Ontario.
And of course, being the foodie that I am I definitely wanted to check out some good food spots, and figured why not check to see what Halal options they have. To my surprise, they had A LOT! And, my fiancé sent me the sweetest email of recommendations of places to go based on his research (he didn’t even come on the trip with me – but it was the BEST surprise getting that in my inbox before my trip!) So, going with some of his suggestions and some of my own research, the first meal I had was none other than Middle Eastern! So first, we walked in to Salang Kabob House, looked around and the atmosphere just didn’t do it for us. So we walked out and went across the street to see if Shawarma Palace would be a better choice and boy were we happy we went there! The food was delicious and the portions were large! We had two plates between 3 people and it was more than enough.
Shawarma Palace – they have multiple locations but we went to 2949 Carling Ave
$$ / 8/10 / Halal, no alcohol on premise
We ordered
- Kafta Kabob dinner – $15.95
- Mixed Plate Dinner – $15.95
We also came back the day we were leaving for take out (yup, it was that good!) so we also tried
- Chicken Shawarma $6.75
- Beef Shawarma $6.75
- Small Garlic Potatoes $5.50
We continued out foodie journey the following day with brunch at The SconeWitch, which, I have to say the food was good but the service was terrible. I was really disappointed with the experience. Firstly, it was quite difficult to find since there is no signage outside to indicate that the restaurant was inside an office building, but the security guard was helpful when I asked for directions. When we went in, it wasn’t too busy so I took two small tables, put them beside each other for my parents and I to eat comfortably. As we sat, the place continued to get busier and the staff continued to serve for dine in, when there clearly wasn’t any space left to dine in – not a comfortable experience to say the least! Once the food came, I went to ask for an additional plate and set of cutlery because we were sharing our 3 meals, and the lady behind the counter said “here – and don’t come here again we have knives back here” while shoving a plate in my hand not even letting me ask for cutlery. Now, I am all for safety and there were no signs to say not to go beyond a certain point, in fact it was open space – but even if I wasn’t supposed to come to that area – there is a way to speak to your customers. Then, before we could even finish our meal, another man came to ask if he could take away our plates. We said yes, gave up the second small table we had, finished the food we were still eating and quickly hurried out of there. We left with a rather unsatisfied feeling solely on the experience – it really goes to show what terrible customer service can do. The food was good, but the experience – nothing shy of terrible.
The SconeWitch – 150 Elgin St, Ottawa
$$$ // 2/10 // Terrible Service
Portions were small and overpriced for what you’re getting, food was tasty but not worth the hassle or the lack of service and the attitude
We ordered
- Brunch – Cheddar scone with smoked salmon (was suppose to come with jam, but it didn’t)
- Cheddar scone with Mediterranean vegetables with goat cheese
- Vanilla Cream scone with Devon Cream and wild blueberry raspberry jam
Then in the evening, we carried on our foodie journey to Moe’s BBQ! I had heard about Moe’s BBQ from a friend and I had it on my radar for when I visit Ottawa and it was definitely a good decision! They have brisket, which I had never tried, so that itself sold me! The Chef, Mubeen or Moe, was super friendly and is planning to open in Toronto soon, so keep an eye out if you’re a Toronto foodie looking for some smoked Brisket! I have to say that my favorite dish, hands down were the ribs! Oh. My. God! They were delicious and I would definitely go back just for those Ribs! The Pulled Chicken was a little too sweet for my liking, but that’s just me. The platter was a good mix and gave us a chance to try a bit of everything, definitely a good choice to get some variety.
Moe’s BBQ – 2446 Bank St
$$ / 8.5/10 / Halal, no alcohol on premise
We ordered
- Pulled Chicken Burger
- Sample Platter with 3oz Brisket, 3oz Pulled Beef and 1/4 Chicken
- 2 AAA Beef Back Ribs
- Came with 4 sides, we got Fries, Gravy, Mac and Cheese & BBQ Rice
And that took us to the end of our foodie adventure. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the foodie scene in Ottawa, the people were friendly and we enjoyed out stay.
And I can’t forget to mention our accommodation, we stayed in Kannata not far from the city. The hotel had a golf course, spa, and all the amenities! Definitely somewhere I would want to come back to in the summer to enjoy the outdoor adventures, but this trip was way too cold! But hey, that just means I’ll need to come back again! If you have any tips or places to try in Ottawa, or try any of the above let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or pop by to say hello on my instagram – Adore2Ally!
xo
Ally