The night before I join Paola St-Georges on her “Foods of the ByWard Market Tour” in this nation’s capital, we dine at local hot spot Navarra. We’re joined by local food bloggers Don and Jen, the duo behind the city’s “Foodie Prints” blog where they discuss and review everything local and edible. Navarra is a sliver of Spain as interpreted through the trained palate of Chef René Rodriguez. Fiery reds, sleek banquettes and waiters who look like hot-blooded Flamenco dancers choreograph their way through dinner service. The food is as hot, figuratively, hence why it’s recognized by Ottawa Magazine as one of the city’s Top Ten tables.
Over a platter of sliced Iberico ham, I ask Paola how she got the idea of creating and giving food tours in Ottawa. She smiles saying, “If I had said ‘let’s explore the food scene here’ 10 years ago, you might have laughed. I actually got the idea from Don. I read an article he recommended about New York's famous food tours and I was captivated by the idea. I also realized that Ottawa's food scene was ready for these tours too.”
Before you scoff at the notion, let me pre-empt hasty judgments by saying that the last time I was in Ottawa, in the late 90s, that city’s food scene didn’t resemble this version in the least. Paola explains this saying, “The last 10-15 years has seen the emergence of a truly local, thriving food scene here. Chefs have opened their own restaurants and made it a priority to use local, seasonal ingredients while bringing their own style to dishes they serve,” adding, “Local farmers, assisted by organizations such as Savour Ottawa, have found new, enthusiastic restaurant clients. The public has shown an ever-increasing level of interest in all things food and is now buzzing about everything from new local cheeses to the latest "must-visit" restaurant.” The result of this new-found vigour is C’est Bon Cooking which includes classes helmed by Chef Andrée Riffou and tours like the one I’m about to head out on.
We start mid-morning the next day, with Paola leading the way commencing at the eponymous Metropolitain Brasserie- one of the most frequented spots for politicians and pundits during “Hill Hour.” Housing the city’s largest raw oyster bar, it’s got the requisite French café tables, chairs, and menu including crisp frites served with a side of aioli mayo. Poli sci nerds can be found gawking at their legislative heroes and heroines on any given afternoon.
We head around the corner to marvel at the Château Laurier where famed photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the iconic image of Winston Churchill- the scowl comes from having grabbed Churchill’s cigar from his mouth!
Sumptuous afternoon tea at Zoe’s Lounge still reigns supreme at the Château. But it’s the beautiful, hidden courtyards near the market that captivate and transport me to a little French town- each one a rabbit’s warren of treasures including Planet Coffee and the Black Tomato café.
Along the way, we sip, savour and chat to chefs, shop owners, ByWard Market fruit and vegetable merchants and butchers- all proudly displaying organic produce or prized cuts from heritage breeds. I make a mental note of stopping by La Bottega Nicastro after the tour to shop at my leisure after spotting award-winning Ottawa valley cheddars. We end our tour at Le Boulanger Français where hot butter croissants await.
As Paola points out, within Ottawa city limits, there are a whopping 1267 farms- everything they need to have a flourishing food scene literally located inside the city’s urban boundary. “It's a wonder it took so long to develop!” says Paola. But now that the secret’s out and farmers, chefs and shop owners alike are getting an economic shot in the pocket book by engaged food-lovers, the future looks deliciously bright for Ottawa. And it’s about time!
When I lived in Ottawa five years ago, Byward Market was my favourite destination on weekends to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables. Also, no visit was complete without a visit to the Le Moulin De Provence bakery for a decadent serving of mille feuille.
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