Before taking in a movie this weekend, my better half, two friends and I decided to have noodles for dinner at Pho Bo Ga, Ottawa's first, and arguably best, pho noodle house (though not my favourite).

This my "regular" at Pho Bo Ga: pho with thin slices of beef, beef tripe, beef tendon, and chunks of beef shank.

Before Chili Sauce

This is properly seasoned pho for my palate. The red colour comes from adding sriracha, a popular chili sauce that comes in a plastic bottle with a green cap. Bottles of sriracha are common-place on tables in pho noodle houses.

After Chili sauce

In the Ottawa area, we are graced with many restaurants and eateries. Here are some pictures of some eatery displays that caught my eye and the lens of my digital camera.

This picture was taken during a walk through the ByWard market on a beautiful Autumn day. Please note that the sign in the picture points, not to an entry to the restaurant, but to an empty alley next door. Nevertheless, Kinki is a great restaurant that features fine asian fusion dishes. However, it is very pricey.


This sign graces my current favourite restaurant in Ottawa, Allium. Scribbled on it is the daily special. Ironically, the misspelled word on the sign one evening properly spells the surname of a former American senator who often misspelled things. Regarding the restaurant, its food is wonderful; its service, prompt; and its the decore, befitting of the innovative and classy dishes that are served.


This picture came from my wanderings on the WWW. I have no idea where this eatery is located, but the sign is priceless :)

Loblaws is selling these awful fruits next week for $1.98 CAD/LB. The sale begins tomorrow (January 13, 2007). The Superstore had the same special this week, which is where I had the misfortune of finding them. For some odd reason, these lychees are incredibly sour. They are wonderfully redenned, but they are far from sweet. Avoid if possible.

I guess I've put my foot in it. Somehow my threatening to bake a cream pie and toss it at someone has resulted in my attempting a tried, tested, and true British comfort food: Treacle Tart.

There are hundreds of recipes, but the consensus seems to point to Golden Syrup as this pie filling's base. This is the "recommended" brand:

Tin

Bottle

Here's what turned out:

More after the jump...

During one of my few days off, I decided to avail myself of a nice bowl of Vietnamese Noodle Soup (Pho) with some light reading.

Honestly, can anyone ask for more? Here we have beautiful authentic soup that actually gellatinized when it cooled, perfectly cooked noodles, crisp (translated:fresh) garnishes, thinly sliced beef, savoury meat balls, and nasty bits as Anthony Bourdain calls them (beef tendons). The beef tendons are optional. Regarding the gellatinizing aspect of the soup, this signifies that the soup is most likely made on the premises with actual meat and bones and not commercially available powdered bases. It makes a difference: better texture, richer flavour, and increased nutrition.

To those of you who work with me across the Ottawa river, please take a look at this bowl of Pho and compare it to the unreasonably facsimile that's served next door to Phase IV. There's a reason a bowl from that establishment leaves your mouth dry afterwards.

If you're craving something warm and soothing on a cold winter's day (yes we have those in Ottawa), take a trip to the corner of Somerset and Lebreton and look for the Vietnamese Pho house with the green sign that reads "Thu Do." It's worth it.

This just in: Here's Thu Do's new card.

Card