Like a lot of other foodies, I have a soft spot in my heart for sandwiches. From deli classics, like dagwoods, reubens, turkey and ham clubs, monte cristos, and muffulettas, to exotic Vietnamese Bahn Mi's, I've never met a sandwich that I didn't like. I adore freshly baked crusty loaves, carefully chosen cold cuts, savory cheeses, crisp vegetables, and conservatively applied condiments. It maybe the fine balance that classic sandwiches make between flavours and textures or the fact that sandwiches magically transform less than choice cuts of meat to something mouth-watering. Take for instance pastrami sandwiches. Pastramis is made from beef brisket, a cut of beef that is traditionally smoked to make it edible.

Imagine my happiness when I read a listing of Ottawa's Favourite sandwiches from the September 2007 issue of the Ottawa Home Magazine and realized that the sandwich shops listed offer only specialty sandwiches. Here is the list:

• DiRienzo's Grocery: 111 Beech Street(original location) - (613)729-4037 or 1121 Meadowlands Drive - (613)723-4664
• La Botegga Nicastro: 64 George Street - (613)789-7575
• La Gourmandise: 2200 Montreal Road - (613)842-9904
• Il Negozio Nicastro: 792 Bank Street(original location) or 1355 Wellington Street - (613)729-9100
• Pesto's Deli & Fresh Pasta: 471 Hazeldean Road - (613)836-5432

Save for La Gourmandise, the the restaurants listed specialize in Italian sandwiches. Personally, I'm interested in Pesto's Deli. According to the article by Laura Cummings, Pesto's Deli is owned by and run by the same family as Il Negozio Nicastro. Veal sandwich anyone?

For more details on the various sandwich purveyors, do pickup the issue of the Ottawa Home Magazine.

Two weekends ago, friends came over to my place after dinner to chat and enjoy dessert. Jenn disappeared into the kitchen to make a Japanese sponge cake, called a kastella. I entertained.

While several of my guests argued the finer points of application development on mac vs. Linux platforms, another guest, a fellow foodie and dear friend from my university days, picked up my November 2007 issue of the Ottawa Magazine. Like me, she immediately turned to this year's list of top 10 "Best Restaurants" according to guest columnist, respected critic, and cooking television producer, Chris Knight. That's right folks, Knight's top 10 for 2007 is out!

For people new to the Ottawa Magazine, each year, around November-ish, Knight releases a top 10 list for restaurants in the national capital region. It is his determination of the best and brightest in the local restaurant scene. The criteria for Knight's top 10 list follows:

1. The restaurant needs to be a fine dining establishment.
2. The restaurant needs to be on the tip of your tongue when your current boss, former mentor, hero, and father in law says he's coming to Ottawa and wants you to recommend a place to go with the "missus" for their 40th wedding anniversary.

If you don't believe me, I'll happily show you the page in the November 2006 issue of the Ottawa magazine, where Knight actually states this.

Along with his annual top 10 list, Knight also includes a short list of restaurants that just nearly missed edging someone out and joining the list themselves. These restaurants will most likely be contenders for next year's list.

And without further ado, here are Ottawa's Best Restaurants for 2007:

1. Beckta Dining and Wine: 226 Nepean Street - (613)238-7063
2. Le Baccara: 1, boulevard du Casino - (819)772-6210
3. Domus Café: 87 Murray Street - (613)241-6007
4. Restaurant E18teen (new head chef since 2006: Matthew Carmichael, protegé of Susur Lee): 18 York Street - (613)244-1188
5. The Wellington Gastropub (chef/owner: Chris Deraiche, former head chef of E18teen): 1325 Wellington Street - (613)729-1315
6. Ambiente: 101-18 Beechwood avenue - (613)744-6509
7. Juniper Kitchen and Wine Bar (changed location since 2006): 245 Richmond Road - (613)728-0220
8. Social Restaurant + Lounge: 537 Sussex Drive - (613)789-7355
9. Perspectives: Brookstreet, 525 Legget Drive - (613)271-18000
10. Les Fougerès: 782, route 105, Chelsea - (819)827-8942

Here are Knight's 6 Restaurants "to watch":

1. Absinthe Café Resto Bar (new location since 2006): 1208 Wellington Street - (613)761-1138
2. Canvas Resto Bar (at the former location of Absinthe): 65 Holland Avenue - (613)729-1991
3. Allium (my personal favourite restaurant): 87 Holland Avenue - (613)792-1313
4. Benitz Bistro: 327 Somerset Street West - (613)567-8100
5. Luxe Bistro (formerly 47 York Restaurant, new name, new ownership, new head chef: René Rodriguez): 47 York Street - (613)241-8805
6. The Whalesbone Oyster House (new head chef: Steve Wall): 430 Bank Street - (613)231-8569

As I told my friend, the November issue of the Ottawa magazine is to foodies what the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit issue is to sport fans. Both are issued once annually. Both are eagerly awaited.

For me, my meager restaurant budget only permits me to visit a precious few fine dining establishments during a given year. Chris Knight's top 10 list and his write-ups on each incumbent restaurant provide much needed reconnaissance, information that will let me spend my money more wisely.

Regarding this year's choices, Knight has confirmed the existence of Ottawa's Epicurean Row. Two of his top 10 and three of his 6 "to watch" are located in the Wellington Village, almost within walking distance of each other.

To Arup Jana, chef/owner of Allium, congratulations. I'll be by your restaurant soon to get my copy of the magazine signed!

Oh, if you're interested in Knight's top 10 pics for last year, they follow:

More after the jump...

For those of you in the know, the Ottawa magazine is semi-dedicated to providing good insight into the culinary landscape of the National Capital Region. This includes Ottawa and parts of Gatineau. It reports on the newest happenings, restaurant openings, restaurant closings, and any other events that could tickle the curiosity of a resident foodie. It also prints some very good reviews by some very knowledgeable people.

Every so often, the Ottawa Magazine produces an issue that lists the best restaurants to dine in in the region, best upcoming restaurants, and restaurants with the best wine lists. This year, it was the November 2006 issue that contained these lists. Such is why the pictured copy is slightly worn. Budget depending, I plan on hitting everyone of the highlights before the next issue is published.

BTW, as I discovered recently, the Ottawa magazine is quite different from the Ottawa Life magazine. I do not believe they are at all affiliated. Like Frank's Energy Drink that's featured on the cover of the issue that I had the misfortune of appropriating, the Ottawa Life magazine has little culinary value. Actually, I highly doubt that Frank's Energy drink has much nutritional value either.