At the end of February, Carol Paschal organized another outing for the Hintonburg Supper Club, this time at the Viva Loca Cafe (1233 Wellington Street W.), located inside the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC). In the months since Viva Loca opened its second location, Don and I have only eaten there once, ordering their delicious oat and whole-wheat pancakes from their weekend brunch menu for takeout. Made to order, they were light and fluffy. When we received the email for February's event, we became excited to try their dinner menu.

In addition to their regular lunch and dinner menu of panini grilled sandwiches, gluten-free wraps, savory crepes, chili, soup, and salads, Viva Loca offered supper club members a table d'hote menu ($17.95). For starters, they offered the soup of the day or a mixed green salad. For the entree, there were three options.

1. Hearty chunky chicken stew loaded with fresh vegetables and served with artisan bread.
2. Roasted vegetable lasagna layered with fresh pasta and cheese and served with artisan bread.
3. Ham and fresh asparagus buckwheat crepe with cheese sauce.

Dessert was a selection of home made treats, date squares, apple & plum crisp, cookies (including a gluten-free option) and carrot cake, along with coffee or tea. Don and I decided to order from the table d'hote for that evening's dinner.

Due to the number of people attending that night's dinner, GCTC closed its doors with a sign to the public, saying it was closed for a private function.


Viva Loca Signage

In the daytime, Viva Loca is a wonderfully bright eatery. The sun streams through its floor to ceiling windows that surround it. Despite the concrete stairs and walls, the dining area is comfortable and the staff, warm and inviting.


Inside Viva Loca

Displays of dessert greeting patrons

Starter – Soup of the Day or Mixed Green Salad

Potato and Leek Soup with Artisan Bread

That chilly evening, Don and I chose the soup of the day to start: a cream of potato and leek soup. Made with a vegetable-based broth, the soup contained thinly sliced leek with large chunks of red potatoes. While I enjoyed eating the large chunks of potato, I was surprised at how the soup was made. I had expected a soup with more body. What we were served that evening was a very thin soup, whose cream finish seemed slightly curdled. The leeks were also slightly overcooked. Despite its loose texture, the soup had great flavour. The accompanying slice of multi-grain artisan bread was delicious. It was nicely toasted, giving off a wonderful scent of toasted caraway seeds in its crust.

Entree – Roasted Vegetable Lasagna layered with fresh pasta and cheese and artisan bread

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

For his entree, Don chose the roasted vegetable lasagna. It was layered with a generous serving of cheese, fresh vegetables, and marinara sauce. In fact the serving was enormous. Overall, Don told me the vegetarian lasagna met his expectations. He would have preferred the pasta cooked more al dente and the sauce, slightly thicker. Again, the slice of multi-grain artisan bread made a nice accompaniment to the lasagna, perfect to sop up the marinara sauce. The salad was fresh and crisp.

Entree – Hearty Chunky Chicken Stew loaded with Fresh Vegetables and artisan bread

Chunky Chicken Stew

For my entree, I chose the hearty chunky chicken stew. Coming in from the cold and watching people walk by bundled in their winter gear, the stew seemed like the perfect choice to me. When the bowls of chicken stew were served, I heard other supper club members express worry the servings were rather small. However, the serving was just right. It was filling. The stew, chunky and satisfying. Each bowl contained a generous helping of fresh vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, onion, and celery) and large chunks of chicken breast. The stew was nicely thick and well-seasoned.

Dessert
For dessert, many supper club members chose either the date square or apple and plum crisp. Few chose the carrot cake.

Don chose the date square.

Date Square

Again, as with everything else served that evening, the serving portion of the square was large. According to him, the square was more square than date. The pastry, crisp but thick. The date filling was sweet, but not cloyingly so.

Never one to turn down an apple crisp, I was excited to try Viva Loca's apple & plum ginger crisp.

Apple & Plum Ginger Crisp

It was my first time tasting apple paired with plum in a dessert. When my plate came, the crisp looked delicious. The fruit filling was quite tasty. Not overly sweet, the plums and apples were thinly sliced, skin on. The streussel topping was very thick, crisp, and sweet. After a few bites, it became obvious there was too much streussel and not enough fruit. The distribution of the ginger was somewhat uneven. With every bite, I could taste ginger, but some bites had large pieces of ginger, while others did not.

In general, the meal was rustic and filling. Don and I were impressed with the sheer variety of dishes, flavours, and textures that were made with seasonal and local ingredients. We plan on returning to try their brunch menu.

Total: $40.57 (after taxes, before tip)

Particulars:
Viva Loca
1233 Wellington Street W.
(613)728-8482

More after the jump...

Originally, the "Elite" Brunch Club was supposed to visit the legendary Von's Bistro (819 Bank Street) in the Glebe, our November event.

Von's
Unfortunately, as we would discover that Sunday (November 29, 2009), many of the more popular eateries that serve Sunday brunch do not take reservations. It is first come, first serve. Besides Von's, this includes Jak's Kitchen (479 Bronson Ave), Benny's Bistro (119 Murray St.), and Stoneface Dolly's (416 Preston Street).

When I discovered Von's did not take reservations, I asked the restaurant over the phone if they could even accommodate our numbers (8 minimum, 10 maximum). A male voice said they could, so long as someone comes early to reserve seats. Brunch club member Izzy (@spoonsie) volunteered. She arrived an hour early to warn the restaurant of our impending arrival. During that hour, Von's owner and a waiter took turns coming up with tentative offers to accommodate us and then seated new arrivals in what would have been our seats. At first, Izzy was told the restaurant could accommodate us. A pair of tables would be made available. Then, two tables in opposite ends of the restaurant could be made available. Then, only one table could be made available. Then, Izzy was told we could sit around the bar. Finally, the restaurant could not accommodate us at all.

As brunch club members began arriving en masse (and on time), we gave up. The waiter actually came out to apologize to us when 8 of us gathered together in front of Von's window to decide what to do. She said we could wait another 15-20 minutes for the original tables we were promised (but could not guarantee) or we could go elsewhere. She pointed out the Arrow and the Loon (99 Fifth Avenue) usually has lots of available seating. They did, so we chose to gather remaining members there.

Now, I understand higher end brunch is only profitable for eateries if turnover is high. Even then, margins are small. Brunch is a way of generating buzz for a restaurant, introducing it to new patrons so they may return for dinner. I understand the kitchen and much of the front of house staff more than likely worked the dinner service the previous Saturday evening. After last call, the remaining patrons leaving, and clean up, it is often early morning Sunday (1:00 to 2:00 am). This leaves a scant handful of hours to sleep before returning to the restaurant to prep for Sunday brunch. As food writer and former chef, Ivy Knight, once described, "Brunch is Hell."

My question, if you notice your dining room is turning over quickly and you prefer to seat smaller groups of patrons, why entertain accommodating a larger party? This is what Jak's would tell us during the following brunch event. That waitress even did her best to get us a pair of tables, letting us reserve one table first. When she realized the brunch rush had started, she told us it was impossible. We paid for our coffee, tipped (enough for one cover), thanked her, and left.

That said, the brunch club still met for November and we had quite a bit of fun. The brunch at the Arrow and the Loon was average, but the company made up for it. This event would be the first Andrew and Biff (@biff_da_bear) joined us!

Biff
Biff is a very busy bear. When he's not working search and rescue on a ski hill, he bakes. He blogs. He tweets. He travels. He takes pictures. And, he writes restaurant reviews. Andrew is his handler.

Regarding the Arrow and the Loon's brunch menu, it serves the usual suspects: pancakes, eggs, ham, sausage, bacon, home fries, french toast, fruit, and combinations thereof.

I ordered a "Tony's Own" Eggs Benedict ($11.99), a restaurant special:

Tony's Own Eggs Benedict - Home Fries View

Tony's Own Eggs Benedict - Eggs View
As per the menu description, my "Tony's Own" came with smoked salmon, spinach, portabello mushroom, and goat cheese. Strangely, after the waiter saw me take pictures of my dish, he insisted on pointing the mushroom (the dark strip across the hollandaise) was mushroom and not bacon. I thanked him and dug in.

The poached eggs were cooked runny. The spinach was not quite wilted. The hollandaise had not split. Everything was served on a slightly soggy piece of toast. While not badly executed, the dish was served lukewarm. The eggs and smoked salmon had just about come to room temperature.

Jenn ordered "The Works" Omelet ($10.99):

The Works Omelet
This particular omelet is called "the works" because it is made with mushroom, onions, peppers, bacon, sausage, and ham.

Jenn found the omelet rather overcooked on the outside and dry throughout. It seemed, to accommodate so many fillings, the omelet was cooked for some time on each side to ensure the center was done. She also found her toast somewhat stale and cold.

My thoughts: the restaurant does not normally accommodate such a large group for brunch. When we arrived we found the pub largely empty. In order for us to be served at the same time, some dishes may have cooled.

Total: $28.22 (after taxes, before tip, and including one coffee)

When it comes to pub-style brunches, Sunday brunch at the Arrow and the Loon would more than likely be better in smaller groups.

We had better at the Lieutenant's Pump (361 Elgin Street), our recommend for middle-of-the-road brunch.

Particulars:
The Arrow and the Loon
99 Fifth Avenue
(613)237-0448

More after the jump...

Towards the end of February, I attended a Thursday session of Case Study Jam at German restaurant, the Lindenhof, on Preston Street (268) in Ottawa's Little Italy. It would be the second time creator Joe Boughner convened the event. Dubbed "Case Study Jam 2: Jamming Harder", Case Study Jam gathers together "do-ers", people who work in public relations, communications, or information technology, essentially "anyone who gets their hands dirty." According to the event's primer, while there is no featured speaker, several quick oral presentations start the event, leading to break off discussions on "Wins" (success case studies), "Fails" (less-than-successful case studies), and "Works in Progress" (ongoing case studies). The goal is to encourage people to share ideas and allow attendees to leverage lessons learned, all in an informal environment.

That evening's presenters follow:

• Ian Capstick (@iancapstick) of MediaStyle: His presentation on a "fail", involving a bloggers' resource for blog ideas
• Kelly Rusk (@krusk) of MediaMiser: Her presentation on a "fail", involving organizing a Social Media book club
• Bob LeDrew (@bobledrew) of Translucid: His presentation on a significant "win", involving rallying Ottawa via social media to help the Cornerstone women's shelter

Because the event was held at the Lindenhof, Boughner encouraged attendees to come early to enjoy "a schnitzel or a bratwurst" before the presenters spoke.

Having read several past tweets from local tweeps about their enjoying great dinners at the restaurant, both when it was previously on Carling and at its new location on Preston, I arrived early to sample some German fare. I however polled some trustworthy sources beforehand. One of the project managers I work with is of German decent. He told me the Lindenhof can be a little unpredictable, he having been served both great and forgettable plates. Never regrettable, he warned me to expect large servings. A friend told me there are better German restaurants in Ottawa.

The event was held in the second floor dining room of the restaurant. The Lindenhof, itself, looked like a converted two story house. With hardwood floors, yellow painted walls, and dark wood accents, the atmosphere matched the generous home-style dishes we were served.

Second Floor Bar
Even the bar looked warm and welcoming.

Off the menu, I ordered the sauerbraten in lieu of either schnitzel or bratwurst. A former colleague of mine once asked me if I had come across the vinegar marinated beef dish in my local restaurant adventures.

Lindenhof Menu

Entrees
Described as "cured and marinated roast beef, served with a tender potato dumpling and sauteed vegetables", I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. I did take note of the schnitzel though...

Schnitzel
Boughner recommended the combined bratwurst and schnitzel plate. His German beer recommend: Warsteiner Dunkel.

Warsteiner Dunkel

Every entree is accompanied with either salad or soup.

That evening's Salad

That evening's Soup
Ian ordered the salad and graciously let me take a picture of it. I ordered the soup. Thin brothed, peppery, and slightly over seasoned, the vegetable soup tasted of tomato and was forgettable.

My sauerbraten plate was indeed generous.

Sauerbraten
The sliced beef bordered on tough, but was manageable with the savory jus-based gravy. The potato dumpling is the largest I have ever come across. When it arrived, I thought it was a scoop of mashed potato. Expecting something yielding, my fork cut into a tender dumpling that paired well with the sliced beef. The vegetables tasted steamed and finished in butter. They were fork tender. The entire plate was rustic and filling.

Arriving at the restaurant ravenous, my dinner quickly filled the gap, allowing me to enjoy the following presentations.

Total: $25.43 (including a Coke ($2.50), a coffee, and taxes).

I would later speak with Bob LeDrew about encouraging members of Ottawa's foodie and food blog community (over 50 blogs strong) to come together and help him hold another dinner for the Cornerstone women's shelter. His idea: a chili or stew dinner. My thoughts: Ottawa has a vibrant foodie community with food enthusiasts who defy author Michael Ruhlman's thoughts that foodies don't cook. Jenn later suggested to include a canned food drive for the Food Bank as well. More on this later.

Many thanks to the Lindenhof for hosting Case Study Jam. Many thanks to Joe Boughner, the presenters, and the attendees for some insightful discussion. I am excited to attend the next one.

More after the jump...

A sure sign you're Canadian is the uplifting feeling you get when the snowbanks melt away to reveal bare sidewalks again. You then throw off your heavy winter-wear. You don thick hoodies and vests and exclaim spring has arrived. The temperature, only 4C.

Greeted by sunlight this morning, Jenn and I wandered downtown to enjoy the newly warm weather; me, thick hoodied and she, vested. There, we decided try our luck at breakfast at the original SconeWitch (388 Albert Street). It is one of those eateries, we hear volumes about, but never found the time to try. Friends recently told us, the original was such a success another opened in the Beechwood area.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. When we arrived, we found the restaurant's 25 or so seats were already taken. The scent of butter pastry filled the air. And, it was uncomfortably humid inside. In fact, condensation clouded the front window, giving patrons a little privacy and a complementary moisture treatment. We ended up picking up an Eggwitch ($5.50), a B.L.T. (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) with pesto SconeWitch ($5.50), and an Orange Cranberry sweet scone ($1.90) to go.

Jenn's Eggwitch consisted of a savoury herb and onion scone that was hollowed out to hold eggs scrambled with cooked ham. Recommended by the line cooks at the back of the restaurant, my SconeWitch sandwiched baby mesculin with crisped and microwave re-heated bacon between the halves of feta scone. One half was brushed with a store-bought basil pesto. The other, spread with mayonnaise.

The Scone Witch is a canteen style restaurant. The dining room, decorated in a bistro style greets you when you walk in from the street. Against the wall is a graduation-style painting of chefs. In the middle is a witch with a tray of scones.

There is an open kitchen at the back. The separation is marked with a counter, where your order your food. We discovered lines formed at both the counter and at the door. The latter, for tables.

There are no servers. While the restaurant is professionally equipped, there is no traditional line. The three cooks who take orders and assemble scone dishes are also bakers and servers. When you eat in, they will bring your plates to you. After you eat, you head over to the cash and till to pay. When you eat out, they bag everything and point you to the cashier. Dishes are made to order. The cashier doubles as a dish washer, there being two dish washing stations in the restaurant. Given the turnover, I can imagine the restaurant going through a lot of dishes.

As we waited for our order, Jenn and I gave opening tables away and took our scones to a park bench on Kent Street, across from the Crown Plaza Hotel. There, we devoured our late breakfast. I found my sandwich quite the realization. Rich and decadent, well-made scones work in sandwiches. Mine was freshly baked, light and airy. Buttery, it tasted passingly of feta. With the peppery greens, nutty pesto, and salty bacon, I exclaimed with delight biscuit sandwiches did not even compare.

Jenn likewise enjoyed her breakfast, giving me her blackberry. The crumb of scone I stole from her when she wasn't looking was likewise light and buttery with just the right amount of dill.

Total cost: $15.57 (after taxes)

Next time, we're coming in when the place opens at 8:00 am on weekends for brunch. At $10.50, you get scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, a scone, and greens. The scone is accompanied with Moss Berry Farm jam or lemon curd. Everything is topped either with mustard-baked ham, a dollop of mushroom ragu, or Mediterranean vegetables and goat cheese.

Update: I looked into the comment from Pearl of the Eaten Up food blog that there was originally another Scone Witch in New Edinburgh neighbourhood. Indeed, the Scone Witch at 35 Beechwood Avenue was originally located on 42 Crichton Street. According to an older "The Materialist" blog by Kirstin Endemann of the Ottawa Citizen, the 42 Crichton Street location was takeout only. In September 2009, the former location was re-opened by Chef Susan Jessup as 42 Crichton Street Fine Foods.

Particulars:
The Scone Witch
388 Albert Street
(613)232-2173

More after the jump...

Avid foodiePrints readers will have noticed that Don and I love bubble tea and are constantly on the lookout for the best local bubble tea shop. Thus far, we have visited Bubblicity (both Chinatown and Dalhousie locations), Nihao Tea House on Holland Ave. (now closed), Maple Valley, and finally, Ottawa's newest competitor, the Toronto-chain Teashop 168. On my last bubble tea entry, I had updated foodiePrints' list of top bubble tea shops in Ottawa, but did not reveal number one. I shall now fill in that blank spot.

Last summer while looking for something spontaneous to do with my younger sisters as we waited for an order of pizza, we decided to walk from Hintonburg to Chinatown's newest bubble teashop, My Sweet Tea for something cold, sweet, and refreshing. Granted, My Sweet Tea has been in business since July 2008, but it was my first trip there. My youngest sister, who could probably live on a diet of bubble tea, claimed its drinks tasted just like those in Vancouver and Toronto and that I would not be disappointed. Sufficient to say, she was correct.


Signage My Sweet Tea

Located in the heart of Chinatown, My Sweet Tea provides great competition to another bubble tea shop on Somerset Street, Bubblicity, a popular Ottawa chain. Upon entering the shop, I was struck by the sheer delightful fruity smells in the air. There is nothing more comforting when entering a tea shop when you can smell recently made bubble teas of various flavours and tapioca pearls. The fruitiness is enough to put a happy grin on your face and the knowledge that you are in store for a great treat. The chic decor and furniture gives the shop a casual, yet sophisticated feel, and adds to the relaxing atmosphere inside.


Bubble tea barista making a customer’s order

Checking out the menu.....
My Sweet Tea serves a variety of bubble tea drinks in many flavours including ice tea, ice slush, milk tea, ice cream smoothies, yogurt drinks, blooming tea (hot drink). In addition, snacks of fish balls, chicken wings, toast, and chicken popcorn along with cake are also available.

I ordered my usual staple, a lychee bubble slush ($3.99 + $0.50 for jelly) . It was sweet, cold, and delicious. The lychee flavour was strong, but not overpowering. It also had just the right amount of lychee jelly pieces and there were no hard bits or shards of ice. More importantly as the slush slowly melted, the lychee flavour continued until the very last drop. I was in bubble tea heaven.


Lychee bubble slush served in a tall narrow glass cup

Don chose one of his favourites, a black tea based milk taro bubble tea. According to him, it was cold, sweet, milky and smooth, the right consistency of a taro flavoured drink. Feeling adventurous, Don decided to add red beans to his drink, rather than the usual tapioca pearls. The red beans were perfectly cooked and sweet. At $3.99 + $0.50 for the red beans, it was money well spent.


Milk Tea Taro-flavour (black tea base)


A close up of red beans

Looking for a Snack…
Despite finding a drink quenching my thirst, I was also in search of some food. Choosing from a curious selection of flavoured toast on the menu, I decided to try the honey toast. Not knowing what to expect, I was surprised to be presented with a thick slice of toasted white Asian-style bread drizzled with honey on a glass plate. Each bite had a lovely crunch, but found it somewhat greasy with honey tasting of the typical store-bought kind. I am not sure if I will order this dish again in the near future.


A snack of honey toast

Take Out Bubble Tea
Don’t have time to relax and hang out in the tea shop? No problem! My Sweet Tea also has a take-out option, serving the drinks in plastic cups and sealing them in a thick, but clear plastic sheet with teddy bears and a riddle written in Chinese.


Refreshing bubble teas to go! Delicious!

In the top left hand corner is a mango flavour bubble tea with mango jelly pieces, a favourite of my younger sister. Beside it, a black tea based taro-flavour milk tea with tapioca pearls. Below in the bottom right hand corner is a green tea based lychee-flavour ice tea with lychee jelly pieces. Finally in the bottom left hand corner is my drink, a lychee-flavour bubble slush with lychee jelly pieces.

Since the summer of 2009, Don and I have re-visited My Sweet Tea on numerous occasions and feeling satisfied each time. As a result, My Sweet Tea is foodiePrints’ pick for Ottawa’s best tea house!

4. Teashop 168
3. Bubblicity
2. Maple Valley
1. My Sweet Tea

Particulars:
My Sweet Tea
824 Somerset Street W.
(613) 321-3481