One of the attractions of living in the Wellington Village is proximity to so many great eateries. Some are even characteristic of Ottawa. Take for instance the Ottawa Bagel Shop. When asked what are their favourite purveyors of bagels, Ottawa natives usually point to one of three: the Continental Bagel Bakery (in the Byward Market Square), Kellerman's Bagel's (several franchises are located across Ottawa), and the Ottawa Bagel Shop (in the Wellington Village).

When I discovered what a wood-fired sesame seed bagel tastes like from the Ottawa Bagel Shop, I decided that I didn't need to visit the other two bakeries. Why go elsewhere when the bagels close to home taste great: perfectly golden, pleasantly chewy, very slightly smokey, and never bready.

They're so good that the Superstore at the corner of Richmond and Kirkwood carry them bagged in their in-store bakery. Though, to enjoy them at their best, go to the source at day break. There is no better bagel than one from the Ottawa Bagel Shop's first batch of the day: soft, newly golden, and warm from the oven. I find it almost magical when the residual heat softens the butter or cream cheese as you apply it.

That said, the Ottawa Bagel Shop is more than just bagels. The bakery also carries gourmet products, slice to order deli meats, and other baked goods, including Art is In Bread. One of the cashiers recently told me that their Art Is In bread is baked in-house. I highly doubt that Kevin Mathieson works out of the bagel shop's basement, but the bread is fresh and new batches appear every morning, except Sundays.

The Ottawa Bagel Shop's gourmet selection includes raw milk cheeses, freshly cured smoked fish, olives, pickled vegetables, dips, and spreads. One of the in-house spreads is chopped liver, a deli staple. Savory, sharp, creamy, and topped with sweet caramelized onions, it goes beautifully with their plain or sesame seed bagels. Think savory chopped liver, tempered by the sweetness of caramelized onions.

Given that the Ottawa Bagel Shop carries deli meats, great bagels, specialty cheeses, an assortment of smoked fish, and its own chopped liver, it really shouldn't come as a surprise that it has an in-house cafeteria-style restaurant. There, they serve everything from bagel sandwich platters to freshly brewed coffee, pies, and pastries (including Jewish potato knishes). There is even a buffet bar with hot foods like black bean chicken, braised pastrami tips, and home-made pasta.

Jenn and I have visited the Ottawa Bagel Shop many times, always purchasing a dozen or so freshly baked bagels. We noticed that it had a coffee bar, but I prefer coffee from the Bridgehead coffee house several doors down. Bridgehead serves, what I feel is, the best cup of medium-roast Columbian coffee in the city. It's fair trade too. Nevertheless, curiosity got the better of the both of us and we eventually headed to the "other side" of the bagel shop and sat down for lunch one afternoon.

The restaurant sells bagel sandwiches as bagel subs. They come in several varieties: deli, vegetarian, seafood, and classics. Deli bagel subs include bagel-ized versions of bacon, lettuce and tomato; smoked meat reuben; egg salad; and turkey or chicken club sandwiches. Classic bagel subs come with reduced prices. They include bagel with cream cheese, bagel with butter, and bagel with "gourmet salmon" spread.

The cost for a bagel sub ranges from $5.25 for a bagel with asiago cheese, chopped artichokes, and pesto to $7.95 for the New York classic bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, capers, and Spanish onion.

After lining up at the sandwich corner, I ordered a "featured" bagel sub with chopped liver, tomatoes, and lettuce (cost: $3.25). My better half ordered a chicken club (cost: $4.95). However, she asked for a platter, which apparently added another $7.15 to our bill. Because everyone around us seemed to be enjoying a side of home-made pasta, we also added a small clam shell of the oddly shaped noodles (cost: $4.11). With two drinks, a 414 mL apple juice ($2.39) and my first ever bottle of Jamaican ginger beer ($2.25), everything came out to $26.93 after taxes. That amounts to approximately $15/person with tip.


Chopped Liver Bagel Sub

Turkey Club Bagel Sub Platter, hold the cheese

Homemade Pasta from the Hot Buffet

Home Made Pasta Side Serving for 2

I believe Alton Brown originated the sandwich tenet that "squishable spreads go on squishable breads." It proved true with my bagel sub, which was made with an in-house bagel. The first bite of my sandwich compressed the front of the sandwich enough that chopped liver, crisp lettuce, and sweet tomato pulp spilled out the back and onto my fingers. Good bagels have substance. They are chewy and somewhat difficult to bite through. Jenn fared much better with her sandwich, whose filling didn't spew forth with every ensuing bite.

Regarding the side dishes, the fries tasted like they were freshly fried from frozen: crisp, but starchy. The homemade pasta's flavour and texture could be summed up with three descriptions: starchy, oily, and rubbery. For homemade pasta, detour around the Ottawa Bagel Shop and visit Parma Ravioli down the street...

Regarding the ginger beer, I've a feeling that the drink is an acquired taste. Jamaican ginger beer does not compare well with the more common ginger ale. Ginger beer tastes distinctly of ginger. Ginger ale is sweet and is lightly flavored with ginger. My first sip of ginger beer tasted of gingery "burning." The next couple actually made me more alert.


Jamaican Ginger Beer

Label

At $15 a head, I think I'll stick to making my own bagel subs. However, bagels from the Ottawa Bagel Shop are a must.

Here are the Ottawa Bagel Shop's catering menus:

Catering Menu Front

Catering Menu Back

Particulars:
Ottawa Bagel Shop and Deli
1321 Wellington Street
(613) 722-8753

Bridgehead Coffee House
1277 Wellington Street
(613) 725-5500

Parma Ravioli
1314 Wellington Street
(613) 722-6003

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