…. but we won’t be far away. My son and I are moving and I am leaving this area with one happy and one sad eye. In this post, I want to highlight the places we/I enjoyed the most; just awesome places in Old Ottawa South Guide to hang out.
I live in Old Ottawa South since September 2016 and it has been very exciting to watch it become a real foodie and cultural destination; this spring/summer, however, some other exciting things are happening for us a bit further away.
Oat Couture
Oat Couture, located at Bank and Glen is amazing. Firstly, they serve awesome coffee and the two swings are a great way to keep children entertained while parents talk. Oat Couture serves and celebrates all things made of oats and sell bowls, shakes, granola, baked goods, coffee, tea, and other non-alcoholic drinks. I stopped there with my son once for breakfast; I had a coffee, and we enjoyed delicious bowls of oatmeal with blueberries and lemon curds.
The Cameron & The Belmont
The man behind The Belmont on Bank Street, (a tiny 30 seat restaurant) is Adrian Vezina who has taken his creativity in a whole new direction. At The Belmont, I enjoyed the Baked Spaetzle and a Lomo’s Limousine Cocktail for supper recently which was awesome but also dug into a huge plate of Huevos Rancheros for Brunch on a Sunday morning. Adrian has taken his creativity in a whole new direction however when he partnered up with the Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club to turn the club’s second floor into The Cameron. This is an awesome place to watch a tennis tournament, meet new people, hang out at Brewer Park & Playground after or enjoy the Kid’s Movie Night on Fridays.
Korean Restaurant “Table Sodam”
This place is a hidden gem. It just opened in May 2018 but changed my world. I never had Korean food before and got inspired when I took a food preparation and cooking course toward my degree as a holistic nutritionist with Dr. Joël Villeneuve, ND. It did not take my taste buds long to adjust. Table Sodam is definitely not an average restaurant. Keep in mind that the seating area is pretty small and that they do not take reservations. First come, first serve. I have seen lines outside at 5 pm when they open for supper. Their traditional Bibimbap is to die for but so is (according to my son) their fried chicken. They have so much more on their menu, however that looks delicious, flavourful and made me want to come back for more soon.
The Black Squirrel Bookstore (My all-time favorite!)
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
The bookstore specializes in academic non-fiction, in buying and selling used books of merit but there are many different genres available. You will find books on History, Art, Biographies, Fiction, Sociology, Children’s books, Manga’s, Psychology, Philosophy and so much more.
I love the unique and cozy setup by only somewhat separating the books and the café area. Comfortable arm seat reading chairs located close to the entrance/window area let you take advantage of reading close to a bookshelf (to simply grab another book) and people watch while sipping a cup of latte. This simplicity yet the pretty array of decorations found throughout the bookstore make it feel like I am at home and just give this comfortable feeling to stay here forever and never leave. I wrote a blog post about The Black Squirrel here. Also, check out their website.
Patty’s Pub
Patty’s Pub is simply great, fast and serves comfort food. I love the steak and fries. The fries are cooked to perfection and Monday Burger Nights offer a variety of creative burger toppings. Taking my son to an Irish pub was a first, but it worked out since we were there in the afternoon. They obviously have regulations for the evening when you cannot bring kids. 🙂
Burrito Shack
Great burritos, salads, fries, large portions and fresh ingredients. Open until 10.30 pm on Friday and Saturday and during the week until 9 pm. My son who is part of the testing and tasting added that “if you do not want the fries super spicy, you have to tell the man behind the counter because otherwise he puts the spices on and it will burn your mouth”.
Vietnamese Kitchen
Not my “go to place” for pho which is definitely Chinatown but The Vietnamese Kitchen is great. Whenever I am feeling under the weather, this place is just conveniently close. My son and I enjoyed their vegetarian Moo Shu Pancakes and of course their Pho. He is almost five years old and eats comfortably with chopsticks – lots of practice at pho restaurants I reckon. They also serve French Fries and a variety of rice dishes which was great because my picky-eater-son was addicted to this type of food.
Life of Pie
Life of Pie offers awesome coffee, pastries (chocolate cake!), and bread (their fresh baguette is to die for!). Their breakfast biscuit with egg and sausage is just what one needs for brunch after a Friday or Saturday night well spent! 🙂 They have a bunch of board games that entertain and occupy kids if needed so the parents can actually have a conversation.
Stella Luna
Stella Luna is not just for gelato. On Monday through Thursday, you can enjoy small (complimentary) bites such as sandwiches and Quiche, with a purchase of a glass of wine (yay) between 5 pm and 7 pm (Pretty European). Stella Luna is famous for their homemade ice cream which is so good indeed. We tried almost all the flavors but rich, dark chocolate is our all-time favorite.
House of Targ
We walked to this place randomly on a Saturday late afternoon on our way back home and did not want to leave ever again. We were amazed by 80-style Pinball and Perogies which brings back memories. House Of Targ is the place to hang out. It is a spot like no other, featuring live music, pinball. old school arcade games and a delicious menu including handmade perogies. They serve alcohol and host family parties.
Mayfair Theater
The Mayfair Theater built in 1932 is one of Ottawa’s two last, oldest and surviving independent neighborhood cinemas. There are no advertisements or commercials before the movie starts which is amazing; they just show pictures of Old Ottawa South and how it looked in 1932, upcoming movies posters on-screen and no trailers. The Mayfair has the distinction of never having been owned by, or affiliated with, any of the major cinema chains which I love so much. I enjoyed the architectural features and the vintage touch that drew me into the world of imagination and memories when I was a teenager and used to go to this tiny movie theater in my hometown Coburg in Germany.
