Ottawa Foodies

Wrote this review in the spring and forgot to post it! There are 3 things I really love about this place—the seasonal menus, changing wine choices and the art exhibits.

I had a difficult time deciding what to order; I was very hungry and everything appealed. I wanted dessert so decided not to opt for an appetizer, soup or salad. I finally went for the lake Ontario perch with braised baby bok choy and roasted beets in an herb lime crème fraiche sauce. It also came with a panko crusted kidney bean cake. The presentation was very pretty—nice combination of colours and textures, all surrounded by the sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly, still moist yet flaky with a gentle flavour. The vegetables were delicious and that sauce! I could have licked the plate clean. The only item that wasn’t outstanding was the little cake—it was a bit dry and the panko crust a tad overdone—of course that still didn’t stop me from using it to soak up the sauce.

Friends’s choice was the duck leg confit which was rich, moist and flavourful (we always share bites—I know Emily Post wouldn’t approve but IMO that’s the way to try more without pigging out!) Hers came with roast fingerling potatoes and vegetables and the accompanying sauce was delicious. Nothing to complain about on this plate! We shared a rosé—the wine is available by the glass, half litre or bottle. They have an extensive selection and a lot of Canadian estate wines.

Neither of us had appetizers but we were pleasantly satisfied with our choices and decided to share dessert. I can’t recall the exact “title” of the dessert but it was a raspberry torte with a yummy custard sauce. Artfully presented and quite tasty—though it may have been baked the day before—still very good. The berries were slightly tart and the sauce creamy and sweet. We both enjoyed the delicious freshly brewed coffee—they made a fresh pot for us-only people left for a late lunch. Very enjoyable, including the art exhibit.

Yes, the layout can be intimidating, but once you have had the food you wont care. Its always great. Havent been dissapointed eating here in over 4 years.

I haven't been here for a year or two, but rectified that omission by dropping in for lunch on Friday. I'm happy to report that the Urban Pear is still on my top ten list of local eateries. We both had the freshwater bass - it was beautifully prepared and presented, on a bed of quinoa pancakes and kale, with roasted squash and chutney on the side. I've forgotten all of the ingredients... suffice it to say, it was tasty to the last morsel!

I was also pleased to find that the wine prices are quite reasonable at UP, especially if you get a bottle. We only had a glass each, but I checked, and they do offer the Take Home the Rest service if you have a bottle and don't feel like finishing it.

I wish my dumpy neighborhood had a place like this!

Dined at UP for the first time last night. Lovely restaurant - decor, service, food.

We all started with the gazpacho (fresh, light and nice twinge of heat -- spice I mean). I ordered the duck breast which came with roasted beets and slices of baguette prepared as french toast with melted brie and some red (savoury) compote sandwiched between. It was all cooked to perfection and lay in a shallow pool of this lovely reduction. I don't recall all the elements of the dish but the description in the menu was certainly a mouthful.

My friend ordered the rib steak which came with mashed potatoes and haricot vert. The portion of the meat was substantially large - quite surprising actually. She said it was good.

Another friend ordered the antipasti plate and also said it was good.

Overall a lovely meal.

Fantastic experience.
Dined last summer on their patio outside, and although it is not the prettiest patio, it did the trick. Ordered a trio of seafood (scallop, fish, something else), all done perfectly. The tastes were in perfect accordance and managed to get a lot through without overpowering or coming close to too heavy. The boar tenderloin was great as well. Perfectly done, and nicely tender. The sides were not special. The bottle of Zin, although obviously much to powerful for the appetizer (that is my fault), went very well with the boar.
The service was the best I've had in Ottawa. Overall, a fantastic experience, and I will be sure to return.

Went to the Urban Pear last night on the recommendation of the couple with whom we were dining. Cold night so it wasn't that busy... maybe a quarter full. Service started out very well, drinks came promptly. Apps were a little slow to arrive but my squash soup was excellent and piping hot. Nice combination of curry, cream and nut. My wife's salad dressing could have used a touch more salt.

Mains took a while to arrive which we didn't expect since the place was fairly empty. I ordered the pan fried salmon with a homemade tortellini stuffed with chorizo and lobster (I don't recall exactly). When my dish finally arrived (seemed to me about 15 min longer than it should have been) my salmon fillet looked like it had been deep fried. The surface of the salmon was completely homogeneous and lacking and distinct "pan frying" marks. It might have been done in a pan but I'm certain it was floating in oil. There's no other way to get such a uniform look. Possibly could have been lightly pan fried then left too long in the oven. In any case, it was over done. Still edible and seasoned well but not what I'd expect from a place that charges $35 for a fillet of salmon.

The tortellini filling was nice but the pasta was underdone. Good thing it was very thin otherwise that level of under-cooking would have been unacceptable. This was all on a bed of candied red cabbage which complimented the dish. I skipped the horseradish aioli which is a good thing because a) I don't like it and b) the dish already had a lot of flavours going on. Almost too many. Chorizo and horseradish? Not sure...

My wife said her chestnut gnocchi was pretty good but not spectacular.

Dessert took a long time considering only one of us ordered. It was a pre-made chocolate mousse in a cup. Looked like they had to remove it from a fridge and top it with cream. It was ok but would have been much better had it been served at room temp. Not worth $9.

Overall an average experience for an above average price. Essentially 5 star prices with 3 star food and service. Might try it again but it will have to really impress me for a third visit.

One of my favourite places to dine on a Sunday afternoon. The combination of old cheddar and bacon inside two pieces of French toast is genius. A must visit when in the Glebe! Also try the cappuccino.

My husband and I visited for the first time last night. Decor and atmosphere is relaxed and we liked the set up - the long space puts no table of two awkwardly in the middle, all tables are either along the long window wall or along the other side.

We started with the scallop app and it was perfectly seared. The side of black bean and corn was a tasty treat. The mains were also great, my husband had the tenderloin (slightly overcooked) and I had the veggie dish. Both were presented beautifully with bright colours. The veggies were perfectly cooked and all organic from what I understand. Dessert was a chocolate "pudding" that was more of a mousse topped with brandy and cherry ice cream - very delicious. The mousse was to die for. Worth $9? Not so sure.

Which leads me to the drawbacks... This meal was over a $115 and we didn't have anything to drink, split the appetizer AND dessert. I have had much better meals at that price. Even the vegetarian dish was $24... To add to that, the only food server (one server for food and one for drinks) was super slow and unattentive. He did things in the completely wrong order and we were often overlooked.

Overall, nice place, overpriced for sure, service not so great, but amazing food. If you're prepared to spend the money, it's definitely worth a try.

Visited again on Friday night and it was great, as I have always found. Wife and I shared the scallop appetizer to start which was excellent and seemed to be quite popular as many plates of it came out of the kitchen while we were there.

For mains, I had the duck breast served with cabbage in a duck reduction sauce, excellent. Wife had the pork tenderloin, also looked very good although she wouldn't let me near it! haha.

Packed by 7 on a Friday night, reservations are a must.

Had Sunday brunch with a few friends, and we were all very satisfied!! We started with the large anti pasti plate, and that was more than enough for three people.

I had the poached eggs with chicken sausage and potatoes, and absolutely loved it. The sauce was a nice portabello broth with nasturtium aioli. Very flavorful and definitely recommended.

My favorite was their french toast with bacon and cheese wedged in between. It was topped with a berry compote, and the salty mixed with the sweet was a great combo.

Brunch may seem pricey at first, but once you try the food, you'll quickly realize that it is well worth the money.

Went here on Sunday with 3 other people for an 11:30am reservation. The place was mostly full, and the wall of windows along one side made for a nice sunny interior which displayed the original artwork on the walls very nicely (the artwork is for sale). Service was very casual and friendly.

We each had a different dish for breakfast: omelette with onions, chipotle, and other stuff ($12.99); french toast with bacon, maple syrup, and cream ($13.99); frittata with twice-smoked bacon and others ($12.99); and an open faced sandwich with fried eggs, some sort of meat, and others ($12.99). Each (except for french toast) came with assorted greens in a light vinaigrette.

I had the omelette and it was amazing. The eggs were perfectly fluffy all the way through, the chipotles were noticeable but didn't take over the flavour of the eggs, and other fillings were cooked to a perfect texture for an omelette (no crunch at all, but no mushiness). The french toast was also very well done and I gathered that the other diners were very happy with their choices as well.

Portions weren't massive, but were definitely satisfactory (I am a notoriously big eater).

Overall, you're definitely paying well above average for breakfast, but the kitchen really makes it feel worthwhile.

The Urban Pear is listed in the Entertainment book.