A lot of places in Ottawa ask you to put a deposit; and sometimes even ask you to pay in advance for the room but not this one! Pub 101 located in the Byward Market area actually has a large room upstairs that can be used for private events and you can easily fit 50 people!
The room is equipped with all the basic stuff that you would need for your party, there is a lot of seating space as well as standing space. A small bar to order drinks and food. Also there are party lights and large TV screen that could be possibly used for your event.
Photo: Private Party Room at Restaurant Pub 101 In Ottawa
There is a small stage as well with a large TV screen and speakers that sometimes people setup for music performance or Karaoke events! You could even use that for teaching dancing maybe!
Photo: Pub 101 stage
Reserving Your Room
To reserve the space you would need to contact them through their website, call them or send them out an email. You should get a confirmation same-day as well. There are no charges and no deposit is required! Isn’t that wonderful? Just make sure that you do your reservation at least a few days in advance as sometimes they have other events being hosted there.
Also Pub 101 serves their own food and drinks so if you are planning to bring something other than a cake, you might need their permission.
Benefits of booking with Pub 101
Reservation is free (unlike other places that charge or have deposits)
Large space can easily have 20-80 people
Cheap drinks
Affordable food options
Meat and vegan options (wings, salads, burger)
TVs and Large Sound Speakers
Room fitted with strobe lights
Private Bar with stools
Lots of seating capacity and standing floor space
About Pub 101
Pub 101 is an easygoing bar with a patio and is located in the byward market which makes it a great spot for bar hoppers. Pub 101 hosts occasional Karaoke and Comedy nights and their most popular food item is their Wings.
Contact Pub 101
Address: 101 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8Y3 Phone: +1 613-562-4665 Business website: https://pub101.com/
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Ottawa boasts a variety of pho restaurants but only a few of them stand out for their authentic and flavorful dishes. I ended up going to a number of them to share my experience and reveal the places to enjoy a bowl of pho in Ottawa!
Not only is it one of the more affordable pho places but one of the best places in Ottawa for Pho. Their broth is really flavorful and it won’t be necessary to add any additional spice to your meal! Also there is a decent amount of meat for your order.
While Crazy Pho You is a Vietnamese restaurant, you will find a variety of Chinese/Thai dishes available on their menu as well. The place is quite small and is suitable for small groups though I haven’t had any issues with seating whenever I have arrived.
Best spicy pho experience
Vietnamese restaurant
Extensive menu
Offers Chinese/Thai dishes as well
Suitable for small groups
Top Menu Items – Banh Mi, Beef Pho, Pad Thai
Pho Tuan
Address: 300 Booth St, Ottawa, ON K1R 6N6 Business website: https://photuan.com/
Bun Bo Hue at Pho Tuan
Pho Tuan has one of the most delicious broths I have had. Just go with any of their chef’s specials and you will be realize why I consider it as one of the best places for Pho in Ottawa! Their portions are huge and the broth was very flavorful.
They do have limited dining space so you might need to wait outside during their peak hours.
Vietnamese cuisine
Suitable for small groups
Delicious broth
Huge portions
Top Menu Items – Bun Bo Hue, Pho DAC Biet, Bun Chai Ha Noi
Saigon Boy Noodle House
Address: 648 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K1R 5K4
Rice Noodles at Saigon Boy Noodle House
Just another ordinary Vietnamese restaurant but their rice noodles are just amazing. One thing I noticed different from other pho places about this is that they had all the condiments at my table with my order and I didn’t have to ask for anything.
There was even a chili pepper something that I haven’t seen other pho restaurants provide me with. I was able to spice up my pho exactly how I wanted.
Vietnamese pho restaurant
Small pho place
Upscale casual dining
Suitable for family dinner
Best pho on somerset
Top Menu Items – Pho Dac Biet, Chicken And Pork with Rice, Beef Pho
Some other good pho restaurants in Ottawa to consider –
Pho Viet Taste (Address: 1395 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X1) Good portion sizes and price appears to be on the reasonable side as well. It didn’t have the wow factor that I had with the other places but I felt this pho restaurant was good enough. Their most popular item is Rare Beef with Spicy Thai Soup and Rice Noodles.
Springroll House Restaurant (Address: 1093 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y4) A nice and quite place to have pho. The meat portions at this Vietnamese restaurant were quite good though I think the broth was lacking a bit of flavor for me. I would be more likely to go to this place for lunch if I was working around the area. Also as their name suggests, I think this place is best known for their spring rolls so I would like to try those sometime.
Pho Van Van (Address: 127 Holland Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0Y2) Out of all the pho places I have been so far I think Pho Van Van has the best looking interiors that I have seen in the city. I think this might be a good spot for dates or family. However I don’t think their pho is the best and I think I found their chicken broth a bit too salty for my taste.
Pho Lady (Address: 280 Elgin St #5, Ottawa, ON K2P 1M2) They have a slightly upscale casual dining experience than most other pho places that I have been to in Ottawa. While their Pho is decent, I think they are more known for their Sushi and Ramen, so if you are headed out to Pho Lady I would recommend that you try out their Tonkatsu Spicy Ramen.
New Pho Bo Ga La (Address: 763 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R1) They do have a very extensive menu and also have bubble teas. This restaurant might be easily able to accommodate large groups compared to some of the other places that I have been to.
Parle By Viet Fresh (Address: 313 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5T4) This restaurant initially marketed itself as the best pho in Ottawa however didn’t meet my expectations in that sense. They do have a relatively nicer interior compared to the usual pho places and you are very likely to take pictures with your friends once you enter this restaurant.
Do you know of a pho place that is not on this list? Let us know how was your experience and why you think it deserves to be on the top list.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Even though I love Hotpot, I usually avoid going to hotpot restaurants in Ottawa as they are quite expensive. But recently I came across a similar concept restaurant called Soup Fairy Malatang in the Byward Market whose prices appeared to be relatively affordable so I decided to give it a try.
How to experience Malatang?
All of their ingredients are displayed on the shelf.
You get a bowl to decide what ingredients you want.
You decide what type of soup base you want it to be cooked with.
Create your own custom dipping sauce!
The chef is going to cook your meal for you with the ingredients you picked!
Enjoy your meal
What ingredients should I pick?
Ingredients shelf
Since the restaurant charges you by the weight of the ingredients, I would recommend that you go mainly for meat/seafood and less veggies. Pick some meat items that you enjoy and some items that you have never tried before. Go with a bit of noodles as well.
You are charged per 100 grams of ingredients, and you can always ask the person working their to weight your bowl. For most people 200-300g of ingredients should be more than sufficient.
What Sauce Combination Should I Go For?
Here are some dipping sauce combinations that you can go for –
Peanut Butter and Sesame, Black Vinegar, Green Onions, Garlic sauce
Coriander, Peanut Butter and Sesame, Chili Oil, Green Onions
Black Vinegar, Peanut Butter with Sesame, Garlic Sauce, Chili Oil
Garlic Sauce, Peanut Butter and Sesame, Green Onions, Chili Oil
If you like less spicy, go for less chili oil for your dipping sauce.
Sauces
How Should I Eat My Meal?
The preferred way to have Malatang is to take the ingredients out of the soup and dip them in the dipping sauce before eating. However, you can always pour the dipping sauce in your meal and enjoy it that way as well.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
There are plenty of Korean restaurants in Ottawa but which one should you go for? I ended up trying a bunch of Korean restaurants in the region and have listed what I think are the best and must-visit Korean restaurants in the city!
This was my first restaurant in Ottawa that I was just absolutely wowed by, Kitchen Maroo is a Korean Fusion restaurant and they do an amazingly good job bringing the Korean heat in their food. I had their Seafood Noodles with Mussels; Shrimp which were hot and spicy; and absolutely delicious. For the quality and portions that you get for your food, the price is very reasonable.
Table SODAM does a really great job with their presentation; quality and taste. Ideal for dates or special family occasions. Their portion sizes are generous with lots of meat and side dishes were great as well. Note that this restaurant is quite small so you might need to wait sometimes but is worth it!
Daldongnae offers the perfect Table BBQ experience enjoy sizzling, succulent meats grilled to perfection right at your table. I went with their lunch special and was served with a not only just a combination of marinated squid and pork, but my order also come with multiple side dishes including seaweed, cucumber, acorn jelly, bean sprouts, pumpkin salad, soup and more. I like the variety of flavors from the dishes and it seemed like a decent quantity of food for my order.
My order of Bulgogi at Alirang was just perfect. The food came sizzling hot and was sizzling for a few minutes afterwards. The beef was well seasoned without being spicy and was absolutely delicious. I didn’t realize they had parking but there is ample of street parking around the area. They do have another location in Nepean as well.
Reservation is recommended as the Korean House Restaurant gets quite busy. Whenever I have walked into this restaurant, I have seen it at full capacity. Ordered my dishes and even though it was full, the dishes came in without waiting too long. I liked that they had some sides coming in while I was waiting at the table like miso soup, kimchi and more. The food is delicious and portions are decent.
Korean restaurant
Reservation recommended
Offers Table BBQ experience
Other Good Korean restaurants in Ottawa worth visiting –
Kochu (Address: 266 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1R 7R5) This small restaurant serves not only Korean cuisine but also Korean inspired sushi rolls. Even though the place is quite small, the interior looks nice and they even serve drinks. Ideal for dates or small group hangouts. I did enjoy my order of Korean Sweet and Spicy Fried Chicken from this place.
Maht (Address: 726 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P8) Tried out their Spicy Korean Fried Chicken which was very good but was missing the wow factor. Even their small plate contained around 12 pieces of chicken which would be enough for 2 people. One thing I really liked about this place is that each order comes with a free side of kimchi and some other good korean stuff to try out while you wait for your order.
In’s Kitchen (Address: 1-65 Templeton St, Ottawa, ON K1N 7P7) I really liked their presentation but I think the taste was good but not the best. Since it’s located close to UOttawa, it can be a good hangout spot to have lunch at. Parking can be a little tricky as well so you might need to drive around looking for street parking.
Food Mood (Address: 178B Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5X6) Located close to the Byward market area, this restaurant is takeout oriented and has limited seating. Their braised pork belly is just so delicious and I would highly recommend that you try it out. They also serve Korean sushi if you are looking to try something different.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Datsun is an Asian Fusion restaurant located on Elgin Street, just beside another restaurant called El Camino that serves great tacos. The restaurant has a really nice ambience so if you are looking for date night, having a party with your friends this might be a good spot to start at.
Some notes following my visit to Datsun –
Come a bit early as you might have to wait a bit for your group. There are a number of pubs located nearby where you could go, have a drink and come back when your table is ready. I recommend Manx Pub which has reasonably priced drinks.
I felt that the portion sizes for most of their mains were small so I recommend that you get an appetizer as well along with your order.
Usually people prefer to get multiple plates and share the dishes with one-another at this restaurant. This way you can try out different things.
Some of the items are mildly-spiced so it would be a good idea to let the server know how much spice you prefer before you order anything.
Here are some of their best menu items that I recommend!
Dan Dan Noodles with Minced Pork
Dan Dan Noodles (with Minced Pork)
Datsun’s Dan Dan Noodles come with minced pork, scallions, and red chili. I must warn you that these noodles are mildly spicy. While my plate was aesthetically pleasing and the meal was delicious, I felt the portions were small and there was only a little bit of meat. I have had Dan Dan Noodles at the 98lala Noodles restaurant in Ottawa, and I found their portions to be comparatively massive.
Datsun Ramen
Datsun Ramen w/ Tonkatsu Broth
Datsun’s Ramen is one of the most popular menu items at Datsun. The dish is served in Tonkatsu Broth and contains pork belly, garlic oil, egg and noodles. Even though the broth is not spicy at all, it was quite flavorful and had a salty/savory taste. I found the meal quite enjoyable.
Spicy Chicken Wings
Spicy Chicken Wings
You might think that these wings would be quite spicy but I felt that they were a mix of sweet and spicy sauce. The flavoring comes close to what I would call spicy BBQ wings. The wings are quite good, and they felt to me sweeter than spicy so you should reconsider if you were not planning to get them because they are called “Spicy Chicken Wings”. If you are looking for hot and spicy wings, my recommendation would be to try Chez Lucien instead.
Menu item that I won’t recommend –
Spicy Coconut Milk Laksa with white rice – The portion size of this one was huge but I don’t think I enjoyed Datsun’s Coconut Milk Laksa at all. To me something just felt off about about it when I had it though I couldn’t point it out.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Ottawa has a number of dance studios and bars where you can learn Latin Dancing. Not only do you get to learn and exercise while dancing but also it’s a great way to meet new people in the city!
Here are some places in Ottawa that offer Dance lessons –
Located conveniently in the Byward Market area, Ritmo Bailey is a good spot for dance lessons. While the place itself doesn’t serve any drinks, I like the fact that there are a number of bars and restaurants located nearby.
Variety of Latin dance lessons throughout the weekly.
Attracts a mixed demographic.
No alcohol or food served. (The water dispenser is there!)
University’s Salsa Club is one of the biggest dance groups in Ottawa and has events regularly on a weekly basis. The event is open to everyone and there is a small fee for attending the lessons and the socials.
UOSalsa club provides same-day lessons for both salsa and bachata.
There are lessons for beginners as well as experts.
The lessons can get quite busy however the socials are less crowded.
Mill Street Brewery has weekly salsa nights which include lessons followed by social. The Brewery is one of the few places where not only you can get food and drinks but they also have a decent amount of dance floor for the lessons.
Targeted more towards beginner-intermediate level folks.
While popularly known as a Dive Bar, Amigos has a large dance floor where they do weekly Latin Dancing lessons. The place does a beginner dance workshop before their socials and is relatively more affordable than other places that offer dance lessons.
10 minutes away from downtown Ottawa.
Lessons are usually on a Tuesday.
Attracts a mixed demographic.
Has pool tables, musical jukebox and slot machines.
Studio X is another Dance studio that offers a variety of Latin dancing lessons. While I found the dance lessons to be great, they are relatively more expensive than other places that I have been to.
Offers lessons on different types of Latin dancing.
Attracts more intermediate level folks.
Lessons can be quite pricey if you are paying at the door.
No alcohol or food is served at the venue.
Here are some tips before you head for your Latin dancing lessons! –
Make sure you are going to lessons at your level of comfort! If you are new to Latin Dancing, it is recommended that you go for beginner lessons to have a good foundation and only later try practicing advanced moves.
In Latin Dancing, people usually dance in pairs which involves a lead and a follower, with the lead usually expected to know the moves. It’s a bit easier to be a follower than to be a lead.
Do carry cash with you as some places might only be accepting cash as payment and charge you additional fees for paying with a credit card.
Check if the event is still happening! Sometimes the venue changes the dates or the type of lessons before the event takes place so check their Facebook or Instagram if they are still doing the lessons.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
A while ago while I was browsing through Instagram, I came across a video about dan dan noodles which led me to search for dan dan noodle spots near me. That’s how I came to know about 98lala Noodles which is located close to the Byward Market area.
And since that visit, it has become one of my favorite go to spots! Not only are the noodles just amazing but also I have found the items on their menu to be of great value compared to other restaurants. Appetizers are priced around $5 while their mains (noodles) are priced between $13-17.
Dan Dan Noodles
Experience Dan Dan Noodles at 98lala Noodles!
Despite having a large number of Chinese restaurants in Ottawa, you will find Dan Dan Noodles only at a few spots, 98Lala Noodles is one of them.
You can go either with round or flat noodles and in case you don’t like spicy food, you can let the server know that you want a less spicy broth. I decided to go with the highest spice level on my recent visit and found it still very delicious! I would recommend that you go with their spiciest version as well!
One thing that makes 98LaLa Noodles so special is that the broth that they actually serve is cooked for about a day and utilizes large amounts of beef and chicken. The flavors are then enhanced with a variety of spices that just make their broth absolutely delicious!
About 98lala Noodles
Chinese cuisine
Casual Dining Experience
Affordable prices
Large quantities
Variety of noodles
Street parking
Service at 98lala Noodles
Service at the place is fast enough even if you are in large groups. It didn’t take us too long to get our dishes and appetizers for a party of six. Unlike some other restaurants in downtown which want you to leave as soon as you are finished with your meal, I didn’t notice any kind of issues with this restaurant.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
98LaLa Noodles is one of those restaurants which might not have the most impressive indoors, but their food is definitely awesome!
All of the hand-pulled noodles options at 98Lala Noodles are Lanzhou style and contain no soy sauce. Instead they have a lighter taste from the beef broth that is flavored with salt and herbs. The broth also contains chinese radish, chili oil and parsley.
Couple of notes before you order –
You can decide the level of spice for the noodles.
For most people, medium spice would be more than enough.
Their small size is quite big. Go Large only if you have a big appetite.
You have the option to decide the type of noodles.
You can have extras (eggs/meat/shrimps) added to your noodles.
Some of the appetizers are served cold so check with the server.
Here is a short review of some of the menu items I have tried so far –
Noodles with Ribs
If you are feeling really hungry go with the Noodles with Ribs. This item is served in Large size only and I felt it was more than enough for two people! The broth is spicy and tastes really good while the ribs meat is so soft it just melts in your mouth!
Noodles with Ribs
Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles
The Sichuan Dan Dan noodles were ordered with thin flat noodles and had medium spice. You do have the option of adding additional chili oil if you want a bit of an extra kick. If you are looking to have Dan Dan noodles in Ottawa then this chinese restaurant would be your go-to spot!
Dan Dan Noodles
Beef Stew Noodles
The order for Beef Stew Noodles came with the thick round noodles option. The beef was really soft and the broth was delicious as well!
Beef Stew Noodles
Noodles with Minced Pork Paste
I ordered a regular for the Minced Pork Noodles and didn’t really find them to be spicy unlike other noodles. I think these ones were my least favorite out of all the menu items I have tried so far at 98lala Noodles.
Noodles with Minced Pork Paste
Lamb Skewers (spicy)
98LaLa Noodles has a lot of appetizers to choose from and from all of them, I think their Lamb Skewers have been my favorite. The meat has a blend of hot and spicy seasoning and is supposed to feel like what you would expect from street food in China. They do have other seasoned BBQ options meat/seafood/vegetarian options as well if you are not into lamb or meat in general.
BBQ Lamb Skewers
Beef Skewers (spicy)
I found the Lamb Skewers to be a bit more enjoyable compared to the Beef skewers. The seasoning for both meats appeared to be the same however I think the texture of meat made a bit of a difference. Before this I have only tried out the skewers from Costco and these ones are a lot better than the ones you get in store.
Beef Skewers at 98Lala Noodles
Pepper Chicken (medium hot)
Unlike other appetizers, the Pepper Chicken dish is served cold and has quite a unique taste. I would recommend you to try out this appetizer.
Pepper chicken
Visit 98lala Noodles!
98lala noodles is located close to the Byward Market area. Prices for their mains appear to be quite reasonable compared to other restaurants in the area. There is limited street parking available which is free after normal working hours.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
My auto insurance policy is up for renewal next month and my current insurance provider has increased my premium by a bit despite me having no claims. So I started looking for which provider would provide me with the lowest car insurance rate.
All the quotes were requested with the following inclusions –
Property damage protection of $1,000,000
Accident Protection – deductible of $500
All damage protection with a deductible of $250
Accidental Benefits Insurance
Unexpected expense coverage (rental)
Here are all the auto insurance quotes I got –
Belairdirect – $68.75 per month + Taxes
Belairdirect Insurance
Belairdirect is my current provider of auto insurance and interestingly they gave me a lower quote online than what has been offered to me for my renewal. It appears to be common practice among insurance providers to provide an online discount when you get a new insurance quote, however the discount doesn’t get applied on renewal.
Intact Personal Insurance – $149.67 + Taxes
Intact Insurance
Intact’s car insurance quote turned out to be quite pricey! There appears to be a huge difference between the quote offered by Belairdirect and Intact despite Belairdirect being owned by Intact! I was quite surprised with what Intact was offering me. Also when I had a chat with the agent over the phone, they were not willing to consider my Driving Experience outside Quebec which was strange.
TD Insurance – $85.67 per month + Taxes
TD Insurance
While TD is not the cheapest insurance, one of the benefits of having insurance through them is that they don’t require you to have a Quebec license to provide you with auto insurance. Note that certain auto insurance companies will refuse to provide you with auto insurance if you have an out-of-province license.
SSQ Insurance – $97.58 per month + Taxes ($70 per month tax included with additional documentation)
SSQ Insurance
When I applied for car insurance through the online form, it only gives you the option to provide Quebec Driving Experience. I had a chat with their agent and was informed that they can consider Canadian (Out of Quebec) as well as United States Driving Experience as well provided I give them proof that I had no claims/clean driving record. This was going to be a hassle for me since I no longer reside in the US and you have to physically go to the DMV to get the driving records. However, you can get a significant discount so if you have the ability to get records from your state/province do it! If I had all the documentation, then SSQ was willing to offer me an insurance rate of $70 per month!
Beneva – $102.75 per month + Taxes
Beneva
While Beneva considered my full driving experience (Canadian as well as abroad), It still had a higher auto insurance quote than other providers. I was thinking that this one would have been the cheapest but that did not appear to be the case.
CAA-Quebec – $88.33 per month + Taxes ($2,000,000 civil liability)
CAA Quebec
CAA Quebec turns out to be a non-profit provider of auto insurance. When I got the online quote, the civil liability coverage was $2,000,000 and there wasn’t an option to change it unless I talked to an agent. I was also informed during the process that I could have gotten an additional 10 percent off if I had CAA membership (The membership is at $8 per month).
Co-operators – $82.93 per month + Taxes
Co Operators
I have a feeling that if I have a conversation with the agents at Co-Operators I would be able to get a lower quote based on my Foreign Driving Experience. The online form only asks you questions based on Canadian Driving Experience.
Aviva Canada – $100.92 per month + Taxes
Aviva’s auto insurance took into consideration my US driving experience. However, I did not see any option to include my UK driving experience. I think they might consider it since they are owned by a British company.
Other providers – I tried getting a quote from Desjardins, RBC, AON and some other auto insurance providers however it appears that they are only able to provide quotes after having a chat with an agent.
Cheapest insurance It appears that for me Belairdirect would be the cheapest auto insurance. I did try to reach out to different insurance brokers as well however did not get a better price than what I have been offered.
Some things to note –
I got the quote based on my profile 30s (married), based in Gatineau QC
Car valued at approximately $17,000
Mileage between 10,000-15,000 km
I bundled my quote with tenants insurance whenever possible.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Sommet Edelweiss is a ski resort located not too from the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Depending on where you live in the Ottawa metro, it could be anywhere between a 30-45 minute drive.
In this guide, I have tried to provide all the necessary information that you might need to begin skiing at Sommet Edelweiss.
People wearing winter clothing and with their ski gear at Edelweiss
The conditions at the Summit are not only just cold but windy as well, so I recommend that before you head there, you are wearing proper winter clothing. Here is what you should be wearing –
A balaclava or neck warmer
Thermal tops and pants – Warm innerwear
Cold weather socks
Ski pants – These are waterproof/windproof lined pants
Windproof/Waterproof Winter Jacket
Windproof/Winterproof gloves
Sunscreen for your face
HotHands hand warmers in gloves
Some gloves have pockets for handwarmers to be placed. This can help keep your gloves warm during cold weather for a few hours while you are skiing.
A head warmer like a beanie won’t be needed if you are wearing a helmet.
Do I Need To Have My Own Ski Gear?
It is possible to rent ski gear from the ski resort. Unless you are planning to take skiing as a hobby, I do not recommend that you buy your ski gear. For a one-time event, it is a lot cheaper to just rent ski gear from the resort.
Your ski gear should consist of –
Pair of skis
Ski boots
Helmet – It is recommended that you wear one for safety
Ski Poles (Optional)
Unless you are going for the fast moving slopes, you won’t need to have ski goggles. Though they can also help you if it’s going to be sunny.
Photo: people wearing their ski gear
Before handing your skis, the staff working at Edelweiss are going to adjust the skis based on your weight and height. Make sure that the height/weight information that they have about you on file is correct. If you own your ski gear then the staff can do the tune-ups for a fee.
Make sure that your ski boots are fastened properly. If the boots are too loose then there is a chance that your feet might come out while skiing and there is a higher risk of injuring yourself as well.
Lockers at Edelweiss resort
There are lockers available at Edelweiss Ski Resort and if you plan to use them I recommend that you bring dollar coins with you to lock your stuff. I didn’t have any coins with me so I just put my stuff without locking it up and noticed a lot of other people were doing the same.
Is It Worth Going For Ski Lessons?
Yes, if you have never skied before or are new to skiing, then it is recommended that you sign up for ski lessons. I personally found the ski lessons very useful. I have done skiing before without an instructor and found it quite hard and scary, however when I did it with the instructor, it was much easier and I wasn’t terrified like before.
Instructor teaching how to go downhill
Here is what beginner ski lessons will teach you –
Going uphill with your skis
Coming down safely
How to get up with your skis
How to change direction
How to slow down and turn
How to stop
Even if you are in a group, the instructors are able to give you individual attention.
Do I Have To Make Reservations?
It is recommended that you book your rental/classes in advance. This can be done by calling the resort a few days before your visit. During peak season, there can be really long lines at guest services.
If you do not book your lessons, you might be able to join other classes on arrival or if there are instructors available for your group.
Busy day at Summit Edelweiss
Is There Any Restaurant At Sommet Edelweiss?
Yes, they do have hot food and drinks available. I found the food relatively affordable compared to other restaurants in the region which can be quite pricey.
The cafeteria has the following items: hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, fries, poutine. Menu items might change depending on timing and season.
Restaurant Edelweiss
Additional Information
Pricing: 2 hour lessons with rental will cost about $100 per adult.
You can also take snowboarding lessons
Make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before your rental/lessons begin
It might be a good idea to moisturize your hands/face beforehand.
Parking is free at the resort
The official website for advanced bookings is Sommets.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
