3 Must-Try Bubble Tea Places in Ottawa

Are you a Bubble Tea enthusiast in Ottawa and looking for the best spots in the town for the perfect blend of flavors and textures?

Here’s a compilation of the best bubble tea spots in the city that I found –

Juice Dudez

Address: 91 Richmond Rd A, Ottawa, ON K1Z 0A7
Business website: https://juicedudez.ca/

Juice Dudez Dessert Shop

While they don’t have the largest variety of Bubble Teas, they definitely have one of the better ones in Ottawa. This Shop not only offers Boba Tea but also are popular for their fruit smoothies, juices and desserts. Also it appears to be a cool hangout spot for youngsters and remote workers. This shop is open till midnight and even sells a few farm products.

  • Open till late
  • Chill spot for late night hangout
  • Seating available but can be busy

Pomelo Hat

Address: 1196 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3Y1
Business website: https://www.pomelohat.com/

Pomelo Hat

While this bubble tea shop was the smallest I have been to, I found their bubble tea to be quite good. They do have vegan options available as well. Besides bubble tea, the place is also known for its smoothie bowls, poke bowls and fresh bakery products.

  • Tiny bubble tea location
  • Takeout oriented
  • Limited seating

Chatime

Address: 695 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P5
Business website: https://chatime.ca/

Chatime at Somerset

Chatime has been another one of my favorites bubble tea spots in Ottawa and I have found that the one in Chinatown seems to be consistent in terms of quality. I have tried out other Chatime locations in Ottawa as well however the quality of my bubble tea was slightly lower at those locations.

Chatime locations also have deals running from time to time and sometimes you might just get a free drink or 50% off regular price. So make sure to provide your number to take advantage of their periodic deals.

  • Takeout oriented
  • Limited seating
  • Multiple locations
  • Best bubble tea in Chinatown

Other good bubble tea places worth visiting –

  • Hi T (Address: 1076 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y3)
    While their bubble tea is just good enough, they have a really nice seating area and free to play board games as well. This place might be really nice for a group hangout or even dates! They also offer a do it yourself bubble tea experience which is something I have seen for the first time.
  • Hangout (Address: 839 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R6)
    This location has a large seating area, and features a ton of board games to choose from. Besides bubble tea they also have slushies, fruit smoothies, sodas, cupcakes, cheesecakes, ice-creams and ramens. This would be a good spot if you want to play some games with your friends and have some snacks/drinks. There is a per person charge for the board games.
  • PopulariTea (Address: 2690 Alta Vista Dr, Ottawa, ON K1V 7T4)
    PopulariTea has a nice indoor setting. They have an extensive bubble tea menu and also sell a variety of interesting snacks like spicy noodles, pop rocks and other stuff.
  • Tiger Sugar (Address: 238 Besserer St Unit B, Ottawa, ON K1N 6B1)
    Tiger Sugar markets itself as a premium bubble tea experience and I think it does deliver somewhat on it. My drink looked nice but I think the flavor was a bit below expectation especially when you pay a high price for your drinks.
  • Coco Bubble Tea (Address: 290 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1X6, Canada)
    It’s a nice and clean location, I have usually headed down there when I am with a big group of people. This is one of the large bubble tea locations and is very conveniently located. They do have some other locations as well around Ottawa. Also they do have monthly specials so you might end up saving a few bucks on your order.

Bubble Tea Places that I do not recommend –

  • PapaSpicy (Address: 366 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5W2)
    This location had the worst bubble tea I had in Ottawa. It just seemed sugar and water. I don’t think it was worth paying for this one at all and it needs serious improvement.
  • Tealive Somerset Chinatown (Address: 675 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P3)
    I felt the ingredients in my drink were cheap. Before TeaLive, there used to be a Chatime store here which I think had really good bubble tea. However the quality has gone really downhill.
  • Meow Tea (Address: 279 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1M1)
    Meow Tea needs a better quality control over their bubble tea. I felt that sometimes it was too sweet and sometimes not sweet at all.

Please feel free to share your experience on which bubble tea spots you have visited and enjoyed so far in the Ottawa region.

3 Places To Try Sri Lankan Cuisine In Ottawa!

While there are only a few Sri Lankan restaurants in Ottawa, it doesn’t mean that they lack in terms of quality and service. I was very impressed with the restaurants I visited and here is my review on some of the restaurants offering Sri Lankan cuisine that you must visit if you are in Ottawa!

Something to remember!

  • Sri Lankan food is delicious but can be very spicy. You can always ask the server to reduce the spice for you and they might be able to accommodate the request.

Ceylonta – Best Sri Lankan Restaurant

Address: 403 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K2P 0K1
Business website: https://ceylonta.com/

Roast Beef at Ceylonta

Out of all the restaurants in Ottawa that I have been to so far, I was really impressed with the service at Ceylonta. The manager made really good recommendations and the food was just next level delicious! This one might be the best Sri Lankan restaurant in Ottawa.

If you are wondering what I ordered – it was their roast beef and coconut sambal, both dishes were absolutely delicious. They also have a wide variety of mocktails and I think if you are looking to try a non-alcohol drink then definitely ask them what’s on their menu because my drink was great.

  • Sri Lankan and Indian Cuisine
  • Fine dining experience
  • Great cocktails
  • Great mocktails
  • Great for dates
  • Vegan options available

Dhruvees

Address: 18 Beechwood Ave., Vanier, ON K1L 8A9
Business website: https://www.dhruvees.com/

Jaffna Chicken Curry at Dhruvees

Dhruvees comes as a fine dine restaurant perfect for dates or family gatherings. In terms of dining experience, they have done a really great job and I was very impressed with their décor. The chicken curry that I ordered had really soft and tender chicken, and food was served hot. The servers did put effort as well checking on me if I wanted anything else. While Dhruvees does offer Sri Lankan food menu items, they also have Indian and Indonesian food items on their menu as well.

  • Sri Lankan and Indian Cuisine
  • Upscale Fine dining experience
  • Great for dates / special family occasions
  • Vegan options available

Kothu Rotti

Address: 408 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J9
Business website: https://kothurotti.ca/

Combo meal at Kothu Rotti Restaurant

Kothu Rotti (temporarily closed) is a takeout oriented restaurant that offers Sri Lankan cuisine at a relatively affordable price. I was able to get a combo meal containing chicken, beef, rice and vegetables for a great price. The portion sizes were huge and the combo meal was more than enough for two people. Though I must say that the food was very hot/spicy.

  • Takeout oriented

Other options for Sri Lankan Cuisine in Ottawa –

Ayini Restaurant (Address: 605 Longfields Dr Unit 5, Ottawa, ON K2J 6T7) – While Ayini has a somewhat nice dining area, I think the food was a little below my expectations from this place. The Kothu Rotti I tried was good but I felt that it was missing something even though it was my first time ever trying the meal. They also offer South Indian cuisine, out of which I ended up trying Idli and Mutton Rolls. The Mutton Rolls were really good so I recommend you to try those at this place but they are spicy.

6 Top Sushi Restaurants In Ottawa Metro!

The Ottawa-Gatineau region has a ton of sushi restaurants and it can be quite hard to figure out which one offer a great sushi experience. I have made it easy for you by visiting out a number of sushi shops in the city and only listing those that offer an incredible sushi experience!

Sunrice Sushi

Address: 190 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5G1
Business website: https://www.sunricesushi.ca/

House Special at Sunrice Sushi

What previously used to be a European style bistro is now a Japanese Sushi restaurant called Sunrice and while the restaurant is relatively new, they are doing a great job at it. Sunrice Sushi offers an extensive sushi menu and the prices are relatively very affordable for the quality of their sushi. I was surprised with the quantity of sushi that I got for my order as well. Besides Sushi, they also offer a variety of dishes including Poke, Noodle Soup, Donhuri, Deep Fried Rolls and More!

  • Upscale casual dining experience
  • Affordable pricing
  • Ideal for small group hangouts
  • Service in English and Japanese
  • Japanese Cuisine

Yuzumi Sushi

Address: 986 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X8
Business website: https://yuzumi.ca/

Yuzumi Specialty Roll

This Japanese Fusion restaurant actually surprised me as it offers a sushi experience with their own unique taste. My sushi was spicy, flavorful and it was both soft/crunchy which is something I really enjoyed. Definitely try out their specialty rolls if you visit this sushi restaurant. They are also quite popular for their poke bowls and sushi tacos.

  • Casual dining experience
  • Takeout oriented restaurant

Sapporo Sushi Ottawa

Address: 1671 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON K2A 0Y2
Business website: https://sapporosushiottawa.com/

Sapporo Sushi Ottawa

If you are on a date, then maybe you would want to go with the Sapporo Sushi restaurant in Ottawa. Their sushi is great and the restaurant has a bit more private space between tables. You might want to go with the Lover’s Platter that has a variety of sushi and comes with appetizers as well.

My order of Sushi had Mango sauce in it and was quite delicious. They do give out Free Miso soup and I think it’s quite rare to get free stuff at restaurants in Ottawa.

  • Casual upscale dining
  • Japanese cuisine
  • Suitable for large groups

Mya Sushi

Address: 277 Boulevard Saint-Joseph, Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 3Y2
Business website: https://myasushi.ca/

Hawaiian Roll at Mya Sushi

If you ever driving by in the Hull region, you should definitely try Mya Sushi restaurant which offers both Japanese as well as Vietnamese cuisine. My sushi was just fantastic and quite flavorful. I would definitely be visiting this place again. If you are going on a date, I recommend that you go for their popular choices. As the restaurant also offers Vietnamese cuisine, you might want to try their pho and other dishes as well.

Even though we were seated quite far away from the sushi chef, I was surprised that he actually showed up at our table and asked if the sushi served was good or not.

  • Japanese/Vietnamese Cuisine
  • Casual dining experience

Shinka Sushi

Address: 2900 Sheffield Rd, Ottawa, ON K1B 1A4
Business website: https://shinkasushibar.com/

Salmon Carpaccio at Shinka Sushi Bar

While Shinka Sushi previously used to offer a dining experience, it has now converted itself to a takeout only restaurant. Nevertheless, their Sushi is one of the best in the city. Shinka Sushi scores well on both presentation and flavor and I haven’t been disappointed with any of my visits so far.

I would hope that sometime in the future they have some seating capacity though as eating the sushi in a car is a little inconvenient. Some of their popular menu items are Spicy Yellowtail, Sashimi Omakase, and Salmon Carpaccio.

  • Takeout restaurant
  • No seating available
  • Japanese cuisine

Genji Japanese Restaurant

Address: 175 Lisgar St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0C3

Phoenix Roll with jalapeno, chicken, and spicy mayo sauce

Genji Sushi is a fine dining Japanese restaurant and offers quite an extensive sushi menu ranging from the cheap California rolls to the more expensive Dragon Rolls. I found my order of sushi to be fresh, flavorful and reasonably priced.

Some of the popular items at this restaurant include – Sweet Potato Maki, Salmon Avocado Maki, Spicy Salmon Maki, California Maki, Sake Maki

They also have a variety of cold/hot appetizers that might be worth trying. From the appetizers I ended up trying their baby octopuses which were quite delicious!

  • Japanese cuisine
  • Fine dining restaurant
  • Ideal for dinner dates

Pub Italia: Ottawa’s Church-Themed Pub

I have found a place in Ottawa that ticks all of the boxes that you might be looking for when visiting a pub for a meal and drink! The place is called Pub Italia and is located in Little Italy.

They have a really nice patio during summers, and the indoors remind you that you might be in a Church! Combine that with great food and service and you get the perfect hangout spot!

Once you get your table, you don’t get a drinks menu but instead you get their ‘Beer Bible’ which has a large variety of drinks that they offer! You are probably going to find so many options that you might not have tried before!

Pub Italia Ottawa

I ended up ordering one of their pizzas which turned out to be great! The portion size for one person is more than enough! You might want to share it with someone if possible! Also the drink was served chilled! Service times were reasonable despite having a big group and I didn’t really have anything to complain about!

While Pub Italia is more popular to have drinks, their food is great as well. There is ample space at the place for really big groups, and you can even arrange private space for events at the pub.

Popular Menu Items

Wondering what to order at Pub Italia? Here are some of their popular menu items –

  • Lasagna
  • Abruzzi Pizza
  • Dante Pizza
  • Bread Basket
  • Coffee
  • Sangria
  • Delerium Blonde
  • Pesto Pasta

About Pub Italia

Established in 1994, Pub Italia has become a popular destination for beer drinkers and pizza lovers. The Pub is known for its church-themed decor featuring glass windows and statues.

  • Italian gastro pub
  • Church themed decor
  • Casual upscale dining
  • Large beer collection
  • Known for pizza
  • Great for dates and large groups
  • Large patio

Contact Pub Italia

Address: 434 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4N4, Canada
Phone: +1 613-232-2326
Business website: https://pubitalia.ca/

How has your experience been so far with Pub Italia? Do you think there is another great themed restaurant in Ottawa that does it better? Please let us know!

My Hotpot Adventure at Liuyishou Ottawa

Unlike other restaurants where you get a cooked meal served to you, at a HotPot restaurant you choose what vegetables/meat you want and then you have to cook them in the broth provided. With the option to customize the dipping sauce, it actually makes a great experience for everyone involved!

As a person who does hotpot almost on a weekly basis, and have been disappointed by some restaurants who do hotpot, my expectations were quite low when I went to have HotPot At Liuyishou Hotpot (Chinese Hotpot) in Nepean.

Photo: Liuyishou Hotpot

Hotpot Experience at Liuyishou

At Liuyishou You can either go with a la carte or all-you-can-eat option for your hot pot. If you are really hungry and eat a lot, I recommend that you go with all-you-can-eat option. Otherwise a la carte. It might be good to do some math as well as if you eat a lot then a la carte might turn out to be a bit pricey.

You start off by deciding what type of broth you want. Liuyishou offers a bit more variety in terms of broths as previously I had only seen Chicken or Beef broth at other hotpot restaurants. They also had Pork Bone Broth if you prefer to have non-spicy versions of the broth.

The next step for you is to decide on what meat, seafood and vegetables you want to have. They have a lot of options on their menu to choose from! For my Hotpot, I decided to go with

  • House Special Marinated Beef
  • Chinese Cabbage
  • House Special Green Been Noodle
  • Daikon Radish
  • Signature Tofu Skin
  • Enoki Mushroom
  • Layered Beef Tripes

While I waited for my food items to be served at my table, I went to the Sauce Bar that they have to make my own dipping sauce. You pick up a variety of different ingredients from the sauce bar into your bowl and then stir it all together. Since the sauce turned out quite good, I am sharing my recipe here as well –

  • Peanut Sauce – 1 tablespoon
  • Chili Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Garlic – 1 tablespoon
  • Green Onions – 1 tablespoon
  • Cumin Sauce – 1 tablespoon
  • Beef Sauce – 1 tablespoon

Once the items that I ordered came at the table, I put them some of them in small portions into the hotpot to cook for a few minutes and then took them out to cool down for a few seconds before dipping into the sauce and eating it.

Liuyishou Hotpot Review

I must say that this was one of the best experiences I have had with the hotpot so far. The service at Liuyishou Hotpot Ottawa is good and they have a variety of sauces available to get that perfect dipping sauce that you want for your hotpot. I actually got to try some new combinations that I have never before and they all turned out great.

If you have never been at a Hotpot place before I definitely recommend you to try out this place! Also it would be worth asking the servers on their recommendations if it’s your first time as a lot of things might be unfamiliar to you.

Other Items at Liuyishou Hotpot

Besides the whole hotpot experience, they do have some other options but those are a bit limited. If you are not into hotpot then you can order the following items at the Restaurant.

  • Egg Fried Rice
  • Rice Noodle with Vegetables
  • Pan Fried Vegetables and Beef on Rice
  • Rice Noodle with Sliced Beef
  • Rice with Stewed Beef Brisket

About Liuyishou Hotpot

Liuyishou Hotpot specializes in Chongqing-style hotpot and offers a variety of broths, fresh and quality ingredients with a social atmosphere.

  • Chinese restaurant
  • Meat/Seafood/Vegan options available
  • Casual upscale dining
  • Pricier than other casual restaurants
  • Best hotpot in Ottawa
  • Beer/Wine/Snacks available
  • Expect waiting during peak hours
  • Delivery option available

Contact Liuyishou Hotpot Ottawa

Address: 10-1568 Merivale Rd, Nepean, ON K2G 3J9
Phone: +1 613-680-0188
Business website: https://www.liuyishouna.com/

How has your experience been so far at Liuyishou? Feel free to share your feedback or if you know any dipping sauce recipes that other readers could benefit from.

3 Top-Rated Pho Spots in Ottawa

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!

Crazy Pho You Restaurant

Address: 696 Bronson Ave, Ottawa, ON K1S 4G2
Business website: https://crazyphoyouottawa.ca/

Crazy Pho You Restaurant

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.

Experience Chinese Cuisine At Soup Fairy Malatang!

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.

5 Best Korean Restaurants In Ottawa For A Tasty Adventure!

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!

Kitchen Maroo

Address: 281 Kent St, Ottawa, ON K2P 2A3
Business website: https://www.kitchenmaroo.com/

Seafood Noodles at Kitchen Maroo

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.

  • Casual dining experience
  • Good portions for pricing
  • Korean fusion cuisine

Table SODAM

Address: 1200 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3Y1
Business website: http://www.table85.com/

Table SODAM

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!

  • Upscale Casual dining restaurant
  • Good for dates / small gathering
  • Small restaurant

Daldongnae Korean BBQ

Address: 610 Somerset St W 1st floor, Ottawa, ON K1R 5K4
Business website: https://www.daldongnaebbq.com/

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.

  • Upscale casual dining
  • Large restaurant
  • Karaoke room
  • Table BBQ experience
  • Unlimited side dishes

Alirang Korean Restaurant

Address: 134 Nelson St, Ottawa, ON K1N 7R5
Business website: http://www.alirangkorean.com/

Bulgogi at Alirang restaurant

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.

  • Korean cuisine
  • Large tables available
  • Reservation recommended
  • Casual dining experience

Korean House Restaurant

Address: 785 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R3
Business website: https://koreanhouse.ca/

Beef Bibimbap at Korean House Ottawa

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.

3 Great Dishes To Try At Datsun In Ottawa!

Datsun Restaurant Ottawa

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.

Address: 380 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1N1

Business website: https://eatdatsun.com/

98lala Noodles Is The Best Chinese Noodles Restaurant in Ottawa!

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.

Hot and Sour Noodles

Address: 179 George St, Ottawa, ON K1N 1J8

Business website: https://lala-noodle.com/