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!
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.
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.
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.
My order at Sip Tea was just perfect, I think it has been the best bubble tea I have had so far in the city. My Brown Sugar Bobo Milk Tea came with Tapioca, Green Tea and Cheese Mousse. So far, out of all the places, Sip Tea has come out as my favorite place for Bubble Tea! The reason being every time I have ordered from this place, the flavor is spot on and the quality has been consistent!
If you want the best bang for your buck, go for their Super Bucket Tea which has a litre of milk tea and you can even share it with your friends!
Sip Tea does have another location in Merivale but the one on Bank Street is the best!
Highly recommend their Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Large seating area
Best bubble tea in downtown Ottawa
Casual hangout location
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.
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.
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
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! 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.
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.
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.
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!
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: 83 Holland Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0Y1 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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
