Essential Ottawa Magazine Where Ottawa Essential 2018 | Page 26

Award Winners
gold medal plates is canada’s premier
culinary competition. the chefs who compete
at this level embody cuisine excellence —
expect nothing less at their restaurants
Absinthe
For those looking for a taste of what
foodstuffs the Ottawa area has to
offer, Absinthe chef/owner Patrick
Garland passionately creates dishes
based on ingredients sourced from
within 100 miles. And yes, the
bistro also specializes in serving
Absinthe: also known as the Green
Fairy, this intoxicating cocktail was
all the rage among artistic circles
of the 19th century. Perhaps this
bohemian spirit helps ground the
cuisine: it might be fine dining in
the fashion of French cuisine, but it
prides itself on preparing food “of
the people, for the people.”
1208 Wellington St. W.,
613-761-1138, absinthecafe.ca
26 where
EssEntial ottawa
Beckta
Where once fine-dining restau-
rants were plentiful, they have
mostly disappeared in Ottawa.
At a time when others fled or
folded, this restaurant doubled
down. Not only did owner Stephen
Beckta persist in presenting
tables adorned with white linen
and serving food on fine china,
it moved from its modest home
Atelier
Dining out at Atelier is an experi-
ence unlike any other: it’s more an
adventure than a simple meal. A
two-time winner at Gold Medal
Plates, chef Marc Lepine weaves
his molecular gastronomic magic
into a 12-course menu that is
wondrous in appearance, each
dish meticulously prepared using
lab-like technologies. Though
there’s definitely a focus on tech-
nique at Atelier, Lepine’s dishes
remain grounded and balanced
— they enlighten the palate to a
spectrum of flavours and textures
but also satisfy.
540 Rochester St., 613-321-3537,
atelierrestaurant.ca
Beckta
on a downtown side street to a
140-year-old mansion in the heart
of the city. Beckta now boasts two
meticulously decorated dining
rooms, as well as a more casual
wine bar. Executive chef Michael
Moffatt keeps the focus on ambi-
tious and pleasurable dishes made
with local, seasonal ingredients.
150 Elgin St., 613-238-7063,
beckta.com
coconut
Absinthe