Essential Ottawa Magazine Where Ottawa Essential 2018 | Page 29

Food & drink
Desserts
find your sweet tooth at bakeries, cafes,
and restaurants BY CIndY deaChman
Bread & Sons
Bread & Sons, a gem of a bakery, is always hop-
ping. And no wonder! The buttery chocolate
chip cookies with orange zest are simply the
best. Or try babka, a little cake swirled through
with chocolate. You won’t go wrong, either, with
glazed carrot cake or the rich, dense brownies.
195 Bank St., 613-230-5302
Carben Food + Drink
The grey minimalist style at Carben belies
the gorgeous plates. Try Violets Are Blue, a
romantic dessert that sees delicate cubes of
violet gel decorate a semolina cake drenched
in light lemon syrup. On top is olive oil ice
cream (fruity aroma!) and basil foam.
1100 Wellington St. W., 613-792-4000,
carbenrestaurant.com
Clover
Traditional desserts at this unpretentious restau-
rant often come with a surprising twist. Crème
brûlée, incredibly, is made with honey from
co-owner/chef West de Castro’s own beehives.
The creamy custard and caramelized crust are
comparable to, let’s say, food for the gods. A
morsel of honeycomb perched on top simply
oozes with honey. 155 Bank St., 613-680-8803,
Good Eats
This casual café offers an intriguing variety
of homemade breakfasts and lunches, but do
try their desserts. Top choices include the soft
bars filled with the classic comfort combo of
peanut butter and jelly and their dreamy, creamy
cheesecake. Fridays, go for bomboloni, Italian
doughnuts filled with the likes of lemon curd,
caramel, and chocolate. 388 Albert St.,
613-720-7346, good-eats.ca
Three Tarts
For over 20 years, this take-away bakery has
been making rich, satisfying pies and tarts.
You won’t regret trying their creamy milk tarts:
velvety white custard in sweet pastry. Another
treat is the Hungarian rhubarb shortbread,
which looks like a streusel but is actually grated
shortbread dusted with icing sugar. Don’t miss
the cookies — the lineup includes peanut butter,
chocolate cremes, and gingersnaps. 464 Bank St.,
613-729-9832, threetarts.ca
Mantovani 1946
Located in a high-ceilinged space decorated
in Italianate style, Mantovani 1946 continues
its 70-year-old Neapolitan tradition of gelato-
making right here in Ottawa. You’ll always find
raspberry, lemon, and pistachio; occasional
flavours include lavender, pineapple, and
chocolate coconut. And be prepared to die
for affogato, a dessert of fiore di latte (simple,
unflavoured gelato) drowned in a shot of hot
espresso. 87 Murray St., 613-422-4255,
mantovaniicecreamfranchise.com
ThiS paGE, CloCkwiSE FroM riGhT: Clover’s crème brûée topped
with honeycomb from chef de Castro’s hives; Fairouz desserts are a
beauty to behold; enjoy gelato at the opulent Mantovani 1946
cloverottawa.ca
Cucina Barone
Many cakes and cookies at Cucina Barone are
flourless and dairy-free, yet richness triumphs.
No-grain peanut butter cookies are oh-so-
peanutty. Beets, chickpea flour, and
olive oil make moist, intensely flavoured walnut
brownies. The mookie? Muffin meets cookie:
fruits and nuts galore. 393 Winston Ave.,
613-695-6995, cucinabarone.ca
Fairouz
Opulent interior colours of turquoise, silver,
black, and gold set the tone at Fairouz. This
upscale Lebanese restaurant makes beautiful
desserts, too, including rosewater lokum, an
imaginative twist on Turkish delight. The lemon
in the silky, oh-so-English posset cream matches
it well, as does the pistachio-sesame crumble.
Honeyed katifi (shredded filo) adds crunch.
343 Somerset St. W., 613-422-7700,
fairouz.ca
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