where / what / when
executive
Kitchen Q&A
5 reasons to
Love ottawa
Mena
celebrity chef
hugh acheson talks about
his hometown
by patrick langston
CITY BITES
Fine dining and delightful danishes
by sarah brown & cindy deachman
mēna Bread By Us
276 Preston St.,
menarestaurant.com 1065 Wellington St. W.,
breadbyus.com
The critically acclaimed res-
taurant MēNa is known for its
modern take on French cuisine.
When it first opened four years
ago on Preston Street in Little
Italy, the focus was on casual fine
dining — always with an empha-
sis on the fine.
Following an extensive
renovation, the restaurant is now
unabashedly upscale and has
an interior to match its elevated
vision, with a black-and-white
look punctuated with pops of
burgundy. Guests will appreciate
the open kitchen, which provides
a glimpse into the inner work-
ings of the restaurant.
Central to the vision is the
tasting menu, which gives diners
the opportunity to be surprised
every night, committing to a 5-,
7-, or 9-course blind menu, with
chef James Bratsberg swapping
out dishes regularly to tie with the
availability of seasonal produce.
16 where
holiday 2017
This Hintonburg bakery is a
much-loved place. Kids know to
head directly for the floor-level
toy box and bookshelf. Everyone
else comes for Danishes, bread,
and muffins made with white
flour, whole wheat, rye, kamut,
and other grains.
At the lunch counter are about
10 stools, and one comfy chair sits
against the opposite wall, so fit
yourself in where you can. Paninis
are made on their well-known
sourdough — try the one with
smoked tuna, tapenade, and grape
tomatoes. As for pastries, arrive
early if you want croissants. How-
ever, there are also melt-in-your-
mouth scones, light and crumbly
chocolate cookies, and rich
chocolate-fudge bread pudding
— all will cheer you to no end.
Coffee with that? Try the Spanish
bombón: one pull of espresso with
a little condensed milk. It makes
for a remarkable coffee.
• Chicken shawarmas — with
extra pickled turnips and
peppers from Shawarma’s
King on Bank Street.
• The National Gallery, with its
stark beauty and rich contents.
• Perusing the magazines
at The Gifted Type on Elgin
Street, a shop I worked at
when I was a student at Lisgar
Collegiate, two blocks away.
• The cadence and walkability
of the city. It is a city that has
a big heart and just feels like
home.
• A cold glass of white wine and
oysters at The Whalesbone.
Pumpkinferno
Food
When a chef comes home,
where does he like to go and
eat? Ottawa native Hugh
Acheson is an award-winning
cookbook author, chef, and
owner of four restaurants.
He was also a judge on Bravo
TV’s Top Chef. Here, he
shares his love for Ottawa: