Restaurant Review of the Elgin Cafe, Ottawa

I was recently asked out to a group dinner with a friend's parent to this lovely café located downtown on the corner of Laurier and Elgin. I don't often get to dine at such a lovely restaurant and so I'd like he share the experience with you.

The wait for service wasn't very long, which is always good in my book. The waiter was very quick in getting us water and passing out the menu. There were many of us eating so the decision took awhile, partly because many things on their menu caught my interest. Beef sirloin, Japanese crusted chicken, roast duck with choke cherry sauce, but in the end I settled with maple roasted lamb with Dijon mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. As a bonus to the meal I selected a young Pinot Noir, which complimented the lamb very well.

The wait for the food did take a little while longer then I care for but good food does take time I suppose. In the mean time I was entertained by the mellow jazz music playing in the background, always a comforting additive. The walls of the Elgin Café are decorated by many cartoon styled mosaics of people going about their days in a busy city. Where there isn't painting, tall windows with green blinds allow for a moderate view of the street life outside the café. The entire atmosphere was very relaxing and allowed us to shift into casual conversation as we waited for our meals.

The waiter returned several more times as we waited to ask if we needed anything extra and to serve us our drinks. The wine was young and although it has a fresh bouquet tasted slightly acidic beneath a fruity veil. When the meal finally arrived I saw that the portions were moderate at best, enough to feed a person but perhaps not enough to curve a hungry man's appetite.

I find its best to sample a slice of meat before starting in the side dishes. So after carving of a small piece I received a sweet and juicy taste of the roasted lamb. The light maple sauté wasn't too strong that it over powered the meats natural flavor; the cook hadn't over cooked the meat at all. The vegetables were slightly overcooked; I prefer mine to be a little crisp. Dijon potatoes are something new to me but the have a smooth grainy texture that is very pleasing and I plan on learning exactly how they are made. After I had finished with everything else I returned to the remaining lamb. When I was eating the lamb I was reminded of eating ribs as they had been cooked in the same fashion. But I thoroughly enjoyed finishing off every last piece of the tender and juicy meat off the bone. After the meal the waiter return and I split a delicious apple crumble with one of my friends.

All in all the experience of the Elgin Café was a very enjoyable time for everyone. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that is looking for a luxurious night out either as a family or on an intimate date. I myself may even be tempted to have a private evening out there sometime as a personal treat.