I took another trip to Ottawa recently. It’s becoming progressively more difficult to choose places to dine given the huge explosion of interesting destinations all over the city. Take two six {ate} in Little Italy for example. It has all the foundations of a foodie haven:
1. It’s named after its address.
2. They use cliche words like “nose-to-tail” and “snack foods made with local, fresh sustainable products” on their about us page.
3. They are closed Tuesdays.
4. Decor includes a stash house rusticness and clever, tongue and cheek depictions of Darth Vader, Uncle Sam, Mickey Mouse and Beethoven.
5. Uses small letters and punctuation in name {in this case brackets I forget the significance of}.
That said, Ottawa waitstaff and barkeeps rarely adhere to the Toronto rule that you have to be a pompous ass since you know how to measure an ounce and a half of bourbon using a shot glass. Maybe it’s the fact that any restaurant in Little Italy adheres to some kind of Godfather or Sopranos code of respect. I was immediately greeted by a pleasant duo who sat me at the bar. I was given a quick description of the menus which includes a daily sandwich and pasta special. In this case it was beef tongue and goose confit ravioli respectively.
I went on the heels of FreBREWary, an exciting promotion by Beau’s in Ottawa which involves the near weekly release of of an innovative beer surrounded with exciting hoopla. Since two six {ate} was a participant, I was looking forward to a pint of Wag the Wolf, a heavily hopped wheat beer which was due to be released that day. It was a tad delayed, so I was treated to an Beau’s Ellsmere’s Regret instead. It was an absolutely delicious chocolate-marshmallow hemp stout. It was served on a warped Beau’s promotional wooden coaster {a FeBREWary promotional flaw which was the result of not letting the wood dry before final production}.
I started with an order of the shrimp and pork pogos {$10} which sound more Asian/American than something from the 1Italian Motherland. Served on a bed of crisp and delicious slaw with the faint heat of a chili gastrique, I can best describe them as deep fried Dim Sum. They were nicely seasoned and the flavours of the filling burst in my mouth. I’m not convinced the batter enhanced the taste of the dish {not to mention the fact the batter pretty much seperated from the filling at the first bite} but it certainly was a merry concept.
The scallops {$16} were highly recommended by the waitstaff. I didn’t need much convincing when I read the description. I think brussel sprouts and seafood are terrific partners on a plate. Sweet/sulphur, soft/crispy and white/green coexist quite nicely. I also love the thought of boozy raisins sprinkled all over a nicely cooked scallop. The dish was true to from. The aforementioned ingredients combined with silky sunchoke puree and crunchy pumpkin seeds mapped my taste buds tongue-tickling topography.
The pasta special of the evening was interesting. I have to admit I have limited experience with goose. I’ve eaten a flock of ducks but not their larger cousin so much. The fact that it was stuffed in ravioli and topped with yellowfoot and hedgehog mushrooms sounded even better. The goose filling was very gamy which was was oddly coupled with by the strong earthiness of the mushroom medley. The pasta was a little thick. I think a blast of sweet or acid {other than the spray of pomegranate seeds I seem to remember} might have helped. In the end, it was a pleasant dish.
During the meal I also had a Broadhead Wild Card, a subtle pale ale from Ottawa and another example that the craft beer movement is alive and well in Eastern Ontario. It was very well balanced with a subtle but cogent hoppy blast.
For dessert I seemed to have no choice. As far as hype, online comments have elevated the fried p b and j {$9} to the status of Pulp Fiction or Breaking Bad. The question was whether it was worth it. It took two hands to lift each half given the incredible density. It had a soft, creamy centre and a crispy crust on the outside. It was not overly sweet, even with the aggressive dusting of powered sugar and sweet ice cream next door. It was more like a good brunch item rather than a dessert. In fact, I took half home for breakfast the next day.
My Take
Most Ottawa residents are blissful over the recent emergence of high quality and trendy restaurants congruent to those in nearby Toronto and Montreal. Two six {ate} is one of these. It has many of the fundamental features of a hipster haven {see above} with the additional of friendly, authentic service. The food is solid although the presentation is a bit monotonous. Two six {ate} has a code. You leave feeling like a dinner guest of Tony Soprano or Vito Corleone. In fact, Tony may have stated it best when he said …{“Those who want respect, give respect”.} The food is respected. The drink is respected. You are respected.
Fare..Eat..Ales 