Imagine going into a butcher shop where all the cuts are from local farms, the condiments are local, even the patés are homemade. Paddy Whelan, the owner of Murray Street chose this style of restaurant because he wanted the type of food you look for in the fridge after midnight, when looking for a snack. Nothing fancy, just delicious combinations of well-made ingredients, i. e., comfort food kicked up a notch or two. The successful combination has already won kudos throughout Canada, winning Enroute Magazine’s top 10 restaurants in Canada award.
On arrival, I was impressed to see the owner wiping down a table, heartily carrying dirty dishes to the kitchen. Everyone was part of the team, and proud of it, and it showed. Whelan even mentioned that he chose his chef based on how he ran his kitchen, how well he worked with his staff, it wasn’t just the food, but the whole concept that he wanted to be well-run.
Now for the food! I chose a “make your own cheese board” where I chose the Elk & Dried Cherry Terrine, Smoked Duck Breast with Truffle Honey, La Sauvagine, a local Quebec buttery cheese, Naramata Bench Blue from British Columbia. The board was served with homemade condiments, so each mouthful was a sensory delight.
Of course, we had to try local Canadian wines, which were surprisingly good quality. Apparently, several micro-climates exist in the Niagara wine region, with its stony soils perfect for great wines in spite of the chilly climate. I tried a Norman Hardie Pinot Noir that reminded me of a Faivley Framboisier, so I was notably impressed.
Thanks to Restauranteurs like Whelan, Murray Street has become Gastro Way in Ottawa, part of Ottawa’s Byward Market. Murray Street is helping to put Ottawa on the map as a gourmet food destination. I knew I would be back for more!
well written blog. Im glad that I could find more info on this. thanks