It's my own fault, really. Cafe Colonade is renowned for having some of the best Pizza in Ottawa. So when I found myself there for dinner a little while back, I had to go and order the Lasagna.
You have to be in the mood for pizza. I just wasn't in a pizza mood that night. And while I don't often order pasta at restaurants -- doesn't always feel like it's good value -- I was hankering for a hearty, warm the insides slab of meaty lasagna.
The bread course was a warning sign for me. Now, I know that not everyone bakes their own rolls in-house. Hardly anyone does, I'm sure. But is it too much to ask that you pretend that you do? Lie to me a little, I'm saying. Take the bun out of the plastic, warm it a smidge and put it in a basket or something. Maybe put the butter in one of those little butter thingies. A little effort is all I'm asking.
The Caesar salad was fine. I liked the garlicky dressing. But powdered Parmesan and no bacon? Again, they could try just a little harder, it seems like.
On to the main event. My first thought was mmm, cheesy. My second thought was, why is there meat sauce on the side? As I dug in, I discovered it's on the side because it's not on the inside. Is this lasagna deconstructed or something? Did they run out of meat lasagna, and give me a slice of veggie with meat sauce on the side? I dunno. But it was awkward to try to reconstruct my lasagna on the go. Maybe this is how they do it in Italy?
Next time, I'll have the pizza.