2024-04-21 00:49
For lunch I walked over to another spot on my recommended list, on the Halifax waterfront at Bishop's Landing a stone's throw from The Bicycle Thief: Sea Smoke Restaurant and Bar.Unlike… Read More
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A Bcer In Ottawa Blog
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A blog about Canadian politics written by a Liberal Party of Canada supporter in Toronto.
2024-04-13 18:39
My visit to Halifax in December was planned as a culinary visit, and before I left I consulted friends who were or had been local residents to get their tips on where to get the best b… Read More
2024-04-05 17:10
I did a great deal of research and sought advice from local experts before my visit to Halifax, intending to make the most of my time from a culinary perspective and lean heavily onto the se… Read More
2024-04-02 20:56
I'll get back to my Halifax culinary adventures soon (think seafood) but I wanted to jump ahead because April is Filipino Restaurant Month in Canada and, last week, a friend at the Filipino… Read More
2024-03-29 23:16
As part of my pre-Christmas travels last year, I used my VIA Preference points to knock another iconic sleeper train off my list: The Ocean.While not a bucket-list item like The Canadian, th… Read More
2024-02-19 22:26
When researching places I had to eat in Washington, DC, one that kept coming up was Ben's Chili Bowl. A DC staple since 1958, Ben's holds a special place in the city's African American… Read More
2024-02-15 19:47
Right now I am am averaging about one visit to Shake Shack a year, since they are only in the United States. I went a year ago November in New York City, and this past December during a trip… Read More
2024-02-14 17:29
During a trip a little while back to downtown Toronto, I found myself in the market for a leisurely breakfast/brunch. Not feeling the local greasy spoons, which, to be honest, aren't e… Read More
2024-02-13 20:16
My favourite meal in Montreal probably came on my last night. During my pre-trip research, Restaurant Moccione had come up a few times as one of the better restaurants in the city -- a… Read More
2024-02-12 18:31
Every other time I've been to Montreal it has either been for sports, like a Habs or Expos game, or for political, like a Liberal conference. This was the first trip where I had the time to… Read More
2024-02-09 16:51
When I was looking for breakfast spots during my visit to Montreal last year, Olive et Gourmando came up a lot. And just a few blocks walk from my hotel in Old Montreal, I had to give it a t… Read More
2024-02-08 14:26
My last trip to Montreal coincidentally aligned with their restaurant festival, Mtl a Table, where participating nicer restaurants offer a prix fixe menu to invite people to try them out tha… Read More
2023-12-27 17:16
In November, I took a long weekend to enjoy a few days in Montreal. It's so near to Ottawa but I'd never really had time to just explore and enjoy the city. Every other visit had been… Read More
2023-12-21 19:47
My last meal in Saskatoon was on a Monday night, which is not a great night for many fancier restaurants as they tend to be closed Sunday/Monday to give the staff some time off. So a few of… Read More
2023-12-11 21:20
The people's business took me to Saskatoon last month, and I quickly dusted off the dining recommendations I had received during my impromptu layover on The Canadian and did some new researc… Read More
2023-12-04 20:53
Meeting a friend for lunch in Ottawa recently and they brought me to a lunch spot I hadn't tried before: Gooney's.It's a modern-looking place at the corner of Kent and Albert in downtown Ott… Read More
2023-11-29 16:30
Meeting a friend for dinner during a recent visit to Toronto, we ended up at a place near his new workplace on St. Clair Avenue West, an area of Toronto I'm not too familiar with.Ferro Bar … Read More
2023-11-22 21:22
During a recent visit to Toronto I has the opportunity to dine with friends at Pantheon in Toronto's Greek town on the Danforth. I always enjoy Greek food and have been here before, although… Read More
2023-10-01 00:17
A friend I hadn't seen in awhile was visiting Ottawa recently and, after a tour around Parliament Hill (I never miss Centre Block more than when it comes to tours as there was so much more t… Read More
2023-09-28 18:17
Parliament is back besides lots of headline-making news, the reception circuit is back in full force. I attended a few receptions this week and, while I am cutting back what I eat for health… Read More
2023-09-05 16:56
Even if I'm not always hungry during the flight, if I'm going cross-country in particular I find a little nosh helps to pass the flight. And I'm a planner, so I will often pre-order my… Read More
2023-08-14 01:48
I spent a lot of time on ferries during my Seattle trip as, in search of semi-reasonable hotel prices, the Swifties made me flee town for Bremerton. But all my extensive pre-trip resea… Read More
2023-08-07 01:31
As I've mentioned I am a frequent train traveler, usually between Ottawa and Toronto. With them extending the eligibility during COVID I was able to achieve the highest tier of VIA's f… Read More
2023-08-04 20:53
I don't find myself in the Parliamentary Dining Room very often -- I'm more of a cafeteria guy -- but back in May the boss and I were entertaining a visiting group of constituents and… Read More
2023-07-15 23:30
Many people “back East” as we westerners call Ontario will
be familiar with Porter Airways. They fly turboprop Q400s out of the Billy Bishop
(Island) Airport to nearby points in… Read More
2023-07-03 16:49
Usually I take the ferry between the Comox Valley and Vancouver when I'm not flying directly back East, but on this trip I wanted to maximize my time in Vancouver without the half-day it tak… Read More
2023-06-04 03:39
After my train journey back in April and a few days in the Comox Valley, I had some time in Vancouver my flight back to Ottawa. It was a chance to have lunch with an old friend and, rat… Read More
2023-06-02 14:23
I always
say when you’re having fish, get as close to the ocean as possible. If you can
dine outside and smell the salt air, even better.
Whenever I’m
back home in the Com… Read More
2023-05-30 20:44
On May 20, 2023, Blue Jays fans sing OK Blue Jays and Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the seventh inning stretch at Rogers Centre in Toronto Read More
2023-05-17 02:42
Day five of my transcontinental journey began in my home province of British Columbia, with the Rocky Mountains having passed behind us in the darkness of night. Which, without any city ligh… Read More
2023-05-08 13:03
You will recall that in our last installment we were stuck for most of the day in a largely closed for the holiday Saskatoon. Thankfully, I was woken in the wee hours by the shaking of the t… Read More
2023-05-01 15:46
After going to sleep as we pulled out of Winnipeg station to resume our westward journey, I woke up some hours later to a sunrise over the snowy prairie of eastern Saskatchewan. It took some… Read More
2023-04-24 16:43
Day two was a Thursday, and my first full day on The Canadian -- VIA Rail's transcontinental train from Toronto to Vancouver.It was also the morning I woke up from my first night's sleep on… Read More
2023-04-17 01:48
VIA Rail's cross country "The Canadian" -- four-and-a-half days across Canada from Toronto to Vancouver -- is something that has been on my bucket list for years. I set it as an aspiration… Read More
2023-04-10 23:44
If you follow my social media channels, you'll know I just spent five days taking VIA Rail's iconic "The Canadian" train, from Toronto to Vancouver. I posted short recap videos along… Read More
2023-03-26 01:10
While I consider it my mission to chronicle the fast food chicken sandwich wars, I knew going in that the limited-time stunt sammy from McDonald's, the Chicken Big Mac, would not be a worthy… Read More
2023-02-19 19:10
I've just begun my outreach as I seek the role of VP Communications at the Ontario Liberal Party's upcoming annual general meeting in Hamilton, and I'm gratified by all those who have pledge… Read More
2023-02-17 18:20
I managed my first OLP campaign, and my second campaign overall as a manager, in 2014 in Parkdale-High Park. We had an amazing candidate, a strong team and lots of resources but, in the end… Read More
2023-02-16 03:17
Zoom campaigning is a new one for me, but it's a great way to drop into a meeting and connect with Liberals about why I'm running for Ontario Liberal Party VP Communications. Tonight… Read More
2023-02-12 13:42
Why I'm running for OLP VP CommunicationsOn Saturday I attended the Don Valley North PLA AGM on Saturday. Good discussion around rebuilding and engaging. And nice to catch up with Jonathan T… Read More
2023-02-12 01:12
The Ontario Liberal Party is holding its AGM in Hamilton next month and I'm standing for VP Communications.I’m putting my name forward because we need to rebuild the OLP to compete in… Read More
2022-11-26 17:35
A lot of food trends start in New York City and spread out across the continent. Many spring out of the many ethnic communities that call the city home. But one that hasn’t made it out… Read More
2022-11-21 19:42
When doing my New York City dining option research, I did identify a few breakfast options. But with the long trek into Manhattan from Newark and my enjoyment of sleep, I only made it… Read More
2022-11-15 13:12
I know for most New York City food adventurers, regional burger chains aren't near the top of their lists. But Shake Shack is to the Eastern US and In-and-Out is to California, so with… Read More
2022-11-13 00:27
In my advance research for good eats to try during my trip to New York City, I decided to favour authenticity and value over fancy and bougie. And when Los Tacos No. 1 came up in both my goo… Read More
2022-11-06 14:47
I end up at The Keg maybe twice a year and I invariably order the same thing: garlic cheese toast appy, Keg classic NY strip with Caesar salad starter, mushrooms, veg. Reliable but satisfyin… Read More
2022-10-28 21:01
Someone told me there were 13 receptions around Parliament Hill on Monday night. That may well be true, I don’t keep an exhaustive list. But I did delay my nightly collapse onto my cou… Read More
2022-10-25 14:23
I took the train down to Scarborough a few weeks back in business, which is really the best way to travel by train. But pro-tip: the bar car usually opens around 11AM so schedule your trip a… Read More
2022-10-22 16:26
Before Fall took full hold in Ottawa I had the opportunity to attend a reception at the German Ambassador to Canada’s residence in commemoration of the anniversary of German reunificat… Read More
2022-10-08 15:04
I feel at this point that, after seven years working in the halls of Parliament, I've sampled most of what the Hill's catering services have to offer. But we had something I hadn't tried bef… Read More
2022-10-06 20:26
One of the highlights of the Parliamentary reception circuit has long been the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association annual beef BBQ in the East Block courtyard, held before the Ottawa weat… Read More
2022-10-02 19:34
As chronicled previously, Nashville Hot Chicken is all the rage these days. Very on trend. And when delivered in chicken sandwich form it ticks several boxes for me. So finding myself… Read More
2022-09-30 15:45
I'm a big fan of chicken wings. But chicken wings done right. In Toronto, I had Duff's Famous Wings. In Ottawa, there's not really any good spots for wings. Local Heroes isn't bad, but it's… Read More
2022-09-18 15:23
You're not going to get high-quality Chinese food from a Parliament Hill Cafeteria -- you'd do better at a nearby mall food court or, better yet, walk down to Sommerset Street and Chinatown… Read More
2022-09-17 17:01
I'm always on the lookout for a good smashburger in my travels, and during my summer visit to Muskoka I was pointed to the Fare Food Co. It's a food truck located behind a Shell gas station… Read More
2022-09-02 22:29
I again found myself with a rental car today before I head out of town for the long weekend tomorrow, and so my thoughts of course turned to where can I go for lunch that I couldn’t ea… Read More
2022-08-27 21:34
Taking a break from food reviews because this is too long for Twitter. The harassment of female journalists and politicians has been highlighted by high-profile incidents in recent weeks. Th… Read More
2022-08-25 14:23
I'm always on the look-out for chicken sammy updates, and so when I heard McDonald's had a new chicken sandwich I knew I had to try it out for lunch my next in office day. McDonald's ha… Read More
2022-08-19 16:26
When I’m on the West Coast (aka the best coast) I need to have fish. It’s the rules. So when I took a break from work last night in Vancouver, I had to find a great spot fo… Read More
2022-07-30 16:55
Regular readers will know I enjoy some good Texas-style BBQ, spoiled as I was for other options after a few trips to Austin for the real deal during my tech journalism days. So when lo… Read More
2022-07-22 14:53
I'm down in Toronto for a week working in our community office and this trip I'm staying downtown, so I'm getting the opportunity to try some new restaurants. Last night, on the recommendati… Read More
2022-06-17 02:36
Tonight marked the return of the annual Garden Party for Liberal MPs and assistants the grounds of 24 Sussex Drive after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Without the recently COVID-positive Prime… Read More
2022-05-06 00:53
A few weeks ago, news broke that the standoff over pricing between Frito-Lay and Loblaw that had stripped chip shelves bare at Loblaws, Superstore, Independent Grocers and Shoppers had… Read More
2021-12-23 19:14
While I have let up somewhat on my don't eat seafood unless you can smell the salt air rule over the years, I do still like to maximize my seafood opportunities when on either of the c… Read More
2021-11-09 19:02
As mentioned a few weeks ago, I bought an air fryer. And while I quickly tried the usual air fryer favourites like like chicken wings, tendies, sammies and tater tots, this model also… Read More
2021-11-05 15:05
For years, Porter Airlines has had a lock on the Toronto Island Airport, aka Billy Bishop or YTZ, flying Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft to points in Eastern Canada and th… Read More
2021-11-01 19:08
A weekend away was always in my post-election plans, and when I decided on Montreal, having a fantastic meal was at the top of my list. Often I would just dash in for a hockey gam… Read More
2021-10-27 14:45
I didn't use my deep fryer much, but it was starting to show it's age and it seemed like the kind of appliance that you don't want to mess around with safety on, so I retired. it. So this se… Read More
2021-10-19 16:49
Ottawa is Canada’s capital, in terms of government and in terms of shawarma. We have a longstanding Lebanese community that has ran shawarma shops across the city going back several ge… Read More
2021-10-18 16:34
During election campaigns the Parliamentary cafeteria system often takes the time to renew and refresh its rotating menu of daily specials. This week, it has two new offerings making t… Read More
2021-07-29 19:34
A few months into owning my Weber Q 2400 and regular use on my condo balcony, a look at a typical meal: marinated turkey breast and zucchini with olive oil and red pepper flakes done on the… Read More
2021-07-07 16:37
The newest chicken craze is Nashville Hot Chicken, and A&W is out of the gates early with the first fast food version, available now for a limited time: the A&W Nashville Hot Chicken… Read More
2021-04-07 12:23
A spring afternoon walk in Ottawa down Bank Street and through Landsdowne Park, including a look into TD Place Stadium, and then up O'Connor Street Read More
2021-04-01 23:29
I walk from Centretown from Hintonburg for lunch at Meat Press and a sweet desert from SuzyQ Donughts. Then it's transit back home via the Ottawa LRT and a short bus ride. Come along f… Read More
2021-04-01 01:39
I share my experience as a condo dweller barbequing with Weber's Q 2400 electric grill Read More
2021-01-29 15:16
We've lived through the chicken wing era, the fancy burger era, and the Ramen era. Right now, I believe we're in the Nashville Hot Chicken era. And like all food trends they take their time… Read More
2020-11-26 16:22
I've long liked that chicken from Popeye's. So much better than KFC. A spicy option, quality fries, biscuits, mac and cheese, corn on the cob -- so good. There really weren't any… Read More
2020-11-22 02:56
I've written about chicken sammies a bit lately, and I did finally get around to trying Popeye's new fancy chicken sandwich after some customer service foul-ups -- more on that soon. B… Read More
2020-09-30 20:03
The pandemic has been tough on many restaurants and other retail businesses -- there are more than a few closed storefronts on Ottawa's Bank Street. I'm happy to report though that one new b… Read More
2020-09-12 14:22
Lest you think after my last post that I'm on a very unhealthy fried chicken kick, this lunch was from a few weeks ago. And I wouldn't put it in the same comparative category as the fast foo… Read More
2020-09-10 15:30
It seems like all the cool stuff comes to Canada late. That's certainly the case with the fast food chicken sandwich wars, which have already been fought and won in the United States… Read More
2020-07-16 17:10
The Burger's Priest began as a small streetfront operation on Queen East and Coxwell in Toronto that usually had a line out the door for its delicious burgers, with its religious theme (clos… Read More
2020-05-01 15:57
Since the end of the before times when all this isolation and distancing began, my Facebook feed has been filled with ads for two things: veggies and meat delivered to you door. Since I'm bo… Read More
2020-04-13 15:07
As it came to dinner time on Easter Sunday and no turkey having appeared in my larder,. I turned to Door Dash and went in search of Indian food, hoping for a bit more spice than my last atte… Read More
2020-04-09 15:22
Chicken wings are the traditional bar food, although as I've written in the past I wouldn't consider Ottawa a wing town. However, since I won't be going out for wings any time soon, I've bee… Read More
2020-04-08 21:44
As I've mentioned I'm doing a lot more cooking while physically distancing, but I am trying to support local reasturants so at least once a week, often Friday nights, I order out for dinner… Read More
2020-04-05 17:18
In the before times I didn’t do that much cooking outside the weekends. But now, with nothing but time on my hands I’m cooking all the time and trying some new things from time t… Read More
2020-04-03 13:25
So, I won’t be going out for a meal I can review in the near future. But I still gotta ear, and now I have more time to write too. So I shall turn my culinary scribblings to delivery/c… Read More
2020-04-01 23:59
I like me a spicy chicken sammy. I remember back in the day, when KFC didn't suck (or maybe my standards were just lower) I was all about the spicy Big Crunch. Unfortunately, I've mostly mis… Read More
2020-03-24 19:46
I wrote last week about an Indian food outing that lacked some heat -- well, a few days later I had some Jamaican food that more than made up for it.Island Grill is another Bank Street resta… Read More
2020-03-20 15:06
A sudden craving for cheese steak a few weekends back led to a googling of local options and to the decision to try a fast food spot I had passed by on the bus a bunch of times but never had… Read More
2020-03-17 23:26
Don't worry, I haven't been eating out. But I do have a few backlogged meals I now have time to blog while distancing, which brings me to my craving a few weekends back for Indian food.Some… Read More
2020-03-14 04:03
Bacon. Sausage. Ham, Meaty breakfast staples. But who decreed breakfast needs to be so porky? Sensing the need for giving Canadians more of a reason to wake up in the mornings during these c… Read More
2020-03-13 03:44
Didn't realize it at the time, but the Women Entrepreneurs on the Hill reception last Wednesday was, with a possible extended recess looming, likely my last Hill reception for a little… Read More
2020-02-26 14:43
A lot of the time of a backbench MP -- and their staff -- is spent either preparing for or in committee meetings. And often those meetings happen over breakfast or lunch.When that happens, f… Read More
2020-02-17 02:24
While the best chicken wings can be found in Buffalo, there are nearly as good wings to be had elsewhere. When in Toronto, I'm partial to Duff's Famous Wings. While you have your chain wing… Read More
2020-02-09 01:09
This is my third time visiting Fatboys Southern Smokehouse, and it was third time the charm as I finally got the southern bbq experience I was looking for by going big on the meat.My first v… Read More
2020-02-06 19:39
I haven't reported on many Parliamentary receptions lately -- partly because I haven't attended many, and partly because the food is often the same. There were some new offerings on hand tho… Read More
2020-01-26 18:55
After having visited Austin, all BBQ pales in comparison. Still, I will continue questing for BBQ goodness North of the border, whether it's Northern Smokes in Scarborough or The Smoque Shac… Read More
2020-01-23 15:48
While #DonutGate went viral earlier this week when Prime Minister Trudeau bought donuts at a local donut shop in Winnipeg and something something drama, I have been preparing this review of… Read More
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