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Taste of Wellington West 2010: Rain and Sandwiches

Judging from the flurry of blog posts and Flickr sets, locals can probably discern another Taste of Wellington West has come and passed. Last year, the Wellington West Business Improvement Association (WWBIA) experimented with holding the fund raising event in the fall. This year, the event that sees businesses along Ottawa’s Epicurean Row set up tables and field kitchens outside their establishments to serve the public in return for donations was moved back to its original spring (almost summer) date. This year’s cause, the Causeway Work Center. Causeway provides employment and educational programs to persons with mental health issues and/or disabilities and those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Interestingly, like the first year Jenn and I encountered the event, we are again overseeing renovations. With our having encountered an increasing number of delays, we were more than happy to take up the invitations of two of our fellow food bloggers to meet up and wander Wellington Street W. and its adjoining side streets together.

Alas, it rained. Jenn and I ducked into the Ottawa Bagel Shop (1321 Wellington Street W.) when the downpour started, hoping it would lighten. It poured. When we met up with Jodi (@simplyfresh) of the Simply Fresh and Kaitlin (@kaitli) of the Heartful Mouthful blogs, we were literally drenched. Happily, Chef/Owner Chris Deraiche of the Wellington Gastro-Pub (1325 Wellington Street W.) decided to pull his chafing dishes into his restaurant’s ground floor dining room, the “White Room.” Dressed in a t-shirt, advertising the soon-to-open (this Friday) Town Gastropub on Elgin Street (296), he greeted wet “tasters” warmly.

Wellington Gastro-Pub’s “taste”, pulled Elk Ranch sandwiches with corn relish.

Jenn and I found the elk a little tough and its sauce bordering on overly savoury. The in-house corn relish provided a bright counterpoint, some texture, and a little sweetness.

Afterward, we decided, rain or no rain, we would trek to our must visit eateries, Absinthe and Allium. Along the way, we stopped at the Ottawa Bagel Shop. Its taste, several of its specialty cream cheeses and smoked meat on Montreal-style bagel.

We stopped by Sushi Umi (1325 Wellington Street W.) to say hi to its chef/owner and nibble on some maki rolls and edamame. Then, we headed off to Thyme & Again (1325 Wellington Street W.). There, we were greeted by turkey and marshmallows, separately of course.

Almost retro (think 70′s-style Swedish meatballs), the turkey meatballs were flavourful and not-at-all dry or crumbly. They had four home cooks wondering how Thyme & Again’s kitchen pulled it off.

Marshmallows are gleefully messy to make, the melted sugar, egg white, and gelatin mixture sticking to just about any surface, even silicone spatulas. Making colour tinted marshmallows in both coconut (front) and watermelon (back) flavours takes skill. They were worlds different from the processed marshmallows in the supermarket. The only marshmallows I have encountered that compare were made by Chef Jason Laurin of Essence Catering (430 Parkdale Avenue) for an art show at CycleLogik in Hintonburg.

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