There is nothing common about Common Eatery on Elgin Street in downtown Ottawa.
A media preview of the exceptional food and drink at Common Eatery last night highlighted one of Ottawa’s newest restaurants, an eatery that is very much deserving of attention.
Despite it’s nondescript facade, and name that isn’t exactly enticing for a restaurant, Common Eatery is not a restaurant that should be overlooked.
Don’t let the name fool you.
As my mother always told me, “never judge a book by its cover”.
Common Eatery opened it’s doors just a few short months ago, aligning itself with its retail operation, Common Concept Shop, located right next door.
When you begin to understand what the retail side of this establishment is all about, the name makes total sense.
“The Common is a grouping of independent business in one common space. As the sole luxury streetwear store in Ottawa we offer a curated selection of contemporary art, unique books and novelties. We are a destination shopping experience with one on one customer service and exclusive brands, offering local and international customers a chance to shop through a strongly curated list of brands, mixing high fashion with the latest in street fashion.”
Located in a trendy downtown neighbourhood filled with all kinds of unique shops, pubs, and restaurants, a dinner at Common Eatery is not only about the exquisite food, it’s also about the experience.
This eye-catching mural greets visitors at the door. You can’t help but stand there and stare at it!
Of course, it’s also a great place to stand for a photo opportunity, as I did with my friend Emily from Best of This Life:
High ceilings and well-placed furnishings provide an atmosphere of roominess. We did not feel crowded, and there is plenty of space to walk around inside the eatery – space that is sometimes lacking in other downtown establishments.
Our seating was all set up for us when we arrived. See those glasses on the table? They were filled with cucumber-infused water. Tasty and refreshing on a hot day!
With expansive windows that give you a two-sided view of Elgin Street and Gladstone Avenue, there is never a shortage of something to look at while you dine.
Our visit to Common Eatery was a delightful surprise. I would even hasten to call it one of Ottawa’s best kept secrets. It’s a secret that needs sharing though because…
The food. Scrumptious and divine.
The drinks. Uniquely spectacular.
Like the Hendrix Lamar…
And the Cheery Coke…
And the Thyme 4 A Sidecar that my partner had…
I must admit, we were not expecting the food – or drinks – to be this good. This was probably the biggest surprise of the evening for us.
[bctt tweet=”The Food – scrumptious and divine. The Drinks – uniquely spectacular. #CommonEatery #OttCity ” username=”CanBlogHouse”]
The consensus at our table? It was unanimous. Everyone loved what they ordered.
My partner ordered this unique-looking caesar salad.
So unique, in fact, the waiter provided him with an explanation on how to eat it, when he placed it on the table. We chuckled about that, then we each took a bite.
Wow. The flavour was outstanding!
I chose not to order an appetizer as I waited in anticipation for my steak dinner!
You see that sauce on the beef tenderloin? And that white sauce to the side? They are so tasty, the recipes for both are probably closely guarded secrets. As for the beef tenderloin…it literally melted in my mouth. The Flash Truffle Frites were the perfect side, as was the salad, and the cactus fruit, which provided a light and refreshing twist to this meal.
Topping off our meal was this gem of a dessert. I don’t know the name of it, all I know was that it was cold, it contained a cookie crust, and it came with a drizzle of caramel. I could have easily eaten a second piece of this yummy dessert!
For more information on Common Eatery, be sure to follow them on Facebook. Common Eatery is on Instagram too!
Cheers to Common Eatery!
Many thanks to Blackbook Lifestyle for hosting this wonderful event, and to everyone at Common Eatery for the superb food, drink, and service!
Disclosure: Canadian Blog House was invited to this media preview, however, there was no expectation of a review. All opinions are our own.
