Are you looking for the ultimate date night in Ottawa? If so, head to Restaurant e18hteen for meticulously crafted French cuisine with bold flavours. Set in a historic building on York Street dating back to 1867, this extraordinary establishment isn’t a 10/10… it’s an 18/10.
Restaurant e18hteen is a CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award-winning restaurant for 2022, and we want to send you and a friend to experience all it has to offer!
Four Diamond Awards
The annual Four Diamond Awards winners are selected based on anonymous inspections. Hotels and restaurants are reviewed for exceptional experience, creativity and cleanliness by CAA/AAA and must meet outstanding standards to win this incredible achievement. Four Diamond Award winners are amongst just 7 percent of hotels and restaurants reviewed by CAA/AAA in North America and the Caribbean.
To view the complete list of winners, visit aaa.com/diamonds.
The venue
Just looking at Restaurant e18hteen’s castle-like exterior will impress you before entering. But the inside is a whole different story; it is fit for a romantic movie.
You’ll get a warm welcome from smiling staff and stunning decor when you enter the restaurant. Flickering candles, dim lighting, and soft melodies set the intimate mood. For the ultimate romantic experience, request a table near the cozy fireplace.
The space can also accommodate large groups for private dining and makes for an impressive wedding venue. Its open concept fits over 100 guests in a picture-perfect setting.
The food
Restaurant e18hteen’s will take you on a culinary journey in the heart of Ottawa. The innovative tasting menu delivers five delectable courses.
To open up the palate and tickle your tastebuds, you’ll start with an amuse-bouche. Mushroom, shallot, thyme, cauliflower mousse and parmesan make this tiny bite pack big flavours.
Next is a housemade baguette and rosemary focaccia. It is paired with sundried tomato tapenade and whipped butter.
The burrata tastes like spring in a bowl. Fresh strawberries, cherry tomatoes, microgreens and croutons topped a knot of cheese. There’s nothing quite like slicing into a burrata; soft, creamy and scrumptious. Pro tip: save some of the baguette for dipping into this dish.
Steak tartare might seem simple, but it requires careful preparation. Raw beef is paired with crisp crostini, pickled vegetables, and mustard seeds to deliver crunch and flavour in one bite. Order a glass of your favourite red to take this dish to a new level of yummy.
Further into the night came the stuffed squash. This vibrant dish was almost too pretty to eat. It is filled with lamb, surrounded by demi glaze, lemon mousse, and crumbled pistachios. Each forkful melts in your mouth.
If I wasn’t already a fan of lamb, I am after dining at Restaurant e18hteen. The main course featured seared lamb with pumpkin purée, roasted squash and potato pave with a demi glaze. The lamb pieces were cooked to perfection; each bite was juicy, tender, and loaded with flavour.
And last but certainly not least, my favourite course of the night was dessert. This handcrafted masterpiece featured a hazelnut chocolate paté with matcha powder, caramelised white chocolate crumble, hazelnuts, pomegranate arils and a dehydrated meringue-made mushroom to top it off. This is what dessert dreams are made of.
At Restaurant Eighteen, you can expect impressive plates, bold flavours, and a romantic setting perfect for your next date night.