HELLO OTTAWA | → Dining and drinking news, including Lebanese subs, fish, and fast food | → The National Capital Commission’s Urbanism Lab will discuss Animating Capital Parks tomorrow | → The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority hires its third general manager in a year | → ☁️ High 4° Low 0° partly cloudy | – Martha and Darren | Correction: Yesterday we wrote that City Council had approved the raise in transit fares. It was, of course, the City’s Transit Commission that did that. City Council itself will have a ratification vote on the raise December 9. | | WEDNESDAY DRINKING + DINING UPDATE | ▪️ The demand for food bank use in Ottawa is up 90% since 2019, and Parkdale Food Centre is feeling the pinch. Thanks to some generous donors, until Tuesday December 3 your donations will be matched up to $45,000. ▪️ Red Apron is taking orders for heat-at-home festive meals for two, six, or 16 for pick up or delivery on December 23 and 24. ▪️ Wine by the glass is 50% off this Friday and Saturday night from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Soca Kitchen. ▪️ We haven’t seen this before: last week Ameya Charnalia at Eat the Strip reviewed Kanata’s La Maison de Kouign-Amann. This week, the Ottawa Citizen’s Peter Hum also takes a bite. Hum says this bakery’s versions of kouignoù-amann may be consider blasphemy by some, as they add toppings. He likes them anyway. ▪️ At Eat the Strip, Charnalia visits Subtown on Walkley Road, known for its Lebanese-style submarine sammies. Subtown’s coöwner says that two kinds of street food are ubiquitous in Lebanon, shawarma, which we all know, and subs, which we did not. The verdict: ‘[e]ating pickles and fries out of a bun was excellent’. ▪️ On its 10th anniversary, Edible Ottawa magazine asks local chefs and owners about how the last ten years have changed Ottawa’s food scene. Speaking up are Adam Vettorel, chef and co-owner at North & Navy and Gia Cantina; Coconut Lagoon owner and chef Joe Thottungal; Jessie Duffy, owner of Arlington Five; Stephen Beckta, owner of Beckta Dining & Wine, Play Food & Wine, and gezellig; Véronique Rivest, who owns Soif Bar à vin; Teegavarap Sarath Mohan, Kathā’s chef and owner; Dominion City co-founder Josh McJannett; Roots and Shoots owners Robin Turner and Jess Weatherhead; and Top Shelf Preserves owner Sara Pishva. ▪️ Travellers have a new quick service choice, Perkins Griddle & Go, at the exit to St-Isidore and Maxville on Highway 417. The American franchise features a quick service ‘comfort food’ menu for take awayand it does have a dine in as well. ▪️ Speaking of quick service joints, the chief executive of McDonald’s Canada says the company is open to returning to ByWard Market, and sees an opportunity for five more locations in Ottawa. Aylmer native Michele Boudria started her career as a McDonalds crew member when she was 16. ▪️ The Kitchissippi Times interviews food writer Jordan Pizzuti. ‘Ottawa has everything — just on a smaller scale, and maybe less well-known. You can find world-class food here that rivals any big city; it’s just a matter of actively seeking it out’, he says. ▪️ Zachary Resnick in Apartment 613 asks Le Poisson Bleu, ‘why a fish restaurant in land-locked Ottawa?’. ‘The product is more natural, and there’s a sense of urgency and care you need to take with fish that I find makes cooks just a little more mindful’, offers executive chef Alex Bimm. |
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| | STATISTICS OTTAWA | | 23 | – The number of days that speeders caught by photo radar have to respond, either by paying the fine or telling the court they wish to fight it. Without a response, after that date they are ruled guilty. However, as Canada Post is on strike, motorists are not receiving their tickets and we’re 23 days into the walkout. Chair of the City’s Transportation Committee, Beacon Hill-Cyrville ward councillor Tim Tierney, says he hopes that the Province will change the timing, but ‘at the same time, we are still currently processing’. | | Katelyn Wilson at CTV |
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| OTTAWAN OF THE DAY | Andrew Riddles | | QUOTE | |
| They love it just as much as we did |
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| | | PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN | THE OTTAWAN was launched in 2020 as the daily answer to the questions: What’s going on? What should I do? Where is somewhere good to eat? | Please consider joining the many other readers with a monthly, annual, or one-time donation to keep THE OTTAWAN on its mission. | All annual or one-time donations over $60 get a free OTTAWAN or historic logo t-shirt of their choice. |
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| | WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL | Transportation Committee Thursday, November 28 at 9:30 am | Draft 2025 Operating and Capital Budgets – Transportation Committee Strategic Road Safety Action Plan annual report Status update – Transportation Committee inquiries and motions for the period ending November 22, 2024 Motion - Councillor M. Luloff - Community Safety Zone on Prestwick Drive
| Agenda | | WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT | 🚊 O Train | ▪️The O Train’s new Line 2 and Line 4 are now awaiting Federal certification. Readiness has now moved on to the point that the City is asking for a Certificate of Fitness from the Canadian Transportation Agency and confirmation of the notice of change in operations for the Railway Operating Certificate from Transport Canada. Without both, the system cannot open to the public. Notably, OC Transpo staff and their families will be guinea pigs this Saturday for a ‘dress rehearsal’. There are no promises, but the new extensions may open in December. | | Ted Raymond at CTV |
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| 🚌 Ottawa Student Transportation Authority | ▪️The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority has hired a new general manager, its third in the past year. The current general manager of learning support services for the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, Stacey Kay, will start December 16. The previous general manager stepped down after three months on the job. The general manager before that left after a leave of absence and is suing the Authority for constructive dismissal. | | William Eltherington at CTV |
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| 🎧 Charge and Sens | ▪️TSN’s Cheryl Pounder chats with the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch about the Ottawa Charge and Ottawa Senators in his podcast. It doesn’t look like a podcast because its a video at the bottom of the story, but it’s there. | | Sens 1 on 1 Podcast |
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| ➕ Related Also on video, Hockey Canada president Katherine Henderson talks to The Hockey News about the World Juniors being held in Ottawa December 2025. | | OTTAWA HISTORIC LOGO T-SHIRTS | 🎄 MAKES A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT | 🎄 SENT BY COURIER | 🎄 ORDER NOW, BECAUSE WE MUST CUT OFF ORDERS IN EARLY DECEMBER | 🕎 MAKES A GREAT HANUKKAH GIFT TOO. ONE FOR EACH DAY. | | Talisman Motor Inn |
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| Talisman Motor Inn t-shirt | The Beachcomber Room tiki bar at the Talisman Motor Inn was where Ottawa swingers could be found in the early 60s | Help support THE OTTAWAN by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts. | |
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| | THE ROLLING 3 DAY CALENDAR | Is there an event we should know about? Please use our easy event submission form | TODAY | ▪️ Tonight’s screenings at European Union Film Festival: Hilma(Sweden), A Blue Flower (Croatia) ▪️ Support those brave enough to step on the Yuk Yuk’s stage in the New Talent Showcase, tonight and tomorrow night. 🆓 Help Overflow Brewing celebrate its sixth birthday and support the Ottawa Hospital at the same time. Enjoy live music, free appetizers, prizes, drink specials, and a special silent auction. ▪️ ByTowne Cinema: Bird, Paradise is Burning, Detour: Jackie Brown ▪️ Mayfair Theatre: Blitz, The Godfather Part II Gigs ▪️ Small Fish Comedy and Variety Show. Irene’s Pub ▪️ Bobby Watt and Ecosse: Celtic Celebration. Red Bird ▪️ Forest Blank. Bronson Centre |
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| TOMORROW | ▪️ Check the list of small businesses that are participating in the Hintonburg Holiday Shopping Nights, starting tonight and continuing through December 19. Shop small, shop local, and don’t even worry about the postal strike. ▪️ The SpongeBob Musical sees the residents of Bikini Bottom searching for a way to save their community when a volcano threatens to erupt. This weekend and next at Gladstone Theatre. ▪️ Happy 40th Birthday to the Rainbow Bistro. The party’s at tonight’s gig with Kingston’s Kasador and guests Noise Hotel. ▪️ Learn how the NCC Urbanism Lab programs urban parks and public spaces at the in-person and virtual event Animating Capital Parks. Registration is required whether you plan to attend IRL or online. ▪️ Today’s European Union Film Festival screenings: Freedom(Libertate) (Romania), A Postcard from Rome (Latvia). ▪️ Versefest’s mini Fall festival opens at Red Bird tonight with an evening of poetry in English and French, and is hosted by Stephen Brockwell. ▪️ Buy cool crafts and enjoy coffee and baked goods at Y’s Owl Christmas Holiday Craft Market, Y’s Owl Maclure Co-op Centre,1140 Morrison Drive ▪️ Join the authors of Decentering Epistemologies and Challenging Privilege: Critical Care Ethics Perspectives in a discussion at Irene’s Pub. ▪️ ByTowne Cinema: Paradise is Burning, Bird, The Zone: Solaris ▪️ Mayfair Theatre: Never Look Away, Blitz, My Old Ass Gigs ▪️ Jane Siberry. National Arts Centre ▪️ The Hunt Club. LIVE on Elgin ▪️ Rita Mae. Bronson Centre ▪️ Primary Colours. National Arts Centre ▪️ Thursday Blues Sessions. Irene’s Pub |
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| FRIDAY | ▪️ Creative Mornings Ottawa presents Niqqi van der Aa, teacher of Sketching, Textiles and history Fashion at the Robinson Academy in Ottawa. 8:30 am to 10:00 am at Bayview Yards. ▪️ Make it an old time-y festive season with the Cumberland Village Museum’s Vintage Village of Lights. Fridays though Sundays until December 22. ▪️ Experience Upper Canada Village at Christmas with Alight at Night Festival, opening tonight and continuing on select evenings until December 26. ▪️ Stop by the St. Paul’s Christmas Bazaar in Kanata for bargains, Christmas gifts, and more. The event opens today at 4:00 pm with a chilli supper, then continues tomorrow. ▪️ Road Trip: The 4th Annual White Lake Santa Claus Parade starts at 7:00 pm. ▪️ Ottawa’s own pro wrestling turns 17 this year. Experience the C4 Edge of Seventeen Anniversary Celebration at Preston Event Centre tonight. ▪️ Road Trip: Do some in-person Black Friday shopping in Downtown Brockville. 🆓 613Flea presents the 613Holiday Night Market, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm tonight and every Friday until December 13. ▪️ Manotick’s Christmas in the Village weekend begins tonight with a parade of lights down Main Street. ▪️ You and the kids will never be bored at Saunders Farm’s A Country Christmas. Until December 30. ▪️ Cocktails, new people, and Latin rhythms are all on the menu at Il Vicolo tonight. ▪️ Urban Legends start the Friday night programming at Versefest’s mini Fall festival. Poets Apollo The Child, Billie Nest, and Playto Aka Panos take to the stage. Then, the festival continues with an evening of readings by former directors of ULPC. Hosted by Ben Ladouceur. ▪️ Shop the Carp Farmers Market Christmas Market today from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm and tomorrow morning from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. ▪️ Today’s European Union Film Festival screenings: A Hundred Sundays (Italy), Un Amor (Spain) ▪️ Ottawa Black Bears vs. Toronto Rock lacrosse. ▪️ ByTowne Cinema: Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Maria, Drawn In: Akira ▪️ Mayfair Theatre: Blitz, Flow, The Room, Big Shark Gigs ▪️ Michael Dubue with Chime of Wrens. Irene’s Pub ▪️ Spitfire91. Aberdeen Plaza, Ottawa Christmas Market ▪️ 80s Dance Party with DJ Remi Royale and The Start. House of TARG ▪️ Friday I’m In Love Indiepop Dance Party. The 27 Club ▪️ Journey to Boston. Overflow Brewing ▪️ Fever Pitch Hot Jazz. Art House Café |
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| NOW BOOKING / JUST ANNOUNCED | ▪️ Road Trip: Samples of local fine cheese (and special discounts too), adult bevies, hot bistro fare and a wood burning oven. Find it all at the Back Forty Holiday Open House on Saturday December 14. |
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| | DEAL OF THE DAY | | The deals are available now at Form Furniture, including 20% off the Made in Montréal house brand. |
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| | Save up to 50% on premium Made in Canada winter coats at the Arctic Bay sale |
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| | Buy five tickets to a Brew Donkey tour and get one of them free. Use the code B4G1F-BF24 and book by December 2. |
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| | BUT, ONE MORE THING … | Apartment 613 is seeking new board members. Since 2009, the non-profit website has been at the front of Ottawa’s ‘community news, previews, reviews, and more, covering arts, culture, music, food, drinks, and sports’. Media is tougher than ever these days, so they are looking for people who can help them transform for the future. Application deadline is December 21. |
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