Stella Luna Gelato Café - A Quick Lick

Classy. Refreshing. Very classy and refreshing. Very classy and refreshing gelato.

The much anticipated Stella Luna Gelato Café finally opened yesterday in Old Ottawa South at 1103 Bank Street, just south of Sunnyside.



The buzz has been building as we have been reading about it's overdue opening, first in the May edition of Old Ottawa South's community paper, The Oscar (Page 9), then recently in the blogs of Ottawa Magazine and Apt613. They even received enthusiastic mention when Ottawa Magazine's food editor Shawna Wagman talked about her ice cream article on CBC Radio's All In A Day with Alan Neal July 26.

I had a chance to talk briefly with Alessandro Giuliani yesterday. It is clear he is very proud to be supporting, his wife Tammy, in her new endeavour. He re-emphasized the importance they place on using the very best of ingredients. In particular, the hazelnuts of Piemonte and the pistachios of Sicily. He is very pleased with the roomy layout of the store. He says it comfortably seats 36 in any type of setting. There is banquette seating, a sit up bar, wing chair groupings and then a few round tables in the front of the store.

I had a medium for $4.25. Once again my eyes were bigger than my appetite but I made it to the bottom of the cup. Happiness in every bite. A small goes for $3.25 and a large goes for $5.25. A waffle cone is extra. They also offer take home tubs for $8.50 (half litre) and $15.95 (litre).

While I was there, the bake counter was largely ignored as we all crowded around the cooler with the 24 flavours of gelato. But clearly someone had taken a taste, as a number of the plates of baked goods only held crumbs. I had my eye on the almond torte.

Our choices last night were: Piemonte Hazelnut and Sicilian Pistachio for me; Cioccarancio (chocolate and orange) and Ruby Peach Lavender for the mister. We tasted each other's choices and had a hard time picking a favourite of the four.

The also had 'two leaves and a bud' teas and Blasercafé coffee beans available.

Owner, Tammy Giuliani, recently made a youtube video with her husband, Alessandro, announcing the store's opening on the Civic Holiday long weekend.



Stella Luna painted an excellent first impression. We look forward to returning to try more gelato flavours but to also experience what other food stuffs may be coming from their kitchen. This is a meeting place for the community of Old Ottawa South. A meeting place works very well when it can be accompanied by great tastes!

Tammy and Alessandro have a very dreamy, romantic story about how they first met and then committed to a lifetime of happiness together. Read all about it on the website. It is no surprise that their new place would make for a great couples outing. I wonder how many proposals will they have in their store after just 3 dates?

Here is just a quick glimpse into Stella Luna from our hurried visit last night.













Tasting process already well underway. Clearly we exercise different attack strategies.







Stella Luna Gelato Café
1103 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario
613.523.1116
website: www.slgelato.com
facebook: Stella Luna Gelato Café
twitter: StellaLunaCafe

Tues to Sun: 8 am - 10 pm
Mon: CLOSED

Life of Pie's Butter Tart

Seventy-five cents. That's it. Seventy-five cents gets you a butter tart from Life of Pie, 1095 Bank Street in Old Ottawa South.

I take great pride in my own homemade butter tarts, finally perfected after many years of tinkering. As seems to be the Canadian pass time, I still continue my search for the perfect tart beyond my kitchen. No surprise that I might pick one up on my recent stroll through Old Ottawa South.

For me I like a softer flake to my crust but I was glad that their shell was not too thick. The filling was not packed with raisins or nuts; just pure runny goo. A well pitched sweetness, in fact. But I am not a fan of the sugar crystallizing in the bottom of the tart. A problem I once had with my tarts too. More syrup and less sugar helps. Plus cream. They will work to maintain the suspension of all those ingredients of goodness.

For seventy-five cents, I would do it again.




Life of Pie
1095 Bank Street (Old Ottawa South)
Ottawa, Ontario
613.693.1853

Mon to Fri: 8 am - 6 pm
Sat: 8:30 am - 5 pm
Sun: 10 am - 4 pm

Taylor's Genuine Food and Wine Bar - Finally Paid It A Visit

Taylor's Genuine Food and Wine Bar opened Thursday, June 17 to much fan fare. It has taken me two months to finally get there to give it a try. The opportunity presented itself when 2 gal pals wanted a lunch out and left me to make the choice. I gladly bore the responsibility of trying to pick well.

As we darted out at the end of lunch to our long overdue parked cars, our parting comments on the experience were loaded with F-bombs. Actually repetitive F-bombs. You know the kind that foodie types like to lace through their vocabulary. Fresh! Flavourful! Fantastic! Fine! Filling! I really regret that it took me so long to make it to Old Ottawa South to see what owners, John and Sylvia Taylor were up to with their second restaurant. The same 'F-bombs' are probably similar 'expletives' that are coming from the patrons at their flagship restaurant, Domus Café, found in the Byward Market.

John Taylor is known for his passion for fresh, seasonal, local produce. And that passion came through loud and clear at Taylor's Genuine Food and Wine Bar today. It appears he has also made a great choice in having John Svasz on board in the kitchen. It is always a bit of a coup when ever single dish brought to a dining table is a stand out.

I decided to go for the soup of the day ($7) which was a chilled yellow bean with CPCO (cold press canola oil), basil oil and cider reduction.



I then followed with the Genuine Tomato Salad ($12). Blue cheese, lardon, buttermilk dressing and Crazy Dave's Greens.



Gal pal #1 went for the small, 4-item ($20) charcuterie & cheese board. She picked:

• Duck and Foie Gras Rillettes
  
• Elk Ranch Salami
  
• Counting Sheep, sheep's milk cheese, Fifth Town Artisan Cheese, Prince Edward County, Ontario
• Wild BC House-Smoked Albacore tuna
  

It was accompanied by chutney's and rings of fresh zucchini.



Gal pal #2 had the Risotto ($18). Chanterelles, house-smoked bacon, peaches and cream corn, and parmesan. I tasted her risotto and it was eye-ball rolling. Just the right doneness and the flavours were deep. The richness of the broth came through. The texture was more moist than creamy. I really liked that about this dish preparation.



We started our meal with a plentiful bowl of fresh bread. Our drinks were white wine spritzers ($8).



The lunch portions were ample and no one had room for dessert. But one could figure that they wouldn't disappoint.

The location of this new restaurant is in the old Second Cup at Sunnyside and Bank. So the footprint is small. Barely room to swing a cat. (I often wondered where that saying came from because as a cat lover, it does seem mean.) But it is the perfect size to create the intimacy you would expect of a wine bar serving food. I liked the bar stools! The same as the ones we have at home. The colours are soothing. The setting is less dressy than Domus Café. No linen table cloth. Just the solid wood table top. No linen napkins. But a classy imitation paper version. I am not sure about the antlers though. Kitschy Canadiana? Something the Taylors can pull off I suppose.



The service was pleasant, prompt, informative and attentive.

Lucky for Old Ottawa South to have such a high calibre restaurant in their midst. I am sure their appreciation for this jewel means that the Taylors will be treated well.

Taylor's Genuine Food and Wine Bar
1091 Bank Street at Sunnyside in Old Ottawa South
613.730.5672
website: www.taylorsgenuine.ca

Mon to Sat: 11:30 am - 2 pm; 5:30 to 10 pm
Sun: 5:30 to 10 pm