Ottawa Magazine's Top 10 List 2010 by Food Editor Shawna Wagman

Shawna Wagman of Ottawa Magazine has taken on a different twist for coming up with Ottawa Magazine's Top Ten List for 2010 - Where To Eat Right Now. You will need to get the magazine to read her thinking on the Ottawa food scene and why she made these picks.

I was lucky enough to be the first person in Ottawa to put down coin for the November issue, which was made available at Britton's in the Glebe today. What timing for deciding that today was the day I needed veal stock from the Glebe Meat Market! The magazine will be widely distributed tomorrow.

Here is her coveted list:

Castlegarth
Town
The Wellington Gastropub
Fraser Café
The Whalesbone Oyster House
Atelier
Play Food & Wine
Bistro St. Jacques
Absinthe
Taylor's Genuine Food & Wine Bar

I have tried them all except for Whalesbone and Bistro St. Jacques and know that those on this list are strong establishments.

Only 4 from this list are going to the Gold Medal Plates competition in November. Fraser Café, Whalesbone, Atelier and Play.

The Gold Medal Plates contenders not making Shawna's list are: The Urban Pear, Zen Kitchen, Murray Street Kitchen, Les Fougères, Harvest (actually in Picton) and Narvarra.

Missing from last year's Top 10 is: Beckta Dining & Wine, Domus Café, Le Baccara, Restaurant Ei8hteen, Benitz Bistro, Allium, The Urban Pear, Navarra and Juniper. In fact the only one of the Top 10 to stay on the list into 2010 was The Wellington Gastropub.

Some may also wonder about The Black Cat, Le Café, Farbs Kitchen, Sweetgrass Aboriginal, Perspectives, Social and Luxe as contenders in the past for top recognition in the city, whether on the Ottawa Magazine's 10 Ten List, formerly constructed by Chris Knight, or some that have gone to Gold Medal Plates.

Well, the politics is out of the bag. And in a city that seems to know politics best! Enjoy the buzz on this topic over the next week.

Although I have a soft spot for Allium and thought it should have made Shawna's list, what I see when I pull back and take the broad view on this, is how lucky for us to have so many great choices brimming over on our lists of stellar eateries here in Ottawa. What a nice problem to have.

Get the magazine! This article in particular is a great read.