Cafe Orient - Ottawa

Having moved from Vancouver to Ottawa, I really miss having quick access to good Chinese food throughout the city. Sometimes I just have cravings for a really good bowl of congee (Chinese rice porridge) or some good old stir-fried noodles. Then I found Cafe Orient.<br/ <br/ It is a quaint, hole-in-the-wall type restaurant along Somerset in Chinatown. Don’t expect to be impressed by their decor. That is not meant to be their selling point. Instead, imagine you are transported to a small understated cafe in Hong Kong.<br/ <br/ I have a few go-to’s here. I usually start with the preserved egg and sliced pork congee. I must say though that the preserved egg could be an acquired taste, so you might want to try one without that first. Perhaps try the tofu and cream of corn one if you are not a fan pork. On the other hand, for those who are very adventurous, I would recommend the pork liver and kidney congee. But if you are not a fan of offals, stay far far away! Along with the congee, I would usually order the Chinese bread stick (think savoury and crunchy) or the Chinese donut (much more dense and sweet than the bread stick). You can then dip these delicious fried goodies into the congee to really enhance your experience.

This Chinese restaurant is truly authentic and never fails to impress. The swift and friendly service, along with their flavorful and fresh dishes, always leave me satisfied. Whether I'm craving dim sum or classic Chinese fare like beef with fried rice noodles or shrimp congee, this place is always at the top of my list.

Second day in Ottawa, second visit.<br/ When you're the gwei lo, you're doing it the most.<br/ When the menu says spicy, they're not joking.<br/ We will probably gave dinner here too.<br/

Just got back from here. Went for some simple dim sum, bang for the buck, excellent taste, everything was piping hot and the service was quite fast. Best dim sum in Ottawa, and I've been to most downtown.<br/ <br/ just be careful debit and cash only.

I love this place. The older lady will remember what you've ordered no matter how long ago. I love the beef ribs in black bean sauce served on steamed rice. I believe the price was $10.75 (excluding taxes which is an excellent deal for the buck. Very quick to greet you and friendly service too. I keep returning as it's very good. Would recommend.   :