A decade in, this neighbourhood establishment serves elevated dishes and great cocktails
The Belmont
1169 Bank Street
Sunday – Thursday: 5 PM – 10 PM
Friday – Saturday: 5 PM – 11 PM
Parking: A dedicated parking lot is on the side of the building. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Hours: The Belmont is open 7 days a week. You can also go here on weekends for brunch (9 AM – 2 PM)
The Space
From the outside, it’s not an eye-catching venue. Enter The Belmont to discover a small, charming neighborhood bar & restaurant. It was not dimly lit, but there were candles at every table emitting an orange hue. The tables, the banquette, and even the huge bar counter (probably 4 feet wide) are all made of wood, which adds warmth to the decor. The music wasn’t loud, and the venue was not too crowded when full.
If you’re there for the drinks, the bar area is great. But if you intend to eat, we recommend sitting at a table. There are no bad seats, but you may want to avoid sitting next to the entrance door.
The Service
It’s an informal establishment, so the staff were dressed casually. They were polite and welcoming: we were warmly greeted and brought to our table. The server quickly brought us water and a full bottle to refill our glasses. It was mainly the server who came to our table throughout the evening. However, the bartender brought us our cocktails.
The Menu
The menu is well-conceived and changes seasonally. There were no intriguing ingredients. On the flip side, there weren’t any repetitive or cheap ingredients used either. There were seven cocktails on the menu, mostly modern classics:
- The Penicillin
- Oaxaca Old Fashioned
- Tarzan
- Single Village Fix
- Chica Cherry Cola (The Belmont’s version was more developed)
The bartender could make any classic upon request. All drinks were 18$, which is average for Ottawa. The cocktail program had three 11$ mocktails. We did not try them, but they seemed well-crafted.
The glassware was beautiful and well-selected. Certain cocktails were served in tumblers with huge ice cubes (not clear ice though). The garnishes were simple but elegant: orange peels and pineapple leaves with zigzag contours, cherries on a pick, and lemon wedges.
Chica Cherry Cola (18$): This high-ball cocktail was like a rum and coke, but with strong vanilla notes. It was topped with a lime wedge and an Amarena cherry on a pick.
Single Village Fix (18$): The mezcal took centre stage (as mezcal often does). Nonetheless, this cocktail was well balanced and enjoyable.
Negroni: It was a decent Negroni.
Oaxaca Old Fashioned (18$): This modern classic was sweet and smoky, with cherry notes. It wasn’t spirit-forward compared to a classic old-fashioned. The Reposado Tequila and Mezcal caused no burn on the way down. This was our favourite cocktail.
The cocktails were great. The Belmont’s food has a great reputation, so we also had to try it.
Salumi Plate (18$): This plate had many items: sweet onions, gherkin pickles, and spicy charcuterie.
Chicken Liver Pate (15$): Port jelly covered the chicken liver pâté, served in a small jar. It was accompanied by thinly-sliced toasted focaccia.
Mackerel (41$): The fillet skin had a nice char taste. The thin slices of red pepper gave every bite a bit of heat. Underneath was a savory liquid with onions. The mussels were tart. Everything combined well when taken together in one bite.
Steak Frites ($65): The steak was perfect, while the fries were thin, salty, fluffy, and crispy.
