If Elvis Presley were still alive today, he’d be 77. In the minds of some, the King of Rock and Roll never died. If you too have had trouble accepting that this legend passed away over three decades ago, you’ll feel right at home at the Newport Restaurant. This Ottawa institution is the home of the Elvis Sighting Society and is appropriately decorated with wall-to-wall Elvis memorabilia. Even if conspiracy theories aren’t your thing, you’ve got to try their pizza and Lebanese food.

The menu at the Newport is one part Italian pizzeria, one part classic diner and one part Lebanese restaurant. In most cases, I wouldn’t recommend such an unusual combination, but somehow it works here.

The pizza at the Newport is well liked. If it reminds you of the pies at the Colonnade, there’s a very good reason for that. Before the Newport was opened in the 80s, the owner, Moe Atallah, worked at the Colonnade. It looks like he might have picked up a few of their trade secrets while he was there – the thick and fluffy crust, the hearty toppings and most importantly the blanket of cheese so thick it makes a meal out of just one slice. So it’s not surprising that the small Newport Deluxe I’d ordered delivered on flavour. It was topped with a substantial portion of sliced bacon, salty green olives, mushrooms, green peppers, pepperoni and loads of mozzarella cheese.

While you can also get loads of diner classics here, including the King’s favourite peanut butter and banana sandwich, you may want to opt for the less obvious choice. The Lebanese food at the Newport is pretty darned tasty too. On my last visit I sampled the hummus, the tabbouleh and the kofta burger. The hummus had a silken smooth texture that I haven’t experienced anywhere else. It came with plenty of pita bread and it was garnished with cucumber, black olives, a pool of olive oil and a cherry tomato. The tabbouleh was also excellent, its bright and fresh flavour was perked up by plenty of fresh lemon juice. The kofta burger, on the other hand, was a better idea in theory. It arrived at the table too charred for my date’s liking.

Another must at the Newport is the rice pudding. It’s a comforting combination of creamy rice pudding, plumped up raisins, cinnamon and whipped cream. Trust me, this simple dessert is fit for a King.

Newport Restaurant
334 Richmond Rd.
613-722-9322

Appetizers: $1.95-$9.45
Mains: $3.95-$24.95

Fatboys Southern Smokehouse opened up in the Byward Market a matter of months after the already wildly successful SmoQue Shack opened its doors on York Street. With not one but two new barbecue restaurants in the area, it would be hard not to draw a comparison between them. Having already sampled the fare at the SmoQue Shack, I recently set out to see how Fatboys stacked up to the competition.

Fatboys’ restaurant is large and has a far more casual atmosphere than the SmoQue Shack. Every aspect of the place is meant to evoke thoughts of the Deep South, from the Kid Rock that blasts over the speakers to the red and white picnic tablecloths. If you consider cases of beer to be a key decor element, you’ll feel right at home at here.

My date and I began our meal with a heart-stopping combination of appetizers known as the Heavenly Fried Platter. It featured onion rings, deep-fried pickles and fried green tomatoes, all with their Alabama white barbecue sauce and a side of remoulade. The fried green tomatoes were the best of the three. Topped with a sprinkling of cheese, these green beauties were a great take on the Southern classic. The onion rings were crispy and the deep-fried pickles got a double dose of dill flavour from copious amounts of dried dill in their crispy batter coating. However, neither the white barbecue sauce nor the remoulade impressed.

The Kentucky Trio proved to be pretty substantial. My date and I opted for the pulled pork, the Competition Style chicken and the Memphis ribs. My favourite was easily the pulled pork, which tasted great with their medium-hot sweet and smoky barbecue sauce. Both the chicken and ribs were as dry as they were forgettable. The sides were not up to par either. The tangy coleslaw lacked balance, and the potato salad had an unpleasant crunch thanks to undercooked potatoes. On the other hand, the cornbread bites with maple butter were a delightful combination of moist cornbread and sweetened, creamy whipped butter.

If you plan on indulging in enough barbecue to bring on the meat sweats, I’d recommend hitting up the SmoQue Shack as opposed to Fatboys. The chicken and ribs at the SmoQue Shack are simply on another level. If Fatboys’ Competition Style chicken were actually in one, it would be the runner-up.

Fatboys Southern Smokehouse
34 Murray St.
613-695-5599

Appetizers: $5.99-$10.99
Mains: $6.99-$29.99
Sides: $3.49-$8.99

Hokkaido’s gotten a few things right. The Byward Market location is great and the decor is pleasant enough. The place looks clean and modern. There’s plenty of seating, with big comfortable booths for couples, and even a few tables for one by the window – ideal for a quick workday lunch. The service here is surprisingly good considering the restaurant’s AYCE format. Servers here are responsive and quick to refill your cup with hot brown rice tea.

Unfortunately, it all goes downhill once your food hits the table. The tempura here is oily and flat tasting. My date and I tried the sweet potato, the broccoli, the mushroom and the tuna tempura for good measure. None of them were especially good. The udon soup was easily the best of the things I’d ordered, but even that wasn’t quite right. The pork dumplings in the soup had been deep fried and then thrown into the salty broth, where their greasy exterior got quite soggy.

The barbequed eel donburi was unpleasantly fishy. The eggplant teriyaki was incredibly bland; it was nothing more than a whole, mushy eggplant that had been split down the middle and then drizzled with a sauce that could be seen but barely tasted. Perhaps the most disappointing of all was the sushi. None of the rolls were tight and some were beginning to fall apart on the plate. The spicy sushi rolls and the shrimp tempura rolls were as dull as the seaweed salad sushi was odd.

There’s far better sushi to be had in this city. For my money, I’ll satisfy future cravings for AYCE sushi somewhere else.

Hokkaido Sushi
272 Dalhousie St.

613-860-9898
Lunch: $4.99-$14.99
Dinner: $7.99-$23.99

When the weather outside is frightful, people get the urge to fly south for vacation. But if a trip somewhere warm isn’t in the cards, why not just go for a taste of something tropical? Havana Café in Old Ottawa South is a much more affordable way to break out of the winter doldrums.

Havana’s cheerful decor is sure to lift your mood. The place is decorated with bright red walls, plenty of plants in the window and large black-and-white prints of Cuban street photography.

Every item on the menu can be had for under $12, making Havana Café a great option for budget-conscious diners. Even better, the generous portion sizes make a good deal into a great one.

Though tempted by the ropa vieja and the picadillo, I opted for the pork tamale, which came with some crispy fried yucca, plantains, black beans and rice, as well as a simple salad dressed with mango vinaigrette. The tamale was light in texture, studded with tender bits of pork, wrapped in cornhusks and topped with sautéed zucchini and red peppers. The mild flavour of the tamale benefited greatly from the fiery hot sauce that the waitress provided on the side. I washed it all down with a café con leche and refreshing mojito lemonade.

My date’s cilantro chicken was equally delicious, though biting into the odd bit of bone might be off-putting to some. The chicken had a lovely tang from a heavy dose of lime juice. The chicken also came with sweet plantains, black beans and rice, and more of their incredibly delicious fried yucca. If you love fries (and who doesn’t?) you’ve got to try the yucca. It’s crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

Though there is only one dessert available, at just $2.50 a slice, their lemon coconut bar is well worth ordering. It’s served with artistically drizzled mango and guava sauces and dusted with shredded coconut. The lemon flavour is offset with just the right amount of sweetness, while the tropical fruit sauces elevate the dish from ordinary to extraordinary.

Our waitress had an infectiously cheerful disposition; on our way out of the restaurant she informed us about a breakfast buffet available on the weekend. We were welcomed to try their fresh omelettes and dulce de leche croissants, which I look forward to sampling soon.

Havana Café and Catering
1200 Bank St.

613-733-1200
Lunch: $5-$12

For the most part, I’m not crazy about the whole Asian fusion trend. When it’s done badly it reduces a rich mosaic of cultural tradition into just a handful of exotic ingredients, which are tossed into Western classics with casual abandon. That’s when you get mango tossed into your Alfredo sauce, or soy sauce doused on your pizza. When it’s done right, there’s somebody with talent in the kitchen who puts the menu together thoughtfully. Thankfully, Sidedoor falls into the latter category of Asian fusion, presenting dishes with bold and novel juxtapositions of ingredients.

Sidedoor has become very popular since it opened in place of Foundation not too long ago. On most nights you’ll need a reservation if you want to get seated at a table, but walk-ins will likely find a spot at the bar. The menu satisfies appetites both big and small with plates designed to be served simultaneously rather than as a multi-course dinner.

One of the specialties here are the tacos. The chow chow chicken tacos are particularly good, and are served with thinly sliced radish, jalapeno, green tomato salsa and avocado in an umami-laden sauce. The green papaya salad was fresh and bright-tasting thanks to a powerful hit of heat and plenty of crunchy veg. The sockeye salmon ceviche was served in a complex marinade of apples, cilantro and soy sauce. It worked surprisingly well. The tender pork belly was topped with a spicy mango salad and bathed in soy caramel. The mango and the caramel did a good job of counterbalancing the fattiness of the meat.

Though the whole meal was delicious, Sidedoor saved the best for last. The dessert menu is comprised almost entirely of donuts. Unwilling to commit to just one flavour, I ordered a donut sharing platter, which was rather substantial. It consisted of seven donuts presented on a long slate platter. Amusingly, each donut had its donut hole perched playfully on top.

The cinnamon sugar donuts evoke nostalgic feelings of visiting a country fair, while the dark chocolate-covered donuts offer something a little more sophisticated. The white chocolate and cranberry donut was easily my favourite of the bunch, as the tart berry contrasted well with the creaminess of the white chocolate. I wasn’t as big on the donut of the day, which was a candy apple donut, but three out of four ain’t bad. I’d consider this a must-order for any donut fan.

Sidedoor Contemporary Kitchen & Bar
18b York St.
613-562-9331

Mains and tapas: $9-$29
Sides: $4-$6

Life of Pie is a bakery known for its handmade sweet and savoury pies. This place is a one-stop shop that can get you ready for your next dinner party in a matter of minutes. Their range of holiday baked goods, fruitcakes and house-made jarred mincemeat, as well as a host of other goodies made just for Christmas, would make ideal gifts, housewarming presents or office treats.

A variety of handmade savoury pies are available to take home from the bakery’s freezer section. The flavours are as varied as they are tempting: Angus beef Bourguignon, Mediterranean lamb, traditional tourtière, Cajun chicken pie with jalapeno peppers, Berkshire Tuscan pork and vegetarian roasted winter vegetable pie. I had the pleasure of sampling the Mariposa duck, port and fig pie. Its tender duck filling was heavily scented with oranges and dotted with rounds of carrots. This one’s only available during November and December.

Their sweet pies are available baked fresh daily as well as frozen. The peach and raspberry crisp pie is outstandingly good, as is their chocolate pecan pie. Tender crusts and well-balanced fillings make these pies as good (or better) than your grandma used to bake.

Lunchtime at the Life of Pie is a phenomenal deal. Quiche, homemade soups, hand pies and macaroni and cheese can be had for between $3 and $5. Getting a hot meal with this kind of made-from-scratch taste is rarely found for such a steal.

On the day that I visited for lunch, a butternut squash and pear soup was up for grabs, along with mac and cheese and a daily quiche. The soup was silky smooth, with a wonderfully complex flavour thanks to the wintry combination of squash and pear. The soups change up almost daily, with the week’s menu available online at lifeofpie.ca.

The cranberry and goat cheese quiche was seasonally appropriate, though it could have used a little more goat cheese. The macaroni and cheese, on the other hand, is out-of-this-world good. A rich cheese sauce is used on rigatoni noodles and then topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and more cheese. If you have the chance to get some before it sells out, this is a must-try. Follow @lifeofpieottawa on Twitter to find out when it’s in-store.

Life of Pie
1095 Bank St.
(613-693-1853)

Lunch: $3-$5
Sweet pies: $14
Savoury pies: $15-$27

Ethiopian dining brings new meaning to having dinner served family style. With all the dishes arriving on one platter to be shared amongst your dinner companions, you’ll have to get over any notions you might have about what is “mine” or “yours.” There is a belief in Ethiopian cuisine that diners who eat off the same plate will not betray one another. So taking a dinner date or a new client out for Ethiopian food says more than you may realize.

With a trusted dinner companion in tow, I recently set out to give Habesha Restaurant a try. Formerly located in Hintonburg, this restaurant picked up and moved to Rideau Street. The two other Ethiopian restaurants just down the street beg for a direct comparison. The Horn of Africa is the least expensive, while the East African Restaurant has the best decor. I wondered, what’s different about Habesha?

It turns out it’s two things. Firstly, I’d argue that the taste of the food here is superior. Secondly, as the waiter so aptly pointed out, the texture of the food is different. The stews, or wats, sold here are a just a little more refined, and finer in texture. The meat dishes have bits of meat that have been chopped into much smaller dice or are minced; while the other Ethiopian joints in town tend to leave the meat in much larger (and chewier) pieces.

The combination platters here are a good value and provide lots of variety in the meal. It’s a smart one to order, particularly if it’s your first time eating Ethiopian cuisine. My date and I ordered the Habesha platter, which came with a variety of beef dishes and a spicy chicken and egg stew, called doro wat. The vegetarian platter was one of the better ones I’ve had, with garlicky collard greens, mild stewed cabbage and vegetables, green beans and carrots, stewed green lentils, red lentils spiked with berbere and gently seasoned yellow split peas. It was served with a simple tomato, cucumber and iceberg lettuce salad, which acted as a good palate cleanser between bites of wat. I scooped it all up happily with pieces of fresh injera, a kind of flat bread.

Habesha’s ambience is a bit on the clinical side. Its sparse decoration and cold overhead lighting don’t feel as welcoming as the staff. Though the atmosphere needs work, the food here is likely to bring me back again soon.

Habesha Restaurant
574 Rideau St.
613-761-6120

Mains: $7.99-$13.99

There’s a new Mexican restaurant in town, but you may have some difficulty finding its Byward Market location. Situated on Dalhousie inside of a bar, this place doesn’t have its own sign, save for a sandwich board out front. The sign you will see is for the Discoteka Lounge and Latin Bar. It’s confusing to be sure, but don’t let that stop you from climbing the stairs to sample the affordably priced Mexican tacos.

The decor here is not just kind of bar-like. It is a bar. We’re talking disco balls, mirrored walls, purple rope lighting and a big square dance floor. I’m told that the floor even lights up. The tables are spread out around it and are covered with quaint oilcloth that doesn’t quite fit the Saturday Night Fever vibe that permeates the rest of the joint.

Ambience aside, the food here is as close to authentic Mexican street food as you are going to find in Ottawa. The menu is comprised primarily of tacos, tostadas and Mexican sandwiches, called tortas. On weekends, you’ll find a few more options, including lamb consommé and chicken mole.

The lamb tacos here are particularly good. Three corn tortillas arrived filled with tender bits of pulled lamb meat. They were served with an array of toppings in little pots, including chopped onions, cilantro, lime wedges, a mild green chili sauce, a moderately fiery red sauce and some feisty habanero pickled beets. The salad that came with the tacos was fairly ordinary but fresh.

The chicken tostadas were also delicious. The tender chicken was served atop fried corn tortillas and dressed with shredded lettuce, sour cream and crumbled queso fresco cheese. Top the tostadas with more fresh lime juice, cilantro and red sauce and then chase with a Dos Equis for maximum effect.

Desserts here are unusual but worth a try. The corn cake was very moist, held whole pieces of corn and was garnished with a drizzle of maple syrup. The equally tasty tres leches cake, or three-milk cake, was also moist thanks to the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream that was soaked into the white cake base.

In spite of the unusual location, this place is worth a visit. Just be sure and get your taco fix in before 9, when the place goes disco.

Los Tacos de Mauro
349 Dalhousie St.
613-562-9756

Weekday mains: $7.75- $9.50
Cash only