There's a "hot" new eatery in #Ottawa - #MoralsVillageHotPot (#Ad) #Ottawafood #OttawaEateries

More than a meal ... a dining adventure.

Disclosure: I was not compensated, nor obligated to post or share about this experience. 

However as I was an invited guest or plus-one I did receive my meal free of charge. All opinions are my own.

When Julie (Try Small Things) invited me to be her plus one for dinner at the newly opened Morals Village Hot Pot Ottawa (located at Riverside and Hunt Club), she didn't have to ask me twice. My decision to accept her invitation was a good one, because our meal turned out to be an interactive dining experience. My first impression was the warm reds and golds of the beautiful decor, and the welcoming and friendly greeting we received from the staff. 

Things I learned as a Hot Pot newbie:

• The Morals Village name comes from their commitment to giving back and community. In keeping with that sense of community it's not surprising most of the seating is communal style with a flat top stock pot burner at each seat. 
• Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish using soup stock to cook a variety of ingredients. 
• Morals Village is an all-you-can-eat restaurant with a flat fee that includes the hot pot ingredients. (Note: the stock and beverages are not included in the flat rate. Visit the website, or restaurant for pricing details). 
• The staff is friendly, and knowledgeable, which is important for a Hot Pot newbie like myself.
• Over the course of a meal the stock in your pot is topped up. Staff explained this was to keep the stock from getting too salty as liquid evaporates from the boiling stock.   
• The reason there are two sets of chop sticks (one white, one black) is to avoid cross-contamination. One set is for raw meat, and the other set is for cooked items. 
• My chop stick skills are virtually non-existent. 
• Elastic waist pants are an excellent fashion choice when hot-potting. 
• Sharing a hot pot meal with friends or family is a perfect choice on a cold day.
• I really really like my hot pot experience. 

The Stock:
The experience starts with choosing from one of a dozen stock options (priced from $3 to $8) that you will use to cook your chosen ingredients. Your pot-o-stock stays piping hot by way of table elements. I opted for the Mountain Cliff Wild Mushroom soup base which was very nice. 

The Ingredients:
There are dozens of ingredient options, with everything from fried pork skin, quail eggs, and squid rolls to seaweed, lotus roots, and tofu. Each visit is a new opportunity to be adventurous in your choices, and customize your eating experience. To my mushroom soup base I added: Rib Eye Beef Slices, Japanese Crab Meat, Broccoli, Sweet Corn, Napa Cabbage, and Japanese Udon Noodles. 
Into the hot pot they went, and not to start anything but ...  yes I stirred the pot. 

Service with a smile ...

The Toppings & Sauce Bar:
I bet you're thinking there is no way to top that ... but indeed there is. There are a dozen sauces, dips, and toppings to pair with your hot pot meal. This is where you'll also find spring rolls, sesame balls, and deep fried buns. I recommend all three! 

The Ice Cream Finish:
What better way to end a hot and spicy meal than with a sweet ice cream cone filled with Morals Village made-on-site vanilla soft serve ice cream. 

From start to finish it was a wonderful night, that included a great meal, shared with a fabulous friend. It doesn't get much better than that in my opinion. So next time you're in Ottawa, looking for a new dining adventure or find yourself asking "Where should we go to eat?" you might want to give Morals Village Hot Pot, or one of these Ottawa eateries a try. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Ottawa eateries, and adventures in dining. 

Spice up #MovieNight with #Bollywood movies & @TajOttawa Takeout (#Ad) #TajOttawa

Pairing your favourite Bollywood movie with the taste of India, 

is the perfect way to spice up Movie Night. 

Disclosure: Although I have worked with Taj Indian Cuisine in the past in exchange for a delicious meal, 

I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. 

In our house Friday night is Movie Night. For years it meant the whole family gathered to eat pizza and watch a movie. My kids are adults now, and more often than not it's just my Hubby and me, so I suppose now it could be called Date Night. I love our Friday Movie Night tradition, but after almost 2 decades of Friday night pizza I'm  ready to mix it up a bit, both in our cuisine and movie choices. So I'm spicing things up with Taj Indian Cuisine take-out (or delivery) and a couple Bollywood movies. 

My Taj Takeout Movie Night favourites:

Vegetable Samosas (a perfect way to start any taste of India dining and movie adventure)

North Indian Salad (a fresh salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions)

Butter Chicken (because you can never go wrong with Butter Chicken)

Chicken Korma (chicken with herbs and nuts in a delicious creamy sauce)

Alu Matar (Potatoes and peas in curry sauce)
Basmati Rice (Indu's personal recipe)
and of course lots of their #naantastic naan bread!

My top Bollywood Movie Night picks ...

As I laughed watching trailers for each of these movies I was reminded why I enjoyed them so much. (Just an FYI all of these are currently available to stream on Netflix Canada)

Finding Fanny: 2014 (NR) 
This comic and heartwarming movie tells the story of an aging man who learns the marriage proposal he sent to his girlfriend decades before was never received, and the road trip he takes to find her. 

Piku: 2015 (TV-PG)
The parent and child relationship is complicated, as seen in the interactions between an eccentric aging father, and his efficient, and opinionated daughter. Put them both in the same car for a long distance road trip and result is a comical clash of wills.    

Queen: 2014 (TV-MA)
After Queen is jilted at the alter, she decides to travel solo on what was to have been her European honeymoon. Her experiences push her out of her comfort zone, and challenge her to think about who she is, who she wants to be, and how that fits with her traditional family and life in Delhi. 

The Lunchbox: 2013 (PG) 
An error in the usually ultra-efficient and reliable, but complicated Mumbai lunchbox delivery service, unexpectedly leads to a housewife making the lunches, and the soon to be retired widower receiving them, to become become lunchbox penpals.   

Mumbai, Delhi, Mumbai: 2014 (TV-14)
This movie follows the typical Bollywood rom-com story-line of: boy and girl meet, boy and girl instantly dislike each, followed by a comedy of errors, misunderstandings, coincidences, and of course dancing, that eventually lead boy and girl to rethink how they feel about each other. The story begins with a young woman, who at her mom's insistence travels from Mumbai to Delhi to meet with a potential marriage candidate. Everything is going as planned until she loses her cell phone. 

Do you have a favourite Bollywood movie? If so what Indian dish would you pair with it to spice up movie night?  

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about spicing up movie night. 

For drool-worthy pictures of Taj's delicious dishes follow them on facebook, twitter, and instagram.  

.@TajOttawa is Celebrating 30 Years in July! #Ottawa #MyOttawa #OttawaFood #Ad

Taj Indian Cuisine: A delicious taste of local flavour. 

Disclosure: I received a meal free of charge for the purpose of this post. All opinions are my own. 

This July Taj Indian Cuisine is celebrating 30 years of serving Ottawa delicious Indian cuisine! Thirty years of being part of a community, and adding to it their unique local "flavour". Thirty years of owner Indu Bakshi creating the delicious North Indian flavours, recipes and dishes served at Taj. To celebrate this milestone and as a gesture of thanks to Ottawa and their community for 30 wonderful years, they've planned some exciting events, and promos. Be sure you're Taj on Facebook, twitter and instagram to stay in-the-know as they reveal details about their upcoming 30th Birthday Celebrations. 

The Taj staff is friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable about the dishes they serve. When asked their opinion or for assistance deciding menu items, I found them to be open, honest, and clearly eager to make my experience an exceptional one. Don't be afraid to ask about customizing your dishes to suit your taste palette. They really do aim to please and deliver the best dinning experience possible.

Taj Indian Cuisine is Open for:
Weekday Brunch Mon - Fri 11:30 - 2:00 pm  ($13.95) and 
Dinner-A-La-Cart Mon - Fri 4:00 - 10:00 pm, Sat 12:00 - 10:00 pm, Sun 4:00 - 10:00 pm. 

What can you expect from Taj Indian Cuisine in terms of Yum Factor? 
I'll let the following pictures do the talking ... 
Buffet: 

NAAN-TASTIC! 

Dinner:

And with the couple of thousand words those pictures just spoke, I'll leave you with one final thought. In my opinion you can't go wrong supporting small, local businesses. When they serve up dishes like these and the owner greets you and remembers your name by your second visit, it feels more like sharing a meal with friends. Friends that cook really really well!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking about Naan-fastic food!

Disclosure: I received lunch free of charge for the purpose of this post, but I've dined at Taj Indian Cuisine on my own dime and enthusiastically recommend it to friends and family. There's no doubt I'll be dining at Taj in the future. All opinions are my own. 

Here Are Seven Fabulous #Ottawa Eateries #WhereToEat #Yum

Add these Delicious Ottawa Restaurants to Your Must Try List. 

*With the exception of The Lone Star seating is limited so reservations are highly recommended. Note: These Restaurants have been listed in alphabetical order and not necessarily by preference, because let's face it ... that would be just too hard to do!

Baan Thai 
(Ottawa, Centrepoint near Baseline Rd, open for lunch and dinner, closed Sunday)
Thai Cuisine 
Baan Thai is a lovely little restaurant tucked away in the Centrepointe area. In the many years I have been going here I have never had a meal I haven't thoroughly enjoyed with service to match. My favourite is the Lunch Special which is served on a lazy-susan! The contrast of the sweet and spicy in the mango salad is particularly delicious!

Coconut Lagoon 
(Ottawa, St. Laurent near St. Laurent Shopping Ctr, open for lunch and dinner)
South Indian Cuisine
Even before I arrived I suspected my meal would be stellar, and award winning Chef Joe Thottungal and the staff at Coconut Lagoon didn't disappoint. You can't miss the passion Chef Joe puts into preparing his delicious dishes while sharing the inspiration behind each recipe. From appetizer to dessert Coconut Lagoon serves up delicious Indian cuisine that is sure to impress. 

FYI: Chef Joe is also featured in the Ottawa Cooks Recipe Book.

Jericho Lebanese Food 
(Ottawa, Bank St - The Glebe, 11:00 am - 10:00 pm, Sun 9:00 pm)
Mediterranean & Lebanese Cuisine 
I thoroughly enjoyed my Chicken Wrap House Special, and the several (okay many) bites from my friend's Falafel Plate that may have accidentally landed in my mouth when she wasn't looking ... oops ... accidents happen. The owner serves up some of the best Falafels in town. I found the owner-chef to be an engaging and wonderful host, and the decor and ceiling paintings unique and charming. 

Lone Star Texas Grill 
(Ottawa, Fisher & Baseline, 11:00 am - 11:00 or later most nights)
Serving up Tex-Mex fare 
Fajitas served family style. For years the Lone Star has been a family favourite for birthday celebrations. The ingredients are fresh and the staff friendly. Although there are several locations my favourite is still the original one located at Fisher & Baseline. 

Occo Kitchen 
(Orleans, Innes Rd, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm, Fri/Sat 11:00 pm)
Cuisine made from scratch using local quality ingredients
The menu at Occo Kitchen is an eclectic mix of casual dining options such as Fish Tacos, Burgers and Fish & Chips paired with sauces made in-house. The Fish & Chips I had were definitely delicious but the Fish Tacos looked amazing! It was a hard decision. The food presentation was beautiful and the service excellent and the decor stylish. 

Ox Head Restaurant 2 
(Kanata, Carling Ave & March Rd, open 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, Fri/Sat 9:00, closed Sundays)
Vietnamese Cuisine 
My go to meal choice at Ox Head is what I refer to as the bird's nest bowl aka as Stir Fried Egg Noodle with Chicken (Mi Xao Don Ga). Meals are served with green tea. The food tastes as good as it looks. You really can't go wrong with fresh ingredients and friendly service.

Taj Indian Cuisine 
(Ottawa, Carling Ave - near Bayshore Shopping Ctr, open for lunch and dinner)
North Indian Cuisine 
For almost 30 years Taj Indian Cuisine has been serving up delicious meals from recipes created by owner Indu Bakshi. I'm slowly working my way through the entire menu, having sampled to date Butter Chicken, Chicken Bhuna, Lamb Bhuna, Beef Curry, Tandoori Chicken, Vegetable Biryani,  Paneer Pakoras, and copious amounts of naan bread. When you enter a restaurant for your second visit and are greeted by the owner by name ... well in my opinion service doesn't get better than that. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about where to get delicious eats in Ottawa.

Note: I was not compensated for this post. The purpose of this post is merely to share information I think is of interest or relevant to my readers.