Wellington GastroPub

Well, finally, we have arrived at the Wellington GastroPub. I had high expectations.... and were they met? ... sort of..... Another one of those restaurants that I would not normally have reviewed, but since it's such a hot place.....

It was upstairs... so for anyone handicapped... it's out. Not exactly impressed by the decor and the acoustics was terrible.... and we did not have reservations, but was kindly given a table if we 'could be done in an hour.'.... typically 'Ottawa silly'.... (there's also a story on the people who reserved for 7:30pm ... who were given a better table.... so I don't know...)

The one outstanding feature with this restaurant is that the restaurant works.... in terms of communications.... Everyone talks to everyone... the manager is excellent in ensuring the staff know what the hell they were doing, the wrong wine recommendations are promptly returned... the bus boys talk to the waitresses and they to the owner and then to the kitchen, and then it goes around. Since we were only to have an hour, the food came promptly.... so the kitchen must be informed of the priorities.... Little did they know, we were gourmands.....

That was about the only real plus with this place. Service was ok.... The decor/environ was shit as mentioned above... and the food was so-so.... not very creative at all, but consistent to the level of restaurants that it strives to be... so not bad... And $60/person all in... not bad, but I wouldn't go back.....

We had, ... well what does it matter... the food was consistently good, but not to die for and to remember... pumpkin soup was good... tuna sashimi appetizer was ok, pork belly and pork roast was interesting (both the last two were very very Asian), but pork was a little over done (dry) on the outside and just pink on the inside... belly was good; and then the rib steak... it's better at Prime 360 or Metropolitain Brass, but then that's the only thing Prime 360 can do.... so the repertoire is much greater here. Mashed potatoes with the rib steak was excellent and beans were good.... no dessert or coffee or .... and a glass of wine each... and $60 each (or $120 since there were two of us for all of the above). They do have an interesting wine list and have lots of varieties by the glass and their beer list is interesting.

so that's it... ho hum ... as all Ottawa eateries are wont to....... there is some magic here, but it is all in the organization....