At MēNa in Ottawa, we believe fine dining should be a memorable experience. We make it our job to share pieces of art and culture by creating modern French dishes paired with tasteful wines to create the ultimate culinary experience.
MēNa has been on my bucket list of restaurants to visit since they first opened. Nestled in a corner building on Preston Street, It is the only restaurant in Ottawa that offers only blind tasting menus (Chef’s surprise – but in a good way) where guests only choose the amount of courses they would like to eat (5, 7, or 9 courses) and what they will have to drink (including wine pairings selected by the sommelier, Rob Nellis).
Fast forward two years, I had heard so many great things about it that I was finally ready to visit – only to find that they were closed for renovations…
“Renovations” is a bit of an understatement. Co-owners Bryan Livingston and Chef James Bratsburg embarked on a six month long overhaul of the entire restaurant, from the interior design all the way to their culinary expertise itself. Through social media, I caught glimpses of MēNa‘s transformation, and followed Chef’s culinary journey around the world, where he ate and studied with some of the most renowned chefs in the world. I could hardly wait for them to re-open!
It was quite an honour when I received an invitation for the Grand Opening of MēNa a few weeks ago. I couldn’t attend the actual opening because I already had plans to celebrate Bastille Day, but they graciously extended the invitation for a visit last week.
The moment I stepped into the restaurant, I immediately fell in love with the decor designed by One80 Design. Painted wood boards adorned the walls, the furniture was minimal and black, touches copper and succulents accented the dining room. Marble covered the bar, with an open view of the kitchen.
I don’t normally take photos in bathrooms, but I even liked the decor in here too – those floor tiles!
The hostess was professional and courteous. After sitting me and my guest down (at a beautiful window seat), the concept of the restaurant was explained to us – the menu that we were given at the beginning only had a list of ingredients to be used, not the dishes themselves, in order not to spoil the blind tasting experience. We both chose the 7 course dinner, on the Chef’s recommendation, but we decided to get wine by the glass instead of the suggested wine pairing, as my guest was driving and I had an early morning the next day.
I asked to start with a glass of bubbly and the sommelier recommended a Brut Vouvray from Bernard Fouquet. It is a French sparkling fine from the Loire Valley (very fitting for my love of that region!) with a crisp refreshing taste.
The amuse was the first thing to arrive. Kohlrabi spheres, gougères, and venison kielbasa pieces with fresh rosemary tantalized our senses. I REALLY like the kielbasa and would buy it if they sold it to take home.
Our first dish was crab tian with Acorn Creek gazpacho, caviar, and vibrant begonias. One of the prettiest dishes of the night, the gazpacho was poured at the table by the servers – the service was so impeccable that it almost looked like a ballet. A cold dish, it was light, refreshing, and as delicious as it was beautiful.
Next, was BC Spot Prawn with charred avocado, green peas, and cured ham. If you love avocado, this is the dish for you – they serve a generous portion of it. In the world of fine dining, it’s rare to find a dish that doesn’t have a few bricks of butter or duck fat in it, so I appreciated this relatively healthy element of the meal.
For bread, we were offered a choice of either a mini baguette or a pretzel ball. We both chose the pretzels. They were warm and soft and perfect with unsalted butter. The photo here also includes my glass of bubbly, the coppery succulent decoration on our table, and a container filled with black salt.
Chef surprised us with chawanmushi, a Japanese egg custard with smoked soy, leeks, and oyster mushroom. Bursting with umami flavour, this custard was so light that it was like eating a cloud. The velvety texture was exquisite and delicate. I can confidently say that this was one of my favourite dishes of the evening.
Next up, we had smoked halibut, done two ways. What you can see in the photo is the fish seared with amaranth, placed on a brown butter emulsion, with a tomato tartlet on the side. What you can’t see is the halibut hidden under the tartlet as well. Brown butter is one of my favourite things ever (I actually made a huge batch of it and keep it stored in a large jar in my fridge, ready for my belly). It paired wonderfully with the sweetness of the fish and the acidity of the tomatoes. I loved the crisp of the amaranth seeds and the creative plating of the tarte. My guest isn’t particularly fond of fish, but this was their favourite dish!
By this point, I had lost count of how many dishes we had and this looks pretty enough to be a dessert – but it is actually a foie gras terrine with rhubarb jelly, nasturtium, and brioche. The brioche was fluffy and I loved the jelly INSIDE of the terrine. The pickled vegetables added texture and crunch, as well as acidity. At this point, it was time for a second glass of wine. I asked the sommelier which wine he would recommend for the rest of the meal and he suggested a red. I forgot to take down the name, but it was lovely – my guest really liked it.
Our first meat course was quail roasted over binchotan (white charcoal traditionally used in Japanese cooking), with leg confit, swiss chard torchon, and chanterelle. I liked all the elements of this dish. The quail was so tender that it just melted in my mouth and I loved how I had a selection of sides with it. If I recall correctly, the quinelle contained truffles.
Our second meat course was lamb done three ways, including a smoked rib with glazed walnut and lingonberry gastrique, and a caramelized onion. Sweet, savoury, meaty, and fruity, this dish combined different flavours and textures well.
After this course, we cleansed our palates with a refreshing intermezzo of apples granita with beet juice.
Our dessert was possibly the BEST panna cotta I have ever had. Vanilla and orange mint (I seem to recall lime leaf too?) on a lemon olive oil cake with raspberry jelly and crystallized white chocolate. Reminiscent of the delicate soft texture of the custard we had earlier, this dessert was decadent without being heavy. The flavours were complex, yet light and not overpowering. I am reveling in the memory of this dessert as I type!
We ended our meal as we started it: with a trio! Our mignardise included a mini chocolate and blueberry tartlet, a chocolate ganache and rosewater bonbon, and a salted dolce macaron.
About halfway through the meal, I went to photograph Chef Bratsburg through the opening at the bar, but I was invited inside the kitchen to actually meet him and their talented pastry chef, as well as to get a mini tour of the kitchen. I found it fascinating to watch them work and I am humbled to have been invited, especially during such a busy service (although I was there mid-week, every table but one was filled!).
When it was time to leave, we were presented with two gift bags, one for each of us, with the night’s menu, as well as a token from the pastry chef to enjoy at home. I thought this was such a delightful and touching gesture.
Overall, I found that my visit to MēNa was more than just about exceptional food – it was about a truly remarkable experience that 100% demonstrated the quote at the beginning of this post. A big thank you goes out to the MēNa team for inviting me to such a beautiful evening. It truly was a pleasure, and I am already planning my next visit. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to embark on a culinary adventure.