erling's variety

food & service were exceptional. i've been to erling's 4 times now as i live and work in the neighborhood. every time, i've been very impressed with the food, the service and the ambiance. a few highlights:

- amazing service: i went with a friend who was on a special diet where she couldn't eat, among other things, meat, dairy, sugar, soya, gluten and salt. naturally there wasn't a lot on the menu that fit all of these restrictions. we asked the waiter for a suggestion; he went to the chef and brought him right to our table where my friend then explained her restrictions and the chef himself offered to make a special salmon dish that she could eat. i call that going above and beyond my expectations.

- the food was irresistible each time i went. the tuna takaki was lightly seared on the outside and fresh and salty on the inside, almost like sushi. it was so good, i had to order a second helping. the fries were delectable; i don't know why they were so good, but i would consider going there just to eat fries (and i'm not even really a fries fan). the cheese plate was a perfect late night snack, and split between two people you still get a good amount of cheese and munchies for only $15. the brunch was so well-prepared. i had the california benny; the poached eggs were so soft and perfectly cooked ( i wish i could do that at home). the guacamole was made with perfectly ripe avocadoes and the lime hollandaise sauce was a really cool twist on the normal. i think it was the best eggs benedict i've ever had.

- all around good vibes. the colour palette of the place is very carefully chosen; the light wood tables and countertop make for a calm and soothing atmosphere. i love the open concept kitchen and the bar counter is gorgeous. the staff are all young, enthusiastic and seem to have a natural way with people. i felt welcomed there and i want to go back as soon as i can!

good, could be great. the biggest problem was how large the plates were and the fact they all came at once. there were four of us and we ordered about 8 sharing plates. we felt rushed as the food was getting cold and felt like like gluttons because of all of the plates. any tapas style restaurant usually staggers the serving of dishes, even if it isn't tapas style. it was just weird. food was good...definitely 10 ten better restaurants in ottawa

good, but not great. i would definitely say that this restaurant is definitely a slight notch above average. but definitely several notches below the well-known top dogs in the city. the food was below average to very good. the prices were definitely, however, very high.
beef tenderloin: tasty but not amazing. and with a lack of anything on the side with it the dish looked underwhelming and felt very overpriced. yes, i understand tenderloin is expensive. but i would rather see a slightly cheaper cut on the plate with a side of some frites or a little salad or something.
duck breast: cooked well although i found the dish lacked balance, too many sweet notes.
scallops: very good - a well composed plate.
beet salad: good, but a little unoriginal.
crab cakes: very good and fairly priced.
prawns: very disappointing. overcooked and tough. sauce was nice but not enough to save the dish. also, the prawns were one of the smaller count shrimps. would have liked to see some bigger shrimps on the plate to get that wow factor.
frites: good but definitely way overpriced. at $7, even for a decent portion is a huge amount for potato. likewise for the scalloped potato which i wanted to order but couldn't justify paying $10 for what would basically be considered a side dish.
wine list was kind of blah to be honest. but not terrible by any means. there should be more interesting selections on the menu but maybe that's something that comes with time.
service was teetering between average and below average. not a lot of table touches from our server. we waited too long, it felt, for drinks. and the pace felt generally slow - many times it felt like we waited for food. the restaurant itself is small but handsomely appointed. service overall felt more like order taking than service that provides part of the experience. open concept kitchen is great, always love seeing the work that goes in to making each dish.
overall, i'd like to see more interesting elements incorporated in to dishes if the chef wants to stay with classical compositions and pairings. service could definitely stand to improve. and the pricing either needs to be justified with the plates or reduced.

i had lunch with girlfriends at erlings's variety this week. we asked the sever to recommend dishes and everything he brought out was absolutely amazing - especially the warm kale salad and the scallops. the wine was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely - tucked right off bank street in the glebe. we would definitely go back.

attentive wait staff. delicious food from the kitchen. we were there on a thursday night and thank goodness it was not packed because i can imagine this place getting loud. someone had some dietary restrictions and the kitchen was more than accommodating. awesome!

had a perfect meal here last night - outstanding hospitality combined with delicious food! highly recommend - strong wine list, extremely knowledgeable server who also brought us a bunch of extra tastes of wine to see what we liked. great experience. one of ottawa's best.

great spot!. went to erling's variety tonight on a friend's recommendation. what a great spot. as soon as you walk in you are met with a funky, trendy open concept space that is nicely decorated. the cooking area is open to the restaurant. you feel like you are at a friend's place and they are cooking for you. the servers are friendly and attentive without being intrusive. now, onto the food. a small plates concept with enough variety to satisfy the foodie in you. my friend and i shared wild mushrooms with goat cheese (to die for), scallops in a shrimp bisque and mango salsa (perfectly cooked), crab cakes (delicious!), frites (hot and nicely seasoned) and the filet (medium rare and full of flavour). our server asked if we wanted dessert and we first were going to pass, when the table beside us raved about the cheesecake. we then decided to listen to the choices which were, dulce de leche cheesecake, light and dark chocolate tart and a creme brûlée. we settled on the cheesecake and were not at all disappointed. sweet, light tasting with a wonderful crust; it was the perfect ending to a great meal. with a bottle of wine, 5 dishes, dessert and a coffee and a cappuccino, the bill approx $130. well worth it. give erling's a try, you won't be disappointed.

erlings home delivery on sundays is great. delicious and generous. salad, main and dessert. we will also have a super lunch tomorrow

amazing food and outstanding service make this a must try restaurant. small plates that are perfect for sharing along with a great wine list.

great wine choices, great vibe, tasty dishes that aren’t too much. it’s a very cool place and would recommend.

2019/08/01
for me, erling’s variety was an interesting find. firstly, it is on a side street, so a walk-by diner probably wouldn’t notice it. secondly, the decor and design is modern, with clean lines and a high ceiling, yet still has a bit of a retro feel to it. and lastly, is the simple yet varied menu that has something for most tastes.

my starter was the brussels sprouts under the veggies menu, with crispy bacon, croutons, buttermilk anchovy ranch dressing and lots of finely shredded white cheddar. lots of interesting saltiness.

my main dish was scallops under the land and sea menu. two large, plump scallops, nicely seared on both sides, just warm and almost buttery on the inside. the scallops were perched atop diced capocollo, apples and turnips, and creamed kale. salty, sweet, tart, smooth, crunchy. good.

service was friendly and fast.

my friends and i had lunch recently and we were all impressed with the whole dining experience. the ambiance and décor is warm and interesting. the menu choices were plentiful. we all ordered different dishes and we all enjoyed them. the chef is very creative and catered to our needs as one friend is celiac. the wait staff was excellent. i would highly recommend this restaurant and have already made reservations for my next visit bringing new friends.

have had lunch with small groups here twice now and can’t wait to go back for dinner. the menu is perfect, the chef is talented and caring, and the wait staff friendly and knowledgeable. the food is simply divine.

excellent menu, diverse but cohesive. lots of vegetarian dishes, super creative, subtle, artful presentation. meat dishes superbly prepared. the gnocchi, omg! plates just right size for sharing- or not! cool atmosphere, cozy but lively, kitchen in plain view. we were 4 and we shared 6 plates, plus 3 lovely desserts. the plates come out in order prepared. if you like to take your time and enjoy the conversation, it’s perfect. nice friendly laid back service, and great value for the quality. . we live in the glebe, but took us a while to discover the spot because it’s just off bank.

the food was good, i really like tapas type restaurants. the service was relatively quick considering the restaurant was full. i would go back, but it's not my go to restaurant