play food & wine

mid-winterlude meetings. my colleague and were in town for two meetings with a gap in-between for lunch. having been to play several times before, i suggested play to my colleague. i made a reservation through the online system. first i received an automated response, shortly followed by a customised response from the event coordinator & office manager, noting the time constraint i expressed in my online reservation.

when we arrive (a bit late), the front-of-house staff noted we had another meeting to get to, took our coats and showed us to our seats right away. our waiter also acknowledged our time concern, and was very accommodating. he offered suggestions, discussed menu choices and chatted with us. our food arrived promptly and was (as usual) delicious. having taken advantage of the 2 for $22 offer, our second plates were served quickly and were just as tasty.

overall the staff was considerate, prompt, professional and friendly. the food was amazing and wine was a good suggestion. we were out in time to *walk* to our meeting. an outstanding experience from reservation to departure!

dinner at play. the food and service were excellent; we had a wonderful time. we will be back !

a real gem. play is one of my favourite restaurants in the byward market. the service is always excellent, and the menu changes constantly so there is always something new to discover. the chef's creative use of little-known ingredients makes for delectable taste and texture, without being inaccessible. the steak with fries and aioli sauce is a must! try the wine pairing and cheese plates, too.

fantastic food, atmosphere and service. i had a pleasure to experience this fine establishment for a xmas lunch. from the moment we entered - to the moment we left, the service was impeccable. the food was amazing... great selection and fantastic presentation and taste.

i would highly recommend this restaurant for any special outing... either be a girls' night out, a quiet couple's evening or a get-together of many friends... i guarantee you would not be disappointed.

my favourite was the tuna tartar.. :-)

recent dinner at play. play has always one of my favourite restaurants in the city, but my most recent meal was a bit underwhelming. i really like the fact that the kitchen takes care to accommodate my allergies (diary and refined sugar). i had the beets which were undersalted and the catfish, which had too much salt. the wine pairings were good and the waiter kindly didn't charge one of my dining companions for a sherry that we all agreed tasted flat and astringent. in the past, the kitchen has made a dessert especially for me, which they weren't able to do this time. overall, it was a good experience, but hope the food is a bit better next time.

play=a triple a+ dining experience.... i recently booked a reservation for a group at play. it was the first time some of the people had been there. like myself, they enjoyed the ambience, the positive vibe, the knowledgeable and incredibly friendly staff. dining out simply doesn't get any better than a night out at play. you know that when you leave, you will feel happy. it has always been the #1 restaurant of choice for my family.

it is important to note that if you have a food sensitivity, intolerance, or allergy, the staff are well informed about these issues.

very disappointed. i really, really wanted to like play. i'd heard a lot about their vegetarian/ vegan menu that they'll give you when requested. unfortunately, the restaurant and the dishes fail to live up to the hype.

the veg menu is very heavy on the veg, other than the side of falafel offered there is not a protein-based dish in sight. but okay, some of the savoury dishes sound good so let's try them... sadly, the vegetable medley (rapini, turnip, mushrooms, sweet potato puree) was pan fried in oil with zero other seasoning. the grilled pumpkin (pumpkin, pear sauce, rice) was nicely grilled but also devoid of any flavor; the pear sauce was cloying and overly sweet for the dish; the toasted rice on top of the arugula salad - the salad had only an oil and salt vinaigrette - was tastily toasted but there was only about a teaspoon full of it.
i had to conclude that the chef does not taste any of the dishes and certainly has never tasted these. the lack of thought put into spicing was shocking for a restaurant that is so high on the review list.

service was good, though we were never asked how our food was. maybe he knew?

a great evening. a fantastic supper! small plate service with sharing encouraged. everything we selected ranged from very good to exceptional.
ate 'till we were satisfied, but not stuffed. all staff were knowledgable, interactive & cheerful. would go again in an instant!

there was a problem with our reservations ( not recorded ). the staff handled the situation with aplomb, courtesy & honest empathy. we were invited to sit at the bar and have a drink until a table could be found. appetizers were provided free and we were kept informed of the progress to resolve the situation. even after we had finished our meal and were leaving, all the staff we came in contact with, were aware of the situation and sincerely apologized.

an amazing dining experience, resurrected from the ashes of a potential disastrous evening.

for those in search of a great night out!. for a markedly different dining experience, where quality and timeliness replace the usual quantity and speed, check this spot out.
i've been to play twice now, and both times was blown away by the atmosphere, perfectly prepared and cooked food selections, friendly and knowledgeable staff...basically the overall experience has been sensational.
prices were beyond reasonable for an evening where the shared food tasting and incredible beverage selection allow for great conversations.
both occasions i was at play were for a "girls night", but i wouldn't hesitate to make that a first stop on a date as the food itself is always an easy conversation piece.

thanks so much to the staff for your wonderful efforts.
see you in the near future!

great ambience and food!. overall, very pleasing dining experience. wait staff friendly, helpful, and relaxed. everything was well-timed. food and wine pairings were wonderful, and the plate and glass sizes were perfect - so that we could enjoy a few different wines, a few different dishes and desserts!

thoroughly enjoyable. enjoyed the whole tapas atmosphere at play. the candlelit table and the innovative combinations of savoury options paired with delicious wines made for a very enjoyable dining experience. the scallops and gnoochi plates were delicious...the paired wines were perfect. the grilled hanger steak was tender and flavourful and was nicely paired with the cabernet franc, pilliterri wine and the salmon and bean accompaniment was unusual but enjoyable with the cabernet franc, rose. the wine pairings were well thought out and elevated the whole meal experience. the cheescake in a glass dessert put me over the top...attentive service and knowledgeable staff contributed to a wonderful dining experience. definitely will visit again on our next stop in ottawa....cudos.......

the best!. play is always a top choice for special occasions or date night. the food is always on point and the fact that we can bring a nice bottle of wine for a small corking fee is even better. i usually take advantage of this to bring a vintage selectiont hat pairs well with our top picks. i love the variety and the fact that the menu changes regularly. only downside... i once had a "cesar salad" which was to die for. i've asked for it a few times and have no idea if it will ever come back. wish they'd keep the top choices longer or keep a side menu for fan favorites!


-----20 oct, 2014-----

best scallops in town!. play is always a top choice for special occasions or date night. the food is always on point and the fact that we can bring a nice bottle of wine for a small corking fee is even better. i usually take advantage of this to bring a vintage selectiont hat pairs well with our top picks. i love the variety and the fact that the menu changes regularly. only downside... i once had a "cesar salad" which was to die for. i've asked for it a few times and have no idea if it will ever come back. wish they'd keep the top choices longer or keep a side menu for fan favorites!

never disappointed. my wife and i go out for dinner every week. we have been to play food & wine on several occasions, most recently in september 2014, and we have never been disappointed. the food is consistently good irrespective of what we order, the staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is comforting.

wonderful experience. 3 friends and i with tickets to see jann arden at the nac decided to meet up at play food and wine before the show to catch up and make a night of it. it was a great choice as the atmosphere was delightful and allowed us to chat and reconnect with some really spectacular food. the on-line reservation system was easy, and an email from the restaurant to confirm my reservation and discuss details was really lovely and unexpected. the staff were all attentive but unobtrusive, appearing when needed and leaving us be to engage with each other when not needed. we had 8 different plates from the savory menu and 4 different deserts, and sampled the wines, and all of us remarked on the combination of flavours and textures as well as the freshness of the dishes. my own rabbit dish and beet salad were great choices. what a great concept and really good foo! thank you to everyone at play food and wine for making our "girls night out" even better.

consistency is a great characteristic in a restaurant. husband and i took two great friends (father and son) to supper and it was terrific. warm welcome, friendly and knowledgeable service, lots of great choices (even a vegan menu - bravo!), and a really pleasant atmosphere. we sat upstairs and it was busy, busy but we never felt rushed, and the service was all that it should be. my grilled melon was delightful (strawberry molasses - who thought of that? ), and the tamari cucumber salad with blueberries and sunflower seeds was simple. elegant, spicy and delicious. hubby and older guest were very happy with cauliflower soup; the teenaged son plowed through a dish of squid with a side of french fries and heavenly aioli before we could finish our starters, so i suggested he order something else and he had trout, which he praised highly. hubby chose the beef slider, and our guest the mung bean fritters. as it was an occasion, we all ordered desserts and each of them was delicious. hats off to this fine restaurant, which i have visited quite a few times, and which always comes up with excellent food, well served, and a warm welcome.


-----24 mar, 2012-----

vegan friendly - who knew?. went to play this very evening. staff know i am vegetarian; always accommodating, but this evening they even brought a vegan menu! i am impressed, and the lentil dish that i selected was delicious and interesting. dessert (not from the vegan fare) was an oatmeal cake with figs, and that was pure heaven. another great experience at play.


-----07 may, 2011-----

play is a fine place to dine. love the scrupulous care about the appearance of the food. love the willingness to substitute and/or improvise for fussy vegetarians. love the innovative combinations of flavours and textures. love the level of knowledge of the staff about the dishes. love the casual but sophisticated atmosphere. summary: i love play food and wine.

signed, the fussy vegetarian