Random Thoughts About Ottawa's CRAFT Beer Market

Ottawa has quickly become a hotbed for craft breweries, and the opening of the CRAFT Beer Market at Lansdowne has to have beer lovers very excited. With 14,000-square-feet to play with, and over a 100 beers on tap, this restaurant hopes to make as big a splash here as they did in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. The official opening is May 12, but I was lucky enough to snag an invite to a sneak peek of the place (who says nobody ever wins Facebook contests?). Here's how it went and what I thought about it:

• The event started at 5PM, and by the time my friend Perry and I arrived at quarter to six, the place was packed. It looked like standing room only until we discovered the communal-style tables on the top level.
• Nice looking place, very open with the high ceilings and all the large windows.
• This was the second pre-opening party, as the previous night was for the local breweries and partners.
• No patio as of yet; it would have been nice seeing how warm and sunny like it was.
• Because we were invited to this shindig, we got two drink tickets each. I started off with a Ransack the Universe IPA, and Perry went with nut brown ale from Black Oak. No complaints with either choice and the beers came promptly, despite how insanely busy it was.
• They use the appropriate glass for the beer you ask for - you got to like that.
• With about 60 percent of the restaurant’s taps dedicated to Ontario brewers, and more than half of those dedicated to craft beer offerings, along with the remainder of the taps featuring beers from across Canada, the U.S. and overseas, if you can't find something you like to drink on the beer menu, you either just don't like beer, or you're not trying.
• No issues here with female staff in sexy uniforms or high heels, if that is a thing that concerns you when you go out to eat.
• I was expecting chicken wings as the complimentary food offering (not that there's anything wrong with that) but was pleasantly surprised with the steamed mussels and the pork belly with noodles that was offered. I also was a fan of the falafel balls in the house tzatziki sauce.
• Perry now thinks I'm a savage because I attacked my first serving of pork belly and noodles with my hands because I didn't see the chopsticks or forks available. Screw him, I was hungry, and it was good.
• Wandering around, I saw the mezzanine which will be hosting a Brewmaster’s Dinner next month, with a different local brewery pairing their beer with a four-course dinner menu designed to complement the brew. From what I could see, they got a nice kitchen area setup too.
• Maybe CRAFT's community focus has stemmed the tide with them having already volunteered with the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group, but I haven't heard any of the usual complaints about the noise from Glebe residents; maybe it's because I've been listening to less AM talk radio these days.
• Ordering off the menu, I decided to go with the fish tacos, while Perry chose the BLT. The food was OK, I'd probably order the tacos with guacamole next time; there's something about avocado and Mexican food that just makes it work for me.
• For our second free drink, Perry went with an ABC vanilla stout, but I couldn't make up my mind.  I asked my server for a recommendation, and she suggested one of her favourites, the Side Launch wheat beer. As I don't like the taste of bananas, I went with another of her suggestions, a white ale from Unibroue. I liked my choice, but Perry thought the vanilla flavour was too subtle for his tastes.
• We got a quick speech from the owner who thanked us for our support.
• Planning ahead for a ride home after going through the beer menu is a good idea.
• OVERALL IMPRESSION: As long as lagers and ales are still popular to drink, the Craft Beer Market will be THE place to go for a pint when you head to Lansdowne. You'll probably have to wait for a seat, but it will be worth the wait.

Year of the Lentil

As meat prices continue to stay high this year, people are looking for other sources of protein to add to their diets and dinner tables. A popular alternative is lentils, enjoyed by millions for their nutritional benefits, as well as for their versatility and ease of cooking. Full of vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and dietary minerals and fibre, lentils are such an important dietary staple that the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, the name of the food family lentils, peas, chickpeas, and beans are a part of. So much of a fan of pulses is famed chef and Food Network Canada personality Michael Smith, he is an ambassador for Canada's Year of Pulses (being the host of the web series "Lentil Hunter" doesn't hurt either). Farmers are also big fans of pulses because they are sustainable and net-positive for the soil, with the majority of Canada's pulses being grown in Saskatchewan. But there may be no bigger fan of lentils than my wife, who converted a dedicated carnivore like me with the recipe below - try it out if you're looking for a healthier meal option.

Ingredients

940 g dried lentils
1 796 mL can crushed tomatoes
120 mL cup red wine
15 mL olive oil
15 g basil
15 g cumin
15 g oregano
5 g cayenne pepper
5 g red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper

1. In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil and cook the onions until tender. Stir in green, red peppers and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the spices and toss to coat.
2. Stir in the lentils. Add the wine, tomatoes, oregano and basil. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. If more liquid is needed, add either water or chicken broth.
3. Stir the stew occasionally, and season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, garnish with some chopped parsley.
   
   Note: If you need to have meat in this recipe to eat it, you can brown 454 g of pork chops, and add them after the peppers and carrots have cooked. Once everything has simmered, remove the chops from the pot, pull the meat from the bones, shred the meat and return it to the stew.