New restaurant sure to have staying power!
It’s a safe bet to predict that 2013 is a year of great promise for diners in Ottawa. Various previews in print and blogs over the past few weeks have been singing the praises of numerous new food ventures set to open this year; one of the first to do so will be Supply and Demand in Wellington Village. After two months of renovations, owners Steve and Jennifer Wall are excited to announce an opening date of January 21st.
They have breathed light and life into a space that has been home to restaurants in the past, but has never looked so welcoming. The open kitchen boasts three ring-side seats for those who love to watch the action, and the extended bar also has seating for 13. High tables in the front windows, which can be opened on fine days, are supplemented by a additional tables and a gorgeous green banquette running along one wall; total seating is just shy of 60. Small octagonal black and white tiles make the floor a work of art, and the seahorse wallpaper – seahorses being a bit of a theme in the restaurant – is eye-catching and fun. It’s a warm environment, ideal for the ‘come as you are’ style of dining that Steve and Jenn would like to encourage.
“We’ll be open seven days a week, for dinner only,” says Jenn, who brings loads of experience to the venture. Most recently, she worked as a server at town for several years. Husband Steve is a highly acclaimed Chef, known to many for his accomplishments in the kitchens of the Whalesbone Oyster House, town and Luxe Bistro.
The Raw Bar portion of the menu is fairly self-explanatory; it will consist of an evolving selection of the freshest seafood items, displayed on crushed ice in gleaming fish harvesting baskets. Steve anticipates having a daily choice of three or four different oysters as well as tuna, scallops and razor clams. There will likely be a daily ‘chef’s tasting plate’ of several crudo (an Italian term that refers to the freshest morsels of fish and seafood, typically drizzled with think olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs), for those who want to sample a wider range of items (yes, please!!).
As for the Food side, expect a diverse menu including pastas and cooked fish, seafood and meat. “We will have everything from suckling pig to butter-poached lobster; there will be something for every taste,” says Steve, who intends to change things up on a regular basis.
The six beer taps will have some regulars, including brews from Kichesippi and McAuslan, with Spearhead’s Moroccan Brown Ale, Muskoka’s Mad Tom IPA and Pink Fuzz from Hintonburg’s Beyond the Pale Brewery rounding out the selection for now. The wine list will start small with 23 offerings, half of which will be available by the glass; Jenn expects it to grow over time.
The name Supply and Demand is intended to give one pause, as it’s open to lots of different interpretations. Supply can refer to sourcing top-quality ingredients and preparing them with care, something which Steve is certainly well known for. “The demand in Ottawa is changing,” explains Jenn. “People are looking for this kind of establishment where the environment is casual but the food is exceptional; we will be just as happy for people to pop in for a quick bite and a drink as we will for it to be their ‘special occasion’ spot. Our space and our menu are intentionally designed so people can make whatever their want out of their experience here.”
Supply and Demand is located at 1335 Wellington Street, at Ross Avenue. http://www.supplyanddemandfoods.ca
Constantly Cooking with Paula Roy 
It does sound good!