Carleton Grill

Carleton Grill is one of those places you patronize because the service is so amiable, so warming in their desire to please, that you want to give the waiters more service. On a slow night, I came and Joanne, with her big smile, smartly offered me the pick of any table or lounge. That already set the mood, as I have been to places at off hours where the waiters would try to stick us by the cashier or bathroom. And if you go alone, well, you wonder if they will offer you dining on the toilet seat sometimes. What’s up with restaurants nowadays? Not Joanne, who gave nothing more than five star service and with such an abundance of enthusiasm that I was definitely sold on Ottawa denizens. She offered me the more unusual pretzel roll and places also a multigrain roll on my plate in case I didn’t like the taste of the pretzel roll. See five star service anticipates any «problems» and offers solutions up front. She didn’t even try to upsell me on more food after I told her I wasn’t too hungry and suggested the ceviche appetizer might have been too much with an entrée. I had the rainbow trout, which came with slight pinkish hue that I expected in salmon. The fish was tender, moist, not overly salted, with a sauce that was delicate yet flavorful. The shrimp on top was also cooked precisely, not tough. It was a nice portion. I returned again later during the week. Ahmed was servicing this time, another shining example of gracious hospitality from the wait staff here. This time, the kitchen didn’t quite pass the muster. I had been curious about the shrimp ceviche. I ordered the appetizer, a dish that came with a mixed salad and balsamic vinegar dressing on the side. The ceviche portion had too many chopped onions, overpowering the flavor of the shrimp and seemed to have more onions than shrimp. The biggest error I thought in the execution of this dish was the balsamic dressing on the salad, served on the same plate as the ceviche. I love balsamic vinegars, tangy and sweet. However, ceviche is made with lime juice. The two flavors didn’t blend well together, with the balsamic overpowering the more delicate acidity of the lime juice. I fared worse with my entrée, a tagliatelle with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and mozzarella balls, tossed with olive oil and garlic. Flavor wise, the strong citric acid of the canned or bottled artichokes did not compliment the dish. A kitchen error unrelated to the flavor made me send it back. Ahmed was more than accommodating, and since I didn’t want any more food, comped the appetizer. He was so apologetic I felt bad for him and gave him a generous tip, which he took only after my insistence. Gosh, are Ottawans nice people! No sense of entitlement and gimme attitude from our Northern neighbors. The kitchen here is obviously uneven, but with some training and perhaps a keener selection of dishes, you can indeed have a nice dining experience here. I would certainly visit again, were I in Ottawa. Carleton Grill seems to be known for its lunch buffet, especially during peak business season. The place is masculine in décor, and given the demographics of the clientele here, understandable. Seating is roomy, comfortable and spacious.

Since the ruination of Hy’s Bar (see separate review), the lawyers who lunch have had to find other digs. Sasha’s Bar — attached to the Carleton Grill in the Sheraton Hotel is a contender.
I’ve been to the Sheraton 20 times for meetings, etc. and could not have told you what the restaurant was called or even if it had a bar.
Turns out appearances can be deceiving.
I enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Sasha’s Bar recently. The bartender, Milos, is terrific — smart, funny and experienced — and the food and beverage manager, Heather, is awesome.
Food was fun and well prepared. They offer a full menu at the bar featuring a mix-​and-​match on tapas/​appetizer sized plates. Beef short rib sampler was particularly good.
Alas, the wines by the glass could use some upgrading. If you’re going to lure the Hy’s clientele, you’ve got to swank it up from garden-​variety Cabs, Shiraz, and Merlot. Put a J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon behind the bar. Your new regulars will pay for it, I promise.
Also, the place could use a few renos. Singletons like to sit at the bar while they eat and chat with the staff and whoever drops by. It is a less likeable experience when the bar is wedged between a closet and the dining room salad bar…
Good food and really excellent service. Swank up the wine and invest in a few renos and a fifth star is in easy reach.