A new dish from an old favourite

The first bit of news: Kitchen Maroo is moving to 281 Kent St. and is scheduled to open on Sept. 5. You can continue to enjoy their food at the Gladstone location until Aug. 28.

Over the last year owner and chef Yuchang Kim has expanded his menu and as I was in the mood for his remarkable galbi tang beef soup, I inevitably ordered something different. He had added a spicy seafood pasta and that sounded like just the thing.

The colourful dish arrived loaded with bok choi, onions, carrots, mushrooms, mussels, shrimp and squid. The linguine was al dente and a joy to eat. The broth did have a delicate spice to it but was also a little sweet and went incredibly well with the grilled butter and garlic ciabatta. That bowl was pretty much sparkling at the end.

The side salad with Yuchang’s delicious sesame dressing is a wonderful value-add and the entire meal for $16 is one of Ottawa's best restaurant values.

Life and business partner Lindsay Shin knows her way around desserts and crafted wonderful almost entirely (some gelatin involved) plant-based treats such as the blueberry-scented tofu cake.

The dark chocolate from the Oreo crust was the right foundation for the silky and delicate flavours and textures of the tofu. While I'm seldom one for desserts, this dish was so light that it was gone in short order. A truly lovely surprise.