La Petite Primerose blossoms in Gatineau

What do you need to know? First, dining here will be a singular experience as it’s likely you’ll never have these dishes again. As co-owner Tristan Bragaglia-Murdock told me “At the moment we’ll likely change the menu twice a week. Perhaps more.”

With an ever-changing menu, it will be interesting to see how La Petite Primerose carries on during the winter months. Will they rely on those clear winners from months of experimentation when the produce supply is less reliable or will it be all cabbage and root vegetables? 

Either way I’m agreeable as the cooking of chef/business partner Lewis Robinson is both fluid and inspired, and I can’t imagine a halting of the artistry just because of the season.

With Bragaglia-Murdock, a trained sommelier, the drinks menu is tight (thank you) and well curated with local Gatineau-produced beer and remarkably delicious wines from wineries around Quebec.

They go to great lengths in producing everything in-house, such as the khorasan (kamut) bread starter that arrived with a deeply yellow butter they actually churned themselves. 

This cultured butter (aka European butter) is made using fermented cream and this leads to a more complex character with a sour tang.

Growing up in Canada but from another culture, I observed with curiosity how the idea of beef tartare was anathema to the North American palate. After all, this was a fairly regular part of my diet, so why was I getting such odd reactions from my friends?

Today, the idea of consuming raw beef is seen as less strange. In order to be safe to consume, the tartare must be chopped to order from a larger piece that has been rested in a refrigerator. The knives used must be clean and the dish should have a cooler temperature when served. 

When you have a creative kitchen, you will often be surprised by interesting combinations within each mouthfu,l but it doesn’t always mean that everything will work every time. 

This take on beef tartare, while fresh and beautifully presented with a side of buckwheat crepes, was strangely bland. With micro greens, pepitas, creme fraiche and chimichurri, the elements never married to create something memorable. 

This was followed by dessert. A slice of foie gras tart topped with a cherry gelée and a side of crème fraiche dusted with black currant and aronia powder. In the centre, a bittering note in the form of magnolia oil.

It’s one of the most memorable things of the past year and not just because of its entirely smart presentation. If you thought that the foie gras would be decadent enough on its own, the bigger surprise came when I had a forkful with the crème fraîche. Diabolical.

The philosophy of the kitchen is seasonal, local and sustainable, with most dishes heavy on the vegetables. When the ingredients are this fine, there’s every reason to give them centre stage, and vegetarians would do well to take note that this is a destination to soothe the soul. They will also adjust dishes to make them completely vegetarian-friendly.

When meat is incorporated, it’s on the modest side, acting as an accent rather than the feature. An example of this is pork and peas. Here, local shelled and snap peas were set adrift in a smoky, oily broth dotted with islands of rich-tasting braised pork shoulder and adorned with fresh greens. 

The contrast of the perfectly cooked and intensely green-tasting peas against the moist and smoky pork made for an unexpected yet exciting mouthful.

Cauliflower and cheese is a classic combination across several cultures, and here, chef Robinson gave us a fresh interpretation.

A key element is the Tomme cheese with roots outside of Ottawa, courtesy of Milkhouse cheesemakers. This raw sheep's milk sauce had a refined and elegant profile with a mouthwatering finishing tang.

The white and purple cauliflower was al dente with bits of crisp chicken skin, pickled scallion whites and chopped green garlic adding uplifting sensations to balance the richness of the sauce.

You can find Japanese Hakurei turnips at farmers’ markets around Ottawa and they are a wonderful treat when eaten raw. They have the profile and texture of a cross between a mild white radish and young kohlrabi. 

They had been lightly braised to soften them and to provide a little colour. Slightly wilted greens acted as a canopy, and there was the addition of a nduja xo sauce to provide a salty umami punch. That lovely green garlic made a reappearance as well and it was another example of how a, largely dish of vegetables can make for a satisfying whole.

Far too many restaurants, often for understandable reasons, offer desserts from commercial providers and these are seldom worth your time. When a post-dinner sweet is made in-house however, I’m all in. 

The light-as-air “gateau” sandwiched coffee and mascarpone creams and was accompanied by a caramelized honey gelato that had me collapsing in gratitude. It’s actually not too much to say that I felt loved.

These folks may be adventurers in the kitchen, but their brand extends to supporting as many local producers as possible, which in profound ways helps to build community. When you dine here, you participate in that community. With an ever-changing menu and this level of kitchen talent, you’ll want to check in often.

Thank you, La Petite Primerose, for adding more beautiful hues and tones to Ottawa-Gatineau's increasingly interesting dining palette.