Lunch, dinner and dessert all in one strip mall

• Name + address: Di Noodle, 2430 Bank St. 

• Type of food: Vietnamese

• Appetizers: $7-$12

• Mains: $13-$18

• Diet: Meat, seafood, vegan

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• Licensed: Yes

• Website: www.dinoodle.com

As, on a bitterly cold day, I made my way into Di Noodle for a warming bowl of soup, it dawned on me that this strip mall at Bank and Hunt Club has some decent little eateries. Out of this realization a new idea was born: Destination Dining. 

The goal is to find the best of where to eat within a narrow geographical area. This year will reveal a few such terrific finds I hope and we begin today with places for lunch, dinner, and dessert.

Di Noodle renovated and rebranded in 2020. Since 2005 it has been well loved by locals for its fragrant Vietnamese soups and vermicelli bowls under the name of Pho Mi Bo Ga.

I first ate there under the old name and remembered it as surprisingly good. From appetizers to soups everything was well made and it held its own with any number of other decent Vietnamese restaurants.

On this visit, I began as I often do, with spring rolls. They’re easy to eat and the fillings, from place to place, are always a surprise.  I also remember them being much better than I expected from a strip mall shop.

They arrived hot, non greasy and expertly rolled. It was a promising start but once I bit into them I knew that the recipe had been changed. The taste was fine but it was a very starchy, stodgy experience.

These “pork” spring rolls were composed of at least 90 percent taro (aka cassava) and vegetables. I have no issues with taro but perhaps just rename the item, leave out the pork and sell it as a vegetarian option.

The fried calamari was also a little out of the ordinary. I suppose I was expecting the usual battered rings but instead received these golden nuggets.

The oil that had been used was clean and the batter rather tasty. The squid had been cut into squares and, while fresh, made for rather rubbery eating.

The crab soup was very good. A crab paste had been used and it flocked in the hot broth like egg whites. 

The broth was a base of chicken and tomato and it gave the required umami foundation for the pungent crab paste. 

The rice noodles were too overdone to be pleasurable but I ate around them and finished the satisfying broth fortified against the waiting wind outside.

Realizing that I wouldn’t be addressing Vietnam's signature dish, I returned the following week to try the Pho.

Like the spring rolls, this too had changed since my 2019 visits. The rare beef and beef ball option (Pho tai bo vien) was incredibly spare on protein and the broth underseasoned. MSG was doing all the heavy lifting here and I left having guzzled a few cups of water. 

MSG is part of much Asian cuisine and you’ll find it to some degree or another in most Pho. This was a little outside the norm however and the advertised (website) bone broth had little of that essence. 

The folks at Di Noodle know what they’re doing but the recipes need just a little tweaking to catapult them up several notches.

Delivery Sushi

• Name + address: Delivery Sushi, 2430 Bank St. 

• Type of food: Japanese

• Appetizers: $2-$19

• Mains: $9-$83

• Diet: Meat, seafood, vegetarian

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• Licensed: No

• Website: www.ottawadeliverysushi.com

You’ve had your Vietnamese lunch, now perhaps it’s a good time to think about dinner. The oddly but aptly named Delivery Sushi is just a 30 second walk away. As many sushi fans will tell you, Delivery Sushi is one of the better takeout options in Ottawa.

I’ve often had their food and find it to be consistently fresh, properly cut and with prices that are not out of line for the quality. 

They also take care with their presentation which has more eye appeal than many other sushi takeaways.

It is incredibly popular and this can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in the maki rolls. It has happened that rolls were not sealed properly on one side, leaving the item to fall apart. On other occasions the rice was still a little warm which caused similar issues.

I suppose warm rice is in a way a good sign; it means there’s substantial turnover. This is also the reason for Delivery Sushi’s popularity: a few aesthetic hiccups aside, people know they can count on a consistently decent sushi experience. 

Finally, I need to say a word about the service. Pop in here and you will always be greeted warmly by the women behind the food. It may be called Delivery Sushi but pick it up yourself for the smiles that come with your dinner.

La Brioche

• Name + address: La Brioche, 2430 Bank St.

• Type of food: Baklawa, cookies, cakes

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• Website: www.labrioche.com

I’m generally not one for desserts, but when I’m at this mall I find myself picking up a few things at La Brioche for when that sweet craving hits. 

They’ve renovated in the last year and by the looks of things, they may still be adding a few tables so that you can enjoy tea or coffee with your treats. 

They receive several deliveries a day from their Glebe location where all the baking is done. In addition to baklava they offer a wide variety of European style cookies and cakes and while I’ve not had the cakes, the cookies hold up well for experienced palates. Cakes aside, other items are priced according to weight.

Suggested stories:

• Yes to Yes Mama Kitchen. Delicious Vietnamese on Merivale.

• Sushi Eki surprises with fair prices and quality fish.

• Baklawa King makes Ottawa’s finest Middle Eastern pastries.