Canada: Brothers Beer Bistro (Ottawa)

It’s here!

What does a travel and food writer do when asked to check out a new restaurant in town — one that features beer — when she doesn’t like beer???

After confirming that the invitation is not a mistake, and non beer drinkers are indeed welcome, she checks it out (of course!).

Brothers Beer Bistro, in Ottawa’s Byward Market, has delicious food, delicious drinks, and, even from the perspective of a non beer drinker, delicious beer! The Stiegl Radler (above) is light (2.5%), refreshing, grapefruity, but neither sweet nor with that awful fruit beery taste I associate with first year university.

There are many many (16) beers on tap, and many more by the bottle. They change regularly, but here’s a sample:

The food all has a link to beer too, for example in a salad dressing or marinade. Like the beer, the food is updated regularly. New on the menu is a tempting sounding charred BC octopus with gnocchi. Consensus on sampling night and on subsequent visits by the Travel Eater research team is that the chicken and waffles are a favourite. The chicken is fried with local Kichesippi beer, the waffle is corn bread, and they’re served with malted honey, house slaw and gravy. Pictured left are the bite size samples.

My two favourites were the beef tartare (flavoured and textured perfectly) and the sliders (extremely juicy!). The slider, in burger form, made Ottawa’s top ten list for best burgers in July 2012. Many people have raved over the confit pig cheek pierogies, but as a non pork eater, I had to decline (I know, I know, how can a person who doesn’t drink beer and doesn’t eat pork think she can write this?!)

On my next visit, I want to try out these items from the late night menu: two Kichesippi fried chicken drumsticks ($5) and a side of the Brothers’ spectacular frites ($5).

Desserts are exceptionally important, whether you’re out for brunch, lunch, dinner or late. Brothers’ dessert menu reflects this importance, and is also updated regularly. I love it that they post the day’s selection on the blackboards so that you can pace yourself accordingly. On the July 2012 menu, I must try the Pop Tart — paté sucrée, raspberry filling, rose d’hibiscus icing, and Vienna malt sprinkles. Or, with my new-found taste for beer, perhaps the Beer and Pretzels — Fullers porter chocolate pudding, fig and orange compote, salted caramel mousse and housemade pretzel.

You’ll be treated well by all the staff at Brothers Beer Bistro, whether they’re an actual brother or not, and you’ll eat and drink well, whether you actually like beer or not.