L'Orée du Bois — Restaurant in Chelsea

On May 25th, 2024, I was celebrating my birthday at L’Oree Du Bois in Old Chelsea. I hadn’t been there in approximately 20 years and was looking forward to a “special dinner”. It turned out to be a “VERY” special dinner. I was with two friends, Susana and Omar . The men wore jackets and the lady was dressed very well. We arrived at 7:30 for dinner. The reservation was in place and we were shown to our table. We were given our menus by the receptionist and the bus boy poured glasses of water. Then the evening started the decline. Nothing happened for approx.. 15 minutes after we were seated. I had to ask the busboy to send a waitress/waiter to our table. The busboy finally poured glasses of water. She arrived and explained the menu. I said that we would need a few minutes to decide and asked her to return in 5 minutes. Susana asked for bread, because we were a bit hungry. After two more requests for bread and a long waiting period, the bread finally arrived. The server finally arrived and I chose a respectable Valpolicella from the wine list. The server came back, after a lengthy period, to say that it was not in stock and that I had to choose another from the list. If it’s not available, why is it still on the wine list? I chose another Italian red wine. Then, it was time to order. We ordered appetizers and a main course. When the appetizers arrived, they were very poor in quality. For example, I had the mushroom sauce in puff pastry. There was a tiny puff pastry square, smothered in a milky Campbell Soup like mushroom sauce. Not very tasty. A foreboding of what was to come. For the main courses, we had ordered venison, fish and filet mignon. After a very long wait, the filet mignon was placed in front of Susana. The other entrees were not to be seen. So here she is, sitting with the food in front of her, waiting for our dishes. Finally Omar and my entree arrived. Again, after a very lengthy period. The venison was like a hockey puck and the fish was a bony pitiful filet, smothered in the same Campbell’s watery mushroom soup sauce. Susana sliced into the filet mignon, finally, and it was raw. She had ordered rare; not raw. The filet mignon was returned to the kitchen, to be cooked a bit more and we waited. Omar and I had to eat our food, because approx. 15 minutes later, the filet mignon had still not showed up. The busboy came to the table and asked if he could clear the dishes. I was a bit angry and asked him how he could clear the dishes, when the lady hadn’t even received her entree? He backed away. Finally the Filet Mignon was delivered to the table in “charred” condition. Not edible. By this time, I had reached my end. I went to the parking lot to have some air and when I returned, there were 5 servers chatting at the front desk. I told them that this was the worst dinner that I have experienced in many years and that I wanted to speak to the manager. After I was seated, our server came over to the table and said that she was the manager. I found that hard to believe. I told her that the service and the quality of the food was terrible and that I was so disappointed. She said that no one else in the restaurant had complained and they all had complimented their meals. I said that I found that hard to believe. At that point a women, in a uniform, appeared on the scene and said that she was canceling the check, but that we had to leave immediately. We were asked to leave the restaurant! This has never happened to me in my life! We left. Going home hungry and very disappointed. Never to return, again. This restaurant used be one of the finest in the Ottawa Region. Now it is just something...

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Ever since I've heard about this restaurant, first from my work, and second from food bloggers, I've put it on the top of my list! So I was super stoked to be able to go! Read below to find out about my experience.

You definitely have to try their Table d'Hote menu! It is $65 and you are able to get: a soup, appetizer, specialty (entrée), a dessert, coffee/tea.

For the soups, I would have tried the carmelized onion soup (+$3), but at the time of the booking (about 8:30pm), they were out of the soups; so this will need to be for next time!

Appetizers: Their homemade charcuterie trio was a great start to a satisfying meal. Theirs had chicken liver mousse, pork and blueberry rillettes and caramelized onions terrine with marinated vegetables.

I also tried the Mushroom from Le Coprin farms in a puff pastry, cream sauce (+4):

As the Specialties (entrées), I tried red deer medallions for the first time (+$6.50): this one came with variations of squash, and elderberry gastrique. The meat was very tender, although very light in taste - if you prefer richier tasting meats, I would suggest the duck confit.

Of course, the Duck confit had to be tried as well - it came with glazed vegetables and duchess potatoes, and caramelized onion sauce.

Note that for the two above specialties, pan-seared foie gras was added to both (+$9 per piece). This was SO indulgent and melt in your mouth. Highly recommend to treat yourself and add it on!

For dessert, their local cheese platter with focaccia from Roberto Pizza (+$4) was a savoury option, and the pumpkin cheesecake with homemade granola was a nicely rich but also light option to end the meal. I was so stuffed that keeping up with the wine pairings was tough and I fell behind - not usually the case! 😉

I also was able to try the Wine and food pairing, which went really well with the food! You get an apéro (4oz), a white wine with the appetizer (I chose Alsace Riesling, Joseph Beck), a red to go with the specialties (entrée - I LOVED the cotes de bourg, Chateau Bujan), and lastly, a dessert wine (Cadillac, Chateaux Peybrun).

Not only is the food spectacular, but the atmosphere is also super cozy as the restaurant is tucked away in a house filled with wood accents and art. As I dined, it was snowing heavily outside which made it feel all the more cozy. However, I would recommend choosing an earlier seating to give ample time to get back home safely, depending on the weather (it was heavy snow the...

Our dinner at L’Oree du Bois was an unforgettable experience. I shared the evening with my 11-year-old son, Caleb, who has a real passion for fine cuisine and loves exploring new flavors. From the moment we arrived, the warmth of the staff and the exquisite dishes made for a truly special night.

We started with two potages: a rich onion soup and a delicately spiced squash soup. Both were outstanding, topped with a crispy garnish that added a delightful crunch. Caleb was particularly impressed with the squash potage, praising its warm, balanced flavors and subtle sweetness.

The second course was a true treat. I enjoyed the feuilleté de champignons coprin, featuring flaky, buttery pastry filled with perfectly cooked mushrooms, while Caleb savored the escargots in a vibrant pesto sauce. Each dish was expertly prepared and full of flavor.

The main course was another standout. A perfectly cooked steak, served medium and topped with fragrant fines herbes, was accompanied by golden, crispy sliced potato blocks that were absolute perfection. These potatoes had a delightful crunch on the outside and a creamy, tender interior. Alongside was a pan-fried cauliflower dish that added a lightly charred, earthy depth to the plate—a simple yet incredibly satisfying pairing.

Later in the evening, my wife joined us for dessert, and the staff made her feel incredibly welcome. They brought over a chair and ensured she felt part of the experience. For dessert, we had a decadent mousse au chocolat and a beautifully crafted boule de chocolat filled with chocolate and raspberry. Both were exquisite and the perfect way to end the meal.

The service was beyond exceptional. Our server, Charlotte, went above and beyond to make the evening special, especially for Caleb. She took him on a tour of the kitchen, where he met the chef and staff and even got to create his own dessert—a once-in-a-lifetime experience for someone who truly loves food!

L’Oree du Bois is not just a restaurant—it’s a destination for those who appreciate exceptional food, impeccable service, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. We will definitely be back for more...