Perspectives Restaurant at Brookstreet — Restaurant in Ottawa

Our friends treated us for dinner at Perspectives' outdoor patio last Sunday (originally planned for this weekend, but the patio tables were all booked up).

Note that all persons entering the hotel building must wear a mask while in public indoor spaces as required by Health Ontario. When we checked in, we needed to scan the bar code to enter our contact information. Then we were brought to the patio to be seated. (We can choose to be seated inside the restaurant as well. But we preferred to sit in the patio for better air circulation .)

I ordered their Table D'Hote menu. Few ordered from the Starter and Main menu (see photos for what we ordered). Now my review would be based on food taste, service and ambiance aspect:

1. Food Taste and Presentation: Food taste was alright. One dish (seared Scallops) received 4.5 star rating. My salad tasted good while the Arctic Char fish was ok and I gave 3.5 star rating (I would like to give 4 star rating. But then I think the kitchen chefs used too much MSG to enhance the food taste. I felt so thirsty at night and during my sleep. My husband also felt the same. He said the MSG level was too much and was more than the food in the Chinese restaurant. Not acceptable!). The triple chocolate mousse my husband ordered was very tasty (4.5 stars). But my Apple Cobbler with vanilla ice cream was a bit too sweet for my teeth.

2. Service: I understand that staff shortage is a problem for many restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic time. The patio tables were served by one server with her assistant. We asked for cutlery (knives and forks) and our server kept forgetting it. My husband had to use the tea spoon for his soup. Our water bottle wasn't filled. Basically the service wasn't attentive. But again, we understand this due to staff shortage. But I think my friend still gave good tips that made her smile!

3. Ambiance: That night was very hot. We sweated while we ate. As the sky got darker, our legs got bitten by mosquitos. Well, it was time to leave the patio.

Anyway, still a good place for dining! Hope that the kitchen will use less MSG (or prefer not to use any...

I can’t say enough good things about Perspectives Restaurant at Brookstreet! From start to finish, our experience was absolutely wonderful. Booking was a breeze—the online reservation system is simple and straightforward, and we were able to secure a perfect patio table without any hassle. When we arrived, the hostess greeted us warmly, got us seated right away, and made sure we were comfortable. It set such a positive tone for the evening. And then—Emmanuel, our server. Wow, wow, wow. He was absolutely incredible! So knowledgeable, genuinely kind, and perfectly attentive. He struck that rare balance of being present and checking in often without ever making us feel rushed. It felt like he truly cared about our experience, which made the evening that much more enjoyable. The cocktails were outstanding. Often with hotel restaurants you expect something standard, but these drinks were next level—beautifully made, well-balanced, and so refreshing. Truly some of the best cocktails I’ve had anywhere. As for the food, everything was spot-on. We ordered the lobster roll and the Mediterranean shrimp bowl, and both dishes were delicious. The portions were just right—filling and satisfying without being overly heavy. Everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared, and the presentation was just as impressive as the flavours. The atmosphere ties it all together. The patio was spotless, breezy, and comfortable, with a beautiful view of the golf course. It felt relaxed yet elevated, making it the perfect spot for a date night, special occasion, or even a girls’ day out. Overall, Perspectives exceeded our expectations in every way. From the easy booking process to the outstanding service, phenomenal cocktails, and fresh, delicious food, it’s a restaurant that deserves so much more recognition. We left happy, impressed, and already looking forward to...

We attended the 6-course dinner at the restaurant on December 31st for the 8 pm seating. We had had brunch at Perspectives several times and enjoyed it immensely. Our dinner experience was rather disappointing. First, for those arriving from outside it is not obvious where the coat check is and there was no person assigned to giving guests access to It. Waiters and waitresses took turns doing this in between serving food and drinks at the tables. There seemed to be a shortage of tables even though we had arrived In advance. We were given a table just by the entrance where guests came and went. The background noise combined with the jazz from the lounge made it near impossible for my wife and I to chat. I am fond of jazz but it’s particular irregular form mixed with a high level of background buzz rendered it aversive. We requested a change of table but this could not be done we were told. In fairness we were offered a wine pairing free of charge but declined as we drink very little. The 6-course meal had a few dishes of mention including the white bean and parsnip soup as well as the veal and prosciutto appetizer. Otherwise the dishes were lacklustre rather than memorable experiences in any way. This was especially true of the bourride, a fish stew. We had ordered this but the waiter arrived with rib-eye for us in error. This we returned and then we waited for an extended period of time to finally receive bourride that was not warm and lacked in substance and taste. We actually wondered if they had run out of seafood. Needless to say we will not be returning for future...