Supply and Demand — Restaurant in Ottawa

Supply & Demand did not meet my expectations.

I was in town from Toronto and wanted to try S & D because a friend, whose gastro-opinion I respect, said her pre-pandemic experience was a dramatic "ah-maaazing" as her head tilted and eyes rolled back. Unfortunately, my post-pandemic experience fell far short.

That said, I would return for second try and enjoy some small plates only.

There were food let-downs and service issues that affected the experience.

The positives: -Wam greeting upon arrival -Our server was patient and knowledgeable -Water glasses were always kept full -The small plates were the stand-outs. -The tuna crudo was delicious: flavourful with the perfect mix of textures. I could have eaten this all night. -Ambiance was nice. It had an old parlour feel and was cozy. I loved the table lights. -The pastas we tasty -The meal was perfectly timed. Kudos to our server and to the kitchen. -Although we had a more serious service issue, (not the one mentioned below) it was addressed well beyond our expectations. In fact, we didn't even have expectations so the idea that it was addressed was impressive. This established a future trust and would motivate me to return.

The not-so greats: -The hostess delivered the kale salad to our table. It's served with a substantial amount of cheese on top. Either because of imbalance or a heavy hand when placing on the table, most of the cheese fell off and onto the table. The hostess then asked, "Uh. Do you want more cheese?" This small question bothered me. Maybe I am being picky but given that this is a top Canadian restaurant, I would have expected that she respond by either immediately returning to the kitchen for a top-up or stating that she would bring more cheese rather than asking. -Beware: THIS PLACE LOVES SALT. It loves salt so much that I'm sure I developed hypertension before I left. I love salt. I think it helps enhance flavour but at S&D it's overpowering. -The trout main is a horrible dish. It is awful. Every component is salty, mushy and served barely warm. There is no seasoning to the fish but salt. It's almost as if they marinated the fillet in salt and then finished it with salt. Let me tell you again: salt is the only seasoning. On top of that, the overall texture of the plate is most suited to a two year old or a centenarian. The fish is cooked very rare and because of this, it's very soft. This soft fish is served on top of a salty white bean mash puréed to the consistency of baby food. So I mean, it's also soft. Beside the baby food is a heavy serving of aioli... salty and liquidy. The aioli is an odd and unnecessary accompaniment which adds nothing other than to liquify the mush. The vegetable joining this awfulness is red pepper. *Roasted red pepper. Yes... Another soft item. The only texture I remember from this plate was from a few salt crystals that provided some crunch. Honestly, this dish is inedible. I really can't believe it's on the menu and no one else has made similar comments. I implore you, do not order it. -The duck: I'm less passionate about my hatred for it but it was overly sweet and of course, again far too much of S & D's favourite seasoning: salt. At least this dish had varying textures. Bottom line, do not order it either. -The wine selection was fine. Personally would have liked more wines available by the glass.

It's a high 3/5 for me. Hope to...

Well , the place is nice , warm . The seats comfortable at least on the wall side banquet where I sat The server though efficient, was cold , and made me uncomfortable throughout the dinner. The rest of my party (3 people ) were 17 minutes late , so that could be her problem ( but other than that I have no idea ) . The oysters selection was good , they were fresh. I had the kale salad it was fresh and flavourful. My plate was a pork loin with a potato puree . It’s was savoury and over all good. The rest of the party had the Cod fish dish . Which was also good . Nothing was spectacular, but all were good . The portions were very small and as such all dishes were over priced at 38 for the pork and 44 for the Cod . The desert prices . 15 for a tiny Flan , 20 for a candied orange stuffed with chocolate mousse, these were more or less ok not spectacular , but the baked Alaska was 30 bucks .. didn’t even order it as I saw a table with it and again very tiny . Maybe other people will pay 30 buck for a desert , not me . The rest of my party had the candied orange dish , they liked it . Food quality overall was good , preparation was good , presentation was good . Big issue other than over priced tiny portions was the server that hovered over me when presented with the credit card machine , the tip choices were 18 , 22 or 25% . She stood overtop me while I put in my PIN code and stared while I selected the tip amount ..I took this as an intimidation tactic, to shame me into a bigger tip . I used a custom menu option and put in 15% even though the server made me uncomfortable as I thought about the rest of the staff, bartender ( though I never ordered alcoholic drinks ) line cooks , chef dishwasher etc. hopefully the tips are pooled and everyone paid out . . Unfriendly server leaves me out in the cold on “Supply...

SUPPLY & DEMAND IS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN OTTAWA. Yes, that's right, THE BEST IN TOWN. I was introduced to this gem a little over two years ago by my wife, and I can honestly say it has changed my life. Everything about this place is amazing—the vibe, the decor, the lighting, the consistent above and beyond service, the food, and the drinks. As a Realtor in the Ottawa area, I do spend a lot of time eating out to meet with and celebrate closings with clients, and to explore the food scene in the community. I can honestly say with 100% confidence the experience Supply & Demand offers is like no other. The menu always features the most delectable dishes only using the finest quality ingredients, thoughtfully crafted by the brilliant chefs. The service staff is exceptional, inviting, and their attention to detail is impeccable, all of your dining needs will be met every single time. The cocktails are always unique and curated to perfection, and the wine list is amazing with a great variety of fine wines. My favourite Supply & Demand dishes are the Tuna Crudo, Kale Cesar, Fresh Baked Warm & Fluffy Bread 🍞 with Bacon Butter (It's to die for!), 🦪 Oysters, Brussel Sprouts (🥇) and the Pasta dishes 🍝 are always perfect (it is without a doubt the best pasta I have ever eaten in my life… I find myself day-dreaming about Supply & Demand pasta dishes at least 3 times a week LOL ☺️). You must try this place out if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed. Basically this establishment is perfection, I give it a 10 ⭐️ STAR...