Mo Lesser Blues

A friend reached out to see if I wanted to get dinner on Friday. Since I hadn't seen their family since last November, I accepted. I didn't bother suggesting Idriss for Algerian food or the newly revamped Coconut Lagoon for Indian. Though they always offer delicious home-made meals when I visit, having a picky teenager meant that eating out for them was usually a blander affair.

So we ended up at Moxie's close to the Gloucester Centre. This stretch of Ogilvie was all suburban businesses: Chapters, Cineplex Odeon, and various chain restaurants including Montana's and State and Main. They all offer the same ersatz "fine dining" experience with an extensive menu to cover all bases: a downtown restaurant vibe without the commute and plenty of parking. So despite having passed by Moxie's many times, I wasn't surprised when I finally stepped inside for the first time.

There was something for everyone so my friend and his spouse settled on a large plate of nachos and their teenager picked chicken tenders and fries. Since I eat a mostly plant-based diet, I picked a sirloin steak ($37) as I don't cook like that at home. The grilled veggies and the mashed potato sides were all right, but the beef was terrible. It was tough to cut through and tougher to chew. I miss the Argentinian and Portuguese steaks of Toronto even though I was never a big meat-lover.

They were planning a 3-week family vacation in Japan for November. Since they all liked Japanese food it should be a fun trip. I suggested that in addition to ramen and sushi, they should try local dishes that haven't made it to North America like Nagashi Somen. When I mentioned that my financial plan included early retirement in a few years (at least in theory), they told me some acquaintances were also doing that even if they won't receive the maximum amount for their government pension. I opined that, as someone who works in the private sector and has crunched the numbers (or at least watched some videos), any pension was better than none.

I Will Lay Me Down

After my trip to Toronto in early June, sometimes fun sometimes not, my cough has continued to linger. This bland admission (to myself) masked an unpleasant truth: probable lung damage from a supposedly "minor illness" that could impact my quality of life.

To avoid being exposed to car exhausts and exacerbating my cough, I have been staying off the main roads for my walks. The upside was the exploration of some new neighbourhoods. These were older, richer areas so the homes were stately and unique instead of being cookie cutter suburban houses. A meandering path through a hill led me to the Beacon Hill Shopping Centre. I used to visit this mall because a high-school friend lived nearby. The decades have not been kind as most of the units were empty. The main tenants were several government services. Even so, one of them had left in 2022 according to the notice left on the door.

A solitary eatery called The Hill Bakehouse and Deli offered sandwiches and baked goods. It must have changed hands recently because the Asian owner sold various stir-fried items. I visited a few times and tried the beef noodles, chicken fried rice, samosas, and Jamaican patties. None were particularly outstanding but they were cheap ($6 or less) and had good portion size. With even fast-food lunches costing well over $10, I can see the appeal to the high-school students from nearby.

On Sunday, I finally saw a real-life, non-family person in 5 months. My friend and I ate some noodles in the Byward Market back in February. We were to meet again but our plans kept getting disrupted by extra-curricular activities on their side or sickness on my end. Originally, we had scheduled a brunch in the Market but at the last minute, we went to Yun Shang Noodles at Bank and Somerset. It was my suggestion because for Ottawans who drive, you have to offer alternatives near their house if they suddenly lose access to the family car. The thought of taking public transit was verboten.

I first tried "Crossing The Bridge" noodles several years ago in Toronto. This style was finally here in Ottawa. My friend was blown away by the price ($13) and the individual small dishes for each ingredient. It was a pleasing presentation even if you do dump them all into the boiling broth immediately. Since Covid, high-school exams were required only for grade 11 and 12. So with the extra 2 weeks, they took their teenager to visit Great Britain, Ireland, and Scotland. I recounted how my Toronto trip wasn't quite as fun as usual but still had some bright spots. Activities for the kids were picking up again in August so it would likely be several more months before our paths cross again.

Nonna? Nah, Nani

I took another day off on Tuesday but it was also without much activities. In the morning, I was debating whether or not to visit my old laundromat. It would be nice to clean my travel clothes. But I only had shorts and it was still too cold outside. It seemed wasteful to not wash my jeans. Breakfast was leftovers from previous meals: vegan momos and pilaf rice.

Near lunchtime, I walked to Dufferin Mall along College St. Most businesses on that strip have been around for a few years. But it looked like Gula Mexican Bar has replaced Lay Low Brewery. That spot has turned over numerous times including Pho Canh Buom and Me and Mine (one of the first gentrified business). After buying the Deluxe nut mix, I walked through Dufferin Grove. I was surprised there weren't many students on their lunch break. The sun was making things more pleasant so I ate a slice from 241 Pizza while people-watching. I complimented the owner on his craft; this franchise location was better than others and, in my opinion, even the trendier pizzerias. That was when I found out he worked 6 days a week. On the way back to my rental, I stopped off at Dosa Mahal for some curry puffs (5 for $5). I had planned on eating them with leftover Jamaican rice as my last dinner for this trip. But then I changed my mind. 

The lower-level Bsmt 254 venue at Lansdowne and College took over from an old business right at the start of the pandemic. A concert with Nyssa at the new spot was on my radar in 2021 but I was busy planning my move back to Ottawa. So whenever I was back in the neighbourhood, I was always looking for a show there. But since they primarily host dance and DJ nights, I haven't gone yet. When I passed by on my way to see Pomme I noticed a sign for Khaose.

This pinged my radar with its similar sounds to Khao Soi, the Northern Thai beef curry noodle soup. So it turned out that the Khao Soi was originally inspired by a Burmese concoction (ohn no khao swè) and Khawsa (or Khaose) was the Pakistani variant of that same dish. South Asian curry noodle? Oh, the leftover food can wait for another day!

During the day, a couple rented out the kitchen for their delivery service. Originally started out of their home kitchen during the pandemic, they now use this space for takeout and also continue to sell their "street food" at outdoor markets and festivals. I ordered a beef Khawsa ($18) and in a nutshell, it was delicious. The marinated beef was meltingly tender and its tangy sauce reminded me of musuman curry. The spaghetti soaked up the coconut curry and delivered rich toothsomeness. Outside of really good noodles, this was a better sauce-and-pasta combo than typical Italian fare. There was also a lot of texture as the dish came with a large variety of toppings: spring onions, chili flakes, garlic chips, onion crisps, crunchins', and slims.

Coeur de Patate

Monday night, I was at The Phoenix for a concert. This venerable venue had 6 more months before being turned into condos. The ground floor was only at half capacity and I don't think it got more than two-thirds full. Opener Laraw did a set of angry confessionals: the current style of sad songs comprising of quiet, wistful verses and loud refrains. She can reach for that big voice but needed a little more control over it. Her guitarist was a dud for me: the same quiet strumming of reverb-drenched chords on every song. Contrast that with Sunday's show by Chris and Nicole where variety in guitar playing added fullness to an acoustic duo set.

Pomme was a French musician (who also live in Montreal) I found online during the pandemic lock-downs. With my passable high-school French, I thought her lyrics were richly evocative. I suspected a live show was going to be more vibes than poetry. And I was right. My proximity to the stage had a great view, but line array speakers make even solo sets sound muffled. On top of that, a giant fan next to me filled my ears with a constant hum.

Luckily, Claire Pommet had a wide musical arsenal. First and foremost were her voice and guitar. Despite looking like a picture-perfect example of a French gamine with her oversized beret, pixie cut, and slim build, there was no cute, breathy vocals. Her voice often soared to stratospheric heights but also descended to a low, intimate croon. Her guitar playing was excellent, showcasing different techniques to accompany her singing. Several other instruments were also used including an auto-harp and a mini-synthesizer.

Pomme was a congenial performer, regaling us with stories about her music as well as her daily life. She spent the day bicycling around Toronto and enjoying Taro ice-cream. Apparently this treat (7 years on from her first taste) was not available in Quebec nor France? Though more than half the audience knew French, Pomme spoke primarily in English since she wanted to keep improving at it, a legacy from her younger days when she aspired to be an English teacher.

The audience got a great show, especially the francophones. Artists that would fill much larger venues elsewhere play to smaller crowds here. After the "pro forma" encore, which Pomme humorously described as a binding "oral contract" between her and the audience, we got a second one. Ms Pommet came out again when the crowd chants refused to die down. Obviously touched, she did a fully acoustic number, perched on a chair right at the edge of the stage. Pomme's first show in Toronto for her first North American (beyond Quebec) tour was a special one.