I have been to both of these restaurants many times. In fact, there was a time when me and my blonde BF were regulars at Moxies - East end. I hate being a regular anywhere other then the gym....it's sooooo gay! One good thing was that the bartenders began to know us so well that in the end were were barely paying for anything or for example 10 drinks came up to 20bucks! This fact made me ignore the nasty truth that we were becoming Moxie regulars. Milestones never became a constant place for me but I've always enjoyed going there whether its for drinks or food and usually both.
This past week I went to Moxies on Wednesday, March 18th (drinks upstairs in the lounge) and then Milestones last night Saturday, March 21st for dinner and some wine.
Anyways, these two restos are very similar in many ways but obviously have their own uniqueness....allow me to explain.
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Moxies Vs. Milestones
1976 Ogilvie Rd. 700 Sussex Dr.
Ottawa, ON Ottawa, ON
613.745.5556 613.789.5432
Atmosphere & Decor:
I would say that this domain is where they are most similar. They both have a dining room area and a lounge area. If you want intimacy and more attentive service you should head to the dining room - for a more social, loud, drunken time you head over to the lounge. The furniture is modern, young and classy. Big leather chairs, high top tables, low lighting and verging on loud house style beats.
Service:
Milestones~the host service is great and the servers (even in the lounge) are knowledgeable and efficient. I have never had any complaints with the service and I would say its on par with the pricing of the menu and the type of image they are trying to omit.
Moxies~the host service is pretty good too but the service in the lounge is meh. I have gone there on several occasions and waited 15mins for a server to even approach the table. The service downstairs in the dining room is good, no complaints but upstairs there is a lot of room for improvement. It just kinda seems unorganised!
***I would have to say that Milestones wins in overall service***
Menu:
Both menus are fairly extensive and the food is always great. It's a grill type menu with a little bit of everything ranging from steak, pasta, seafood, chicken and much more. Both restaurants also have fun drink menus with their own signature drinks. They are even both quite known for the exact same drink: the bellini. With regards to pricing - probably slightly higher than your typical East Side Mario's but nothing too expensive. Milestones is slightly more pricey then Moxies but not by much.
If you haven't check either of these places out, I recommend that you do. Overall, they are both solid restaurants with a lot to offer.
xoxox....Stella
p.s. the steak salad at Moxies is amazing...trust me!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
thursday nights
I would have to say that Thursday is definitely one of my favorite days of the week. It's not quite the weekend but everyone knows that it's almost here and workday Fridays are always super slack - meaning you can show up a little hung-over and no one is gonna care. Also, restaurants and the various entertainment venues around are not to packed. No reservations needed allows me to stay carefree and spontaneous.
For a night where I didn't even end up going out, it sure felt like I did a lot. Things started off a little later having dinner at the Blue Cactus around 9pm. I used to go to the Blue Cactus all the time with my best friend but i hadn't been in a while so it was nice to go. After dinner we headed across to the french side and hit up the Casino in Hull; no gambling, just some drinks. After the casino, my night didn't exactly end there but I'm sure you wouldn't find it anything interesting about what I was doing ;)
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The Blue Cactus
2 ByWard Market
Ottawa, ON K1N 7A1
(613) 241-7061
For starters, I would like to say that I do really like this restaurant. The atmosphere is modern and the furniture is classy and new age without seeming over the top. The lighting is low and candle light is used to promote an intimate mood. The music is always lounge type stuff which is appropriate and it's never too loud that it drowns out you convos. With regards to the food, I think it's pretty good with a range of different choices. Check out the menu at http://www.bluecactusbarandgrill.com/site/menu.html . The pricing is somewhere between Montana's and The Keg. I would say that the prices a affordable and not too high. The restaurant caters to most age/social groups which is why the clientele at Blue is extremely diverse. A group of seventeen year old girls would enjoy themselves as would a middle aged couple out on a date.
I have two problems with the place....
1. The menus used to be nice in fold out style; however, they recently changed them to this tacky plastic style place mat. Arguably this small detail takes aways from the restaurants class and modern feel. It's just so lame.
2. The service is not that great. Like I don't even care that much about high quality table service but I would like decent satisfactory service. Maybe I have just had bad luck or something but basically every time I've gone it's always just blah service. It's not that they make mistakes but it feels like chop-shop service. Not the biggest deal, but for a restaurant like Blue it should be higher quality.
Overall highlights....
a) Great for going on dates for reasons such as: romantic feel, young and fresh atmosphere & decent prices (so girls don't feel bad letting the guys pay).
b)It's right in the heart of the market so if you have a window seat you can people watch. And if you want to hit up the club scene...you're right there.
c) Good food, good prices, not the greatest service but your still gonna love it!
For a night where I didn't even end up going out, it sure felt like I did a lot. Things started off a little later having dinner at the Blue Cactus around 9pm. I used to go to the Blue Cactus all the time with my best friend but i hadn't been in a while so it was nice to go. After dinner we headed across to the french side and hit up the Casino in Hull; no gambling, just some drinks. After the casino, my night didn't exactly end there but I'm sure you wouldn't find it anything interesting about what I was doing ;)
______________________________________________
The Blue Cactus
2 ByWard Market
Ottawa, ON K1N 7A1
(613) 241-7061
For starters, I would like to say that I do really like this restaurant. The atmosphere is modern and the furniture is classy and new age without seeming over the top. The lighting is low and candle light is used to promote an intimate mood. The music is always lounge type stuff which is appropriate and it's never too loud that it drowns out you convos. With regards to the food, I think it's pretty good with a range of different choices. Check out the menu at http://www.bluecactusbarandgrill.com/site/menu.html . The pricing is somewhere between Montana's and The Keg. I would say that the prices a affordable and not too high. The restaurant caters to most age/social groups which is why the clientele at Blue is extremely diverse. A group of seventeen year old girls would enjoy themselves as would a middle aged couple out on a date.
I have two problems with the place....
1. The menus used to be nice in fold out style; however, they recently changed them to this tacky plastic style place mat. Arguably this small detail takes aways from the restaurants class and modern feel. It's just so lame.
2. The service is not that great. Like I don't even care that much about high quality table service but I would like decent satisfactory service. Maybe I have just had bad luck or something but basically every time I've gone it's always just blah service. It's not that they make mistakes but it feels like chop-shop service. Not the biggest deal, but for a restaurant like Blue it should be higher quality.
Overall highlights....
a) Great for going on dates for reasons such as: romantic feel, young and fresh atmosphere & decent prices (so girls don't feel bad letting the guys pay).
b)It's right in the heart of the market so if you have a window seat you can people watch. And if you want to hit up the club scene...you're right there.
c) Good food, good prices, not the greatest service but your still gonna love it!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
coming soon...
Bon soir tout le monde! I know, I know I miss you too! Ok, so first order of business... I've been told by a someone very close to me that I should check out this cute little diner in Orleans. Perhaps not me first choice; however, I'm gonna take a chance and check it out. I will be going to the Zeller's diner this Sunday afternoon for lunch....I know!!!
I really don't party that much during the week but I do party hard every weekend. And here's my itinerary:
In store for the weekend....
Thursday night - dinner at The Blue Cactus
Friday night - drinks at the Casino in Hull & then Diesel (big maybe)
Saturday night - still pending
You will hear all about these my weekend adventures in no time.
Love you all....Stella
p.s. I wanna give a big shout out to my sister Lea James...xoxoxox
I really don't party that much during the week but I do party hard every weekend. And here's my itinerary:
In store for the weekend....
Thursday night - dinner at The Blue Cactus
Friday night - drinks at the Casino in Hull & then Diesel (big maybe)
Saturday night - still pending
You will hear all about these my weekend adventures in no time.
Love you all....Stella
p.s. I wanna give a big shout out to my sister Lea James...xoxoxox
Sunday, March 8, 2009
absolutely funny @ absolute comedy
My friends always make fun of me because when we are at odds for things to do on the weekend, I tend to suggest going to the Absolute Comedy Club in Little Italy. For some reason it never really works out, so it may seem like I'm obsessed but I'm only suggesting it all the time because we never acutally go. I've been many times but always with random people and never really with any of my girls. This past Friday night, I was very excited because I finally convinced my good friend to come with me. I had been the end of a long week for both of us and we were due for some fun!
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The Absolute Comedy Club
412 Preston Ave, Ottawa, ON
(613) 233.8000
To my knowledge, there are really only two main comedy clubs in Ottawa: Absolute and Yuk-Yuks. I have been to both and in my opinion, Absolute is way better with regards to pricing, seating arrangments/set-up, service, and comedic content. Saying that the actual comedians at Absolute are better may be unfair because comedy can be quite subjective; good vs. bad comedy often has to do with taste. However, I feel that I always laugh and enjoy myself more at Absolute. Absolute has great prices ranging from $8-$12 depending on the day of the week (Yuk-Yuks is $25). The service is usually quite good; however, on Friday I guess we had a new server because she was super slow and she spilled a drink on me not just once but twice. What really annoyed me was that she didn't even give me a free drink or comp something on my bill. Was not that impressed with her but it happens!
Anyways, enough bitching, the comedians on Friday were the best I've ever seen. Mike Paterson and Ryan Wilner were the headliners and if you ever hear of them performing somewhere, you should seriously check them out. On top of this, if you looking for a fun, cheap way to start your Friday or Saturday night, Absolute is the place to go. You don't need more then $30 which includes your seats and like 3-4 drinks. If you go, there is a high possiblity I will be in the crowd laughing my head off. Have fun!
xo...Stella
_________________________________________________
The Absolute Comedy Club
412 Preston Ave, Ottawa, ON
(613) 233.8000
To my knowledge, there are really only two main comedy clubs in Ottawa: Absolute and Yuk-Yuks. I have been to both and in my opinion, Absolute is way better with regards to pricing, seating arrangments/set-up, service, and comedic content. Saying that the actual comedians at Absolute are better may be unfair because comedy can be quite subjective; good vs. bad comedy often has to do with taste. However, I feel that I always laugh and enjoy myself more at Absolute. Absolute has great prices ranging from $8-$12 depending on the day of the week (Yuk-Yuks is $25). The service is usually quite good; however, on Friday I guess we had a new server because she was super slow and she spilled a drink on me not just once but twice. What really annoyed me was that she didn't even give me a free drink or comp something on my bill. Was not that impressed with her but it happens!
Anyways, enough bitching, the comedians on Friday were the best I've ever seen. Mike Paterson and Ryan Wilner were the headliners and if you ever hear of them performing somewhere, you should seriously check them out. On top of this, if you looking for a fun, cheap way to start your Friday or Saturday night, Absolute is the place to go. You don't need more then $30 which includes your seats and like 3-4 drinks. If you go, there is a high possiblity I will be in the crowd laughing my head off. Have fun!
xo...Stella
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
keg dining
So I dunno how this happened but I ended up at The Keg twice in the past four days - same location. The Keg is definitely my style but to be honest I haven't been there in sooooo long. I think the last time I was there was for my birthday in 2007. But, yah, last night I went with some people and it was oh so good.
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The Keg
376 Hunt Club Road,
Ottawa, Ontario
(613) 248-0509
The Keg on Hunt Club is the newest of the three Kegs in Ottawa. Super modern, pretty chic and very dimly lit, this restaurant gives off a strong romantic ambiance. I would say this restaurant is prime for many occasions like a girls/boys night out, birthdays, dates, business meetings etc. The Keg attracts a mature crowd which makes it not the most exciting place for children nor entirely appropriate. And there's one thing to keep in mind, don't go to the Keg if you're tying to be frugal. If you go here plan on spending atleast $40 per person. The cheapest meals is around $24 but it's always nice to try out some appetizers and maybe some wine too. When I go to the Keg I usually get the baseball steak - blue and a glass of wine. Last night I was kinda shy to order a blue steak infront of everyone so I got it rare....it was still amazing.
Main highlights
+Great for dates (2nd date preferrably...maybe too much for #1)
+Classy and modern decor
+Great service
+High prices but the meal are good quality
p.s. The calamari used to be good but when I had it on sunday it sucked!!! ....probably my only negative opinion of the place.
xo...Stella
________________________________________
The Keg
376 Hunt Club Road,
Ottawa, Ontario
(613) 248-0509
The Keg on Hunt Club is the newest of the three Kegs in Ottawa. Super modern, pretty chic and very dimly lit, this restaurant gives off a strong romantic ambiance. I would say this restaurant is prime for many occasions like a girls/boys night out, birthdays, dates, business meetings etc. The Keg attracts a mature crowd which makes it not the most exciting place for children nor entirely appropriate. And there's one thing to keep in mind, don't go to the Keg if you're tying to be frugal. If you go here plan on spending atleast $40 per person. The cheapest meals is around $24 but it's always nice to try out some appetizers and maybe some wine too. When I go to the Keg I usually get the baseball steak - blue and a glass of wine. Last night I was kinda shy to order a blue steak infront of everyone so I got it rare....it was still amazing.
Main highlights
+Great for dates (2nd date preferrably...maybe too much for #1)
+Classy and modern decor
+Great service
+High prices but the meal are good quality
p.s. The calamari used to be good but when I had it on sunday it sucked!!! ....probably my only negative opinion of the place.
xo...Stella
Monday, March 2, 2009
cheap eats, at the vanier grill
Ok, so I'm not usually one to seek out cheap places to eat; however, I stumbled across this little gem in the heart of Vanier - Ottawa's central east end. I've worked in the area for a while and needless to say that I've experimented a lot with regards to places to eat. I go to the Vanier Grill most times when I forget to bring a lunch or when I'm meeting someone for lunch. I went there today for a birthday lunch and as always everyone loved the food.
___________________________________________
The Vanier Grill
159 Montreal Road, Vanier, ON
K1L 6E8 (613) 746-4843
It's not much to look at and the furniture is quite dated but all this stuff seems to become unimportant as the food is very good. The prices are super low for the amount and quality of food that you get. You don't need to spend more then $15 including tip and that's for a full meal with a drink. My favorite meal is the chicken club platter on brown bread and it comes with fries and a salad....it's amazing! If you looking for a good meal for good value, you can definitely find it at The Vanier Grill.
Overall Assessment:
-good for lunch or a mid-day snack
-not recommended for a dates or for dinner (romance factor is zilch)
-good quality food are good prices
___________________________________________
The Vanier Grill
159 Montreal Road, Vanier, ON
K1L 6E8 (613) 746-4843
It's not much to look at and the furniture is quite dated but all this stuff seems to become unimportant as the food is very good. The prices are super low for the amount and quality of food that you get. You don't need to spend more then $15 including tip and that's for a full meal with a drink. My favorite meal is the chicken club platter on brown bread and it comes with fries and a salad....it's amazing! If you looking for a good meal for good value, you can definitely find it at The Vanier Grill.
Overall Assessment:
-good for lunch or a mid-day snack
-not recommended for a dates or for dinner (romance factor is zilch)
-good quality food are good prices
Sunday, March 1, 2009
the beginning
Sometimes I feel like I have so much to say but don't feel like engaging in a conversation with someone to get it off my chest - I have my reasons for this. Finding outlets in our lives is an important way to stay sane...I think I just found one.
About me...
My name is Stella James and I am recently out of school and looking for direction in my life. I have few really good friends and lot of people that are just for fun. My family are the most important people in my life and those relationships are the ones I cherish the most. I am a very strong headed, determined person but I'm finding this time in my life to be somewhat difficult. The twenty-something years are the best and hardest years yet. Some many questions run through my head and I feel so scattered most of the time.
On a lighter topic...
I work very hard at everything I do but I make up for it because I PARTY hard! I've been out to all the clubs and restaurants in this city - I'm sure I could write a book on the entertainment available. I recently tried to pitch an idea for an article on Ottawa's hot spots to many of the local newspapers but none were interested. So I've decided to write about it here. In the winter my partying habits dip a little, however, I'm sure that I'm still above average. So look out for some great info on what's hot and what's not!
Just before I wrap up this first post, I wanted to thank my sister Gracie James (1graciejames.blogspot.com) for encouraging my to make my own blog. I love you sis.
xo, Stella
About me...
My name is Stella James and I am recently out of school and looking for direction in my life. I have few really good friends and lot of people that are just for fun. My family are the most important people in my life and those relationships are the ones I cherish the most. I am a very strong headed, determined person but I'm finding this time in my life to be somewhat difficult. The twenty-something years are the best and hardest years yet. Some many questions run through my head and I feel so scattered most of the time.
On a lighter topic...
I work very hard at everything I do but I make up for it because I PARTY hard! I've been out to all the clubs and restaurants in this city - I'm sure I could write a book on the entertainment available. I recently tried to pitch an idea for an article on Ottawa's hot spots to many of the local newspapers but none were interested. So I've decided to write about it here. In the winter my partying habits dip a little, however, I'm sure that I'm still above average. So look out for some great info on what's hot and what's not!
Just before I wrap up this first post, I wanted to thank my sister Gracie James (1graciejames.blogspot.com) for encouraging my to make my own blog. I love you sis.
xo, Stella
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