Just above El Camino and Datsun on Elgin Street is one of Ottawa’s best-kept secret craft cocktail locations – Common Eatery. The urban chic restaurant is exquisitely decorated with graffiti walls, beautiful chandeliers, and a stunning rose wall.
The menu offers globally inspired dishes, with dishes like the pappardelle, oysters and boar belly gracing the menu that all sound outstanding.
Common has brass stools and communal tables that are perfect for large groups. When I visited later in the evening to try the craft cocktails the restaurant has a great buzz as it was filled with people and the music was outstanding too.
As I was going for craft cocktails I asked my server for their best cocktail, leaving my order up to their recommendation. I had the cherry coke but it was served as the beauty and the beast drink is served with a tall glass dome (like the red rose is housed in the film Beauty and the Beasty). While I despise cherry coke, Common’s cherry coke cocktail is wonderful but the presentation is one of the best I’ve seen for a cocktail in a very long time. The drink which combines Remy Martin VSOP, cassis, sage, lime juice, and prosecco was a refreshing blend of flavors. Yet it was the tobacco smoke dome reveal that made the cocktail for me.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one highly impressed by the presentation of my cocktail, as shortly after my drink arrived, other women seated at my table were asking the waiter for the same drink I ordered.
The other drink I sampled was the applewood smoked apple pie Manhattan which is served on a charred board, which once again demonstrates Common’s outstanding cocktail presentation skills.
For those of you who aren’t into cocktails, you can also order a glass of Veuve Clicquot for $11 which would be perfect with an order of oysters.
I still can’t praise Common Eatery enough, between the rose wall which I plan on sitting next to on my following visit and the beautiful cocktails it is now my new favorite cocktail bar in Ottawa. I hope to return shortly to try more of the cocktails and meal offerings so I can review the food as well.
Until I do make sure to check out Common Eatery for yourself.