Sunday Brunch at Urban Pear, Ottawa

I met up with my friends P and A for brunch yesterday at Urban Pear, and had an awesome meal there. We all had a lot of catching up to do, and it was long overdue. P had just gotten back from an anniversary trip in Italy, and A got married to a man she met in Australia a few years back. Her husband is currently living in Ireland waiting for his Canadian visa to be approved. Gotta love the long distance relationships. Of course, I filled them in on my frequent jaunts to and from Sydney.

Urban Pear is a small restaurant in the Glebe area that serves seasonal dishes that change quite frequently. The atmosphere is serene, simple & sophisticated, and the wooden bench that stretches across the oblong restaurant provides a communal-like dining atmosphere (tables are separated, however). Urban Pear also serves as a mini art gallery, where works of local Ottawa artists are featured throughout the restaurant. From June - August, the beautiful works of Anita Utas, with the theme 'Abiding Land', are displayed.

I needed a caffeine jolt, so I immediately ordered a cappuccino.

Cappuccino

Shortly after, warm bread with a delicious balsamic vinegar & roasted garlic butter was brought out.

Bread with Balsamic Vinegar & Roasted Garlic Butter

For starters, the three of us split a large antipasti plate. On the plate was Canadian Brie cheese, pickled shallots with marinated eggplant, pickled field mushrooms, house cured chorizo sausage, roasted garlic, 3 types of marinated olives, and fresh pear slices. It was a nice start to our meal.

Antipasti Plate

I ordered the poached eggs with slices of chicken sausage, and fingerling potatoes. It came in a wonderful portabello broth mixed with nasturtium aioli. Nasturtium is a type of plant with a nice peppery flavor. Mixed in with the delicious sauce were smoked tomatoes, and a summer squash & local corn hash. This was an awesome dish, and I was not disappointed.

Poached Eggs with Chicken Sausage and Fingerling Potatoes

P has a sweet tooth, so of course, she ordered the french toast stuffed with double smoked bacon and mild St. Paulin cheese. On top of the french toast was fresh berry compote, and a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. Below the french toast was a pool of basil syrup. This was also very tasty. The berry compote was not overly sweet, and the bacon balanced the sweetness in this dish.

French Toast Stuffed with Double Smoked Bacon

A ordered an omelet served with a fresh green salad. In the omelet was chorizo sausage, St. Mary's goat cheese, smoked portabello, and sun dried tomatoes. The omelet is normally served with basil pesto, but A is allergic to pine nuts, so she had her omelet without the pesto.

Chorizo Sausage Omelet with Green Salad

We were all very impressed with our meals, and it was a great start to a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Urban Pear
151 Second Avenue, Unit C
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-569-9305

Sample Brunch Menu