The Whalesbone Oyster House, Ottawa

My sister in-law was sweet enough to surprise CK and I with a gift certificate for The Whalesbone Oyster House, a small casual seafood restaurant on Bank Street. She bought us the gift certificate so that we could celebrate all of the important dates we missed over the course of the year such as our birthdays, and our wedding anniversary. CK and I celebrated by ordering as much food as we could eat ;-)

Whalesbone Oyster House not only has fresh seafood, but they are socially responsible about it as well. They are a member of Oceanwise Canada, an association "dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research, and direct action".
If you're not a seafood fan, don't fret. Whalesbone Oyster House also offers a non-seafood choice on their menu.

For starters, CK and I shared a few things:

We ordered a half dozen oysters, and asked the staff to surprise us with the selection. We ended up with two Mallet oysters, two Colville Bay oysters, and two Marina Golds. They were served with fresh horseradish, and a large selection of sauces. The oysters were incredibly fresh, and my favorite was the Mallet oyster.

Oysters on the Half Shell

Our table was right across from the bar, and I enjoyed my view of Sean shucking oysters as they were being served.

Oyster Shucking

Our first starter plate was the BC wild albacore tuna: slices of tuna lightly seared, and served over top of an apple slaw with toasted pine nuts. The tuna was served with a deliciously rich duck liver mousse ravioli. I loved this dish!

BC Wild Albacore Tuna

I loved the tang in the apple slaw, and it definitely added a nice touch to the dish.

BC Wild Albacore Tuna with Apple Slaw

Our second starter was the hand picked Qualicum Beach scallops. It was served with a sweet Korma and raw Bergendale honey sauce that paired very nicely. On the side was a potato, cauliflower and goat cheese curd pavé.

Hand Picked Qualicum Beach Scallops

My main was the Lake Erie walleye served over top of a brussel sprout and walnut salad. The brussel sprout salad normally comes with double smoked bacon, but I asked for no bacon. On the side was creamed corn with pommes Anna on top.

Lake Erie Walleye

I didn't care for the creamed corn, but the pommes Anna was awesome. It was carefully layered, and perfectly crisped.

Pommes Anna and Creamed Corn

CK ordered the wild White Spring salmon served over top of bok choy, and a mushroom & leek stuffed canneloni. Sauces included an AMAZING dill sabayon and charred pepper coulis. The salmon was cooked very nicely, and the dill sabayon made the dish.

Wild White Spring Salmon

For dessert, CK and I split the chocolate selection: layered brownie, peanut, and ganache. This was served with a creamy salted caramel ice cream (I believe Pascale's ice cream), and a delicious sponge toffee.

CK and I loved our meal, and I can't wait to go back.

Takeaway oysters and smoked fish are available for pre order for your upcoming holiday parties.
Whalesbone also owns the Whalesbone Sustainable Oyster and Fish Supply, a retail warehouse where you can buy sustainable fresh fish and sandwiches. You can read about my experience at this link.

The Whalesbone Oyster House
430 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 613-231-8569