Ottawa: Aiana

Aiana is Ottawa’s newest fine dining restaurant whose chef’s tasting menu will take you on a culinary journey of a lifetime. This experience is exactly what Ottawa needed. I’m beyond thrilled that I was able to enjoy it as my last dinner out in the city after living there for three years.

Atmosphere

The dining room is gorgeous. A beautiful central chandelier, a piece of art in itself, hangs from the ceiling. The clean, white table settings are accented by pops of gold and navy…my favorite color combination. Elegance defines the space. By simply walking in the door, you know you’re in for an amazing experience.

You will receive absolutely incredible service from the staff of Aiana. Every person we encountered was so friendly, professional, and welcoming. They all seemed to genuinely enjoy their jobs, which always make a dining experience go above and beyond. The choreographed delivery of food to our table was flawless, giving yet another dimension of luxury dining. Also worth noting is that the gratuity for this excellent service is already included in the price. Any extra tip you choose to leave will be split evenly amongst all of the staff.

I have to say, I am so pleased that more restaurants are moving to this style of pricing. I believe it keeps prices and salaries fare for everyone across the board and I am constantly seeking out establishments that feel the same.

Ottawa, I need you to know: You have a real gem. From Tokyo, to Lisbon, to NYC, and many places in between, I’ve experienced tasting menus at some of the best restaurants around the world. I can say without hesitation that the dining experience at Aiana is one of the most delicious and memorable I’ve had. Somebody get the Michelin Guide reviewers to Canada. Ottawa has a star…

Recommended Dishes

While Aiana does offer an á la carte menu, you should absolutely opt for the Chef’s Tasting Menu if possible. Even better if you take it a step further with the wine pairing, where you will be served nine different wines to complement each course. Aiana also offers a Tasting of Vegetables, as well.

As usual, I’m not going to give away the entire menu here, but I will highlight some of my favorite courses!

Aiana has a full bar and a lovely cocktail list. Because we opted to do the wine pairing, we chose to skip cocktails this time and get straight to the wine.

You’ll begin your meal with a beet kiss, possibly the best amuse-bouche I’ve had in my life. This adorable little bite is packed with incredible flavors that together, quite simply, sing. I loved the way the beet, blue cheese, and pear flavors mingled only to be hit with a dose of freshness at the end from the celery.

The Malivoire sparkling rose went perfectly. And as a bonus for me: Malivoire is one of my favorite Canadian wineries!

Aiana strives to honor Canadian heritage and cooking methods. In the third and fourth courses, you’ll receive bannock bread and cultured butter to accompany your corn velouté.

Bannock bread has been made for centuries by societies all over the world, including by indigenous communities in Canada. The saltiness in the bread and butter complemented well with the chilled soup. Dipping the bread into the soup was, as our server described, magic.

Paired with a 1999 Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley.

Another one of my favorite dishes, the fifth course: sturgeon toast.

The smoked sturgeon pate was paired with caviar and egg yolk all on a piece of toasted brioche.

This. Was. Incredible. It was also about the point of the meal where I had the thought, “Oh damn. Each course is really going to be better than the last! How will I handle this?!”

I’ll leave you with the seventh course at Aiana. Two words that changed my world:

Foie Macaron.

A chocolate cookie filled with foie gras. This is a flavor pairing I didn’t even know I was missing in my life. And now, I never want to go back.

As I told Josh that night, “Well. I think we found at least one thing to redeem 2020.”

Fantastic pairing with a La Brusco Pét-Nat.

Price

The full tasting menu is priced at $185. The full wine pairing is an additional $150. Again, all gratuity is included in this price. All prices are CAD.

While Aiana probably isn’t a once a week dining experience for most of us, it’s perfect for anyone looking for a special and elegant experience. You will absolutely not be disappointed.