A lovely place to catch up with an old friend over some great food and wonderful service.
I moved to Ottawa for school and was in town this evening visiting friends and family. My girlfriend and I wanted to catch up over dinner and I was in charge of picking the place. I stumbled upon District Oven after BlogTO had done a little feature on them. I was in the mood for Mediterranean food and it was in the neighbourhood that wasn't too far from where my girlfriend worked. I saw photos of the place online and thought it was absolutely gorgeous. In my books, the environment is the key to setting the tone for a intimate conversation with an old friend. This place truly delivered.
I loved the decor - stylish and eclectic with its wooden decor (tables were made from reclaimed wood, as was the bar!) but incredibly warm and inviting too with plenty of space to bring in a large group of people. The lighting was absolutely gorgeous with the fire burning from the oven and candles lit up everywhere.
The food was lovely - wonderful flavours, fresh ingredients, and hot bread on the fly. We had a delicious red pepper dip, falafel with a stew which we dipped our bread in. I am someone who loves trying different dishes and doing the whole tapas thing so this offered that and individual platters if you don't like sharing. The food is all halal too, which is an amazing touch for those with dietary restrictions.
This place is a hidden gem - super warm and inviting and classy without being pretentious. The food is delicious and extremely reasonably priced. Service was great too! I will definitely come back when I visit Toronto again. I am tired of those small restaurants in Toronto that are crammed and where they rush you out the door. This restaurant is spacious and beautiful - a great place to bring a family or a group of friends.