The Menu’s Emotional Support Ingredient

Every restaurant has one. That garnish or seasoning that sneaks into half the dishes on the menu, whether it’s the star or not. It’s there for comfort, colour, or to whisper “yes, this dish belongs here.”

Sometimes it’s pickled. Sometimes it’s sprinkled. Sometimes it’s a garnish so instantly recognisable you can ID the dish before it even hits the table.

Right now in Ottawa, you might notice:

Pickled mustard seeds – the golden pearls that seem to appear on proteins, salads, and anything that needs “pop.”

Chili crisp – on eggs, on oysters, on dessert… because apparently nothing is safe.

Shiso leaves – grassy, minty, and a little spicy, they turn up anywhere a chef wants freshness with a side of exoticism.

Pickled shallots – glossy pink rings that show up on crudo, sandwiches, and mains alike.

Microgreens – the universal garnish that can make anything look like it came from a chef’s garden (even if it didn’t).

None of these are bad—most of them are delicious. But once a chef finds one that works, it tends to travel. It migrates from the crudo to the pork belly, from the salad to the panna cotta. Before you know it, it’s the uncredited co-star of every course.

Sometimes it’s intentional: an ingredient that ties a tasting menu together or makes the plating style unmistakable. Other times it’s just muscle memory—something to fill negative space, add a splash of acid, or make a dish feel finished.

The risk? When the comfort becomes a crutch. A menu that leans too hard on the same detail starts to feel repetitive, even if the base dishes are completely different. Diners notice patterns, and while familiarity can be a good thing, it’s rarely the reason someone books a second reservation.

So the next time a plate lands in front of you, take a closer look. Is that flourish there because it makes the dish sing—or because the chef can’t imagine sending a plate out without it?

What’s the emotional support ingredient you’ve spotted lately?