The Restaurant That's Not For You

Ottawa is a city that expects accommodation. No onions, dressing on the side, gluten-free but still crispy please. Every table is a polite negotiation. Every menu a buffet of options disguised as a single offering.

So when a restaurant opens with rules — no substitutions, no walk-ins, no decaf — it rattles people. The emails start. The reviews get passive-aggressive. "They wouldn't let me add cheese." "They told me no takeout." "They seemed annoyed when I asked for ketchup."

Good.

Because maybe the restaurant isn’t for you.

Maybe it wasn’t built around flexibility. Maybe it was built around vision. Around a menu that works a certain way because the chef thought about it. Maybe it was designed for people who want to try something unfamiliar, not rearrange it.

This city has hundreds of places that aim to please everyone. They do it well. They’re valuable. But not every restaurant should aspire to be a family SUV. Some should be sports cars — impractical, exhilarating, and deeply specific.

We need more places with edges. With boundaries. With food that isn’t afraid to be misunderstood. That kind of confidence is rare here. But when it appears, we should protect it — not Yelp it into blandness.

Let the place be what it is. And if it’s not for you? Go somewhere that is.