The Table has long been a faithful standby for the vegans and vegetarians of Ottawa. But, I now know they also offer an excellent selection of gluten-free dishes and a bunch of desserts too!The Table is buffet-style dining, which is nice, because you can try a little bit of everything. Additionally, all of the items in their buffet are clearly marked as being gluten-free. Heaven! I had dinner there with some girlfriends a few weeks ago, and it was a pleasure to not pester the server with a slew of questions for once.
Being a bit of a foodie, I must make a point of saying the buffet can be a bit hit or miss. Most items are healthful and delicious, but every so often you'll grab something that is just... well... not good. At all. And, since you pay for your items by weight, you don't want to grab anything you won't eat. So, alas, I give you my personal "Hot or Not" list of buffet items.
HOT
I especially recommend the veggie patty that comes with caramelized onion sauce. It is absolutely delicious! The tofu masala was also very satisfying. :) YUM! For dessert, do try the chocolate mousse cake! It was rich and flavourful. Out of all the desserts I tried during my last visit, it was by far the best.
NOT
Don't be swayed by the allure of the gluten-free bread slices tucked beside the hot buffet. I had such high hopes for a tasty slice of fresh bread that I grabbed one immediately, and was sorely disappointed. It was dry, bland and crumbly. Even after drenching it in masala sauce it still felt dry on my palate. Tears. For dessert, please please just stay away from the vegan GF coconut cake they have. Really, it was terrible. Both myself and another friend had to leave most of it on our plates because it just wasn't edible.
Overall, I'd recommend The Table for a relaxed dinner since it has a lot of gluten-free options and is easy to navigate due to the signage. Plus, there is something for everyone. Entrees usually cost between $10-$15, depending on how high you pile your plate. Dessert tends to range from $6-$8.
1230 Wellington Street
613-729-5973
wellington@thetablerestaurant.com
I would like to add that the cold chickpea salad tastes like nothing! No seasoning at all. Steer clear!
ReplyDeleteI actually have a friend who's a chef there so I have an inside source. I would just like to warn people who are severely allergic to gluten/wheat/rye/barley that there are some people who work there who don't take caution when it comes to cross contamination. I haven't had a reaction yet, but I generally only have mild reactions with small amounts of gluten. There's been occassions where the spoons in the buffets get moved around, so the gluten free lentils read gluten free, but the spoon just got put in there from the gluten containing lasagna. I've been disappointed in the food lately too to be quite honest. It's almost always cold. My mum and I are both celiac and eat there often when were starving. For the price it's not really worth getting a cold plate of food that's been sitting there for awhile. I'd recommend somewhere else unless your in a huge rush and just need to fill your stomach with something
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