Parliament
Pub: New pub mimics House of Commons Review by: Zachary Houle
The
place: Parliament Pub, 101 Sparks St.
(The main entrance and patio are on Wellington Street across from
the Peace Tower)
The hours: Monday to Saturday noon to 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 9
p.m.
The
atmosphere: This new pub, in the space occupied by the old Plaza
Cafe and After Eight jazz club, takes advantage of being right
across the street from the Parliament buildings. There's all sorts
of government paraphernalia (imitation gargoyles sit on the bar),
photos and caricatures of politicians past and present drawn by
local MP Eugene Bellemare. They are arranged throughout the pub's
interior in a mock seating arrangement similar to that of the House
of Commons. The inside seats 100, and another 80 can fit on the
patio.
The
clientele: This is a hangout for MPs, lobbyists and journalists to
schmooze over wine and beer after work. Co-owner Dan Donovan says
the pub is even taking over the Wonderful Wednesdays wine-and-dine
functions that were a staple of the National Press Gallery bar,
starting in June. The bar also attracts a sizable crowd of young
professionals in the technology and commerce sectors.
The
live music: While this pub is high class, it lets its hair down from
Wednesday to Friday evenings when it brings in Ottawa bands and
musicians -- mostly from the country-rock, folk or blues side of the
fence. They play either inside or on the patio. Local band The
Astrobillys have Friday night nailed down with their blend of surf
guitar rockabilly. Blues guitarist Chris McCann plays Thursday
nights. Shows usually start at 6:30 p.m.
The
food: Some of the most cheekily-named dishes in town can be found
here. You can get Brian Tobin's Newfie Chowder ($4.25), Canadian
Alliance Smoked Meat Sandwich ($8), Alexa McDonough's Healthy Stir
Fry ($9) and Chicken Landry Wrap ($8) -- the latter named after
Quebec Premier Bernard Landry, whom the menu claims is "too chicken
to pose a straight question."
Ottawa
Citizen, Sat May 26
Review by: William Turner
If you
want to run into some politicians or their staff, journalists or
senior bureaucrats, drop by the Parliament Pub, located directly
across the street from Parliament Hill. You can enter via Wellington
Street or through 101 Sparks Street. The day we attended, former
Prime Minister Joe Clark was having lunch with four of his caucus
members. The day before that, Preston Manning was having his "last
lunch," so to speak, as a Member of Parliament.
The
Parliament Pub is obviously popular with Hill types and civil
servants alike who seem to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, cozy
wingback chairs and pub fare with a flare. The owners obviously have
a sense of humor about the place, with every menu item being named
after a Minister, Member of Parliament or political party. Menu
items include The Jane Stewart Philly Melt (melts under pressure),
the Chrétien Caesar (fit for a King), Svend Robinson's Quiche of the
Day (proceeds from this item go to the Svend Robinson Pant Fund),
Stock's Pasta Special (light, looks good and full of steam-amen!) or
Pizza Parliament (an assortment of pizzas). We tried the lunch
special, which was the Grant Hill O'Beans soup (Blackbean soup) and
the Pasta Ablonczy-well represented and sits well with your overall
constitution. My colleague tried the Bloc Québécois salad, which
promised to be a little nutty and full of sweet nothings—unlike the
BQ in question period, it hit the target.
The Pub
is full of political trivia—the resident "artiste" is none other
that Ottawa-Orleans MP Eugene Bellemare, who has donated many of his
caricatures of fellow MPs to decorate the pub's walls. The pub is
awash in amazing photos—on permanent display, compliments of
photographer Jean Marc Carisse, whose snapshots of various Prime
Ministers, parliamentarians and world leaders go back over 30 years.
Portraits of all the Prime Ministers dating back to Confederation
adorn the walls. Books and posters on politics and Canadian history
abound. Each section of the Parliament Pub features trivia and
history of the different caucuses and photos of their current
leaders. Decals on the wall feature coats of arms of provinces and
other Canadian themes.
It's a
great place to drop by and soak up the atmosphere and a few pints—
especially during "Milliken Time" (named for Speaker of the House
Peter Milliken). The pub offers a variety of drafts and other
beverages. There is live entertainment every Thursday and Friday
evening from 6:30 to 11p.m. The pub has a 120-seat patio directly in
front of the Parliament Buildings. The patio is open from mid-May
until September—and is always packed on July 1. The Parliament Pub
also books private parties.
Fired up over the NDP’s chances Ottawa
Citizen Monday February
23, 2004 Review by: Chris Cobb
Leader
Jack Layton sees something tantalizing in the next election:that his
party can become a force in federal politics again, CHRIS COBB
reports.
The
Parliament Pub across from Parliament Hill has added “The Jack
Layton” to its politically themed menu. it’s a chicken Caesar wrap
they lavishly call. “The Coalition of the Unwilling… the Most
Politically Correct Sandwich Available Anywhere in the World.” The
New NDP leader Jack Layton, right, and former Ed Broadbent:
Pollsters say the party, long since marginalized and largely
ignored,has the potential to make a comeback that could match and
even exceed the halcyon days under Mr.Broadbent Democratic Party
leader who inspired the sandwich chuckles at the description. Then,
he orders one.
It’s a
coincidence that a few items above “The Jack Layton” is “The Dennis
Mills Danforth Greek Salad,” an offering that “like Mills is a
micture of ingenuity and taste sprinked with a hint of
assertiveness.”
On the
menu of real life, voters in Toronto-Danforth will be asked to make
the same choice in the next federal election.
It’s
home territory for both politicians - Mr.Mills, the incumbent
Liberal MP, and Mr. Layton, the 20-year Toronto city council
veteran-and will be a bare-knuckles contest that no punter in search
of a sure thing would touch with a 10-foot pole.But at the lunch
table, as Mr.Layton displays the politician’s ability to chew on his
eponymous sandwich and speak with partisan conviction at the same
time, it’s clear he tastes something else: the tantalizing prospect
of hauling his party back as an influential force in national
policies.
Pollsters essentially say this: The NDP, long since marginalized and
largely ignored, now has the potential to make a comeback that could
match and even exceed the halcyon days when Ed Broadbent was leader.
WHAT
LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN? Maclean's Magazine
August 4, 2003
Paul
martin's now insurmountable sway over the Liberals has the potential
to choke off meaningful debate within the party, writes JOHN GEDDES.
There’s
a pub across Wellington Street from Parliament where the sandwiches
are named after famous politicians. The Paul Martin is bruschetta.
But what John Manley swallowed with Martin’s name on his lips last
week wasn’t Roma tomatoes and shaved asiago cheese—it was his own
pride. Like Brain Tobin and Alan Rock before him, Manley gulped,
winced and conceded that Martin will be the next prime minister. All
that’s left of the leadership race now is the bitter taste in their
mouths—and the obstinate candidacy of Sheila Copps.
Over
lunch in her Parliament Hill office on the day after Manley
surprised Ottawa by bowing out, Copps muses between bites of falafel
about her new status as the last of the contenders still willing to
remain in the ring with Martin. One subject the Canadian heritage
minister won’t discuss is the reality that not only is Martin
virtually certain to demolish her, his margin of victory will force
pundits to hung for alternatives to the already over-used “cakewalk”
and “coronation.” What she is eager to talk about is preventing
Martin’s towering pre-eminence from choking off all meaningful
debate among Liberals. “We’ve always been strong as a party because
we have managed to bring together all of the elements that are
percolating up through Canadian society,” Copps says. “What seems to
be being suggested by some now—that we should basically annoint a
leader — would be very damaging for our party, for its renewal, for
its capacity to attract new people.”
International Association of Business Communicators
October
1, 2003
Dear
Stanley,
On
behalf of the Board of Directors for IABC Ottawa, I would like to
extend our sincere thanks to Parliament Pub for allowing us to hold
our Season Opener there last evening.
I
thanked your staff many times last evening but kudos must go to them
again as they were wonderful. At all times they were very friendly,
outgoing and accommodating. And of course I can’t forget to mention
the food too, which was absolutely fantastic!
In
short, the feedback from all who attended was nothing but 100
percent positive. As I commented to Mark, judging from some of the
many remarks I overheard, you’re sure to have a good number of
repeat customers from the group that attended last evening.
On that
note, I certainly hope that it was a lucrative experience for the
Pub as well, and I truly hope to be able to provide the Parliament
Pub with some repeat IABC business throughout the coming year.
Sincerely,
Andrea
Myers
VP-Professional Development & Events
IABC-Ottawa Chapter
It’s certainly an important topic of conversation at The Parliament
Pub, where the menu seems strangely familiar and the talk is all
politics-especially amid the hype of the upcoming election.
“As it
gets closer, people go nuts for it,” says Dan Donavan, co-owner of
the Sparks Street hotspot for any politician,
Parliament Pub Waitress Robin Mattie carries the Paul Martin roma
tomato bruschetta, which sells for $7.95. It's just one of many
dishes at the Sparks At. pub that are named after politicians.
“People like to come in and just sit at the bar and talk politics.
The pub’s a great place to get feedback on what’s going on. And we
have a David Pratt Tandoori Chicken Salad that’s very popular.”
Indeed,
if a place at the bar means one is informed, a place in the menu
suggests one has arrived, or is at least en route.
Lending
his namesake to a nachos dish described as having a “pleasing effect
on the palate,” Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s bother David, one
of several candidates seeking to replace Manley in Ottawa South, is
already there. So is Mahoney and his Giant Killer chocolate torte.
Her name isn’t attached to an entrée but Donovan suggests that
beleaguered city councillor Diane Deans “is toast”- at least in her
bid to trump McGuinty for the Ottawa South normination.
Already, Parliament Pub oddsmakers are betting on Paul Martin’s
Liberals to chalk up a majority government. That’s not to say , says
Donovan, that a merged Conservative Party and its subsequent search
for a leader-the Belinda Stronach Pasta du Jour is “dishy,” he
adds-hasn’t commanded significant attention.
Review by: K.M.
Mennie
2007
I keep expecting a why'd-I-bother, it's-for-tourists experience
here, but, no, not really.
Service can be a little dodgy sometimes -- easy to go suddenly
invisible for periods on the patio -- but it's generally friendly,
and that's my biggest complaint. No, wait. The beer selection is
very small for a pub, too.
That beer fuss aside, this is a lunch destination for me. I'm more
and more of a fan of the food. The salads keep coming out with very
fresh ingredients. It's not cheap, but also not wildly overpriced;
pretty spot on for what it is, really.
Pictured:
artichoke heart salad ($9 or $10), garlic bread with cheese (really
good, c. $5), and, barely visible, a chicken wrap with a Caesar ($?
and dissatisfaction with the mayo but high marks for the lettuce in
the salad; noted: non-Kraft cheese).
The bruschetta is recommended -- it's been a while since I had it so
I'm not even sure why, exactly, but I do remember nice fresh plum
tomatoes and general goodness; the quality of the food is a real
surprise from a place that could get by on good real estate alone.
The patio's great.
Top
Ottawa
Citizen, Sat May 26
WHAT
LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN? 
LET'S
GET READY TO
Pictured:
artichoke heart salad ($9 or $10), garlic bread with cheese (really
good, c. $5), and, barely visible, a chicken wrap with a Caesar ($?
and dissatisfaction with the mayo but high marks for the lettuce in
the salad; noted: non-Kraft cheese).