A cherished piece of Ottawa's food history is about to be reborn with the imminent opening of Wilf and Ada's - a scratch diner. One of Centretown's favourite casual eateries was purchased this fall by restaurateur extraordinaire Ion Aimers, along with partners Jessie Duffy and Dominic Paul, when previous owners Wilf and Ada Laham decided to retire after 20 years.
Located at the corner of Bank Street and Arlington Avenue, the diner's new name is a salute to two beloved neighbourhood fixtures and similarly, the revamped menu will also be an homage to them, explains Aimers.
Over the past three months, Aimers, Duffy and Paul have been busy refreshing the diner's interior and drafting up a new menu which they are confident will appeal to a broad range of tastes. "Dom and I used to eat at Ada's all the time," says Duffy, who will be responsible for the front of house. "We really appreciated what Ada and Wilf accomplished here. We hope to recreate the same warm, friendly atmosphere and are confident people will enjoy the subtle changes we have made to the space."
Barnboard, exposed brick and elegant wallpaper catch the eye when you first enter Wilf and Ada's; a quick glance around reveals other nice elements including beautiful light fixtures and polished wood tables with seating for thirty. While the vibe is definitely casual, Duffy - known to many for her fine work at Fraser Café and Supply and Demand - says they are aiming for the service and food to be as upscale as possible, but in atmosphere that is pretention-free.
As for the food, Paul comes with an impressive pedigree, having worked previously at Fraser Café and town. "The menu was developed with the core value of offering great homecooked food, made from scratch," he says. "The menu is true to the spirit of diners but we'll be working with really fresh ingredients, cooking with the seasons and incorporating lots of vegetables into our plates, as well as offering vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options."
As the taste tester for Paul's new creations, Aimers is very enthusiastic about the menu. "Dom loves adding interesting and flavourful accents to his dishes so I think people will be pleasantly surprised. There will be many classic favourites, especially on the breakfast menu, with elements like house-made bacon, buttermilk pancakes and waffles, breakfast sandwiches on Dom's incredible handmade bread, house-made granola and more." For lunch and eventual dinner service, Wilf and Ada's has several local beers on tap, a select wine list and some fun cocktails as well.
The goal is to have the diner reopened by New Year's, with the initial plan to serve from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, with an 8 a.m. start on Saturdays and Sundays. Breakfast will be offered until 3, with a lunch menu also available. Once they've settled in, dinner will be added to the lineup on Thursdays through Saturdays. Take out will also be available and Aimers hopes to open a small patio by late spring.
Wilf and Ada's is at 510 Bank Street, 613.231.7959.
