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Ox Head Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
8 reviews for Ox Head Restaurant
8 reviews in English
-
Review from Matthew T.
Stittsville, ON
3/4/2012
I visited this place for the second time today. It was overall a very good experience.
The food is excellent. On my first visit, I had the Pad Thai. It was good, but not exceptional. So on my second visit, I went for a chicken and beef noodle bowl, and it was very good. Generous, fresh, tasty cuts of meat. Fresh and finely chopped veggies. And a warm bed of vermicelli. The large bowl is more than enough for a hungry person at lunch. For just $11, I was very impressed with the quality and portion size. As I was paying, I caught a glimpse of the kitchen and saw them actually tenderizing and slicing a large hunk of meat. Probably not that big a deal, but you'd be surprised how many places serve precut, frozen meat portions.
I only tried one appetizer (which I ordered both times). The shrimp and pork rice paper rolls. You get two of these for $4. They are very large and come with a creamy peanut sauce. These are excellent, too. Fresh veggies, meat, and noodles all wrapped tightly in a sticky thin rice paper. Oh, and you can also order the rice paper rolls as a DIY entree. I wouldn't recommend that for beginners. Let the trained chefs roll them for you.
They also have a unique selection of desert beverages. Interesting flavours of milkshakes and bubble tea and slush. They are kind of hit-or-miss and they are a bit pricy at $5 each, but they are fun to try. The coconut milkshake is good.
So yeah, There's nothing really outstanding about the food. It's exactly what you would expect from a basic pho/noodle bowl/rice plate restaurant. They just don't cut corners when it comes to the quality, freshness, and portions. Everything is prepared the way it should be. You unfortunately can't say that about most places. And the prices are reasonable. Two noodle bowls and two rice paper roll appetizers will come to under $30 after tax.
The service could be a little bit friendlier. You place your order on a paper slip, so you don't actually end up talking to your server much. They bring you tea, but you'll need to ask for water. I will say that our food was prepared incredibly quickly during a relatively busy hour.
This is my first 5-star review, and I see that this place is the highest-rated restaurant in Kanata. Yelpers know quality and good value when they see it! -
Review from Alan C.
3/27/2012
The place deserves 4 stars being an authentic Vietnamese restaurant in Kanata. However, I do have tough standard in evaluating Asian cuisine because I live in the Los Angeles area, where there are an abundance of different Asian food restaurants with cut-throat prices. Weighing in all the other Vietnamese pho places I dined in L.A., I am giving it 3-stars.
I had a Pho Tai + Gan (rare beef + tendon noodle) for dinner. Your typical Pho noodle broth. Beef is okay but a little on the chewy side. Portion is generous for a Large size. Also ordered 2 pieces of spring rolls, and they are tasty. -
Review from Chris Y.
9/7/2011
This is some of the best Vietnamese food in Ottawa. That being said, I didn't feel that they set the bar higher than any place I've been to on the West Coast. The restaurant was clean, casual, and the good-sized portions were reasonably priced.
Listed in: Food, eh?!
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Review from Mark Elliot G.
Cantley, QC
4/25/2011
Today was probably our 20th time in the past two years that we've enjoyed a lunch or dinner at the Ox Head restaurant---in fact we have to travel 70 kilometers (round trip) each time we go. Inter-provincial, Quebec - Ontario.
Woohoo! As good as it gets---it is the best Vietnamese food in the National Capital Region. Bonus, the AMC Theatres AMC Kanata 24 is a few paces away---directly across from the restaurant! Free parking is the same distance.
The Centrum Mall is an awesome outdoor pedestrian mall---there's a great Gellato place next door to the Ox Head restaurant too.
Service at the Ox Head restaurant is quick and the staff and owner/operator are very attentive to diners needs and wants. I always look forward to seeing them from time to time---and the friendly and sincere greetings we receive.
The broth, vegetables, beef in the Pho that we've always ordered---is very high quality---in fact better than any other Vietnamese you'll find anywhere---second to none. Their rolls, of every type, are of the same high quality! Flavor is absolutely delicious---temperature is always hot when the food arrives at the table.
Food Quality & Presentation (15 out of 10) Yes! 15 out of 10 -- Commendable Quality, Flavors and Seasoning.
Ambiance (9 out of 10) Unpretentious / Homey / Vietnamese Art
Service (10 out of 10) Quick and Attentive
Price (10 out of 10) Fair Market Rate
Venue (9 out of 10) Clean & Comfortable -
Review from Coy W.
3/17/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I really like this place in terms of fast, fresh and tasty lunches. I've come in for lunch every month.
The restaurant is located in Centrum and can fill up quickly for lunch. I've tried a few items on the menu but I stopped trying new things and vermicelli or rice dishes with grilled meats as I find it very good here.
I've tried the pho and it's ok but there are a lot better places in Ottawa for pho.
Once you are seated you are brought tea and you open up the menu, write down your order on a sheet of paper and the server will take your order and place it in once they see it.
Food is cooked and brought to your table pretty quickly. We've been in and out of this place in 15-20 minutes before when in a hurry! -
Review from Nandan F.
Ottawa, ON
2/20/2011
So I am on a pho binge here and drove to the other end of town for dinner at this popular joint. Its located in a mall that is not always desirable. The decor is average but not cheap. Service is quick and attentive. The food arrived quickly. I ordered the shrimp rolls which were not too oily and delicious. The pho was really good. I luved the broth...hmmm. They have most of the regular pho in a 'spicy broth' style which is pretty popular. I hear its not too spicy and is on my list of things to try next time.
Its a bit far away for me but worth a visit! -
Review from Grace Joy P.
12/17/2010
Best Vietnamese food in the Ottawa area, hands down.
I always get the A2 (ha, memorized it by the letter/number combination) which is the pork and shrimp fresh spring rolls served with peanut sauce (I never eat it with the peanut sauce though, I dip it in a mix of hoison and sriracha). BEST fresh spring rolls i've ever had. I don't know why they taste different, but there is something about the way it's made.. I've spent a lot of time trying to break it down, and I think it has to do with the noodles inside that are really dry, making it perfect to dip into a sauce. This is very filling so beware- it's best to split the 2 piece order with someone else if you are going for an entree.
Any of their vermicelli bowls are to die for! Large portions, too. I can never finish one.
Their pho is also one of the best in Ottawa, but not the best compared to other places i've tried outside of Ottawa.
Friendly staff, great location (in the Kanata Centrum), and really really good food. I'd come here once a week if I could. It's that good. -
Review from Andrea C.
Kanata, ON
10/11/2011
I Love this place. It's my "go-to" for when I want fresh, cheap and awesome Vietnamese. Sometimes we sit and sometimes I grab a "fresh roll" before heading to the AMC Theathers. I'm not one to crave foods often but this is the first thing I head to when I neeed something different.
