Excellent. Everything was soooo good. When you come here, you must get the crispy rice paper rolls!! They are a must The service was also amazing! Everyone is super nice. read more

Datsun - Crispy rice paper rolls and the beef brisket bao buns. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great concept, great location. Unreal cocktails! I like how organized the team was with plating and in the kitchen. My pork belly bao was just okay. Nothing special to write home about. They unfortunately took the fish bao off the menu I was hoping to try. The laksa dish had lovely noodles and seafood cooked perfectly! I think it could have used more spice. The kobocha dumplings were one of my favorites of the night! Super flavorful! Thank you to the datsun team read more

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Haven't been back since 2020/2021 when we ordered take out. We opted to dined in this time and everything was tasty. Pandan mocktail was bright and fruity. The wings were the star of the night, sweet and savoury. The dan dan noodle wasn't spicy which was good but would've enjoyed it more with a lil heat. The pork belly bao was my fav. The fried chicken ranch and brisket was meh. read more

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Highly recommended by locals. I had an amazing dining experience at Datsun in Ottawa. From start to finish, everything felt well thought out -- the service was attentive, the vibe was energetic yet relaxed, and the food was outstanding. The menu had a great mix of flavors, and everything we ordered was fresh and beautifully presented. What really stood out for me was the squash dumplings, thought it was a unique item. read more

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Some really nice vibes coming from Datsun. As a restaurant, it is a very interesting take on Asian cuisine. They have lots of creative items on the menu. The venue felt cool with some nice music. Service was top notch, fast and attentive. Chicken wings - Almost like viet style sticky chicken wings with loads of flavour. Birds Eye chilis as spice, garlic and soy sauce was excellent. My only complaint was the fried onions felt stale and were not crispy. Would recommend. Shrimp dumplings - My least favourite dish of the items I've tried. Dumplings were small and flavour was lacking. Usually it would be coupled with some soy sauce, chili oil or vinegar mix. Would not recommend. Fish Bao - Bao was really good, it was light fluffy and sweet. The cod was deep fried in the light tempura batter that was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend. DanDan noodles - These nods were cooked perfectly and had some amazing texture. The dandan sauce was also perfection, the perfect blend of spicy, and savouryness. Would come back just for this! read more

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This was our second visit to Datsun, the first coming perhaps eight years ago on an Ottawan friend's strong recommendation. This visit was a family meal in the course of dropping our eldest off at residence at U of O, and it lived up to our memories and the occasion. Order lots of dishes to share. The bao are of course a highlight, but I was particularly impressed with the plant and seafood-based fare for those of us who aren't as carnivorous as the rest. Lots of pan-SE- Asian variety to choose from. A favourite in the 613. read more

Datsun - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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This place deserves to be in New York. EVERYTHING was absolutely mind blowing. My team and I went here to eat after work and we practically had everything on menu. 1. Chicken Karaage (MUST GET) - I get it, you don't want to order it bc it's just a simple chicken nugget dish, right? NO. It was so tender, crispy and flavorful. One of the best I've ever had. I don't care who you are, get this. 10/10 2. Cauliflower dish (MUST GET) - it was sweet and flavor. Very unique. 9/10 3. Squash dumpling (green sauce)- the filling was a paste like. Very Thai focused flavors so think curry + dumpling having a baby. Texture might not be everyone's favorite since it's a paste but we enjoyed it. 9/10 4. Pork dumpling were good but I've had better 7/10 5. Shrimp and chive dumpling - flavor is a bit stronger 8/10 6. Cabbage dish - didn't like it as much bc it was spicy but my friends liked it 7/10 7. Ramen - so so flavor. Umami journey all the way. 8. Bao buns (MUST GET) yeah it's a tad expensive ~$9 for one but I thought it was worth it. 10/10 chicken and pork belly are both strong choices. I had the pork belly and it was 10/10 The vibes are great. A tad bit loud but a great spot after work. Even though it was super busy, we felt like our waiter was super attentive and alert. 10/10 read more

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It is a trendy bar like spot in the city that is a great spot for drinks or food. The food is asian inspired but is a good combination of fusion and authentic flavors. They have the trendy baos topped with high quality ingredients and meat. The chicken was very dill flavored id that is something you dont like beware. the chicken karage was satisfactory and was tasty with a good portion size but was not the traditional style i expected. The dan dan noodles were my least favorite, very fishy flavored, overpowered but an uncertain flavor profile. Would not eat it that one dish again read more

Datsun - Pork belly (bottom) and chicken (top) bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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When my friend invited me to this restaurant, I instantly said yes! You may miss it if you are in a rush since you have to walk down stairs. It is highly recommended that you make a reservation on their website or else they may not be able to accommodate you. The interior of the restaurant is sleek, modern, and very clean, which I appreciated. My friend and I started off with the pork belly bao buns. The bun was soft and the pork had a nice crispy exterior which is how it should be. Instead of ordering the dandan noodles with pork we opted for the eggplant dandan noodles. Let me tell you those noodles did not disappoint. The smokiness of the eggplant mix with the cumin was a complete banger I would 100% order this again. The seafood laksa was delicious as well. The broth was extremely flavourful and the seafood was not overcooked. The cocktail menu does change from time to time. For cocktails, I had the Umeshu Gimlet which is how I like my drinks: alcohol and lime. My friend had the Meet your Matcha which was matcha forward and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The Dragonvall D was on the smaller side and not my cup of tea. I will take away a point as I found the waitress pushy always asking if we wanted a drink. read more

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ambiance I can't comment too much on as we were seated outside near Elgin Street. service was really good, waitress was really helpful in suggesting dishes and explaining the restaurant. she was also really sociable and friendly which was nice. the cauliflower wings were really good! so crispy and such a good mild spicy sauce. the pork dumplings were really good too, the vinegar dipping sauce was nice, I just wish there weren't sesame seeds on the bottom of the dumplings. now the DANDAN NOODLES?? AMAZING they were so good like I want dandan noodles at all times now. they were phenomenal. definitely somewhere I would return to, really fun place, great food read more

Datsun - crispy cauliflower wings, pork dumplings, Dan Dan noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Had a great time at Datsun once again- one of my fave spots in Ottawa! Asian fusion at its finest , I don't think there's anything on the menu that I haven't LOVED. we were accommodated on a Saturday evening with no reservation which was super luck and nice of them to squeeze us in! Everything we had was delicious- I particularly loved the squash dumplings! My only tiny critique is that our plates came out really quick and it felt a bit rushed but given it was a busy Saturday night I do understand a restaurants need to get people in and out but sometime it is nice to take a bit of time and just enjoy. Overall I highly recommend Datsun- it's a perfect place for sharing super yummy dishes! read more

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I came on a Saturday night around 5pm and there were a few tables seated but it wasn't too busy. We sat at the bar and service was very quick and friendly. My friend and I got the fried chicken baos, fried cauliflower, papaya salad, charred salmon, and dan dan noodles. The bao was good - crispy chicken, and interesting sauce. The bao was very soft. However, the sauce wasn't exactly what I expected and I think the pairing could have been better. The fried cauliflower wasn't really that well seasoned but it was very crispy and the sauce helped. The papaya salad was yum! I think it's the same one as el camino's papaya salad. Love the mix of tartness and herbs. The charred salmon was a bit too cooked for me and the apple slaw with it was good but nothing special; this dish could've been better in my opinion. The dan dan noodles were pretty yummy - perfect chewy texture, a good amount of meat and the flavour was excellent. However I think the portion was a little small. Overall, the food was very hit or miss. Some dishes were good and others were medicore. I think I expected it to be more on par some of the asian fusion restaurants in Toronto and it fell a little short. I prefer the baos at gongfu... read more

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It's not traditional Chinese but it's not just trendy (don't let the neon signs fool you!) Datsun puts up a high price tag but meet you back in the middle with absolutely delicious quality food. I had the rice paper roll and laksa, both I would highly recommend. Come here with friends so you can try a bit of everything. My friends really enjoyed the baos and dandan noodles, only think skippable was the ramen. Ok - go! read more

So my friend and I wanted to come here because it looked really good. It's a small place tucked away on Elgin beside its sister restaurant, El Camino. Very aesthetically pleasing interior, it definitely makes you feel like an NYC elite when you're seated. The menu is quite small, with dishes being quite pricey. The food comes out once it is ready instead of all out at the same time, so my friend was awkwardly waiting with their bao while we were waiting for one of my dishes to come out. Food wise, very tasty. The kabocha squash dumplings were soooo good, and the pork lace dumplings were good too but in my opinion they needed a little bit more salt. The Dan Dan noodles were definitely the highlight. The noodles were chewy and thick and the flavour was subtle but amazing. The pork mince was good too but the chunks weren't very big so I didn't really get any noodles + pork in one bite together-- I ended up having to use a spoon to get the pork. I didn't try the bao but it was super small for such an expensive price. Overall, I won't be coming back. The food was great but as stated previously, super expensive for such small portions. A great place to try atleast once though if you're into the tapas vibe (I learned that I am not). Similar to SideDoor. 6/10. read more

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I have mixed feelings about this place! I've been here 4-5 times and the vibe is always really great however I find the food and service can be hit or miss. On my last visit, I came on a Friday night in a group of 3. We had a reservation and the first thing our waiter said to us was "you only have your table for 2 hours". I totally get this is important to mention because of the next reservation but she didn't even say "hi" before this so I found it a bit off-putting. I love good music but I did find it too loud and we had to yell across the table to hear each other. Service was fine but not overly friendly. For the food, I shared the following with my partner: -Fried popcorn chicken (not on reg menu): 2.5/5. Too salty but good texture -Dandan noodles with mince pork 5/5 very good -Papaya salad with duck: 5/5 excellent and unique -Some type of shrimp dumpling: 1/5, did not enjoy Prices on par with other restaurants of this quality in Ottawa. Probably a bit overpriced but not unreasonable. I'll likely be back because my friends quite like this and there are lots of vegetarian options but I don't think it'll be my first choice. Overall 2.5/5 read more

Aw man. Service was so nice and the food so delicious, I'm putting this one down as one of my favourites!

One of my fav places in Ottawa! Such a good vibe. Taken so many non-local friends here. Kabocha Squash Dumplings and Tofu Bao are a must! Staff is also helpful to guide what is vegan and how to make it vegan (if needed). read more

Asian fusion hipster restaurant. This in my opinion sums up Datsun. The food was great, and service was excellent. It's just really pricey as dishes are tiny yet run $10-$18. We ordered a bunch of stuff, but I didn't eat everything as most items contain sesame seeds (but staff were super good about telling me what I could eat and what I couldn't eat). Fried Cauliflower ($12). Battered fried cauliflower on a curry mayo sauce. This was good. It tasted like a cross between tempura cauliflower and pakoras. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Spicy Chicken Wings ($13). We got 11 pieces. Not too spicy, with a hint of fish sauce. They were slightly sweet and really sticky. They were good, but I could do without the fish sauce taste. Beef Ramen ($14). The serving size was really small. The beef brisket was super tender, and slightly fatty. The poached egg was delicious. Ramen noodles were springy and chewy, but very little in quantity. There were fried shallots and I believe chopped up raw Swiss Chard, or similar green. Broth was so thick and rich. This was tasty but I don't want to think about how much saturated fat it contained, lol. Others ordered the Shrimp Burger (more like 2 sliders) ($13), Tuna Tartare ($18), Dumplings ($10), Beef Brisket Bao (was super tiny) ($6). Everyone enjoyed the food. I also had the Geisha Lemonade ($10). Delicious! Not too tart, nor too sweet. It also had a nice lychee flavour to it. Our server was Marshall and he was fantastic. Friendly without being creepy and attentive without being intrusive. He had a really good approach to everything. He answered questions, made good suggestions, and was all around great. Food did come out sporadically with long waits between dishes, but we were warned about that. The decor is hipstery. It's crowded and loud. This place is already cool, it doesn't need me to say so. Y'all know I love mom and pop joints, places struggling to make a living, and hidden gems. Datsun is none of the above. Datsun is owned by the same owners as El Camino (which has 2 locations now), and Riviera, the swanky place on Sparks St. Everyone already knows about them, most people already love them, and there's usually waits for a table. I can see why though. Their food is delicious, albeit pricey (unless you eat like a bird). read more

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Had been hearing about this place for a while and finally went! As a very picky eater myself, I have to say that this place had something for everyone! Delicious cocktails, dumplings and many other savoury dishes! Best to go in a group of 4 or more so that you can order a bunch of different dishes and share them amongst yourself. The service was also super friendly and the decor in the restaurant was very picturesque! Highly recommend checking this fan favourite for Ottawa locals out!! read more

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Promptly sat with a reservation and sampled 6 different plates. All were prepared as we watched from our table. Fancy drinks and excellent service. read more

Datsun was totally alright. Service was the best thing but the food was lacking flavor. I got the datsun ramen, pork dumplings, and the pork belly bao. The ramen was flavorless and the toppings were sparse and the dumplings were tasty but nothing special. The bao buns were excellent but the filling was also just okay. Ambiance was cool, maybe will try again. read more

I have to confess when I got here I wanted to leave based on the menu and I didn't think much about this place... however I swallowed my pride and judgmental spirit and said let me try... ordered 5 different dishes and from first bite it was wow wow wow.... I recommend this place to anyone... read more

Ambiance: cool place to hang out, the decor is stylish and the service is great! It's crowded but arrive a bit later in the evening and you'll get a seat. I would describe the decor as industrial/ modern. Food: this place offers Asian fusion food, tapas style. The concoction is quite unique and surprisingly delicious. I tried the fried chicken bao and the beef one: it was innovative and tasty, soft and tender! I also ordered the Laksa ramen and I loved it!!! The coconut/ salty blend is perfect, combined with the ramen. Also got the eggplant lettuce wrap. This was not as good as the other dishes, but it might just be because I prefer the meat choices. Finally, we had the banana pudding. Just the right sweetness and creaminess. Just note that their menus change, so it's another reason to come back again and again. read more

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Cool atmosphere, amazing service, fantastic dishes. Food comes when ready rather than all at once, great for sharing dishes. The servers were really knowledgeable, outgoing and accommodating to our group. Dishes are generous, flavourful and fresh. We tried the following and i would recommend them all: Beef brisket bao Tuna sashimi Fried cauliflower Papaya salad Shrimp burgers If you're into that sort of thing - free mortal combat arcade at the restaurant.. read more

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I can only comment on the takeout as I have not been for dine in service yet, but I am already planning my next trip back there. Had the fried cod fish (taco) steamed bun, and it was AMAZING! Tartar sauce was generously served on the side, which was great, as I had to pop the dish in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm it back up. The fish did not get soggy, and stayed crispy. There was a touch of sweetness and spicy-ness to this dish. Its a must try!! Their menu looks divine, and I cannot wait to go back and make an evening out of it! Will update review when I do. read more

Datsun - Cod fish/steamed bun-half order (take out) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

While visiting Ottawa, I decided to meet my friend at this place after hearing good reviews while visiting from Toronto. This restaurant I would say is tapa style where you order a lot of things to share. The portions are small so order a lot if you want to be full. Our party of two ordered: - fried chicken bao $6 - deep fried cauliflower with curry sauce $14 - Tonkatsu Ramen with Pork Belly $13.50 The food was okay. It was decent. I thought they would be making their bao in-house but saw that it was pre-made from a store bought package. The fried chicken bao was okay - I didn't really enjoy the sauce that came with it. The chicken was a bit over-fried and tasted hard. The cauliflower was decent as well. The curry sauce was the winner but the cauliflower itself lacked seasoning - maybe a touch of salt would have helped balance the bland taste. The ramen on the other hand was super salty for my liking and wasn't hot enough to cook the raw egg that came with it. The pork belly and the mushrooms were good so it saved the dish a bit. Pros - the decor is nice and it has a very hipster feel to it. The service was great as well. read more

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I came here a couple weeks ago on a Tuesday nighta nd it was PACKED! Luckily, my friends had gotten a space. We didn't get our own table as they mostly have big tables with seating for 8 or 10. We sat in the middle between two other couples and were able to spy on their food before we ordered. Two of us ordered Ramen and two of us ordered the shrimp dumplings as well as the pork and veggie bao. All the food came at different times which was a bit odd, my friends got their pork and veggie bao immediately and then their shrimp dumplings right after, whereas my friend and I, who had ordered ramen, waited about 30 minutes before ours got there. The server was kind and kept apologizing for the wait, saying that they were making new soup for the ramen. When the ramen did get there, I was very impressed. It is definitely a top two for the ramen I've tried. It was unreal. The soup was just the right amount of salty, the bowl was much deeper than I though, the kontastu was sliced evenly and was still very crispy as I was eating with the ramen in the soup. Rather than do a split soft boiled egg, they did a poached egg that went excellently. The decor of the place as well as the servers and bartenders is super hipster but makes for a pretty comfortable and relaxed environment. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Datsun - Tonkatsu ramen with a poached egg! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Go for the vibe, not necessarily the food. Ive wanted to try this place for so long since I love Asian fusion and after going for the first time I'm left a little disappointed. First off, the ambiance was nice, a bit hipster, but music was incredibly loud, really hard to have a convo here which overall isn't a huge deal. The drinks were great, fun & creative but can also make you basically any drink requested. To me, the food was just ok. The pork belly bao bun was lacklustre. I dont know how else to describe it other than maybe a bit gamy, dry and a little tough? More sauce would of been nice. I also wanted to try to chicken bao bun but decided against it after reading the description of " ranch sauce ". We also tried the karaage, it was good, the waitress described it to us as basically just popcorn chicken. The Dan Dan noodles and the pork dumplings were just ok but not worth it in my opinion. Given the other incredible reviews of Datsun, I'm tempted to give this restaurant a second try but I don't think I will be trying it again at least until there is a change in the menu. read more

We love asian fusion and went to Datsun based on strong recommendations from hip locals. We were also encouraged to learn Datsun is owned by the same group as our favorite in Ottawa. The atmosphere at Datsun is chic and hip. We went on a sunny, unseasonable warm Saturday night and the atmosphere both in and outside was positively festive. The waitress was charming and offered helpful suggestions. Sadly, the food was hit or miss. Orders arrive as they come out of the kitchen. The two baos we ordered were served first. They were delightful. We ordered a tofu and a chicken boa. Baos are street food and the Datsun version honored that tradition. Both were fried with an interesting sauce. The effect was a nice combination of US/Canadian fast food with asian street food. Yum! The second dish to arrive was a cucumber salad. This is one of my favorite dishes and it was fresh and flavorful. Unfortunately, the meal went down after. The third dish to arrive was the charred eggplant dan dan noodles. We ordered the dish because it was so well reviewed and because I love eggplant.... but perhaps we hit an off night. There were two problems with the dish: the sauce and the noodles. The sauce was mostly tomato based, there were little or no eggplant in the "mash." The noodles were fettuccine noodles, not dan dan noodles. Very disappointing. The fourth dish we tried was a tuna tartar with an avocado mash. This was a take on a popular dish often found in both Japanese and fusion restaurants. We love it, but this version did not feature the freshest fish. Also disappointing. Finally, we broke our tradition and ordered a dessert that sounded amazing but was not. The dish was made of house made meringue chopped up and topped in a whipped custard the waitress described as fruity and refreshing. The meringue was coated in salt before being put into the custard. We thought it might have been a kitchen error sprinkling a dash of salt rather than confectioner sugar, but the waitress assured us salt was the intent. Yuk. Datsun is fun and hip. I'd return for the baos and I would like to try the other salads. Overall, a mixed dinner. read more

Had such a fun experience! The atmosphere is quite energetic, which is totally my style. The layout of the restaurant involves an open kitchen so you can see the cooks working, and they all looked like they were having a good time and seemed very passionate about the food they were making. The servers were very friendly as well!! Highly recommend the bao buns or any noodle dish :) read more

For those that are aware, major cities in Canada have also been undergoing a process of gentrification. When I saw this restaurant walking by I saw the first signs of gentrification in this city. An "Asian fusion" restaurant staffed by white people, and primarily serving white customers. For a Chinese guy like me, I was too curious to pass by so I checked it out. The atmosphere reminds of a primary point made by anti-gentrification activists by the likes of "uniformity of culture"; it looks just like every other minimalistic, millennial-hip fusion restaurants out there in New York, LA, Chicago, wherever you could find it. It also comes with a chic bar as well. Random hype stickers plastered on walls with drop-down lighting above plain wooden tables. I wanted to know what their interpretation of my childhood dishes looked like. The Dan Dan noodle is decent with a tinge of sour, but it is more reminiscent of a modified ramen than an actual Dan Dan noodle, but that was probably a unnecessary nit pick. The Crispy chicken bun is great, but the portions were small, so I had to order a pork belly bun. It was good too, nothing too particular to say. It was quite expensive though - over 16 dollars for a small plate of noodle. The server was kind though. Is it worth it? That's up to your pocket and your status. I give it a 3 stars because it is inoffensive, but more so a sign of something more sinister that cannot be explained through a Yelp review. read more

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If Asian fusion means Asian hipster, this place nails it. Small plates for sharing, with dark cool vibe much like its sibling El Camino. We tried one of each meat bao (chicken, beef, pork, $6/ea) - all very yummy; I liked the pork best (with the juices just oozing into the soft bao mm), while my friend loved the crispy chicken bao (deep fried chicken dripping with fresh ranch sauce). Fried cauliflower ($13) was also dope, with a nice crisp exterior that's a bit reminiscent of popcorn chicken. Pork ramen was good as well, but the fact that it's not quite as good as ramen houses with 1/4 of the portion for $14 a bowl rubs me the wrong way a bit. Overall, all the food was delicious; but the same way that a hipster will pay $40 for a hat that you can buy in Chinatown for $10, so Datsun is a bit overpriced for a true Asian - but I could see that you're paying for the ambiance. Would return for good eats when I want to feel too cool for Chinatown. read more

They don't take reservations! I came as a party of 3 on a Thursday night at 7:30pm, and it was crowded but not totally packed at that time. It was during the winter though, and giant snow piles were on the ground, so that could be a big reason they weren't more packed. We opted to sit at the cool counter style seating with the bouncy stools. These are the most comfortable if you want to stay and chit chat after dinner, but we liked it since you could also get a mini ab workout by swaying back and forth during dinner. We tried: -Pork Belly Bun ($10/2, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=siwyYF_PGH0IC61pYUeQIg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Yum, this was definitely my favorite out of all the buns. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, and very tender and flavorful- highly recommended! -Chicken Bun ($10/2): Yum, it's difficult to mess up fried chicken, so this bun was great! I loved the aioli they had on this, and the chicken was nice and crispy- recommended! -Beef Bun ($10/2): The beef was tender, but spicy, and I didn't really like the flavors. I wouldn't get this again. -Crispy Cod Bun ($6.50/1): The fish was super crispy, but there wasn't much flavor overall in this bun. Skip! -Numbing Eggplant ($13): Just ok- there was too much emphasis on the numbing part of the eggplant dish versus the flavor. The eggplant was crispy and cooked well, although I wish they just served it in the sauce without the numbing peppercorns. -Pork Dumplings ($12): Just ok- I was expecting steamed dumplings and not pan fried. It seems like they make them both ways, so you might want to check before ordering. The filling was seasoned well, but I couldn't get past the pan fried part so I would only get these again if they were steamed. -Braised Beef ($24): Yum- the beef is super flavor and tender, but again, spicy. I was fine with the spice level but definitely needed some rice to eat with this dish. Recommended for those who like spicy beef! -Laksa ($17): Yum, I liked the depth of the broth, but it was on the spicier side. The noodles were good, and the coconut flavor was great. I would get this again. -Son in Law Egg ($4): Interesting, and pretty tasty, although I wish the exterior were crispier. There were so many other dishes I enjoyed here that I probably wouldn't get this again. -Wings ($12): Crispy, but nothing special. The flavors were good, but I probably wouldn't order this again. -Ice Cream ($6): Yum, this was awesome! I loved the crispy cornflake exterior of the ice cream- recommended! Overall, it was a pretty good experience here, and they have a pretty extensive menu so I'd definitely want to come back and try the other dishes. Service was solid, and our food came out pretty quickly. Parking is the most difficult part about dining here, since there is limited street parking nearby. read more

Datsun - Pork Belly Bun ($10/2) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Came as a party of 4 on a Friday night and we were seated immediately (phew!). It was our first time here and the server explained how things work here. So we ordered the pork belly bao and beef cheeks bao to start. I enjoyed the pork belly bao, it was silky smooth and the flavour was executed perfectly. However I found the beef cheeks to be a little bit too vinegary for my liking. As for main we got Dandan noodle, panang curry and laksa. Dandan noodle was light and flavourful. The noodle was smooth with lots of minced pork, paired with the chilli? Yum. It was such a humble yet delicious dish. Panang curry was by far my favourite dish out of everything I've tried on the menu. It was packed with amazing flavour. The best panang curry I've had so far hands down. The laksa however was a disappointment. I felt like it's been watered down and I am very familiar with how laksa tastes like. It didn't taste as good as the other dishes, it felt rushed, without TLC or whatsoever. Maybe it was just tonight idk I've seen good reviews about this dish. If I were to come back to Ottawa, I'd definitely come back to Datsun. read more

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This is the sister restaurant to El Camino, and I think Datsun is the better of the two. Datsun serves lovely Asian fare including a variety of baos, ramen, laksa, and dumplings. I came with two friends in May, somehow it was still quite cold, so we opted to share the pork belly bao. This was very good, I am Chinese, so I can be a tougher critic on Chinese food as I grew up with it. But this bao was still very good! Next we all got the coconut milk laksa, it was so soothing and warm. All dishes were aesthetically pleasing. Thé cocktails were also very unique, quite a few had egg whites in them, which I love. Really adds that nice foamy consistency to drinks. I would definitely recommend this place, come with some friends and share a bunch of dishes, so you can taste them all! read more

Mondays after 9pm: Monday Industry Night.. Really great deals!! Drinks: they have $3 Jameson whiskeys, which you can get as shots or as a highball. I personally went for a highball so got it with ginger ale. Pretty standard drink, so you can't really go wrong with it. Food: their steam buns are $4 each, I got the "Pork Belly Steamed Bun with Cucumber & Broad Bean Sauce" and the "Braised Beef Steamed Bun with Funky Chili & Crushed Peanut". The pork belly was AMAZING. The meat was so tender and flavourful which went very well with the cucumbers. I had to get a second order of the pork belly. The braised beef was good, not bad and not great. Wouldn't really get it again.. Their delivery for the cod did not come in that day, so we didn't get the chance to try it. Definitely would come back to try the cod and have the pork belly again. MOST IMPORTANTLY.... make sure you ask for their chili sauce if you like spicy. It was one of the best chili sauces I've ever had! Atmosphere: hipster. Staff: our server was super nice but it was a bit difficult to get his attention when needed. But once we got his attention, he was very genuine and kind. I think they were just understaffed so it took him a while to make rounds to his tables. read more

Datsun - $3 Jameson on Mondays after 9pm. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Yuuuummmmm. We recently moved here from bc where there is an amazing food scene and were skeptical of what we might find here- thank god for this place! The dandan noodles with pork, the chicken bao and the Brussels sprout salad are among our faves. They make a mean spicy marg and a delish Moscow mule. I've definitely thought about licking my plate clean every time I've been there. 9.8/10 read more

Three words: fried chicken bao. i must get one of those and the shrimp dumpling every visit. The food is so delicious, the staff is friendly and the patio is awesome! read more

This place is a plant-based paradise! Despite there not being too many vegan options, they were all delicious. We tried the mushroom boa buns which were delicious and very "meaty".. and also quite substantial which is always great! The squash dumplings were gorgeous, beautifully presented in a delicate sauce. The fried cauliflower was also tasty as were the eggplant noodles were lovely too, and we happily mopped up the leftover sauce with an extra order of rice on our server, Mitchell's recommendation. Great cocktails in a very cool setting with a free Mortal Kombat arcade game to work off those extra calories (!) Overall a great experience on a short visit to Ottawa. Props to our server Mitchell who was a lot of fun and made us feel at home. read more

FOOD Pork belly bun - I was a little skeptical going in, because I've been disappointed with this dish quite a few times at hyped restaurants in big cities, but this was a pleasant surprise. It wasn't a groundbreaking mind-blowing new flavour or anything, but it was very good! The bun was super soft, and meat was tender and subtly seasoned, and the sauce was not overpowering. Green papaya salad - Refreshing. Loved the super crispy texture. Mushrooms & snow peas - This was sooo goood. Snow peas were fresh and not too crunchy but not too soft. The yuzu went really good with the grilled mushroom flavour. Laksa - Omg this was so rich and SO GOOD. I've had laksas in Singapore, and I think those were fishier than this, but I liked this a lot, whether it's authentic or not. Also, the prawns they used were some of the most plump, fresh prawns I've ever had that's not in sushi form. Really unexpected as we're not by the sea. Turnip - This dish was OK. When the server asked us how the food was and I said "eh, it's OK", she gave us another dish free of charge. Tuna sashimi - This was the make-up dish for the un-amazing turnip above. The server suggested this one over the tartar dishes. Again I was pleasantly surprised by how good the tuna was considering Ottawa is not by the sea. The tuna, turnip slices, cucumber, and lemon (or yuzu) zest eaten together was such refreshing and sophisticated mix of summery flavours. Deep-fried ice cream - I'm lactose intolerant, and I got it only because I saw "sesame" in the description, but the ice cream itself was so great. I'd order again knowing I'll have minor stomach problems later on. SERVICE I'd describe the servers as casual-professional. They are fun and not stuck up, but professional enough that you feel like a valued customer. Our server insisted that they want us to leave the place happy, so she didn't charge us for the turnip (even though it wasn't bad; it was just not as good as the other dishes) or the sashimi. ATMOSPHERE Decor is fun, I like it. The free arcade machine in the corner is awesome. The restaurant was a bit too loud for me - we sat at the community table and had to shout across the table to be able to hear each other. I also found the community table a bit too wide for food-sharing & talking. Can't comment on the bar or the individual tables. Overall, 10/10 would come again. read more

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