Incredible service. Incredible food and the most gorgeous venue. We had an amazing time.

I really want to like this place. Have been in the past and really enjoyed it. We went for valentines and the ambiance was lovely. The staff were great and very eager to please. The meal was meh. Nothing too impressive. Beef tenderloin in beet puree was taking the Valentine's Day theme a bit far. The hot foods didn't feel particularly hot. The meal is $150 per person plus tax plus grats. For that price tag, I suggest you go elsewhere. I want to support the place and the students and people who are work there but found the delivery of the set menu very lacklustre. Really a shame. read more

The food was good, but could be improved, which i will detail later. The taster. The parmesan on top was a nice touch, but it lacked a sort of fruity/tangy sauce to compliment the flaky dryness. Bread provided was not really special and to be frank, the $95 price tag made me expect to at least warm up the bread as it was room temperature. For restaurants within this price range, i would expect at least something similar to that or more than just plain bread. The amuse bouche was good. I especially liked the mushroom foam. It made it nice and light, but still had the depth and the flavor stood out where it met the foam. The quail and foie gras was a dish that did not stand out too much to me. I liked how it all tasted together, but the porte compote was a single piece, which didnt match the size of the terrine. And i ended up using the bread with the leftover terrine. I liked the poached lobster and crab risotto. The lobster was a bit chewy, but the risotto was well done. The halibut fillet sauce was good and it was nice with the truffle cream sauce. My partner thought thr leek had a bit too much salt, but i thought it was OK. For the seared beef, it was done OK. It was tender, but a bit dry and the sauce was a tad too overwhelming for the beef. The conchiglie was not done similarly from dish to dish. Mine was not touched by the sauce, whereas my partner had hers drowned in the sauce. The desset was nice, but the meringue made it taste like it was melted marshmellow with a bit too icy ice cream. I didnt like the chips accompanying the dessert mainly because there was a lot of it on top of the meringue and the taste wasnt that great even with combining it with the ice cream. The presentation needs a bit more work. The servers were OK, but they definitely had some moments where it showed that a few lacked experience. The waiter behind me didnt have full knowledge of the menu. He was clear and openly admitted that he needed to check up on it, and the one who provided me the menu, also did not know what was on the valentine's day course menu, only the regular course meal. They waterboys were prompt on filling up the drinks though. The waiter provided us the cheque for the wrong table. It was the table on the other side of the room, and it was for approx $130, whereas our meal should be a minimum of $200, so that was a very costly mistake. We let him know about the error when he came back with the machine. The waiters were friendly and despite the other parts that i mentioned where i docked off points. They were excellent. The atmosphere itself was muted. The lights were extremely dim. It made it difficult to get conversation after a while because it made the entire room feel extremely sleepy and conversation pretty much altogether ceased at one point. We were seated in a small room with approx 5-6 other tables compared to the main room, extremely brightly lit, much more spacious and the bar room. The dishes needed to come out faster. On a 5 course meal, i reasonably expected to be seated at 7:30pm, but finished by 8:45/9pm latest. It was almost 10pm by the time we got out as dishes averaged 20+ minutes wait time in between. Another side note. I noted that our entire room was only seated with asians. I took a look in main dining room and it was mainly caucasian. I shrugged this off as a huge coincidence, but it bothered me slightly that i cannot help but point that out. Note: Due to the $95 course meal price tag, i have compared this to other establishments within the same price range. The food was overall underwhelming and the presentation needs a bit more work as the portion size within the dish needs to be better balanced. There was a few basic errors that the waiters need to correct, such as spot check that the check is correct as well as deepening their knowledge and memorization of the menu. Food: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Price point: 3/5 Overall: 3/5 read more

This is one of the restaurants that I won't soon forget. The kitchen is staffed by the chef instructors and some of the students but the quality is the food is incredible. Very French ambiance but it wasn't stuffy. The service was a bit formal but that's to be expected.... but the servers were still super friendly and welcoming. We ordered cocktails and they were perfect - I mean perfect. The food was unbelievable- my beef carpaccio was some of the best I've ever had and my beef tenderloin was incredible. My wife had the blackened cod and she said it was phenomenal. This place is a 10/10. For those who say there are no good restaurants in Ottawa, think again. This place is amazing. read more

Delicious food, excellent service. We chose the Winterlude menu and it was amazing. Highly recommended. It is definately an experience. One thing to note is no matter where you go there is always pretentious people, talking too loud about how great they are. I wish these people would stay home. read more

Signatures Restaurant - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Le Cordon Bleu is always my dreaming cooking school and Signature was the one and only restaurant that was managed by Le Cordon Bleu. Don't worry, your dish was not the students' experiments, lonely planet said each dish was cooked by the real chef probably the teacher or the Prof. The server was excellent and considerate, he recommended good wine and desserts for us. The main course was very expensive but after the first bite you will realize the money you paid was what you got. I think it's the top restaurant in Ottawa. For Entrées / Appetizers: Sautéed escargot, celery root purée with grilled bread and parsley, provençale sauce flavoured with pastis 14cad good beginning Main dishes: Pepper crusted Black Angus beef striploin, Calvados sauce, hand-cut house French fries $33 --best main course we thought, spicy but juicy. Red wine braised rabbit with olives, homemade tagliatelles, Portuguese chorizo, tomatoes, roasted red pepper and green asparagus Lapin braisé au vin rouge et aux olives, tagliatelles maison,chorizo portuguais, tomates, poivrons rouges et asperges vertes $25 Roasted duck breast, seared vanilla polenta, rhubarb compote, green beans, king eryngii mushroom julienne salad and blackberry sauce Magret de canard rôti, polenta à la vanille poêlée, compote de rhubarbes, haricots verts, salade de champignon king eryngii en julienne, sauce aux mûres $28 I was not that into duck so it was okay Slowly cooked lamb rump, white asparagus, ricotta gnocchi, artichokes, pearl onions and nantaise carrots, barigoule sautéed spinach and lamb jus $28 For Desserts Creme brûlée with vanilla seed, red fruit compote, orange madeleine Crème brûlée à la graine de vanille,compote de fruits rouges, madeleine à l'orange $10 signature dish Exotic passion fruit and kaffir lime sorbet, compressed pineapple in coconut milk, soft meringue and fresh mango salad $11 complicated flavor Strawberry and raspberry medley, vanilla short bread, lemon curd, pistachio ice cream $11 just okay Worth the visit. read more

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My partner tried to surprise me with a special occasion dinner at Signatures, the swanky French restaurant attached to the renowned cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu. However, he's no good at surprises at all, so I found out weeks in advance that we were going and had been anticipating every moment since. The night finally came and it was a very pleasant experience. There's free parking - so don't make our mistake and park on the street. Inside, it is very elegant, being an old mansion with classy french decor. Perfect atmosphere and ambiance for a romantic dinner. We didn't dress up much, but they have since definitely dropped their jacket requirement mentioned in past reviews. I felt more comfortable here than dining at Beckta. For dinner, we opted out of their 5-course prix-fixe ($88) and each got an appetizer and an entrée. I had the butternut squash and royal gala apple soup with mascarpone cream and almonds, while my partner had the buffalo tataki. The soup had excellent consistency and taste. For the main, I had the duck breast with blackcurrants and butternut squash-stuffed ravioli. I ordered medium-rare, when maybe I should have ordered it medium or even well-done. That's mostly my fault - I didn't even know duck could be cooked any other way other than, well, cooked. So really, it was my inexperience that made that part of the meal less enjoyable. I did have a taste of the rack of lamb+lamb risotto that my partner had, and I thought both were excellent. We are so used to lamb being cooked overly salty in other places that it's a breath of fresh air when it's done right. The braised lamb with parmesan risotto was also very delicious and filling. The entire meal was priced reasonably - for two appetizers, mains, a glass of wine, taxes and tip, it came to about less than 80 per person, which is very good for a fine-dining experience. Overall, it was a very pleasant dinner, with attentive staff and enjoyable food. We'll very likely come back (and I will pick a better entrée next time). read more

What is great food without great atmosphere? And a great atmosphere is created with exemplary service and a fitting decor, which at Signatures is a wonderful take on what I would call formal French Country. The menus are extensive, inlcuding a full course for vegetarians as well as a marathon "Menu de Degustation" and currently "A Taste of Canada", highlighting Canadian ingredients. For great food, and a trip into the formalities of fine dining, there is no better representative in Ottawa. I have dined here often, and every time my expectations were happily exceeded. For groups there are private rooms catering to parties of 4-6 (and up). For "date" night, a special occasion (Mother's Day), or just for a treat, Signatures is a true destination of a restaurant. Sidebar: The scallops and risotto here were amazing! read more

Le Cordon Bleu Bistro Ottawa - Signatures Restaurant never fails you. We ordered a 8 course meal - Gastronomique menu to celebrate our 20 years anniversary. The food is impeccable from the amuse bouche to the dessert every piece is wonderful. Although it is bit pricy, but for the amount of food we get and that price ($98/person), it is definitely worth it. read more

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First, just a caviat to my review. I attended this restaurant for a business event, and therefore the menu was fixed, without much choice. Nevertheless, I would have expected more from this restaurant, based on previous reviews. There really wasn't anything outstanding about my meal. I had a salad, thick pea and lentil soup, bison roast, and light cheesecake (with almonds, nuts and fruit). The bison roast was certain the best part of the meal, with the others being thoroughly mediocre. While the meal certainly wasn't bad, I was expecting more. I will likely try it again without a fixed menu to see if it was just a bad night... read more

It has been more than two years and I still miss it. We were there for a weekday lunch so we got a great deal. Food, service, environment... Everything was just wonderful. Will definitely go there again if I ever got the chance to return to Ottawa. read more

We had the pleasure of dining at Signatures for the first time on Saturday and this restaurant did not disappoint. The food was absolutely spectacular. We were a bit hesitant about making special requests, but the chef gladly accommodated and this made our experience even more enjoyable. Being new to Ottawa, we love exploring the city. This restaurant made it to our #1 choice so far. We will most definitely make Signatures our regular spot. read more

Visited this restaurant for the first time last month. The service was perfect and the food was outstanding - it is very comparable to the Tour d'Argent in Paris. The food is expensive, but not overpriced - if you get what I mean (it is worth every penny). I requested a vegan 5 course meal and the chef did a superb job. read more

Surprisingly affordable. Don't get me wrong, its still expensive as heck, but when compared to restaurants of similar style and quality, the price is pretty reasonable. Recommended if you like French cuisine read more

This place is a must go to if you're in the city! The food and service is great, the desserts are amazing !! The restaurant is a little small and when the women at the table next to us were talking, we heard everything so there's no privacy lol read more

Simply put, phenomenal meal. I wanted to treat my friend to a good meal and we weren't disappointed... Not entirely. From today's menu, we ordered - Warm roasted pumpkin, apple and romaine salad with a Manchego cheese and prosciutto croquette - Duck rillette, foie gras au torchon and smoked duck breast, fig and olive compote, condiments - Duck breast with cocoa nibs, old cheddar creamy potato purée, maïtake mushrooms, roasted Nantes carrots and parsnips - Seared scallops, corn risotto, chioggia beets, maple syrup foam, curry broth - Chocolate Liègeois, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, meringue We really enjoyed our appetizers. Presentation was nice but the texture and taste was impressive. Never have we ever eaten so slow to savouring every bite. The combination of tastes It was combining items to blend the taste. Romaine salad, mildly strong cheese, and pumpkin seeds. Mashed pumpkin with apple slices, crispy posciutto. Makes me wonder what the other appetizers are like. Our main courses were good but wasn't as spectacular as the appetizers. The cocoa nibs and duck was interesting. The bitter taste of the cocoa nibs over powered the duck, but as it disappeared, all you are left was the duck. The Cheddar potato was an interesting combination. My friend liked the scallops, but had a biased taste having tried fresh scallops out in New Brunswick. She really liked the scallops in New Brunswick. Dessert was nice. Heavy on the chocolate. Simply put, it was chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce with whipped cream in a cup. Nice to share Service was spectacular. The waiting staff explained the menu to us on items we didn't understand and pointed out what each item was when serving our meal. It was a nice house converted into a restaurant. Draw back was we could hear the conversation 2 tables over. But at least it didn't drown out our own conversation. read more

Great food and excellent service. The scallops were cooked perfectly and well seasoned. Desserts were beautiful and satisfying. A perfect place for all occasions. read more

Formal jacket required? Good for dinner but not lunch? They were not so snooty about the jacket when I have been there (accompanied by man with jacket). The lunch is terrific value but you need to make reservations well in advance. The food isn't necessarily "French" but definitely prepared with attentive French culinary technique. I had to drop a star because I'm still mourning the loss of the tasting menu when the dining format changed to bistro. The city does not need yet another bistro but this is still the best one, by far. read more

I am giving two starts but only due to the fact that my wife and I have had good experiences with this restaurant previously. If we were to give stars based on the last visit, there would be none. Where to begin? There was no staff present upon our arrival at the front desk to get us seated. After a long wait, a waiter (on a double duty as we learned later) took our coats and seated us. It took over five minutes to get menus which was surprising because the restaurant was not overly busy. We ordered appetizers (soup of the day and escargots), main course and a bottle of wine. The bottle arrived relatively quickly but while waiting for the food to show up, there was no attempt from the staff to fill our wine glasses. This was quite surprising considering the "class" the restaurant strives to portray. 45 minutes after ordering the food, appetizers arrived. The soup was cold with crust forming on the surface, the escargots were full of sand (associated risk I guess). We kept waiting for the main course to arrive. We waited and waited, two hours after sitting down, we ran out of patience. We got up, went at the front desk and offered to pay for the appetizers and wine. We also wanted to talk to the manager to express our disappointment but there was none. A waiter told us that manager quit that week, there was no replacement and that the kitchen and the floor were both understaffed. The waiter sensed our frustration and offered to cover our bill when he realized that we were not served the main course. What a disappointing experience! I recommend calling the restaurant before making reservations. If the staffing situation is not resolved (manager on duty), I suggest to stay away or get ready for a disappointment. read more

Fine Dining and a Career College too. I had The best Crème Brule I ever tasted here. The meal and presentation were exceptional. And the price was very reasonable, because this is a training facility. read more

Terrible. We went for our anniversary the end of September 2012.....plates too big for table, cold room, food was poorly prepared and presented. The duck and lamb brisk was not tasty nor fresh. My wife's plate was a dark series of blobs...no colour, style or flavour. We fine dine often and across the country, this was our worst experience over $100.00 without alcohol or dessert. Very very disappointed in Ottawa's restaurant scene. read more

This was our first visit to the Signatures/Cordon-Bleu restaurant on Laurier Ave in Ottawa -- and I am sure that we will be back again soon. My wife and I really liked the setting and the atmosphere: elegant, quiet and high-class, but not pretentious. The food was really nice: the steak-tartare had lots of flavour and the halibut was very light and tasty; and the mushrooms that accompanied the fish on the plate were delicious. We were told that the dinner-menu changes every few weeks, but I must also mention the desserts: absolutely divine and presented beautifully, like works of art. The flavours were delicate, subtle, but everything worked together very well. The staff was also very attentive. This is not a cheap restaurant, but it is a great place for a meal to celebrate a special day (like a birthday or an anniversary). Like I said, we will be back sometime soon and I highly recommend it!! read more

We booked Le Cordon Bleu Bistro- Signatures Restaurant for our wedding in May just before we moved to Texas. Liz and later on Kate were phenomenal! They helped us plan everything from a distance and it was a very easy process. We got married last weekend on October 21 and it more than exceeded my expectations. Liz, Kate and the rest of the staff were amazing. Every time I thought of something it was already done. I didn't have a single moment of stress. We had access to the venue all day and I was able to have my make-up done there and to get dressed there. The interior is beautiful and it is located right next to beautiful Strathcona park so we were able to take some beautiful wedding photos. And the food! We served black angus beef striploin and roasted chicken breast and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. We heard lots of comments from our guests that the food was great, not a single complaint. I would highly recommend this as a wedding venue or for a beautiful meal out. We couldn't have imagined a better wedding day! read more