Datsun

Finally made it to Datsun and was sorry that it took so long. If you love El Camino the vibe is familiar without being to similar. I could definitely eat at one the day after I ate at the other. The staff was super attentive, very friendly and the space is much brighter than El Camino which makes it more welcoming to the uninitiated.
We were eating early and all had work to do that evening so no one drank but from what I saw the drinks menu was ample and had some interesting choices. As far as the food goes the menu is smallish but with enough variety to satisfy everyone. We ordered 7 different small plates between three of us and enjoyed every single one of them. Universal favourites were the beef cheek bun and the dan dan noodles. With both pork bun and mango salad in close second for me. Personally I could have done without the dumplings, but both my wife and her brother liked them so I’m assuming its a matter of personal preference.
Will definitely be back and it seems like a fun place to come for drinks and have some late night snacks, although I could see it getting pricey as you might be inclined to keep trying more and more dishes.

I had great expectations for this place, but it fails in comparison to El Camino. The sticky buns were the only saving grace for this place.
The drinks were pricey. I had the curried beef and the tartar. Again very expensive and just was not worth the effort.
There are much better options with better décor and a tastier menu.

I went to this restaurant with a friend on a Wednesday night. I was surprise to see it packed but once we had our food I understood why. We ordered the eggplant dish and tuna sashimi. The eggplants were cooked well, a bit spicy and the mixture of spices were on point. The Tuna Sashimi is to die for, if you go there I say order that without blinking.

Disappointing. Service was good. We ordered pork belly bao and ramen. The bao was so small for the price you pay and the ramen. The ramen taste like something from a packaged. The atmosphere and hipster employee are what makes this place so hyped…

My second visit to Datsun was as good as my first. The light installation and the hopelessly trendy staff made me feel like perhaps I lacked a cool factor and should eat elsewhere, but the the eclectic attitude and overall ‘friendly’ factor made me sincerely comfortable. The Street Fighter arcade style video game is likely meant to be ‘retro-​chic’, but since it’s from my own youth, I consider it a demonstration of my own ‘established-​chic’ and I felt right at home. Since décor can only take you so far, Datsun also offers an amazing array of sharing platters to please a range of palates.
The special tonight included a make-​your-​own steamed bun taco with duck confit. Duck is not for everyone, but if you are a fan, this is a dish for you. The duck was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside and the steamed bun was a novel way to create a delicious little duck taco. We had a number of other sharing platters and some wine and beer and it was all fantastic. The toasted cumin seeds in the eggplant dish are really lovely. I had a bit of a dinner theatre experience when my partner decided to eat a piece of the hot pepper from one of the dishes. It was a lot of fun to watch his eyes water, his nose drip and perspiration start to bead at his brow. Our lovely server brought him some extra water. It reminded me of a scotch bonnet pepper incident at Caribbean restaurant from a few years ago. Some people never learn, and I really hope that this isn’t the last hot-​pepper-​at-​a-​restaurant incident. I find them a lot of fun, because, well, it isn’t me.
So if you are looking for some adventure, be sure to ask for a giant spring stool at the bar and stay away from chewing the hot peppers.

3.5÷5
Alright been at Datsun twice, and had mixed experiences so I stand by my current rating until a third experience tilts my opinion to a definitive stand. I understand that they are still experimenting and changing up menus as they receive feedback, so you know, take what I write with a grain of salt.
First time we came during the Christmas holidays, and unlike other reviews, we found no lineups since we got there at 5:30PM (half-​hour after they opened). Around 6PM, most of the tables had been filled, so I advise coming before then if you don’t want to wait for a table.
Atmosphere-​wise, Datsun’s pretty hip: bar’s on one side, open kitchen on the other. There is an area for group seating near the back, with a lightbulb-​made cloud hanging over it. An arcade game also sits beside it in the back.
For food, we had the crispy chicken in steamed bun, DIY crispy cod lettuce wrap (now fish in lettuce wrap), Shio ramen (as an entrée for me) and the crispy chicken ramen (entrée for my partner). The crispy chicken on steamed bun was well-​seasoned; and we found the cod very similar to the fish tacos in next-​door sister restaurant, El Camino (which means they are de facto delicious). The buns they use have the same sweetness and consistency as a typical bao, but folded in half and presented like a taco. Nothing wrong with that.
That first visit, the DIY cod was probably our favourite dish, because though messy, the sauce that it came with was delicious. No seriously, it was great.
Now, we waited a lot longer for the ramens than we did everything else. When it did come out, we got the first two bowls (so we felt pretty special). Unfortunately, though, they tasted terrible. Bitter broth, with what we suspect might have been a case of soy bean paste cooked too long. Totally ruined the flavour. Could have been an honest mistake, but that was the absolute first time I had difficulty finishing a bowl of ramen (this has never ever happened in the past). A real shame, I think, because at a premium price, it shouldn’t have tasted less than perfect.
Suffice to say that we left Datsun pretty disappointed that night.
The second time we went, a friend had wanted to go for a going-​away shindig. We were seated by the big table in the back; again with no wait, since we were there before 6PM. This time we ordered the seafood curry, shrimp burgers, pork belly steamed buns and another plate of the fish in lettuce wrap (to share for two).
This time, we enjoyed most of the food without too much complaint; I actually thought the green curry was amazing, and the shrimp burgers were really tasty as well. Unfortunately, the DIY fish wraps that we enjoyed so much previously were presented a bit differently this time (and not the same sauce!). It didn’t quite taste the same. The pork belly buns were good, but we probably wouldn’t order it again.
Certainly a much better experience the second time.
We had the same waiter both times and he was super attentive. Datsun certainly doesn’t suffer from bad service.
Having said all that, I think the ramen was a sore experience that is a pretty big driver for my rating above. Does it preclude another visit to Datsun? Heck no. My partner and I are actually hoping that our third visit will be phenomenal so that I can then write an updated review admitting that the ramen mixup was just a one time thing and that miraculously, the sauce in the DIY fish in lettuce wrap is back…
Trust me, I look forward to being corrected!

Very hipster atmosphere and noisy in the restaurant but service makes you feel at home. Our server explained our menu and beer selections very well. Good was on point and the tuna tartar was to die for. Will definitely be back

Arguably one of the best ramen places in town. The tonkotsu broth with the black garlic oil is to die for. The seared pork cheek and tender pork shoulder complemented the rich broth beautifully. I’ve had it here with pork belly instead of pork cheek once before and I’d say the latter is the better choice, since the fattiness of the pork belly is overwhelming with the broth.
But to each their own.
My friend and I also shared beef cheek steamed buns and a crispy haddock lettuce wrap. The steamed bun was very good, although it really just tasted like Asian-​inspired pulled pork. Out of the two, I would definitely recommend the lettuce wrap because of its freshness of flavour. The crispy haddock remained crispy despite being wrapped in a (slightly) wet wrap and the ginger-​coleslaw cut the greasiness of the fried fish.
We finished the night with their sesame-​encrusted fried coconut ice-​cream. Although the caramel sauce was a little too sweet and the coconut taste of the ice-​cream was hidden under everything, it was still a lovely end to our meal. I especially enjoyed the pieces of candied ginger on the side that, not only added to the presentation of the dish, but was a nice palate cleanser.
The ambience was very mod and you can easily imagine it to be a very social space if it weren’t the middle of winter. Situated in the heart of downtown, it attracts the city’s university students and young professionals. Furthermore, the service was very easy-​going, courteous, and quick — just as it should be :)
Overall, an excellent experience!

In Ottawa on business and needed a place to eat. This place had good reviews on Unilocal so decided to check it out. Dinner starts at 530pm so keep that in mind. I arrived a few minutes too early which turned out to not be such a bad thing because the place filled up VERY quickly after opening.
The décor is nice and the staff are very friendly. I believe the one who seated me is named Bernie. He is super sweet and explained the various items on the menu and answered questions I had after having some time to look at the menu.
Since it was cold out and I had been walking around for half an hour checking out the downtown area, I wanted a hot drink with my meal. (Hot water and lemon is my go to drink. Warms me up and is refreshing). Unfortunately there are no hot drinks on the menu. Lucky for me, my server Nicole was AMAZING! She made a special request to the chef and he prepared a cup of hot water with lemon for me! Even wrapped the cup with a napkin so I wouldn’t burn my fingers since they don’t have mugs. I did not ask her to do this. Instead she took the initiative to make my meal more enjoyable by bringing me a hot drink! She anticipated my needs throughout the meal too. She came to check on me at just the right times to see how I was doing, see if I needed anything, see how I was enjoying the food, etc. Now that’s what I call fantastic service!
Some of the menu items are smaller so you can order a few dishes to sample a nice variety of flavors. Everything looked so interesting, I wanted to order one of each! Upon Bernie’s (I hope that’s his name) suggestion, I ordered a half order of the pork belly bun which comes with one bun instead of the usual two since I was dining on my own and wanted to try other dishes. The bun was so soft, not dry and the pork belly was tender and had lovely flavor.
The chive dumpling dish came with 8 dumplings and was crunchy and delicious. The only small criticism would be that it was drenched in a little too much soya sauce so it was slightly saltier than I am used to. Now that I know this, however, next time I will just ask for the sauce on the side. That way the dumplings can be dipped to whatever degree of saltiness I like. :)
I also ordered the spicy chicken wings since I figured if I couldn’t finish (which I didn’t-I was full after the dumplings and pork bun) I could pack it to go and have a nice snack for later. The 2 wings I did eat before I got too full, were crispy as well and spicy. If you like spice, this is a definite «must try»! When my wings came, Nicole also came by with some extra napkins and an empty bowl to put the bones in. Like I said, she’s amazing, and anticipated my every need beforehand.
When it came time for the bill, there was not a lot of waiting around like some other restaurants I’ve been to. I asked, and it was delivered. Credit card is accepted and for the wings I didn’t finish, they give me a cute little cardboard box with a nice tiger stamp on it. Just so happens I like tigers so I like how the take out is packaged! Plus, cardboard is more environmentally friendly than styrofoam.
SOOO looking forward to visiting Ottawa again so I can come back and try all the other dishes on the menu!!! My happy tummy can’t wait!

This has quickly stolen my heart as my new favourite restaurant! I have been hearing the rumours about their pork buns and had been eager to try it out! A few weeks ago, a group of my very best friends were coming in from Toronto.
Anyways, so we heard rumours of 2 hour waits but luckily got there shorty after doors opened and snuck our way under the super cool light fixture and were greeted by the most amazing waitress. She did an amazing job setting the tone for the entire meal, from drink recommendations to just being super friendly and on point with clearing the table and checking in on how we were doing. Like my friends and I were doing tapas style for everything, and when we ordered two different noodles and were okay with just our bowls, she swept in and was like «no way, I’m getting you guys new bowls». You could tell they cared about your dining experience.
The décor and ambiance is similar to that of El Camino’s. That being said, there’s a distinct white vs. black theme between the two sister restaurants, and the walls are less crowded at Datsun, which was nice. Also, compared to El Camino’s, it’s not AS loud, so definitely a decent place for a date night!
Alright, as for food! My friends and I ordered a LOT of food. (No regrets) We had the tuna tartare, which was PHENOMENAL, from the freshness to the huge kick of the spicey sauce (wasabi+mayo?), definitely some of the best I’ve had. Of course, we also ordered the pork buns (we might’ve ordered two rounds… Oops!). The pork buns definitely blew every other pork bun I’ve had (in North America) out of the water!!! Thick slabs of pork belly, well marinated and not overpowered by anything else. Drooling just thinking about it. Their shrimp burger was also life changing. Strong flavour profile, and because they were more slider-​esque, it didn’t feel like it was too much. Their ramen was also very solid (we ordered the tonkatsu and crispy chicken ones). Noodles were great, not overcooked and classic toppings with the egg and bamboo shoots, but the broth for the tonkatsu was darker than I’m used to… I’m not sure how else to explain it, but definitely can tell the broth has been well seasoned and done right. Last thing I will probably extensively touch on is their spicy crispy chicken wings: We were wondering why every other table was ordering it so we thought we would try as well. It was just done SO right. In the day and age of wing nights, I’ve unfortunately experienced so many drenched and soggy wings when I’ve asked for crispy, or overly fried wings to the point where the inside is all dry, Datsun restored my faith in chicken wings that night. It was crispy even after being tossed in the sauce, but not over the top. And the chili sauce was amazing — it stays on your tongue long after but again, without forgoing flavour, which I love. Other honourable mentions: the pork dumplings, the curry, and their papaya salad (think El Camino’s huge stack salad). Dumplings were okay, pretty solid and appreciatively not store-​bought. The curry was a little runnier but the flavour was there, and the scalloped were delicious. That being said, pretty standard as far as curries go.
I just had such an overall positive experience here, and made my Toronto friends (who are just some of the pickiest eaters) actually jealous that we had such a cool spot here (with «unforgettable pork buns», their words!) in Ottawa speaks volumes, I think. Already dreaming of my next visit!

I went to Datsun on a Monday evening with some friends and it was my first visit. The place was packed and had a very cool, modern feel to it. The food followed suit and was fresh, delicious and well presented. Service was friendly and on point. I had all different types of steamed buns, including beef cheeks, pork belly and chicken. Loved all 3. Also ordered dumplings which were excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend.

I was there the first week they opened. I ordered the penang curry. My friend ordered the same thing. We are both south east Asian background. The curry tasted more like Thai flavour than Malaysian penang curry. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted good but it didn’t taste anything like a penang curry. It had coconut sauce and braised beef. The beef idea was good. I found the rice that came along to be extremely dry. It was either very old rice or cooked by someone who has never cooked a rice in their entire life. I will give it another try but definitely have to try something different. I am little hesitant to go back since the person who was serving was extremely rude to us. We have been to many restaurants like el Camino, supply and demand, black cat, etc one of the best part of the Restaurent is the service. I sure didn’t feel like I got that with this Restaurant.

Everytime I pass by this place, it’s packed… so I was dying to try it out!
Their chicken steamed bun is AMAZING!!! Very good. The bun is sweet tasking and the crunch in the chicken is on point!
Will be back!

I love most asian food, I loved El Camino … so when I heard about Datsun I was pretty stoked.
The interior and ambience were dead-​on — they really hit the nail on the head with the design of the restaurant. The service was pretty good, no real complaints. The drinks were also spot on … they carry a legit Japanese import (Asahi Black) which is an amazing stout.
Now in terms of the food, we tried a number of things on the menu: steamed pork buns, shrimp dumplings, japanese eggplant, and ramen. The steamed pork buns were like an ¹¹⁄₁₀ — they were perhaps the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life, the shrimp dumplings also amazing, and the Ramen is by far the best in the city. Everything was pretty close to perfect, except for the Japanese eggplant. It unappetizing to put it nicely … over spiced or over seasoned with what tasted like a pound of all-​spice or oregano. Sometimes you get a dish you regret, but this was so offensive it was enough to ruin a meal. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, the underlying sauce seemed amazing… the restaurant should just ditch whatever spices they cake that stuff in and replace it for a little shichimi togarashi or something. They also had a number of items not listed on the menu, so perhaps they are experimenting with some new dishes … I think perhaps a little secret shopping is in order to really hammer out the menu (and perhaps the cooks) because I can’t imagine the eggplant we ordered was what the chef had intended and was just a lazy mistake.
I am a fan, I will definitely be back and would recommend your check this place out… do not miss the steamed buns!

Datsun’s only been open 3 weeks or so and I’m already giving 5 stars! Though I’ve heard mixed reviews from others (which is totally to be expected for a restaurant so brand new even though Matthew Carmichael is now a restaurant opening machine) my experience was absolutely so fun.
Let’s start out withhhhhh Tiki cocktails, something I’ve been totally longing for since not being able to go to a cousin’s wedding in Palm Springs. The cocktail was called Zombie and had 3 different kinds of shots of rum and was served with a flaming lime on top. It was delicious. I remember the wine selection and recommendation, though a little blurry after Tiki cocktail, was also pretty good.
Menu is Asian inspired and the food was really fun to order — you get a menu and fill out how much you want of each dish. Myself and my dining companions eyes were a bit too big for our stomachs but our server anticipated this and had held some dishes back before having to even ask. Favourite was the crispy chicken steamed bun.
oh yeah, and décor is super fresh.

For a place to be called a «noodle bar» they really don’t do noodles well. The broth of the ramen was very bland and only tasted of pork and salt, lacking the depth expected of ramen broth.
The steam buns were decent but the pork belly was lacking spice/​flavour. The braised beef Panang curry is delicious and filling.
The cocktails were fun and yummy.