Temptation's thick mothers photo: Christina Riley

So, the brightly painted little room reminds me of the little engine that could. It's consistently busy, and they serve up decent alternatives to burgers and fries. And, unlike other Canadian cities, Ottawa only has a few bubble tea shops, so TTS feels unique rather than ubiquitous.

Walking a number of blocks in a minus-30 wind chill had made Binjo and I absolutely ravenous, so we started with drinks, salad rolls, fish balls and a fresh mango salad.

Their bubble drinks are mostly typical: fake flavours, overly sweet. Ditto on the "fruit crushes." But the milky tea isn't half bad. Get it green or black. Both ways, we liked.

The skewered fish balls were soft and sweet, and lightly fried. With the salad, they would actually make a nice lunch for one. We opted for the chicken version of the mango salad, but I bet the shrimp would be better. Even so, the fruit was refreshing and came with lovely slices of onion and red pepper.

Temptation's vegetarian salad rolls are thick mothers, stuffed with vermicelli, mint, purple cabbage, green apple, pineapple and crispy tofu, then cut in half and served with sweet peanut sauce topped with fiery chilies. The fruit add-ins are the kicker, fo shizzle, as they offset the rich taste of the fried tofu. I think a diagonal cut would make them easier to handle. As it was, I felt like I was working an overstuffed cigar, although the large lettuce leaves that line the rice paper gave me something to hold on to. Temptation could blend these up and serve them with a bubble straw, and I'd still eat 'em. They're that good. And at $3.49 each, they're practically free.

Like a fool, I had also ordered soup. My bowl of hot and sour came along right as I was digging into my salad rolls, but the covered clay pot kept it nice and piping while I finished up. A bit salty for some, it was just right for me, spiked with tomato, bits of tofu, bamboo matchsticks and little chunks of pineapple. Get lots of napkins and a glass of water though. You'll need to blot, but sweating in public is worth the free detox.

Mains turned out to be average. The lemongrass with tofu was a bit greasy (but still pretty good actually), while the udon chicken noodles were a bit plain.

The prices are low, the servers are extremely personable and the kitchen lays it out at a fair pace. Plus, the place is all done up with pastel colours and a fountain burbling away on the counter. And I'd sell my daddy for one of those cold rolls.

Temptation Tea Shop
324 Bank Street
613-237-1291
Lunch/dinner: $5-$15
 
 

		Write your comment on this article!

Surprising     I was as surprised as anyone by the fact that the vegetarian salad sounded so tempting. I am of the belief that I did not get to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables! But that tasty mix of veggies had be rethinking that concept to an extent. It would be a nice side to the udon chicken noodles with some hot sauce thrown in!
Reuven De Souza		May 30th, 2007
~Feast or famine~     Vegetarian rolls are a hard sell if you've never had one but if you've had the pleasure then it's a slam dunk the moment you hear of a place opening up in your neck of the woods. My neck of the woods sucks, at least in terms of decent rolls and veggie cuisine in general but that ok because I live next to a chef who does there killer rolls. Don't get me started on his wraps and salads. I'm lucky that way. For those of you who aren't I suggest giving this place a whirl before passing any judgements.
Pedro Eggers	{1 vote}	May 27th, 2007
More than just Tea     This place is great, their food is fantastic, their servers are friendly, their decorations are lively, I recommend this place to everyone, and don't let their name fool you, they serve much more than tea...
Brian Fung	{2 votes}	March 4th, 2007
Great Little Spot Convenient for a Quick Lunch!     Indeed, this is a great little spot convenient for a quick and inexpensive lunch. What else do you want when you work three block away?! In fact, the most interesting thins about this place it's that combines rapidity, great location (nearby my work!), and affordability compare to any other fast food spots. I think it's a healthy cuisine which is usually available in more expensive places. And, I like it even more because you always end up full with only one bowl of well inspired noodle dishes, and it barely cost you more than 5!
Valerie Augier	{15 votes}	February 16th, 2007
Temptation Tea Shop...Not So Tempting     I used to like eating at Temptation Tea shop up until last year. I liked their bubble teas and also their appetizer platter that comes with a coleslaw-type tangy salad. I had tried to get take-out orders of the combination platter with salad quite a few times and each time I received my order the fried items were always "soggy" as the people working there did not separate the salad that has a sauce on it from the fried items like spring rolls, fish balls ect. Also, Temptation used to have a special on one weekday where you got a bubble tea included with your meal. I went there twice for this promotion and encountered very rude service that was uncalled for, as well as having to wait over half an hour for my meal with no explanation- even though it was not busy at the time I was there. Overall the food at Temptation is decent, the portions are quite small compared to other Asian restaurants I have frequented (and I have been to almost every restaurant in the city). The few "issues" I had with this establishment, along with quite a few soggy take-out orders has made me take my bubble tea business elsewhere. So to sum up my experiences overall Temptation Tea Shop is not so tempting!
Miriam Goldstein	{19 votes}	February 16th, 2007
Temptation Tea Shop: The Little Engine That Tries Hard?........     Temptation Tea Shop sounds like a great find, although it doesn't sound like they're busy very often. Bubble Tea has kind of come to town and stayed in a few places, but many that I knew have closed. Still can't understand the appeal of fake flavors in Bubble Tea in some places, because natural flavors like raspberry, blueberry, melon and lime are all so easy to make juice from? Is it laziness or lack of imagination and effort? ô Vegetarian salad rolls at $3.49 each seems a little expensive. I know places in Ottawa where you can purchase fairly think cigar-looking salad rolls for $6.00 for three full lengths (about $2 each). Cabbage is unusual in the salad rolls (and a bit cheap if you ask me). ô One gets the impression that a common theme within menu choices at Temptation Tea Shop that there is more fruit flavors than spicy, sweeter tastes than sour and mid-range quality in the preparation along with conservative portions in the presentation. I suppose if you can live with those observations, your expectations should be in line with what you get. ô Is it just me or is Bank Street going through some crazy repackaging, perhaps started in the year just before Big Buds went belly up? It looks so different and needs some improvements in it's general image (North of the Glebe past the Queensway). ô The Glebe is fine though, lots of choices and multiculturalism, settling in well with the new Shoppers DM brightening up the area. When will someone take over the old Valiquette Sports location? (eyesore).
Steve Landry	{8 votes}	February 15th, 2007
Just North of an Interesting Block     Perhaps it was the freezing cold weather that made you focus on the negative when you were walking down to Temptation Tea Shop, but that doesn't mean you should make the neighbourhood sound terrible! In fact, before the depressing bland dollar store appeared across from Hartman's, there was the not so bland Big Buds which had a certain flair that most dollar stores do not. While I completely agree with you about the new dollar store, I think you are far too dismissive of the area around Temptation. Just south of the store is a buzzing Bridgehead, the Herb and Spice, an amazing camera trading shop, a bakery, and an independent bookstore. Not to mention the fact that Barrymore's is just across the street from Temptation. Oh, and Savannah Cafe just happens to be around the corner down Gilmour St. I love going to Temptation Tea Shop for a cheap and delicious vegetarian roll, and afterwards I can head just down the street to Bridgehead for an organic, fairly traded tea. Then I can cross the street and buy my groceries at the Herb and Spice, or I can peruse the new books at After Stonewall, or I can ... well, you get the idea. Don't dismiss a neighbourhood simply because your fingers are numb!
Jennifer Brebner	{10 votes}	February 15th, 2007

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