As much as going home is extremely comforting, it is shocking how food can add another dimension of nostalgia.
On Sommerset near Bronson
Jadeland is a restaurant that my dad used to frequent at least on a weekly basis when he was working downtown. I think he must have been a regular there for at least the past 15 years, the waitresses there know us very well and never fail to mention how much “we kids” have grown!
I’m sorry I don’t have prices for everything – Dad paid! 
Yang Chow fried rice
First up was the Yang Chow fried rice – a huge plate, this was filled with fluffy (not hard) rice, which wasn’t broken up at all from the stir frying, tons of sweet, just slightly crunchy shrimp and salty BBQ pork.
Sizzling Beef
The sizzling beef, I have to say, wasn’t really sizzling at all! I wish it had been to help caramelize the onions and some of the sweet tomato-based sauce. Despite this, the beef was very tender, and the sauce was very tasty too.
Seafood with taro noodle ($12.95)
For our noodle dish, my parents love the Seafood with Taro Noodle. A generous serving of squid, scallops, shrimp and white fish, with a very delicate sauce is served over knots of vermicelli-like taro noodles. The noodles had great texture and helped carry a lot of the sauce too.
Braised eggplant
For some extra veggies, we ordered some Braised Eggplant. Served with a bit of ground pork, the large pieces of eggplant were incredibly tender with a yummy black-bean based sauce.
Ma Po Tofu
Our last dish (we were 5 people, by the way, who had skipped lunch!) was Ma Po Tofu. My dad was thrilled that both Chris & I love this spicy dish that features soft tofu and more ground pork. I am still deciding what aspects I like most about this dish, and I think bigger pieces of tofu is what I prefer. The tofu here was cut small, and not very uniformly – it’s doesn’t affect the flavour though.
Red Bean Soup (desert)
Our last item of the night was a complimentary serving of Red Bean Soup. I know this isn’t everyone’s favourite thing, but I like it – especially when it is served really hot, and well sweetened with rock sugar. I was surprised to find tiny tapioca in this version, which added to the unique textures of traditional red bean soup.
I should add that despite the fact it was quite late on a weekday, the place was very busy with folks who were also clearly regulars.
Debit & credit accepted, parking on side of building sometimes available.
Considering this is Ottawa, can we call it “not bad”, specially compared to Vancouver?
Most of the Chinese restaurants in Ottawa have been around since I can remember (so, 20+ years?) and have really stuck to traditional dishes or ones that have been tailored to the non-Asian palette. I don’t think there’s anywhere near the regular influx of talented Chinese cooks in Ottawa, so sadly, it is not comparable to Vancouver (or Toronto)… Jadeland does offer nice, homey, cooking though!
Great review! @Kimho-Ottawa has some great restaurants, maybe not as many as Vancouver. But be fair, we are smaller and the weather here in the winter is not as conducive to fresh produce! And lets not forget, Vancouver is right next to the sea so of course the fish will be better and fresher!(Plus, our Asian population is not nearly as large if you’re just talking about Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese/Korean food)
Anyways, great review! I will have to check this place out!
Jadeland is also our go-to Chinese place down in Chinatown. It’s a very small Chinese restaurant and gets filled up very quickly on weekdays and holidays. I really like their sizzling beef, as well, especially with a plate of stir fried rice noodles with beef and onions.
Food is good but the salt content is quite high – not necessary!