Friday, June 08, 2007

Everything I Love: The Green Valley Restaurant

One of the highlights of visiting my grandparents in Ottawa as a child was dinner at the the Green Valley on Prince of Wales Drive. Before it was destroyed by fire on New Year's Eve a few years ago, the Green Valley served the best continental menu on... well, the continent, for almost seventy years. For an eight year-old, it was the best of everything - the quiet evening drive through the Experimental Farm, past the barns where my grandfather and I had visited the animals earlier in the day, exploring the gift store's toy section while we waited for our table, a Shirley Temple cocktail with a plastic monkey hanging from the rim, the monster cheeseburger and thick-cut fires, and - of course - the Mickey Mouse ice cream sundae with green maraschino cherry eyes staring up at you as you dug in.

7 comments:

Janet Jalbout said...

I have so many fond memories of GV.
I have never found another restaurant that can even compare to the quality and taste of their food. The Ambiance of the restaurant was an experience I will miss forever!
I remenise often with my siblings of our desire to have this restaurant return. I miss you GV!!

Sublime Space said...

looking for the name of the person who painted metal trays that were for sale at the GV in the 60's. My parents still have theirs but it is unsigned.

Don Runge said...

Green Valley R. used to be the Green Valley Cabins on HWY 16. Travelers would stop there on their way into Ottawa at the turn of the century. And before that, the farmstead of my great grandfather. My grandmother Ella (Mulligan) Dennis, would mention growing up on the farm, which is now part of the the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa.

Anonymous said...

I worked at the Green Valley from 1979-1990. It was a great place to work, and great food. You won't see a place like this ever again. I'm glad people have good memories of the place.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous...I worked there from 79 to 91! I guess we would know each other!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous...I worked there from 79 to 91! I guess we would know each other!

Unknown said...

I worked there in 1973 !