Update from Ottawa: The Royal Canadian Mint and Museum of Nature offer accessible experiences so do many restaurants

THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT - OTTAWA

There are so many terrific museum-like tours to enjoy when visiting Ottawa and over the last few years I have taken many of them. The Royal Canadian Mint was always on my list and I must say the private tour I received from guide Jasmin was a real educational experience.

First off, there are two Royal Canadian Mints: the one on Sussex Drive in Ottawa an another in Winnipeg.

The Royal Canadian Mint's headquarters occupies the same historic building in Ottawa where it was founded in 1908. This facility produces world-renowned collector coins, gold and silver bullion, and medals and medallions that honor those who have made a significant impact on Canada, Winnipeg is where the loonie, toonie, dimes and nickels are produced.

On the tour you will get a bird’s eye view of the production floor and come away with a better understanding of the numismatic coin making process. Here you will learn about the skill and precision that goes into coin design while getting a closer look at their state-of-the-art gold refining-technology. I stared right into their record-breaking “Million Dollar Coin” and got up close and personal with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games medals.

Jasmin pointed to a 575 kg piece of coil and asked me what I thought it was worth. I had no idea. When she told me $6.2 million, I was floored.

The boutique offers a wide range of beautiful coins and commemorative circulation sets. There are also offer Mint branded items and Canadian themed souvenirs that are perfect keepsakes to remember your visit.

In order for the Royal Canadian Mint to comply with its obligations including those under the Proceeds of Crime (money laundering) Terrorist Financing Act, if you are planning on purchasing Royal Canadian Mint bullion product(s) through one of the boutiques, you may be required to provide official Government issued identification and/or any other information deemed appropriate by the Royal Canadian Mint before completing your purchase. Examples of situations when this would occur include for cash purchases and larger value transactions.

Tours last about 45 minutes and they are available in both official languages. Due to a fluctuating production schedule, not all tours are guaranteed to view live coin production during your visit.

All coins manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint are legal tender. However, unlike Canadian circulation coins, collector coins are non-circulating legal tender (NCLT). As such, these coins are not intended for daily commercial transactions and accepting them as payment or for redemption is at the discretion of businesses and financial institutions.

As collector coins can only be redeemed at face value by businesses and financial institutions willing to accept them, it is recommended that individuals wishing to sell a collector coin first consult with a coin dealer, who is more likely to offer a price above face value.

The first coin officially made at the Royal Canadian Mint was a fifty-cent circulation coin. Governor General Earl Grey activated the press on January 2, 1908, which struck Canada’s first domestically produced coin. A few moments later, the Countess Grey struck the second coin ever produced at the Royal Canadian Mint – a copper penny. Jasmin showed me models of two 106 kg coins produced in 2007. Their face value was $1 million each and they were sold to the Royal Ontario Museum and a businessman from Dubai who brought it back to his country and made it into a coffee table. In honor of the 125 ^th anniversary of the Stanley Cup in 2017, the Mint made a palm size replica and sold copies for $360 each.

The production of banknotes is the responsibility of the Bank of Canada.

Foreign circulation products and supplies are another pillar of the Mint’s Circulation Business. They have more than 100 years of experience delivering coins, coin blanks and tokens to customers around the world, including central banks, mints, monetary authorities and finance ministries. The Mint also produces high technology dies for international customers, which allows countries to strike their own coins. These contracts leverage the infrastructure and industry-leading expertise in the Mint’s Winnipeg manufacturing facility.

The Mint produces colored circulation coins for international customers, using its high-speed, high-resolution pad printing technology. Examples include the award-winning 50-cent Armistice coin produced in 2018 for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand , the Barbados 2021 $1 “Flying Fish,” the first glow-in-the-dark colored coin produced for circulation abroad, and the world’s first double-sided colored circulation coin, issued in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Central Bank of the Bahamas.

The Mint is an award-winning numismatics market leader, producing a great variety of innovative and diversely themed collector coins, from entry-level to premium offerings, for every type of customer. Its numismatic product plan places the customer at the center of its product development so that the coins respond to their needs and interests. At the same time, the Mint is focused on making coins that represent Canada’s history, culture and values, while also reflecting Canadian diversity.

Thanks to its world-class designs, the Mint’s global leadership in the art and science of minting is consistently recognized with prestigious international awards in large part due to innovative technology enhancements such as ultra-high relief, selective plating and stunning color that allow the Mint to create unique and compelling products. Mint.ca continues to rank among the top destinations for online numismatic coin purchases in Canada and around the world, a direct result of the Mint’s focus on building traffic to its website in order to grow direct sales, as well as the secondary market for collector coins.

The Mint is the recipient of many industry awards for the theme, design or innovative qualities of its numismatic coins. Chief among these are the Coin of the Year Awards (USA) and the Mint Director’s Conference Awards (international).

The Mint is an experienced and respected manufacturer of high-quality, handcrafted medals commemorating events of national significance and honoring Canadians for their military and civilian achievements. Its most notable customers include the Canadian Forces, the Chancellery of Honours (Rideau Hall) and the RCMP. Among the medals and honours crafted by the Mint are the athlete medals of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and the 2015 Toronto PAN AM/PARAPAN AM Games, the Order of Yukon and the King Charles III Coronation Medal

Access to the Mint is fully handicapped accessible. There is a ramp at the entrance. Once inside, an elevator will bring you to the boutique where you can join a comprehensive 45 minute tour. The videos playing on all of the screens feature ASL translations in the corner.

The Royal Canadian Mint is located at 320 Sussex Drive. It is recommended you call call 1-800-267-1871 to book your tour at least 48 to 72 hours in advance. Walk-up tours are first-come, first-served and often sell out due to limited space. The boutique is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm. Info: https://www.mint.ca/en/visit-the-mint/ottawa-mint

LIVE BUTTERFLIES:

Tropical butterflies are once again fluttering around the Canadian Museum of Nature’s solarium. Butterflies in Flight, a delightful exhibition of live, winged beauties, continues for a year until January 4, 2026. Dozens of butterfly species —such as the impressive, large blue morpho—flutter around the solarium at any given time. New interpretive panels in the adjacent Bugs Alive exhibition present information about pollinators and their important role. Pollinators boost the yield of crops such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils and fibres. Cross-pollination promotes the genetic diversity of wild plants.

The butterflies are supplied from sustainable farms in Costa Rica and the Philippines— transported to the Museum during their pupal stage and raised by the museum’s Animal Care specialists. Visitors will be able to see the pupae hanging in rows in the solarium and perhaps spot some butterflies starting to emerge. There is a species identification guide, as well as pinned specimens for close-up examination. Brightly colored clothing is encouraged to attract the butterflies.

Entry into Butterflies in Flight is $6 in addition to the cost of general museum admission. In conjunction with Butterflies in Flight, the museum is presenting the Canadian premiere of the movie, Butterfly Journey. A story of adaptation and survival, the movie follows the vast migrations of the blue tigers of Australia and the monarchs of North America and Mexico. Butterfly Journey is produced by Stranger Than Fiction Films in association with Definition Films and distributed by K2 Studios.

Admission is free for one person accompanying a person with a disability. Eligible visitors can obtain their free tickets at the museum on the day of their visit, or in advance. To get these tickets in advance, call us at least 24 hours before your visit. Service animals are welcome in the museum. There are two barrier free ramps. The museum is wheelchair accessible. You can also borrow a sensory bag for free during your visit to the museum. Each bag is filled with resources to help visitors with various sensory needs have a more enjoyable museum experience.

Visit www.nature.ca to reserve tickets, or for information about hours, admission, and other activities.

WINTERLUDE:

One of the major cold weather attractions in Ottawa for the past 47 years has been Winterlude, with the 2025 edition set to take place Jan. 21 to Feb.16. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from family-friendly activities, to group adventures and date nights! Visitors can look forward to stunning ice sculptures created by artists from around the world, skating on the world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway (which has wheelchair and stroller access points) and playing around in a gigantic snow playground called Snowflake Kingdom. Check out https://ottawatourism.ca/en/see-and-do/winterlude

DINING TIPS:

On each trip to Ottawa, I share with readers tips on where to dine.

French Brasserie Chez Lionel

Groupe Grandio made its biggest headlines in recent years with the acquisition of iconic steakhouses Moishes and Gibbys. But the highly successful culinary operation has a host of other dining establishments in its stable and that includes the French brasserie Chez Lionel, which presently has five locations and a sixth on the way this spring.

While in Ottawa, we enjoyed our first experience in Kanata near the home of the NHL Senators, the Canadian Tire Centre. Chez Lionel was purchased by Groupe Grandio in 2022 and this locale marks its first outside of Quebec. The intention is to expand across the country. The others are in Boucherville, Brossard, Sainte-Therese and Laval (presently being renovated after flooding last summer). In March the sixth Chez Lionel will debut in downtown Montreal at 1259 Rene-Levesque Ouest.

Chez Lionel made its debut in Boucherville in 2013. The name was inspired by the street Lionel-Daunais. “At the beginning, the concept of the name was to be part of the community / neighbourhood, and we liked the name Lionel as it had a traditional French sound,” explained Denis. “After a bit of research, we found that Lionel Daunais was an opera singer - baritone which we found interesting being part of the entertainment district in Boucherville.

Frédéric Dufort has been the executive chef for Chez Lionel since it first opened. The Kanata location has 96 seats in the dining room, 25 more at the bar and a seasonal patio that can accommodate 58, notes General Manager James Denis. It is located directly off Highway 417 at ground level of a Holiday Inn. There is ample free parking. The interior is very attractive, with large chandeliers and mirrors.

Our server Rebecca made several menu recommendations. We started off with some drinks, two Seville in blooms and one Lady marmalade mocktail.

There is a nice array of appetizers. While I enjoyed a piping hot and absolutely delicious cream of butternut squash soup, with an “L” appearing in the broth, the other two members of our party shared the bluefin tataki, prepped with a wild caraway crust, pickled carrots, orange supreme, sesame carrot purée and carrot chips and the duck confit arancini, served with black garlic aioli, pickled mushrooms, grana padano, parmesan and watercress). I happily split the 12 oysters with them.

For the main course I jumped at the opportunity to have the duck breast a l’orange. It cut like butter and had a pink peppercorn crust, coming with butternut squash purée, kumquat, marmalade, grand marnier gastrique and puffed wild rice. The others shared the seafood risotto and the braised beef cheek. The former contained lobster bisque, Argentine shrimps, bay scallops, green peas, garlic bread croutons and saffron mayonnaise; the former was prepared with red wine sauce, roasted Nantes carrots, confit cipollini onions, chanterelles and truffled celeriac purée

For dessert we shared the tarte tatin, a pastry in which apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before being baked and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an irresistible macaron platter of six.

Other popular items on the menu include the ricotta ravioli with duck confit and truffles, tomahawk steaks, salmon and beef tartare, pan-seared Icelandic cod and butternut squash gnocchi. I can hardly wait to go back to one of the Montreal-area locations closer to home.

The restaurant entrance and that of the hotel is completely wheelchair accessible and so is the entire dining room. Washrooms are in the hotel lobby and they too are handicapped accessible.

Chez Lionel is located at 101 Kanata Ave. suite 100. For reservations call 613 518-2113, e-mail kanata@chezlionel.ca or log on to www.chezlionel.ca

My “go to” Red Lobster location in Ottawa continues to thrive

What would a trip to Ottawa be for me without dinner at my beloved Red Lobster? There are two locations in the nation’s capital. However, our “go to” spot is the one on St. Laurent Blvd. where general manager Ian Forrester, ably seconded by manage Owen Hoyt, has been greeting us for more than two decades.

Red Lobster recently came out of bankruptcy protection and had to close a number of locations in the United States. The chain is present in four Canadian provinces – Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Quebec last saw a Red Lobster some 30 years ago. New ownership has placed Red Lobster back into a good business position.

There have been no issues of concern here in Ottawa where the parking lot on St. Laurent Blvd. is always packed with cars and it is common to find a lineup for tables out the door.

From lobster and pasta to crab, bacon and shrimp, the newest Red Lobster menu has been leaving guests’ taste buds singing. We felt right at home as the hostess showed us to a table in the very large second dining room. Our server was Karen, who like Forrester has been on board here for more than three decades.

We started off with some spiked strawberry lemonades and soon enough along came the mouthwatering and freshly baked Cheddar Bay Biscuits. They taste especially good right out of the oven. You can order as many as you wish and we do so, bringing some back to where we were staying to enjoy the following day.

For starters two of us went for cups of piping hot clam chowder while the other member of our party tried the new lobster bisque.

The main course was next and there was no question for two us. We had been craving the live Maritime lobster and it came freshly boiled and nicely cracked so we could enjoy every morsel, along with the dipping garlic butter and two sides each. This was as good a lobster as one could expect at five star restaurant. The other member of our party wanted a little variety and she chose Walt’s Shrimp Your Way; regular shrimp, garlic shrimp, a Maritime lobster tail along with some mashed potatoes on the side.

While we were quite full, the chocolate wave dessert looked too good to pass up so we asked Karen to bring us three forks and plates to share. It came with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and some chocolate sauce

Some of the newer menu options include lobster pappardelle pasta, lemon basil mahi, grilled mahi, parmesan-crusted chicken and a roasted asparagus side.! Fan-favorites include popcorn shrimp snow crab legs, sea scallops, salmon, shrimp and tilapia tacos, burgers and salads as well as a kids menu.

This Red Lobster has handicapped parking, an accessible entrance , seating all at one level and accessible washrooms. It is located at 1499 St. Laurent Blvd. They are open seven days a week from 11 am to 10 pm. You can call 514-744-7560 and log on to www.redlobster.ca to access the complete menu.

Cindy’s Restaurant is a popular spot for breakfast and lunch

One of the things I love about the Ottawa dining scene is the wide choice of diner-style restaurants that serve up good old-fashioned breakfasts.

Over the last few years I have looked for little gems and I found one again in Cindy’s Family Restaurant. It is in a small strip shopping center in an industrial sector of the Ottawa suburb of Nepean.

“Cindy” is owner Cindy Shields who told me that the restaurant has been in her family for 35 years. I met my friend Jack, who lives in the area, and when I arrived on a Monday morning at about 8:15 am almost all the 54 seats were taken, and it was clear to me these were regulars. On my out I spoke to a few of the clients, many of whom said they have been coming here for many years. “I like the service and the atmosphere,” one fellow told me.

Cindy a charming woman who shows people to their tables and does all the serving while her kitchen staff doles out large generous portions of whatever you order. It is her cousin George, a big Dallas Cowboys fan, who has been the main chef for the past three decades. Her mom and daughter help from time to time as do other family members.

I decided to order the I’m Hungry Special, which included three eggs over easy, two slices of bacon, two sausages, ham, home fries, toast, two slices of tomato and a cup of tea. This kind of breakfast is always a treat and I was not disappointed.

Jack went for the veggie omelette, which contained mushrooms, onions, peppers and tomato. He was beyond impressed with the size of the plate and had some baked beans on the side.

There are a variety of egg dishes and omelettes, as well as pancakes, French toast, sandwiches and bagelwiches.

Breakfast service ends at 11 am and lunch is then served until 2 pm, with more sandwiches, salads, wraps, burgers, chicken tenders and other tasty items.

If you are visiting Ottawa with the family or reside in the area, I think this restaurant is worth the trip. It is just a fun place to dine where everyone has a big smile on their face and so happy to be there. I felt the warmth in this place and while I just met Cindy, I left with a very high opinion of how she runs this operation.

There is a spacious parking lot, an accessible entrance and one level seating.

Cindy’s Restaurant is located at 15 Capella Crt # 117. You can call 613-727-9362 and log on to their Facebook page at fb.me/cindysrestaurantottawa. Take-out items are also very popular.

The iconic Dinty’s Restaurant in Aylmer

Last summer I was driving through the town of Aylmer in the Gatineau region, just across the bridge from Ottawa, when I passed by a place called Dinty’s. Later I did some research on the place and it turned out to be something quite iconic. So, on my most recent visit, I dropped by and met Jim Sourges. He owns the place with his brothers Andre and Louis.

First established here in the 1930s, the spot was originally named after the Dinty Moore character in the then popular “Bringing up Father” comic strip. In 1962, Greek immigrant Peter Sourges purchased the place with his wife Afroditi, undertaking significant renovations by adding booths with mini juke boxes, pizza to the menu and home delivery.

A fire destroyed the interior of the restaurant in 1976 and it was renovated again, this time with a bar and a dining room. The late 80s saw a return to Greek heritage with the introduction of souvlaki and gyros to the menu along with the famous homemade dressing. In 2000, Peter and his family made a bold move and built a new facility on the same land. The new “Dintys” opened in November 2000, seating 140 inside and 50 more on a seasonal patio. There is a very large parking lot.

More recently, the restaurant was given a complete facelift. They shut down for six weeks and brought in DSD Groupe Design of Montreal, owned by Dimtri Smolens and Terry Construction of Montreal to give the place a much brighter and upscale look, complete with new flooring, booths, lighting and décor.

Dad Peter passed away in 2017, but mom is still going strong at age 87 and can be seen frequently at the restaurant. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The majority of customers come from the Aylmer area, including local Member of Parliament, Speaker of the House and West Island Montreal native Greg Fergus. However, my place in Ottawa was an easy 15 minute drive, so it is well worth the visit if you are looking for a place with a large and diverse menu.

I joined Jim for breakfast, ordering the popular combo with a few extras: bacon with rye toast, eggs over easy, crispy cubed potatoes, French toast and a cup of tea. It all came quite quickly and hit the spot nicely. There are a variety of other egg dishes, including benedicts and omelettes, as well as wraps, crêpes, waffles, pancakes, kids meals and mimosas. The lunch and dinner menus feature Greek specialties such as souvlaki and pita options, fish, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, steak and poutine. The place is popular for groups and parties.

There is also a complete wine and cocktail selection.

The restaurant is handicapped accessible, with a ramp at the front and level seating with plenty of space at all tables for wheelchairs. The washrooms have handicapped accessible stalls.

Dinty’s is located at 620 Chemin d’Aylmer and open seven days a week from 7 am to 9 pm. For more information call 819-684-1771, log on to www.dintys.com or e-mail contact@dintys.com