Yellow Canoe Cafe

Home made iced tea! I don’t often experience that when ordering ice tea unless I am in the Southern US. Served in a jam-​jar, slightly sweetened and with a hint of lemon, the tea had all the earthiness and full tannin flavours expected; this was a peachy start to the lunch. Ordering a soup and sandwich, I decided on the soup of the day, a sweet potato and coconut milk and my sandwich was The Mad, a madras curry mayo affair with a choice of turkey, roast beef or roasted eggplant. I went vegetarian. The soup was divine, sweet rich thick potatoey goodness coated my tongue undercut by the Asian tropical notes of the coconut milk. The soup served as a perfect foil to the madras spice curry mayo of my sandwich, just enough bite to give it some oomph but not enough to overpower the wonderfully roasted aubergine slices. Grated carrots and alfalfa filled out the thick sandwich which was encased in bread that was actually toasted, not just a half hearted crisping attempt like most toast served is nowadays. On the side were a few julienned pickled carrots, a nice sourness and bite to them. Home made iced tea!
My dining companion had the Blue Cow, a 2″ thick freshly roasted thinly sliced beef with a tangy blue cheese mayo. Beef and blue cheese are a match made in heaven and belonged together in this sandwich completely. Packed with avocado and alfalfa sprouts the complete sandwich was superb flavour profile throughout. The accompanying soup was another potage of the day, a rich, tomatoey mixture combined with pesto made this another great union of flavours. The chefs here are very talented in putting together matched flavours that you don’t normally see in a humble sandwich.
There are not many tables in this lovely little café, maybe 10 – 12 and I hear it gets pretty busy in peak seasons or the weekend. Go when it’s less busy if you can. The walls have some great wonderful local artists showcasing their work at very reasonable prices.
Did I mention they have home made iced tea?

Looked inviting, and it was. Food was great but mosquito control is a minor issue. We enjoyed it anyway, and Merrickville is a wonderful, relaxing and delightful little town by a lock in the Rideau Canal. Of the beaten path, but worth it.

A tiny little restaurant, just off the main strip, is a great place to grab lunch. A cheerful simple room and great waitress along with tasty food made for a pleasant interlude after our annual Christmas Tree Hunt.
They have an interesting menu with daily specials. I had the herbed scone and daily soup (carrot and pear if I remember correctly). Others in my family tried the Roast Beef sandwich, the Pulled Pork Sandwich, Vegetarian soup and various salads. Everything was fresh and tasty.
Would I recommend: Yes
Would I return: Yes — Merrickville itself is always a nice afternoon, and the Yellow Canoe makes me want to return even more.

This an another little jewel in Merrickville’s way-​above-​average food scene. It’s a friendly restaurant that specializes in tasty lunches and desserts (and occasional special event dinners). All the food is made fresh in their kitchen, using local ingredients wherever possible. It offers a broad range of lunch choices including fresh, made to order sandwiches, daily soups, a hot frittata special, and fresh baked savoury scones. Desserts include Susan’s famous Apple Pie and Date Squares, plus Carrot Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake, Raisin Scones (served with jam & whipped cream), plus fresh baked goods and seasonal specials.