Review Ka Familia Filipino Fusion - Ottawa

This place is positioned to be a fine dining fusion restaurant. From settings, atmosphere, attention to details in plates presentation. Most of all, the price point. The word fusion already gives it away that its not a true Filipino cuisine but more of inspired by the Filipino specialities with a heavy western twist. Taste is great (a bit on the salty side) presentation is top notched. Service was attentive and personal (the waitress saw that my 4 year old needed assistance in washing hands, she went in and made sure she was fine). Overall a great family friendly dining experience and very happy to see such great addition to the variety offering in our neighborhood.

Ka Familia is a hidden gem right in the heart of Barrhaven! The service was wonderful, the two servers there were extremely friendly, efficient, and attentive. There was a warm and calm atmosphere, definitely a great place to go out with friends or family when looking for a nice night out. The presentation was wonderful, it was clear that the chefs put a lot of effort and pride into the dishes that they prepared. The flavours for each dish were all very different and unique, and the ingredients were fresh. I would recommend the lamb lollipops as an appetizer, and the dinakdikan or the salmon as an entree. My only concern was that the pork in my adobo was a little overcooked and dry, but other than that the flavours were great and I enjoyed the dish. Overall, we had a wonderful evening at Ka Familia, and I am excited to return in the future!

Really wanted to try this restaurant when it first opened and finally went after a couple of months. Disappointed that many items on the menu were still not available (none of the pizza options). Our friend struck out on three items, including a drink, that were not available. Appetizers came and when the server placed the lumpias on the table all of the garnishes fell off. The server then used his bare hands to put the garnishes back on the lumpias. Appreciate the effort but not hygienic. The shrimp appetizers tasted as if the shrimp had been soaked in water too long. Dishes were nicely presented but flavours were somewhat lacking. Garnishes and flavours were unfortunately overpowered with green onions. The owner was very friendly and came out to speak with all the patrons. Might be worth a second chance in a few months once they have ironed out the kinks.

Wait time for our order to be served took longer than expected. There was only 1 server for everyone in the resto. Not worth the amount you are paying for, the servings were so little. Presentation was really nice but food was just not enough for how much you are paying. Quality of food is a 3. It was tastey... But the cassava cake dessert though was tasteless, unfortunately.

This was my first experience with this type of food, just keep that in mind. When we walked into the restaurant, the first thing we saw was a couple performing hits of the 70s and 80s (think Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and similar). Not sure if it’s a regular occurrence on Saturdays or just a one off. They were quite good but the volume was loud to the extent that we could not carry a proper conversation at our table. There was no break for the duration of our visit, maybe it could be considered to have 15 minutes per hour at a lower volume or just regular background music. The staff was very friendly and helpful with explaining the dishes. The menu is limited but has a enough to offer to satisfy everyone. There were two fairly large groups of people at the restaurant, so the service was a bit slow, especially the main course. Not sure if it was in the kitchen or the front staff but it did take quite a while to get our food. I ordered sautéed beef with broccoli and based on that title, I was expecting the main ingredients to be beef and broccoli. I was half right in this assumption and while the broccoli was tasty, the very limited amount of beef was disappointing. Again, I’m not familiar with this type of cuisine but at a $22 price point, I was expecting more than what was essentially a medley of vegetables with a sprinkling of beef. We also had the crispy pats, which looks impressive and delicious (see attached photo) but is definitely a meal size suitable for sharing as was suggested to us. The accompanying sauces were very good. Desserts were standard but at a decent price. I was really debating if I should give 3 or 4 stars. The staff was friendly and the food was tasty but I just can’t get past the price point for the amount of food we received. My wife did enjoy everything and will probably be back but it was not for me.

Great place to have lunch and dinner with friends and family. Plenty of individual plates or sharing meals that combine Filipino and Asian spices with western flair. I especially enjoyed the longganisa (Filipino sweet sausage) wrapped in bacon! *Update: They also have many vegetarian or vegan options as informed by Chef Dhom below. Thanks!

Such a good meal, so well presented. Delicious, and the service is friendly and prompt. Highly recommend the beet salad with goat cheese and the tuna steak.

Great food, great service. Whent for an anniversary, had a little card on the table when we arrived. Very happy

Went for dinner last night with my family and had a great experience. Everyone loved their meals. The sautéed shrimp & longanisa appetizers were delicious - we ended up ordering a second plate for the table! The service overall was excellent -- the kitchen was very accommodating for a gluten-free meal, and our server, Brent, was very responsive. Would definitely recommend!

We sat at the table of the most amazing chef at Ka Familia in Barrhaven this afternoon. Ya'll...I can't explain the amazing goodness that came out of Chef Dhom's kitchen! � We started with amazing lumpia. Then we continued the experience (and it was truly an awesome experience) with a fabulous tapas plate for 2. Every ounce of that platter was phenominal but the longanisa on the spoons with the corn relish...OH EM GEEE! � When we thought Chef had truly outdone himself- we bit into the 'Fluffy pancake' with stewed apples and a delicious berry compote on the side. Now listen up: FLUFFY doesn't begin to describe this huge plate of goodness! Don't miss it! � So as we were ready to leave my husband decided he needed to try a dish that he remembered from his very early years in Manila. The Dinaguan was simply to die for according to Hubby. He was in a nirvana that took him straight back to his homeland. � Living in Toronto, we have eaten in many Filipino restaurants and NONE of them even closely compare to Ka Familia. The wait staff were amazing. The food and presentatio were second to none and Chef was humble, kind and truly talented. � Let your taste buds soak up the treats awaiting at Ka Familia. You won't regret it...I promise. Kudos to Chef Dhom. SARAP! � PS. The music and ambiance were absolutely stunning.�

Called Ka Familia to set up a reservation for the wife and myself. What a nice surprise to arrive and see a personalized greeting on the table. I've never experienced that before at any establishment. It was a nice touch. Ka Familia is a smaller venue but very cozy and warm. Sophia promptly got us started with drinks and explained the different Filipino items. It's a refreshing change to have wait staff who are excited about the menus and helpful to steer us in the proper direction. We started with the Filipino sampler. Every item was delish but we both particularily enjoyed the fish cake and longanisa (sweet sausage wrapped in bacon). My wife enjoyed the curried chicken. Very tasty (I 'borrowed' a bite or two) and a large portion. I had the pleasure of the tuna (highly recommended by Sophia) and it certainly did not disappoint. Beautifully cooked medium rare and drizzled with a sweet teriyaki glaze. Very nice. Both of us were too full for dessert so I can't comment on those but thanks also to the owner, Dhom, who took the time to come and greet us personally. Thank you Dhom and Ka Familia for a wonderful evening.

we tried this place because my partner is curious, but to our surprised he said he is not going out of his way to dine there again. it's expensive and the dish i had was very, very salty the even when i asked for some steam rice to diffuse the saltiness didn't work. (long island pancit). he said his dish was so, so he had better. we wish you luck

Had an amazing dinner at Ka Familia. Omg it was beyond amazing. Our food was so delicious and so filling. Great price for the amount of food you get! The ribs were melt in your mouth that came with a delicious salad with rice. I took home half! Just wanted to let people know to try it!! Perfect date night spot!

This was our second time to Ka Familia. The first time was in the summer, and the second was on Boxing Day. It's far from where we live, otherwise we'd be there a lot more often. The bacon-wrapped langonisa (Filipino sweet sausage) is divine, and was our favourite appetizer! We could have eaten those all day, they're so flavourful! The lumpia and the pork belly skewers were also fantastic. We had the calderetta gratin and the adobo as our main courses. Both were excellent dishes. The first time we went, we were able to try the Kare-Kare, but that was only a limited-time offering. It was very good! There was a very light sweetness to the sauce, which was new for me. If they bring this special back, I'd highly recommend trying it. The service was excellent, and the food arrived quickly and beautifully presented. We're definitely going to go back!

Last night I decided to try out Ka Familia Restaurant in Barrhaven located at 3570 Strandherd rd and I was blown away. My daughter and I selected something different from the menu and it was delicious! The restaurant inside is very intimate and great in size for either a small or a large group. The owner is very personal and is always looking for new dishes to intrigue the Barrhaven public. The service is great and I definitely recommend to others. Come try it yourself, you won't be disappointed.

We had an awesome experience! The food was delicious and well plated. We would really recommend trying this new place on a date night!!! :)

This place is amazing!! So happy to finally get the opportunity to go! Service is top notch! This was our first time eating Filipino cuisine and the recommendations were amazing!! The Chef came out to chat with us after our meal which added to the experience. We will definitely return and I urge everyone to go try it!!!!

Very good food & service. Had the beef stir fry & appetizer sampler--recommend both. Their creme brûlée was also quite good. It had chocolate & rosemary which I had never tried before. Look forward to going back. (Vegetarian/vegan options as well as decent prices.)

we droved miles to get into the city of Ottawa, my family & friends were excited to dine in this restaurant, but this would be the 1st& last visit 🙄, spring rolls is a hit but too pricey for a small portions of servings, there's no condiments on the table to use for some dish were tasteless, some are salty😳

I love the ambiance, the friendly people and their extraordinary food... my family enjoyed our dinner last night. My two boys are so picky when it comes to Filipino food but last night they enjoyed their dinuguan, dinakdakan and the duck confit. I’ve never seen them so excited to compliment the chèf.We met the owner and we told him to branch out in Toronto.. We will definitely come back again... and we will be waiting in Toronto!

Wonderful food (I drooled over every bite!) - but the atmosphere, staff and service make it that much more! If you're not sure what to eat the staff patiently describes items in detail and make recommendations - good for us indecisive folks :) As a bonus, they make awesome drinks and whipped up a virgin peach Bellini for this pregnant mama! Don't miss out on this gem of a restaurant.

Based on the advice of Christel and Peter Hum as well (Tee HEE!), the six of us dined at Ka Familia Filipino Fusion Restaurant this evening. The cuisine was divine. The choices adventurous at times. The staff friendly and attentive. We started with crispy delicious Lumpia (spring rolls). The Kalderetang Baka (beef stew gratin) was the winning choice for Main. I decided to be adventurous and sample the Fusion Dinakdakan. Who would have thought pigs ears could be so yummy. The winning dessert was Leche Flan (chocolate Drambuie Crème caramel). We're definitely returning.

Fantastic food - very tasty and well presented. Portions are big but not overly-so. You'll need to save room for the dessert! The sticky rice pudding (more like a patty) was AMAZING and very unique! We'll be back as its a great value and the staff are very friendly, in addition to the awesome food.