The Cupcake Lounge @ 6 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON

Whenever N and I meet, we’d hunt for sweets. It’s become our tradition. And today we ventured to The Cupcake Lounge, our favourite cupcake joint in the city, for another sugar coma-inducing experience.

If there’s something I enjoy about visiting The Cupcake Lounge, or going on a cupcake adventure in general, it’s exploring new flavours. So whereas N decided on her usual red velvet, today I tried a newbie on the menu: the blood orange cupcake. The cake itself encompassed a nice blend of sweet, tangy, and citrus. As for the buttercream icing, it was rich and creamy, but not overly sweet.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been here. The first time I visited the shop was about three years ago, where my taste buds impelled me to opt for their almond raspberry cupcake. It was hands down the most divine cupcake I’ve had thus far in my, at the time, twenty years of fruitful existence.

First visit in summer 2011

First taste of TCL: a scrumptious almond raspberry cupcake!

The Scone Witch @ 150 Elgin St, Unit 105, Ottawa, ON

If there’s a brunch spot fit for philosophical discussions while enjoying scrumptious scones, it’s The Scone Witch. For all you scone lovers looking for a quick bite of sweet or savoury scones coupled with jam and a cuppa coffee on the side, this is the place to go. I’ve lost count of how many times friends and I have ventured here over the years. But one thing remains constant: the scent of warm scones in the oven is enough to get my stomach dancing the cha-cha-cha.

Today, when visiting The Scone Witch, a friend and I noted that they’d moved to a new location: 150 Elgin St. Arriving at said address, a new building still under construction, we stood in the middle of the entrance awkwardly scanning the whereabouts of the shop, so the security guard kindly advised us to follow the little witches down the hall, and after what felt like an awkward adventure through a maze of hallways and file rooms, we finally made it.

The first thing we noticed when we entered the new shop was its incredible spaciousness, especially in comparison to their old store on Albert St., which was immeasurably small. Now that it’s located in the hub of the downtown core, it’s also more convenient for government workers, and workers in the surrounding area alike, to drop by and grab a bite during their breaks. And did I mention it’s now a five-minute walk from the OPL? Friends, you know what this means: scones and jam, and then books and more books.

Whereas my friend ordered her usual oatmeal scone, I chose my all-time favourite: the orange-cranberry scone coupled with a side of wild blueberry-raspberry jam and devon cream. It was quite appetizing; however, I noticed that as with my last few visits, the scone didn’t have that fresh-out-of-the-oven oomph that it once had. I feel that their scones were more scrumptious 2-3 years ago, when I began frequenting the shop with mates. Back then, their scones were heaven-sent.