‘Life is short and finite’ — veteran Ottawa chef puts Hintonburg restaurant up for sale

Absinthe Cafe chef Patrick Garland with some of his fondue offerings Photo by Bruno Schlumberger /Ottawa Citizen

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Absinthe, a much-loved bistro on Wellington Street West for more than two decades, is for sale and its chef-owner says he’s had enough of restaurant kitchens.

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“It’s been a great ride, over 23 years,” Patrick Garland said this week in an interview. “I didn’t want to spend another 23 years cooking steak frites.”

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Absinthe Cafe’s steak frites, which it has been serving for more than two decades. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

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Absinthe has a legion of regulars who order Garland’s steak frites, an iconic dish in the city. Garland said that his steak frites, which has been on the menu for more than two decades, accounts for about 75 per cent of his sales. “It’s the best f—ing steak in Ottawa,” said Garland, who represented Ottawa at the 2015 Canadian Culinary Championship.

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Patrick Garland (L) of Absinthe prepared quail breast stuffed with foie gras, braised thigh croquette cinnamon cap mushrooms, frittered shallot, confit grapes with Gewürztraminer reduction during the 2014 Gold Medal Plate competition in Ottawa, Nov. 17, 2014. The winning dish sent Garland to the 2015 Canadian Culinary Championship.

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His restaurant, which seats 80, is also known for its fondue nights during the winter and for using locally sourced ingredients.

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Last year, a tragedy struck the restaurant in the most violent way and it influenced Garland’s decision.

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In October 2025, Joshua Qiyuk, a 21-year-old Algonquin College graduate who had worked in Absinthe’s kitchen for more than two years, was found stabbed to death in Ottawa’s east end. “He was great kid. He was like a son to me,” Garland said then. 

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A C’est Bon Ottawa photo of Joshua Qiyuk, who was found dead in October 2025 in Ottawa’s east end. Photo by C'est Bon Ottawa /Handout

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An arrest in connection with Qiyuk’s death has not been made.

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This week, Garland said Qiyuk’s death showed him that “life is short and finite.

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“It’s time for me to move on to other things,” said Garland, who has worked in Ottawa restaurants for four decades. “I’m not retiring, I’m rewiring. I want to do other interesting things. If I made some money, that would be great.” 

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Chef Patrick Garland of Absinthe, right, at the 2024 Ottawa edition of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party held at the Château Laurier. Joshua Qiyuk is on the left. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

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Garland said he was grateful to his customers and landlords for the years of support they gave his business. No closing date for Absinthe has been set.

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“I would like to see Absinthe go on, as an entity, run by someone with more energy than me,” he said. “I don’t have it in me anymore.” 

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Patrick Garland, owner and chef of Absinthe on Wellington Street West, stands in front of his restaurant’s street patio in this 2021 file photo. Photo by Julie Oliver /Postmedia

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Listings by Toronto-based Carve Real Estate show that other Ottawa restaurants currently for sale include Back In Brooklyn on Clarence Street, Odd Burger on Bank Street, The Caesar Company on Lyon Street, the Prescott on Preston Street and Ekbar Modern Indian Restaurant, also on Preston Street. Late last month, Veronica’s Snack Bar opened where Ekbar had been.

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