Mini Space Kids Club in Kanata gives families a practical place to play together after work. Adults are not pushed into a restricted observer’s area; parents and caregivers can join children throughout the play space, making the visit feel shared rather than supervised from the sidelines.
Activities and accessibility
The range of activities works across several ages, generally up to around ten years old. Because the facility stays open until 7:30 p.m., working parents still have enough time to bring children on a weekday without making the outing feel rushed.
The space would benefit from more upkeep toward the end of the day. Families arriving later should be welcomed by the same tidy, inviting environment as those who visit earlier.
Poutine
The poutine came in a good-sized serving. The fries were fresh and cut into long strips, although they were a little too salty.
Beef and flank pho
The beef and flank pho was an unexpected find in a children’s play venue. The broth was light and comforting, with a fair serving and roughly two ounces of meat. It may not be the dish families expect to encounter here, but it was worth ordering as a warming, comforting treat.
Verdict
Mini Space is especially useful for families looking for an after-work activity where adults can participate with their children. The flexible play environment, weekday-friendly hours and food options make it a convenient family stop. More consistent late-day upkeep would make the experience stronger for guests arriving in the evening.
Jack Astor’s in Kanata delivers the lively bar-and-bistro atmosphere the chain is known for, but our dinner was not uncomfortably noisy. Bar music played throughout the evening, while the crowd remained manageable enough for conversation. The menu covers handhelds, salads, appetizers and an extensive drinks list.
Birria barbacoa tacos
The birria barbacoa tacos were the unmistakable highlight. They delivered an explosion of flavours, and every bite felt satisfying and worth the order. The meat, toppings and seasoning worked together without one element overwhelming the rest.
Cocktails
The pineapple in the piña colada tasted notably fresh and gave the drink a bright, natural flavour. The mojito was the opposite experience. Despite ordering it with double liquor, it remained bland, and the mint, lime and other intended flavours never surfaced clearly.
Thai curry
The vegetables were crisp and blended well with the dish, but the sweetness of the sweet potatoes became overwhelming. The rice was difficult to identify by variety, yet it was superb.
The curry needed roughly twice as much sauce. More than half of the chicken seemed glazed rather than properly coated in a generous curry sauce, leaving the dish less cohesive than it could have been.
Service
Service was very fast. Our server, Tom, kept the meal moving efficiently without making us feel rushed.
Verdict
The birria barbacoa tacos are the reason to return: bold, satisfying and consistently good from the first bite to the last. The piña colada also benefited from genuinely fresh-tasting pineapple. The Thai curry had strong components but needed more sauce and better balance, while the mojito was the clear miss.
Divan Turkish Cuisine in Kanata is a practical family-dining choice when the table wants generous portions, grilled meats and enough variety for adults and children.
The family platter
We ordered the family platter for two, and it was plentiful enough for three adults and one child. The meats were tender and juicy, while the appetizers worked naturally as additional sides for the grilled platter.
Appetizers
The baba ganoush was acceptable but not especially memorable. The salsuka, however, was one of the best renditions I have had and became a standout part of the meal.
Kid-friendly choices
The children’s selection is not extensive, but it is sufficient. My granddaughter had the pesto, giving families an approachable option beyond the grilled meats.
Service
There was only one staff member managing the front of house during our visit. Given the size of the restaurant, he handled the room efficiently.
Verdict
Divan works particularly well for families or small groups. The family platter offers strong value through generous portions, tender meats and appetizers substantial enough to round out the meal. The salsuka alone deserves special mention.
International Buffet—also known as Buffet des Continents—was once a more animated and efficient part of my dining rotation. On this recent lunch visit with my granddaughter, the restaurant felt noticeably slower than I remembered from its earlier years. Even so, its enormous range of food and theatrical European-inspired setting still make it an easy outing for families, particularly when children are part of the plan.
A Tour of the Buffet
The décor leads diners through stylized European scenes, from colourful storefront façades to grand staircases. The room was clean and well maintained during our visit. Chairs looked polished, tables had been thoroughly wiped down, and there was none of the sticky residue that can make a buffet meal feel less appealing from the outset.
The buffet is arranged in successive stations. The Japanese section is focused mainly on rolls, followed by a soup-and-salad bar with green vegetables and several prepared salads. The beet salad was a pleasant surprise: fresh-tasting, well seasoned, and one of the better cold options on offer.
Vegetables, noodles, and the nicely seasoned beet salad.
The breakfast section offers a practical balance of proteins and carbohydrates. The Italian station comes next. Skip the spaghetti with marinara sauce, which was not a highlight, but make room for the lasagna. It was creamy, cheesy, and satisfying in the uncomplicated way that buffet lasagna should be.
The spaghetti with marinara sauce was not a highlight.
The Chinese station serves familiar Chinese-Canadian favourites, including spring rolls, egg rolls, noodles, chicken balls, and more. Nothing aims to be especially adventurous, but the selection does a respectable job of satisfying a Chinese-food craving. The row of pizzas that follows is best skipped.
At the carving station, the pork roast and smoked meat stood out as very good. The Angus beef, however, was dry. Three soups were available during our visit, and the wonton soup was a welcome exception to buffet heaviness: its broth was light, soothing, and easy on the stomach.
Light, soothing wonton soup.Smoked meat and pork roast were among the strongest choices.
Dessert and the Family Factor
Dessert options were extensive. The cakes were dry, but the ice cream was pleasantly restrained rather than overwhelmingly sweet. Brightly coloured gelatin desserts were especially inviting to children, and the fruit station offered a good variety.
A colourful assortment of desserts.
One downside is the washroom, which felt more like one at a busy big-box store than part of a dining experience. It is an area the restaurant could improve substantially.
Verdict
International Buffet is no longer quite as lively or efficient as I remember it, and quality varies sharply from one station to the next. Still, there are enough worthwhile dishes—especially the beet salad, lasagna, pork roast, smoked meat, and wonton soup—to make a visit enjoyable. Its sheer variety, playful décor, and child-friendly dessert selection remain its strongest assets for family dining.
I plan to return on a weekend to try the all-you-can-eat crab offering.
What to Choose
Best choices: beet salad, lasagna, pork roast, smoked meat, and wonton soup.
Better to skip: spaghetti with marinara sauce, pizza, dry Angus beef, and dry cakes.
Editorial note: This post reflects one return visit on August 16, 2026. The observation concerning undercooked chicken teriyaki is the reviewer’s firsthand account and should be understood as a report from that visit, not a statement about every service.
Quick take
A return visit found a refreshed dining room and faster, better-organized all-you-can-eat service, but a serious undercooked-chicken concern remains unresolved.
The visit
Last Visit: Saturday August 16
Since my last visit roughly eight months ago, Hockey Sushi seems to have undergone some welcome updates. The walls have been repainted, the seats reupholstered, and the tabletops upgraded to granite. Overall, the restaurant feels refreshed.
Service quality has also improved. Our orders were no longer mixed up, and most dishes came out almost instantly. The fried rice still took a little longer, but otherwise the service was noticeably faster and more organized.
What stood out
Serving sizes are well-portioned, which makes it easier to plan your all-you-can-eat meal without ordering too much. I think this is one of the reasons Hockey Sushi continues to hold its ground against the competition in Kanata. The selection remains reasonably broad, offering the standard Japanese items you would expect.
If you are looking for a high-quality, authentic Japanese dining experience, this probably isn’t the place. But for its all-you-can-eat, prepared-to-order concept, Hockey Sushi remains, in my opinion, one of the best options in West Ottawa—and the only one still standing in Kanata.
What to keep in mind
Unfortunately, there was one significant concern during our visit. My son’s chicken teriyaki was served pink and extremely undercooked. We gently brought it to our server’s attention, but our concern was essentially dismissed. Given that undercooked chicken is a food-safety issue, I would have expected the restaurant to take the feedback much more seriously.
Final takeaway
The visual refresh, accurate ordering, and faster service made this a better visit overall. However, the undercooked chicken teriyaki was a serious issue and the response to it fell short. That single food-safety concern is important context for anyone considering the restaurant.
