There's not a dish on Play's ever-changing menu that runs more than $15, and nearly every wine comes in under $90. That's how Stephen Beckta and chef Michael Moffatt encourage people to take a light approach to food and wine at their slick new space on the edge of the busy Byward Market. It's a great place to explore the local bounty, from Ontario pickerel with lemon and artichokes to an all-Ontario cheese list. Beckta, former sommelier at NYC's Café Boulud and Eleven Madison Park and proprietor of Ottowa's Beckta Dining and Wine, does his part with a heavy mix of Niagara wines on his international list. Check out the bright, fresh Ladybug rosé from Malivoire with bacon-enriched Digby scallops or the old-vine gamay from 13th St. with steak frites.

—Tara .Q. Thomas

Play Food & Wine, 1 York St., Ottawa, Ontario, CA; 613-667-9207, playfood.ca (reviewed W&S 6/09)