carswell's Profile
Looking for a not-costly, original date
C'mon, guys. It's Pintxo. Think PINT-sized portions. www.pintxo.ca
Taverne Square Dominion Anyone?
Went with a friend after last night's Rheingold rebroadcast at the Scotia cineplex. Liked the decor. The '70s and '80s muzak was not too intrusive. The amber-toned, low-level lighting cast a warm glow but made the menus (brown ink on ochre paper) hard to read; we thought we'd picked a Muscadet only to be informed it was a Montavel.
We order: a Beefeater gin and tonic ($7); a Canadian old-fashioned ($10); a green salad ($6), which we asked to be served after the main course; and two servings of mussels steamed with lardons and cider, which came fries with mayo ($16). Denied a Muscadet option, we choose a bottle of Bourgogne-Vézelay ($51, retails for $19.75).
The cocktails are idiosyncratic but enjoyable. Strongly flavoured yet harmonious and complex, the tonic tastes like nothing else I've tried.
A minute or two after our cocktails are served, the mussels, fries and salad are unceremoniously plopped before us by a junior waiter. The mussels come in a bowl covered with another bowl for the shells. When the waiter goes to uncover the bowls, we ask him not to, which exasperates him. He turns sniffingly on his heels and splits. One of the senior waiters rushes over to semi-apologize, noting that the kitchen is turning out the dishes fast this evening. Duh.
Several minutes later, the wine shows up. The mussels and fries cooling fast, we're forced to truncate our conversation, gulp down the remaining two-thirds of the cocktails and try to taste the delicate wine between sips of powerful drinks.
Plump and tender, the mussels are properly cooked if a little bland (cultivation's fault, not the kitchen's) and overwhelmed by the copious lardons. The cider is undetectable as such. Whether due to the surfeit of bacon or a heavy hand, the dish is very salty. Even less than ideally warm, the skin-on fries are serviceable.
One of joys of eating steamed mussels is sopping up the sauce with good bread. We ask for some and are brought a plate of machine-sliced sandwich rye. Could we have a baguette instead? No, this is the only bread they serve.
The premature salad is a small plate of watercress leaves and fresh dill in an oily vinaigrette. It, too, is oversalted.
As our mussel dishes are being cleared away, we're asked for the first time if we'd like some water.
Total bill? Around $120 before tip.
The junior waiter excepted, the staff is friendly and engaging enough that the gaffes (other than the mistiming) didn't matter much. The location (a half block from the theatre), hours (open till midnight, even on Mondays), ambiance, menu and cocktails make this an appealing post-movie option. The service, food execution and wine markup (2.5 times retail) keep it from being detour-worthy.
www.tavernedominion.com
9 varietals in Evolution by Sokol Blosser...
C$22.85, which includes 13% sales tax.
Inexpensive wines tend to be more expensive in Quebec than in the States or even Ontario. Medium-priced to expensive non-U.S. wines are often cheaper. That said, the wildly fluctuating exchange rate makes it hard to do meaningful comparisons these days.
I need pig's blood for Boudin
The former is certified organic, the latter is not, though it does claim to be very close to certifiable organic, just unwilling to put up with the hassle and expense of certification.
Coffee Grinders
The QPR sweet spot in espresso grinders these days is the Baratza Vario. Grind quality is equal or superior to a Mazzer Mini plus it's easily adjustable: you can grind for espresso, then switch to French press, then switch back to espresso, with next to no fiddling. It's also relatively quiet and somewhat more compact than competing grinders. Retails for between $400 and $500. I got mine on special order from Caffè in Gamba. They also carry other, considerably less expensive Baratza grinders (and can advise on mods to make them grind fine enough for espresso) and Hario ceramic burr hand grinders for under $100.
9 varietals in Evolution by Sokol Blosser...
Dog knows the SAQ could be better but it's hardly an oppressive thumb. (Joe Dressner recently declared Montreal the top city in North America for natural wines.) I suppose I might feel differently if I were more into New World wines.
9 varietals in Evolution by Sokol Blosser...
A couple of years ago when it first hit the shelves in Quebec, the constituent grapes were Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner and Müller-Thurgau. Don't know if the blend changes from vintage to vintage but suspect it does.
Good Wine Pairings for Chicken Marbella
Here you go.
The earlier query: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/369796
The report: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/372796
Good Wine Pairings for Chicken Marbella
My preference is to go light on the sugar and serve a fruity, highish acid, lowish tannin red. For example, some Grenaches from Spain and southern France (including Côtes du Rhône).
A few years ago, someone posted a similar query and, wonder of wonders, reported back after the dinner. As I recall, a Riesling with a healthy dose of residual sugar ended up being his/her preferred pairing.
BYOW seafood restaurant
Three places spring to mind.
Le Poisson Rouge -- www.restaurantlepoissonrouge.ca -- which is located on Rachel north of Lafontaine Park. That's not a recco, however. I've not been since the change in ownership and staff and the resto's got some very mixed reviews lately.
Yuukai Japanese Fusion (5658 Parc, 514 278-4572) does sushi and other raw and cooked fish (and meat) dishes. Good QPR.
Varka (5258 Park north of Fairmount, 514 271-2130) is a psarotaverna-style BYOB, though I believe it markets itself as Albanian, not Greek. Have been meaning to go but haven't got around to it.
Regular BYOBs often have fish on their menu, too. There are several decent to very good ones within walking distance of Park and Prince Arthur (Le P'tit Plateau, L'Entrepont, La Colombe, Le Piton de la Fournaise, Ilios, Monsieur B., etc.).
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Yuukai
5658 Av Du Parc, Montreal, QC H2V4H1, CA
little familial Italian?
Then you should probably check it out. Don't expect to have your socks knocked off, however. About the best that can be said is that it's honest, red-saucy and affordable. Also, the couple who run it are sweet, though my memory is that the husband is in the kitchen while the wife handles the FOH (my memory could be wrong since I've not gone back in several years). One odd thing for a BYOB is that they aren't very tolerant of wine geekiness (like asking for a decanter or two sets of glasses).
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Some green grocers regularly stock them (for example, ExoFruits in CDN, Chez Louis at the Jean Talon Market), though sometimes they'll only have generic "yellow-flesh potatoes." I'm pretty sure I've seen them in supermarkets too (the Parc/Jean-Talon. Loblaws? the CDN Metro?). 5-lb bags are often the only option.
In the summer, there's also a stall on the north side of the central east-west allée that sells several sizes, including the hard-to-find golf ball ones. And Chez Louis often sells them loose.
Special meal downtown for 2: Decca77 or L'Inconnu?
Having been only twice since the chef and head waiter, the Lenglet brothers, bought out the other partners and switched to a menu that changes weekly if not daily and, as a result, stopped posting the menu online, I can't say for sure. If I recall correctly, on Tuesday of last week there were two seafood starters (shrimp ala plancha and house-smoked salmon) and at least one fish main (monkfish?). We were there for a prix fixe winemaker's dinner, so I didn't pay much attention to the à la carte menu and may be forgetting things. Sorry. You can always call and ask.
St-Canut pork
Had dinner at the house of some Mile End friends yesterday and the main course was roasted shoulder of Saint-Canut pork. Was told it had been was purcahsed at Marché Latina on St-Viateur. The store's website also mentions that they carry it. www.chezlatina.com
What are You Pouring for Thanksgiving 2010?
By the same reasoning, shouldn't you be breaking out the Catawaba, Niagara, Norton, Concord and Scuppernong instead of wines made from un-American vinifera grapes?
Is there a wine pairing for this dessert?
When pairing wines and desserts, the first rule (to which there are exceptions, of course) is that the dessert should not be sweeter than the wine. So, unless you're planning to make a panna cotta with next to no sugar, you should probably skip the dry white Bordeaux or dry Champagne.
In your shoes and budget permitting, I'd think seriously about a still or sparkling Cabernet Franc ice wine.
Best Spicy Food in 514 (All Cuisines Welcome)
Anancy's been discussed on the board. There's even a thread devoted to it: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/656976
For others, type Anancy in the search box at the top of the page and hit Enter. When you get to the search results page, click the Past 5 Years button.
(Another) Duck Confit Question
1. You'll get some of the confit yumminess now but should age a total of 4-6 months for maximum effect, especially since you're storing them in a cold fridge, which slows the maturing process.
2. The fat is still usable. In fact, if you're short on duck fat when poaching the legs, Wolfert suggests making up the difference with lard. Lard is denser than duck fat and makes a better seal, which is why she suggests sealing the crocks with it. Not sure I understand what's gross about scraping the lard layer away. It's quick work and, due to the fats' different colours and textures, it's fairly easy to tell where the lard stops and the duck fat starts. If not, eyeball it; if you followed the recipe to the letter, just scrape off the top 1 inch of fat. And next time, age your legs in crocks or large-mouth mason jars; you'll need less duck fat to cover them and far less lard to seal them.
Passing of Mila Oh (aka moh)
Over on the Quebec board, wilmagrace has posted a link to a sweet bio/remembrance that appeared in today's Globe and Mail (probably to coincide with Mila's 41st birthday, which would have been tomorrow). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/mila-oh/article1806696/
There's a Mila–Chowhound story I've been meaning to share. She and I often talked about the site – its discussions, policies and posters – and during one late night phone conversation, she came out with the best reply ever to an online detractor, a reply she unfortunately didn't have a chance to use. In this case, the detractor was someone who, whenever she posted a rave review of an Asian restaurant she'd eaten at, could be counted on to condescendingly tell her just how wrong she was. This had happened about five times and Mila had had enough. "The next time," she said, "I've got my reply ready: 'As a medical professional, I feel it is my duty to inform you that assholes don't have tastebuds.'"
Duc de Lorraine
At last week's Salon des vins d'importation privée, I ran into a former employee of CDN's famous pastry shop and salon de thé. She said that: the longtime owners sold the business last summer; the new owners didn't have the same level of expertise or commitment to quality; many of the front-of-house and back-of-house staff had left; and the overall offer, especially the croissants and pastries, was far inferior to what it was in the past.
Not being a frequent eater of croissants and pastries, it'll be a while before I check the veracity of the claim. In the meantime, I'm wondering whether anyone has anything to report.
Who makes the best sandwiches in town?
Farhat has opened a second outlet in Côte-des-Neiges in the former Sandwiches et Brochettes locale: 3513 Swail between CDN and Gatineau. Quality seems to be equal to the mother store's.
http://goo.gl/xwZQl
Pine Mouth: Mysterious, bitter aftertaste from pine nuts
The effect seems to depend on the amount you consume. I ate a bunch, about 1/2 cups' worth over 24 hours. The bitterness expressed itself about 36 hours later, was unbearably intense for a couple of days and then did a slow-fade over another week or so. At its worse, it destroyed my appetite (once I'd figured out that I'd not contracted some terrible disease, I thought about going to the store where I'd bought the nuts, buying up the remaining stock and marketing them as a surefire weight-loss aid). After several days, the flavour of food, especially spicy food like curries, was enough to cover the bitterness while masticating, though not the bitter aftertaste. So, as far as I can tell, the only thing to do is tough it out.
Japanese Brasserie on St. Laurent?
Big in Japan. "Brasserie" is pushing it. It's been discussed on the board and gets a big meh from just about everyone, including me. Kazu is countless quantum leaps better.
Looking for really good Chinese food near Club Soda (tonight).
Little Sheep for Mongolian hotpots. Kids get a discount and love the you-choose-and-cook format, not to mention the free refills on fountain drinks. Second floor on the corner of Clark and de la Gauchetière.
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Little Sheep
50 Rue De La Gauchetiere W, Montreal, QC H2Z1C1, CA
Hachoir?
Wow. A burger joint with valet parking. That's gotta be a first in the city.
Of course, the cheapest burger is $12.50...
The venison burger with Riopelle cheese, seared foie gras and truffle shavings is $28. A bargain next to APDC's $39 foie gras burger.
Where to find these spirits in Montreal?
For the record, St-Germain Délice de Sureau artisanal elderflower liqueur will be included in the LCBO's November 27, 2010, release. Not cheap at C$49.95 but unique, irreplaceable in various cocktail recipies -- www.stgermain.fr -- and beautifully packaged (love that art nouveau).
A Connection Between "Tong Por", "Tong Sing" & "Mon Nan"?
Speaking of restaurants with a Tong Por connection, I recently saw a poster advertising Swatow Plaza and saying that it was open for business. Does that include the sixth floor restaurant rumoured to be run by the the Tong Por operation? And if so, has anybody been?
Montreal - Garde Manger vs. Club Chasse and Lemeac vs. Laloux
Chef Marc Cohen and a couple of other principals have left the Sparrow to open their own restaurant. No word yet on how the replacement team is faring. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/746163?tag=main_body;topic-746163
The Indonesian restaurant is called Nonya. http://www.nonya.ca/
If buying bagels at St-Viateur during slightly extended normal business hours, you can get far better smoked salmon a block away (west side of Parc just south of Bernard) at Nouveau Falero's upstairs store. A half dozen or so types, including M. Émile's. Other smoked fish too.
Le Georgia's fun but the neighbourhood is soulless and kind of off the beaten path for tourists.
There's no disputing taste, but I'd never recommend L'Express over Leméac. A tired old menu, dishes prepared without passion and served in a noisy room by indifferent waiters. About the only attraction is the fairly priced wine list.
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L'Express Restaurant
3927 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2W2M4, CA
Le Georgia
5112 Boul Decarie, Montreal, QC H3X2H9, CA
