Gregoso's Profile
West Island Best Kept Secrets
Just want to add to the love for Baraka. I was actually not a fan of the sandwiches when we first went - I tried both the beef and chicken, and was unsure if I would try it again. Since then we have given it another shot, except we have been ordering the chicken 'family' meal (a whole chicken, generous portion of potatoes / rice / fries [your choice], garlic sauce, hummus, pita) and it is fantastic.
The chicken is beautifully marinated. The hummus is delicious. I am a huge fan of the garlic potatoes - spicy, garlicky, and a perfect accompaniment. My biggest complaint is the green salad, which appears to be your basic bagged salad with some cesar / ranch hybrid on top. Order the fattoush instead, which is well seasoned and as fresh as it can be this time of year.
And the meal is a good value - 20$, or 25$ if you add a medium fattoush. Awesome price to quality ratio.
Chopstik in the West Island
I have done take out from there on a few occasions, and only find it mediocre.
The beef and broccoli was tasty, but I found it very oily. The general tao is very generic. I can't remember what else we ordered from there, as it has been a month or two since we've ordered. I think I liked the dumplings?
Apologies, but all I remember is that we did not like it much. La Perle is a much better choice for take-out chinese in the area.
Hot Horseradish
I have also found fresh horseradish at Adonis in the West Island. I would imagine the other locations carry it as well, but no promises!
Chuck's day off episode "the spice guys" where are they?
I *think* the kitchen supply store is Warsaw (sp?) in the Atwater Market.
group opinion of Le Bremner
Hey there,
Here is an older thread with a couple of reviews (one of them mine) of Bremner.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/798481
The short version of my review - Garde Manger is much better. It was good, but I would certainly not pick it as a destination restaurant. If Garde Manger is closed, I would go to DNA, Kitchenette, or Joe Beef (very expensive, FYI) over Bremner instead.
And this from a huge Chuck fan.
West Island Butchers
I have asked the butchers at Marche de l'Ouest to cut short ribs a specific way for me, without any trouble. I think as long as you are clear and ask nicely, they will do it for you. Just be specific, because if they screw it up you are still paying for it. I did by the whole slab though, so not sure if that is a requirement..
It is super easy for them to do, they just grab the slab and bring it to the table saw and there you go!
West Island Butchers
Me again, with another query for you seasoned West Islanders.
I am looking for a decent butcher in the area. Before we moved we did most of our meat shopping at the Atwater market, where I could easily find specialty cuts or ask them to custom cut pieces of meat.
I find myself at a bit of a loss in the West Island, with the only butch I am aware of being the one in Marche de l"ouest - which is expensive. I bought a pork shoulder at Marche de l'ouest at 8.95 / kg, the following week went to atwater and got it for 5.95 / kg...
We get what we could at costco, but they have a limited selection. So, looking for a place where I could find some good quality pork butt, beef chuck, short ribs, etc..
Thanks in advance.
Le Bremner - review
Went to Bremner last night with a large group - 9 of us, and thought I would provide my impressions of the place since it doesn't seem CHers are talking about it much. Would love to hear others' opinions as well. Let me start by saying I have been to Garde Manger on a bunch of occasions, and love the food, atmosphere, and style of the place.
I wonder if the menu has not changed since vidkid's original review, as none of the dishes reviewed appeared on the menu. The menu, unlike Garde's, is a plasticized, fixed menu. I assume this means it does not vary as the seasons change (unless they swap out the sheets), which is sort of disappointing - but I digress. We were divided into 2 booths, so I can comment on the dishes that we had at our table.
The kimchee snowcrab, which I have heard much about, was sort of underwhelming. Beatifully presented, with snow crab and kimchee piled on a firm rice cracker. The subtle sweetness of the crab was lost to the kimchee, and all I was left with was a bit of spicy/sweetness from the cabbage, and a light fishy taste from the snow crab. The dish was $22 (I think) dollars, for 4 rice crackers and kimchee. the texture, which I assume is one of the highlights of this dish, was spoiled for me when I found chomped down on a large piece of cartilage that was missed when cleaning the crab.
The raw tuna and sea bass, both coming in at around $20, were lively, fresh, and tasty. This is two separate dishes, I thought I would just lump them together. 6 or so slices of fish per dish were topped differently, but the combinations of flavours and textures worked for each. The details of the dish sort of escape me, but I remember I liked them. I will also add that I think both these dishes are outrageously over-priced - as there was literally 6 thin slices of fish per dish.
A burrata dish, sprinkled with orange zest and topped with olive oil came accompanied with some lovely picked vegetables and a cracker (a fried pita bread, maybe?). This dish was probably my favourite, as the creamy burrata was perfectly contrasted by the crunchy veg and cracker. I will again add, however, that at $22 the dish is small (about a woman's palm size of cheese) the price is well over what I would be willing to pay again.
The warm potato salad was wonderful - topped with what I think was a light arugula salad and bacon lardons, accompanied by a fantastic picked egg. My complaint, which is becoming the theme of this post, is again the price. At $15 or $16, the portion was very small.
Finally, our first round included an order of onion rings ($10) and garlic bread with marinara sauce ($12). You guessed it, very pricey for what was provided. Their were 8 large onion rings per order which were perfectly seasoned and fried. The garlic bread was a fluffy, flat bread covered in garlic and parm accompanied by a spicy, bright marinara sauce. Good, but really - they were bread sticks, and I would probably skip this in the future.
For a main I had a "steak and cheese" - rare steak on a very dense piece of garlic bread, topped with a shallot (?) demi-glace, friend bits of shallots, an arugula salad and dabs of triple-creme. The meat was excellent - perfectly seared, tender, and flavourful. The bread it came on top of however was probably over-done on the bottom as I had to saw through it with the provided knife - with great difficulty. All the flavours taken together were pleasant, but the demi-glace might have been a mite too sour for my tastes and masked the umami-flavour that we crave when eating steak.
The kitchen were very accommodating to a vegan at the table, modifying the "spaghetti squash and meatballs (sic)" dish and making it vegetarian - subbing out the meatballs for additional veggies. My wife also ordered the squash and meatballs, so I had a chance to try it. The squash and marinara sauce were excellent, and accompanied each other beautifully. The meatballs, however, were much too heavy and dense for my tastes (tasted like italian sausage, fyi). I would say they were overcooked, but one of them was a little raw in the middle - which was also a bit of a disappointment as undercooked meatballs would be the last thing I would expect in any restaurant - much less on of this calibre.
We skipped on dessert, as we were all full. Service was overall attentive, informative, and very friendly. Be patient when making drink orders, as this seems to be where we had the most hiccups - where 1 drink was forgotten, and one (rum and coke) took almost 20 minutes to arrive. For a cocktail, I had a caramelized pear and rosemary cocktail, which, if memory serves came with a dark rum. I like it at first, until my wife happily pointed out that it tastes like a hand soap I like (which is probably why I liked the cocktail - il Cucina, FYI). That ruined it for me, as every sip I took reminded me of washing dishes at home. Although I liked the service, one dish in the first round was forgotten and arrived late, and my wife's spaghetti squash arrived very late (she ate alone after were all done). This was probably why one of the meatballs was underdone, as they rushed the dish out.
Overall, the food was good but I strongly feel the prices are too inflated for what you are receiving. It is clear that at Bremner you are paying a premium for the Hughes' stamp. I would easily recommend Garde Manger over Bremner, as I prefer the atmosphere and style of food at Garde over Bremner. I would also say the prices are much fairer at Garde, at least they were the last time I was there over the summer.
The cost of the meal, by the way, was about $90 per person, tax tips and drinks included. Garde usually clocks in at $50-60 pp, depending on how many drinks we order. I haven't re-read the post as we got home late and I have three young kinds, so apologies for any spelling mistakes!
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Cucina Restaurant
5134 Boul Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T1R8, CA
Stacy's Pita Chips?
Also found them at my local IGA yesterday. Thanks for mentioning the brown sugar and cinnamon ones - they are delicious! Not sure if there is an IGA downtown somewhere, but check it out - likely all IGAs are carrying them.
Anything worth eating in Lasalle, Lachine or Dorval?
I know Lasalle!
There is a Dilallo on Dollard - but last time I tried to go it was closed. Not sure if that was some bad luck, or if it is actually closed.
For pizza and subs, Manzo Pizzeria is some great take-out and delivery. LaSalle Drive-In in some great super-casual food as well. Decent souvlaki, great steamies and fries, and I really really love their chef salad (+/- chicken).
For some casual italian (subs, pasta, entrees) Bocci is a good place. For more formal and expensive food, la Griglia D'oro (same owners) is a more upscale steakhouse. Griglia D'oro could be really, really good at times (try the arrancini if on the menu, also the gnocchi with blue cheese sauce is delicious, as is the shrimp tempura), but could also be sort of plain and bland (e.g. some of the table d'hôte specials I've had were a little hit and miss). I really do enjoy griglia d'oro though, as I've had more positive than negative experiences.
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Manzo Pizzeria
1033 Av 90E, Lasalle, QC H8R3A4, CA
Stacy's Pita Chips?
Costco for sure, and I am pretty sure that the bulk store in the Atwater Market also carries them.
Need lunch recs for weekday for very important client
Wow, I'm sort of surprised. I was there for lunch last summer, and I had a fantastic charcuterie plate and lamb burger.
Really disappointed they are not serving lunch anymore.
Need lunch recs for weekday for very important client
DNA is also an excellent choice for lunch. They have a great lunch menu that I believe you can check out ahead of time on their website, plus a great wine list. Has been a while since I have been there, however
West Island take-out
Just went to GiGi's last night (for research, of course) and unfortunately I paid with cash - so I am not sure if they accept cards. I am sure, however, that they no longer deliver. Which is a huge pain in the arse, and may limit the food accessibility for some.
West Island take-out
Oh yes, I forget about the 2 locations. I am referring to the one on Lakeshore.
West Island take-out
GiGi's is the one I know best, and they are pretty good. But they are your typical "montreal" style pizza - lots and lots of cheese, soggy-ish thin crust, and greasy.But packed with flavour.
where can I find Veggie Patch falafel in Montréal?
HI,
i am pretty sure you can buy them at Costco - that is where I used to buy them. I haven't looked for them in a while though, so i am not sure if they carry that specific Veggie Patch product.
HOW FAR DO I HAVE TO DRIVE FOR A CRAB HOUSE?
I've checked most supermarkets, and they do have frozen crab meat available in cans. I haven't tried it yet- I've been hesitant because I am trying to keep away from canned stuff. But maybe I will give it a whirl. Thanks!
HOW FAR DO I HAVE TO DRIVE FOR A CRAB HOUSE?
I've asked this before... but anyone know where I can get lump crab meat? Do the chinese supermarkets have any?
West Island take-out
Happy to report I went to La Campagnarde yesterday, and it was quite good. The chicken was indeed fresh taxing, crispy on the outside, and very juicy.
Some minor quibbles. I found all of the food (fries, coleslaw, and chicken) lacked salt, and would have benefitted greatly from it. Also, you read correctly, I got fries instead of the afore-mentioned chips. The fries were not good at all, sort of like McDonald's fries but worse. The home made BBQ sauce was delicious. A little tangy, a little spicy, and a great note to the fried chicken.
I will be going back to try the grilled variety, and I will be asking about the home made chips. Would have ordered grilled chicken, but we were a little short on time because we had our two little ones at the restaurant and they were getting hungry. Will report back when i try grilled.
Would certainly recommend this place as great take-out. Despite my little complaints.
Garde Manger--what to order?
I think the menu changes occasionally - but when we were there the jerk crab legs were a hell of a stand-out dish. Sweet, spicy, MESSY, but soo good. The lobster poutine was also good. I had a take on steak frites, which was a perfectly cooked bavetter accompanied by potato-cheese croquettes. This dish was also fantastic. Have fun, it is a great place.
West Island take-out
Hi- I've never heard of La Campagnarde. I will check it out, thanks. Also, didn't know Maiko did take-out. Also some great info.
West Island take-out
Hello everyone,
I am hoping someone can help in my desperation. As has been stated before, west island is sort of lacklustre for food. But I am not looking for the gourmet experience right now - just some delicious take out!
I have recently moved to pointe-claire from LaSalle, and in Lasalle we had some decent takeout - like Manzo's and Lasalle drive in. I am looking for something with some decent foods, and oddly enough a delicious salad or two for when I am feeling rabbit-ish.
I have looked through the previous west island threads, and haven't seen much mention of good take out. Oh, one other thing, I know there is an assortment of good indian food in the area, but my wife is not a fan.
Thanks for any help in advance!
New Outdoor Section @ Atwater Market
I am a big fan of their sweet and sour cashews, and recently the vendor turned me onto some newish mix they have - walnuts and dry cranberries all dusted with a cinnamon mixture. Delicious!
New Outdoor Section @ Atwater Market
I just want to echo all the comments on Satay Brothers. I went back today for the third time - and every time the service has been timely, enthusiastic, and the food perfectly executed.
I have had the pork buns every time, and I can't say enough about them. The pork belly is perfectly cooked, melts on your tongue, and is pleasantly accented by the crunch of the cucumber. The sauce (hoisin?) is delicious, and a lovely sweet / sour complement to the pillowy but chewy bun.
The satays I have also tried, and they have all been good. I have never had laksa soup before, and I tried a bowl with my visiting brother - and we both loved it. Perfectly cooked quail egg, sweet shrimp - but my favorite part was probably the fried tofu. Great texture.
Will definitely keep going back, and highly recommended for you all to check it out!
Kirkland brand super premium vanilla ice cream
Hi everyone, wondering if this brand of ice cream is available at one of our local Costcos.
It seems to be one of the best commercially available vanilla ice creams. I went to the Costco in St-Henri today and didn't see it.
Thanks!
Kojax hot sauce
Hi-
At most Kojax you can buy it in 500ml containers, for 5$ or something. I am a fan of the mild sauce, and pick it up and stock it at home.
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Kojax
625 Rue Sainte-Catherine W, Montreal, QC H3B1B7, CA
ISO Natural / Organic / Grass Fed beef / pork in Montreal area.
Thank you both. I had no idea there was a market at St-Anne de Bellevue. Could you provide the specific location? Will go check it out next saturday!
