VanyaD's Profile
2-3 dinners and a lunch with parents, all BYO around plateau area primarily
Monday to Wednesday can be tricky because some of the best byows will be closed for at least one evening early in the week. L'entrepont is one of my favourites for odd times of the week, and so are Les Heritiers and Les Infideles (both owned by the same guy, who has a couple of other places as well, but I haven't tried them).
Mail order wine?
Thanks, cherylmtl and moh: these two options are definitely worth looking into.
Mail order wine?
I've thought of it, but it doesn't seem to be feasible. They won't deliver to a private address, only to an LCBO store. In order to pick up the order, you have to have the invoice and the credit card used to make the purchase. Ordering for someone else is clearly not an option. Well, I guess she'll just have to give up on the idea. Too bad.
Mail order wine?
No, the friend lives in England (sorry to have been unclear!). And Canada Post won't send alcohol out of province. The only thing I could think of was for me to buy the wine here and drive over to Ottawa to deliver it to her folks there. Or maybe she should just send knitted socks and mittens instead. :-(
Mail order wine?
An English friend of mine, used to their English ways, was thinking of sending wine to family in Canada (Ottawa) for Christmas. Surprise, surprise, she's been hitting snags all the way: can't do mail order at all, or can do but only if it's a full case of the same wine, etc. etc. I offered to sniff around and report back. I haven't checked with SAQ yet, though I seem to remember that they only do full cases. Besides, I suspect they probably wouldn't be able to deliver to Ontario anyway. My friend had in mind just a few bottles, and not of the same kind. Has anyone had this kind of headache before? Any way that I can help her? Or should I advise her to just forget about it and send something less complicated instead?
Au Pied de Cochon!
I wouldn't describe Le Bleu Raisin as especially quiet, especially on a weekend. When I went there last winter I loved the food and the service but found the noise a serious nuisance. (And I'm not a senior!) That said, if you can hit the place on a quieter night earlier in the week (call ahead and ask what would be best), I'd definitely recommend it.
Hungarian cakes and pastries
Sorry to hear about the quality, which used to be pretty good. But I'd be very grateful for the address and the hours anyway.
Hungarian cakes and pastries
Around Y2K there was a Hungarian pastry shop on St. Laurent, across the street from Warshaw's or thereabouts. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name, but I loved their stuff: cakes, pastries, salty nibbles, and above all wonderful chestnut concoctions. After a few years the place moved to the westernmost reaches of NDG, then I moved out of town for a couple of years, and by the time I came back it took me a year to track them down. I raced to their new address, only to find that they had closed for good a few weeks earlier. That was about two years ago and I'm still in mourning. Does anyone know if there's any chance of that outfit ever being resurrected? And where can I go for my occasional Hungarian pastry fix when the only place I know of, Rococo, offers only a pathetic travesty of the real thing?
Black walnuts
Does anyone know of a place where I could buy black walnuts in Mtl? I have used a US mail-order source before, but was wondering if I could save on shipping costs.
Restaurant Closures - 2008
Sad. The Fabourg has really been destroyed. If it weren't for Bangkok they could just close the whole place down.
Restaurant Closures - 2008
Walked past the papered-over Le Paris location today and saw a notice saying the place is closed for renovations and will be reopening in November, if I remember well. What's that about?
au Tarot or Les Rites Berberes?
Haven't been to Rites Berberes, but have enjoyed my trips to Au Tarot. Food has ranged from pretty decent to very yummy indeed. (The latter, I must specify, tends to be the case when I go with a friend who knows the owner.) The lamb couscous is the most popular, and with good reason. But try the pastilla too. And the merguez. Portions are sizable and I usually emerge feeling that I won't be able to eat again for days and days. Bear in mind that the place can be very busy later in the week.
Pie crusts for the lazy/incompetent baker?
I'm in the Sherbrooke St. Premiere Moisson almost every day, though, and I don't remember having seen any. But I should ask. Haven't been to a Pain Dore in a while - can't remember seeing anything there. Gascogne? Now that's a thought - should check that out too.
Pie crusts for the lazy/incompetent baker?
Hmmm, don't know ... I don't live near a Loblaws (my local supermarket is a Metro). But I'd be willing to give it try. What is their pie crust called?
Pie crusts for the lazy/incompetent baker?
Hi there,
I love pies but can't do a decent crust to save my life. Where can I buy a really good ready-made one? Industrial ones are out, as I'm rather picky as to what I ingest. Do any health-food stores sell good crusts? (My local store doesn't.) Or would any bakeries make them for sale, either fresh or frozen?
Thanks!
Update on the BYOW scene?
Thanks for the comments! We did go to Le Bleu Raisin and loved the food (including, I must say, the cheesy additions, all of which were very expertly dosed - just enough to add a certain je ne sais quoi but not in any way overwhelming). We'll definitely be going back, though probably not on a Saturday. The acoustics are awkward and on a busy night having a conversation is a bit of a problem (not to mention the fact that service doesn't sparkle either). The charming chef recommended Tuesday or Wednesday for those who'd prefer a quieter atmosphere. Not complaining, though - the food made it worthwhile. Best jarret d'agneau I've had in a while.
Turkish delights?
I've been to Avesta several times and would recommend avoiding the lunch-time rush. I'd also recommend the lamb saç kavurma if you're in the mood for something a bit more substantial yet not too heavy.
Update on the BYOW scene?
Apollo was likewise on the short list but the reviews I've seen weren't exactly confidence-inspiring. Le Bleu Raisin sounds definitely worth trying, though! Le zeste de folie too, though maybe on another occasion. Thanks all - I'll report back.
Update on the BYOW scene?
Hi everyone,
We're looking for a very-good-to-excellent BYOW for an upcoming celebratory dinner. Over the years we've enjoyed quite a few, but we're always eager to try something new. Faves include La Colombe, Les Infideles, Les Heritiers, Le P'tit Plateau; less recently Yo-Yo, Le Pegase, La Prunelle, L'Entrepont, Le poisson rouge ... you get the idea. Any suggestions? We've heard that Le Bleu Raisin is good - could anyone confirm that?
Thanks!
