Harrisonb's Profile
Vietnamese Subs
I also regularly get my sandwiches from Hoang Oanh. Delicious and ridiculously inexpensive.
Nespresso Boutique and coffee bar
In fairness, I havn't seen a Gaggia for less than $200 new. You can buy their base models in town for $250-350 if memory serves. I bought a used model for less than this though and it consistently makes fantastic coffee with plenty of "real" crema, though its ability to steam milk consistently leaves something to be desired (this is a common problem with non-commercial machines).
Once you factor in the cost of a good grinder-more important in fact than the espresso machine itself-the base cost for a decent espresso set-up is still around $300 (and that's probably really on the lower end).
Is this espresso worlds' better than anything I've had from a nespresso? Unequivocally yes. Is it as convenient? No. It depends on your motivations and your own personal quality vs. ease-of-use calculations.
I really like the microwave turkey dinner analogy by the way.
--Harrison [only very loosely affiliated with Cafe Myriade]
Magdala / Mekdala Ethiopian Resto Lounge.
After eating here last night I just wanted to update this thread to say that the service problems mentioned above seem to have been ironed out. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and brought more injera during the meal without our even having to ask. Napkins and wetnaps were also provided.
Has anyone else eaten here lately that could comment on the service? Personally I would chalk up the March/April 2008 comments about service to the growing pains of any new restaurant.
The food was delicious, the setting nice and the overall experience quite enjoyable though I wish I could have experienced the coffee ceremony (only offered on Fri/Sat/Sun nights).
Cafe Myriade
In case you missed it: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/coffee%20heads%20downtown/1160225/story.html
Nice to see a chow favourite get some mainstream attention. Kudos to Anthony, Scott and team.
Moti Mehal report
Just returned from a very enjoyable meal. Thanks to everyone who recommended it for bringing it to my attention. I tend to return to the same places on that strip over and over again and am therefore unlikely to go out of my way to try a new place unless someone makes a point of recommending it. My meal at Moti Mehal was at least as good, if not better than any meal I have had at the other usual Parc Ex suspects.
We started with veg samosas which were very nice and crispy on the outside and were definitely not overly greasy which I find can be a problem at some places.
My dining partner and I then shared the famous chicken balti, cholay and haleem.
The chicken balti was the standout dish for both of us. Admittedly, I have not been to Shahi Palace so I'm not in a position to compare it to their version but it was definitely the best rendition of this dish that I have ever tasted. Extremely complex mix of flavours and yet the different spices all definitely ring through. Fantastic.
The cholay was also very good, both in terms of consistency (no mushy chick peas from overcooking as I've had elsewhere) and flavour. Their version wasn't nearly as spicy as others that I have had but this wasn't necessarily a bad thing as it allowed some of the other flavours to come to the fore a little bit more.
The haleem is a dish that I've wanted to try for some time (I've seen it on the menu at Halal 786 but for whatever reason have never been there on Fridays when it is served). The texture wasn't nearly as off-putting as I had expected based on descriptions I have read. In fact, we both quite enjoyed this dish, particularly for the interesting mix of flavours. I would definitely order it again.
Mango lassi was good and not overly sweet which I appreciated.
We finished up with kheer (now "on-menu") and masala tea. The kheer was good though the consistency was much different and more porridge-like than versions I've had at Rumi and Le Petit Alep. For what it's worth I think Le Petit Alep's version is the best of the three.
One disconcerting thing that has been mentioned before is how empty the place was for a Friday night. I realize the weather is bad and it's right after the holidays but I hope they can start bringing more people in. It would be a real shame if this place didn't make it.
Restaurant Closures - 2008
Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but it looks like Les Petits Secrets Chez Ken et Abby on de Castelnau and Henri-Julien is no more as there has been an a louer sign in the window for the past few weeks.
Bond, James Bond.
I was told a few months ago that they were receiving their beer from Hopfenstark, in my opinion one of the best microbrewers in Quebec. Can anybody verify if this is true?
I was there during the summer when they were still working out a few of the kinks but thought that the place had a lot of potential. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it and will have to give them another try next time I'm in the neighbourhood.
Cafe Myriade
I agree with Enkerli's assessment of Myriade's role in "triggering" the coffee scene in Montreal. Maybe three weeks is too short of a time-frame to see the results of this effect but I definitely feel it happening in terms of educating the average coffee customer and encouraging the progressive geekdom of those of us already coffee-obsessed.
In particular, I think that the "Sunday Tasting Sessions" are and will continue to develop knowledge of and respect for the coffee and tea that Anthony and Scott take so much pride in. To me the "third wave" of coffee that people talk about, is really about "respecting" coffee and treating it as more than a simple caffeine-delivery system, basically putting coffee on the same level as other culinary pursuits. I agree that this is particularly relevant in a chowhound context, as coffee as a commodity is indeed inexpensive enough to be truly appreciated in its finest form by your average hound.
I think that places like Cafe Art Java, Cafe Veritas and Caffe in Gamba have done a lot to educate Montrealers about coffee and turn them on to drinking much better coffee than they had perhaps experienced before. I really believe that Myriade is the next logical step in this process and though it's only been three weeks I think the "triggering effect" has indeed started.
I definitely understand your comment about Myriade's existence causing you to spend too much money though. I heard somewhere that coffee is addictive. I think for me, it's truly great coffee that is addictive.
Kudos to Myriade. Please keep up the good work.
Au Pied de Cochon!
On a recent visit my vegetarian girlfriend ordered the tomato tartlet as well as the blue cheese, apple and endive salad. Though we had our reservations about whether or not she would be able to enjoy the APDC experience (let's face it, the over-the-top carnivorous spirit of the place can be off-putting for those who do not eat meat), she really enjoyed her food and the experience as a whole. In fact, we are planning our next visit soon.
Though the options may be limited to a few appetizers for vegetarians (and basically non-existent for vegans), the portions are sufficiently large and delicious that it is possible for a vegetarian to have an enjoyable meal at APDC, if only to appease their meat-eating dining companions. It is always nice when restaurants recognize the fact that some people may want meat-free meals and take the time to ensure that these meals are up to the same standards as the rest of the menu. I can't tell you how many times we have been to a nice restaurant which only offers the ubiquitous and uninteresting green salad and plain pasta options. Obviously I wouldn't recommend APDC as a destination for vegetarians but it is possible for a vegetarian to have an enjoyable meal there.
Oh yeah, and I second Moh's comments about having room for the pudding chomeur and chocolat pot de creme.
Cafe Myriade
Cafe Myriade is the latest player in the Montreal coffee scene. The cafe is owned and operated by Chowhounder, Canadian National Barista Championship finalist and former Veritas-fixture Anthony Benda and his partner Scott Rao, himself a coffee guru and author "The Professional Barista's Handbook". A few hounds have already discussed it here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/469576 but I think this place merits its own thread.
Myriade is offering a wide range of single-origin beans and blends from Canada's top roaster, 49th Parallel. In addition to espresso-based beverages from their Mirage machine (the only one in Canada!) and bevy of Anfim grinders, you can have your coffee brewed using french-press, siphon pot or Eva Solo techniques, each of which offers a unique way of coaxing different flavours out of the beans. Clearly Myriade is a place that takes their coffee very seriously.
For those less coffee-inclined, they are also serving excellent hot chocolate and offer an impressive range of high-end teas. They were also offering chocolates and a few pastries during my visit yesterday though I did not try any of them.
Basically, I can't recommend this place highly enough. The espresso I had yesterday may have been the best I have ever had-no small claim considering the recent growth of espresso options in our fair city. I think Myriade is a welcome addition to this growth. They treat coffee as a culinary art-form without any of the pretentiousness that can sometimes turn casual customers off.
I'm sorry if this review sounds a little bit too enthusiastic but I honestly cannot think of anything negative to say about the place. I look forward to visiting Myriade again and again as they definitely offer something unique within the Montreal coffee scene. I wish Anthony and his team every success and I look forward to reading about what others think of the place.
Cafe Myriade: 1432 Mackay St. (between St. Catherine and de Maisonneuve)
Just moved to old port. need coffee shop.
I'm not too sure how close it is to your new place but your best bet for coffee in the old port is Cafe Sante Veritas at 480 blvd Saint Laurent. They have a beautiful Synesso machine and Anfim grinders and use 49th Parallel beans (probably Canada's top specialty roaster). Quality can vary a bit depending on the barista (like anywhere) but I've generally had good to amazing coffee there. Definitely several levels above Starbucks.
Custard tart / nata near JTM?
Yes I can confirm that they have re-opened. I bought a loaf of bread and a couple of natas from them this morning, both of which are very good.
Independant wine merchants in Quebec
Does anyone know if a similar Quebec agent exists for privately imported beer? I have ordered several Belgian beers that are otherwise unavailable through a similar company that delivered to any LCBO outlet in Ontario but I have not heard of such a company in Quebec.
Any ideas?
Custard tart / nata near JTM?
I was wondering what people think of Romados' natas. I admit that I havn't tried the ones at Bela Vista yet but I often pick up a nata to go with my chicken dinner.
So how does Romados compare to Bela Vista, Boulangerie Populaire, et al?
Best of Quebec (Montreal) Beers
Did you make it to the anniversary event? If so, how was it? I wasn't able to go unfortunately.
Villeray: Which Southeast-Asian place to choose?
I had a fantastic meal this past weekend at Nhu Y. Not having much experience with Vietnamese food, my friend and I decided to ask the waitress to guide us through the menu and point out a few dishes from the "specialties" section of the menu for us to try. We ended up ordering three dishes (which was almost too much food for 2 very hungry people). Forgive me for not remembering the names of the dishes exactly, but we had:
1) Deep-fried shrimp on sweet potato - The couple sitting next to us were kind enough to explain how to go about eating this dish. We were provided with a pair of scissors which was used to cut to the big chunks of shrimp and sweet potato goodness into bite-size pieces. This was then wrapped in a lettuce leaf with mint and coriander and dipped in a sweet sauce. This was my favourite dish of the night. I wish I could remember what it was called but I'm sure I'll be back to try it again anyways. I believe it was the first item listed on the "specialties" menu.
2) Vietnamese Pancake - This dish had more of an omelet consistency to it. It was a large "pancake" with pork, shrimp, onion and a few other veggies. Again, this was cut into smaller pieces and then wrapped in lettuce leaves to be dipped in the same sauce as the first dish.
3) Grilled shrimp on sugar cane - This dish was accompanied by rice paper sheets in which we stuffed shrimp, pork and assorted greens. Delicious. The sugar cane gave the shrimp a nice sweet flavour while the sugar cane (which we chewed on separately had a nice "shrimpy" flavour to it.
My friend and I were both impressed with the food as well as the kind and inviting service and we would heartily recommend this place to others. Our three mains plus an appetizer of spring rolls (which were very good but redundant when we realized that the ingredients were essentially the same as we had in the shrimp-sugar cane dish) came out to about $40 for two. As I said before, we definitely could have ordered less and still been very satisfied. Nhu Y is an even better value when you factor in that it's a byow.
I look forward to trying some of the other recommendations that people have posted but it'll be hard for me not to go back to Nhu Y next time I want Vietnamese food.
Best of Quebec (Montreal) Beers
I stopped by Dieu du Ciel last night and they were not serving La Complice. I didn't think to ask if they would be in the future or if it is just a limited run of bottles for now.
Next Saturday DDC is celebrating their 10th anniversary with 24 beers available on tap, some of which have been aged as many as seven years. They will also have a special 10th anniversary beer available which is an "ale aged in oak barrels previously used to mature the maple sap liquor". I would imagine it will be pretty busy but there should be a lot of very good beer to try.
They said that they would be posting a full list of the beers available on their website sometime this week: http://www.dieuduciel.com/en/home.php
Simple quest: cheap food and good beer near McGill U.
If you're willing to travel a little bit, Vices et Versa on St. Laurent near St. Zotique has a fantastic beer selection and their menu is relatively inexpensive. They also have a nice terrase out back. The 55 bus goes straight there from anywhere on St. Laurent.
In the same neighbourhood as l'Amere a Boire there's Le Saint-Bock. I find their beer selection to be very good and they have some pretty decent food. You shouldn't have a hard time eating here for less than $15.
At 809 Ontario there's Le Cheval Blanc, another good option for local beer. I don't remember if they have food though so maybe someone else can chime in on that.
The best place for local beer, again if you're willing to travel a little bit (the 80 or the 55 will get you there from McGill in less than 20 minutes) is Dieu du Ciel at the corner of Laurier and Clark. They don't have a terrase but it's a very warm, inviting place to go in winter. They have a limited selection of inexpensive sandwiches, pizzas, cheese plates and things like that. That's my go-to place for beer in Montreal and would definitely be worth going a bit out of your way for.
This should give you a few post-Thompson House options. Enjoy.
Best of Quebec (Montreal) Beers
According to their website, http://www.lesaintbock.com/html/products.html, the house blanche at Saint-Bock is called "Penitente". I havn't tried many of their house brews. How would you compare them to some of the other brewpubs in town?
I tried "La Complice", a brown ale that Dieu du Ciel made exclusively for a beer festival in Saint Saveur last weekend and I was extremely impressed. Has anyone else tried this yet? After drinking the single bottle, I immediately went back to the store to pick up more. I'm not sure if this is a limited-time release but I would highly recommend trying a bottle if you enjoy that style. It was fairly hoppy but well balanced and had caramel and definite citrus notes as well. I've seen it at Les Delires du Terroir in Plaza St. Hubert as well as Le Marche des Saveurs at the Jean-Talon market, both of which are great sources for Quebec beers which I neglected to mention in my previous posts.
Villeray: Mini-reviews or "What I ate this week"
I've walked by Les Petits Secrets Chez Ken et Abby several times and it has always been dark inside. Are they closed temporarily?
Villeray: Mini-reviews or "What I ate this week"
So as I mentioned in another thread, I recently moved to Villeray and have spent the past week and a half sampling several of the neighbourhood restos (when not cooking with things I picked up at the Jean-Talon market). I thought I would share some of my first impressions of a few of these places. They have all been discussed elsewhere on the boards as that is how I found out about most of them in the first place, but it never hurts to mention them again.
Ange & Ricky on Jarry just west of Henri-Julien is a small Haitian “casse-croute” that I probably would have missed had I not read about it on these boards. I had never eaten Haitian food before so I have no basis for comparison but I really enjoyed my lunch of fried chicken served with plaintains, “dirty” rice, a small salad and a really nice, fairly mild hotsauce. My favourite part about this place was how friendly and welcoming Ange was, asking me if it was my first time there and offering me explanations and samples of all the different dishes she had on offer that day to help me decide what to order. The food was very good and extremely satisfying and for less than $10 including a lemonade “slush” to drink, I think this a place I’ll go back to again and again.
Petit Alep on Jean-Talon just above the market gets a lot of praise on this board and with good reason. Their food is fantastic, inexpensive, and their dining room gives a nice shady reprieve from the sun during busy market days.
Halal 786 on Jean-Talon Ouest (I know this is technically Parc Ex and not Villeray but it's also only a short walk away). Having been a devotee of Sana on Jarry Ouest for a while now, I hadn't tried any other Pakistani restos despite several recommendations from friends for Halal 786. Well I'm sorry I had held out so long. The menu was quite different from that of Sana, with several dishes that I have never tried before. I opted for their "specialty", the Lahori Fry Fish which came as a whole fish that had been marinated in spices and then fried and was accompanied by a small green salad. The fish was huge and delicious and probably too much food for one person (I also had some naan). I can't wait to go back.
I had amazing baklava from Patisserie Villeray (Villeray at Drolet). They don't seem to have much other than baklava but the pieces I had on Saturday morning were fresh and out of this world. He even gave me a free sample while I was deciding what to buy. Be careful though, I bought a box of 6 intending to eat them over the course of a few days and ended up finishing the whole box that afternoon. Oh well.
Places that I am looking forward to trying in the near future: Nhu Y, Chez Apo, Daou, Restaurant Rincon Espanol, Les Petits Secrets Chez Ken et Abby, Braseiro, Bottega.
I think I have my work cut out for me.
Villeray: Which Southeast-Asian place to choose?
Thanks SnackHappy and lagatta for your replies. I had been meaning to try Nhu Y even before I moved to this part of town but now I really have no excuse as it's only about a 15 minute walk away. I can't wait to try some of the others in that little St. Denis corridor either and I'll be sure to post when I do.
As for the other places I have enjoyed recently in Villeray, well why don't I put that in a separate thread.
Villeray: Which Southeast-Asian place to choose?
Hi Chowhounders,
I recently moved to Villeray and have been slowly eating my way through the neighbourhood (based largely on suggestions found on these boards). One thing I havn't tried yet though is any of the Southeast-Asian places (Vietnamese, Cambodian, etc) in and around Jean-Talon and St. Denis. I am a little bit overwhelmed at the abundance of different places, all of which look fairly similar from the outside. Can anyone make any specific recommendations as to which of these places are worth checking out and maybe even specific dishes that you have enjoyed there? I feel like I am missing out.
Thanks for your help.
Best of Quebec (Montreal) Beers
I'm not totally sure but you might be thinking of L'amere a Boire at 2049 St. Denis. They make a Czech-style pilsener which is very good. I can't remember what's on the jukebox though. There's also Le Saint-Bock at 1749 St. Denis. Both of these places make above-average beer, with the latter having more of a selection from other Quebec micros as well as some hard to find (in Quebec at least) Belgian imports.
Best of Quebec (Montreal) Beers
I also highly recommend Dieu Du Ciel. In particular, their Peche Mortel is a very highly regarded Imperial Stout. Having sampled most of their offerings however, I would say that you can't really go wrong. The fact that their menu changes frequently also makes it a nice place to go back to regularly.
Another great place to sample Quebec beers is Vices et Versa (www.vicesetversa.com) where they have 29 taps dedicated exclusively to Quebec micros. My favourites there are the offerings by Hopfenstark from Assomption, Quebec. In particular, I really like their Postcoloniale IPA.
In terms of bottles, Unibroue makes several really excellent Belgian-style beers, my favorites being La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles. L'Alchimiste and McAuslan are also both very reliable choices.
Espresso Beans
You might be missing something. I was until about a year ago when I became seriously obsessed with coffee (maybe a little bit too obsessed if you ask those close to me). I find that there is a very noticeable difference between the beans sold at Caffe in Gamba and Veritas (I've never bought beans from Art Java but have had their espresso in-store on a few occasions) and those sold at Provigo, Starbucks, etc. Aside from bean and roast quality, I think the biggest difference is freshness. Purists will tell you that if your coffee is more than two weeks past its "roasted-on" date then it is stale and will taste as such. Unfortunately most of the coffee on the shelves of grocery stores and chain coffeeshops is already well past this two week mark.
That being said, it's definitely not heretical to ask how other beans compare to Intelligentsia et al. There is certainly a price difference so I think you have to decide whether it's worth it for you. If you've never had beans roasted by Intelligentsia, 49th Parallel, Zoka, PT's or any of the other beans that CiG sell then I would certainly recommend giving them a try and deciding for yourself.
P.S. I don't think there's anything wrong with using a stove-top method to make your coffee. There are many wonderful approaches to enjoying coffee. I would recommend grinding your beans right before making your coffee though for maximum enjoyment.
Beer Glasses...
Le Paradis de la Biere (Laurier O and Esplanade) and Metro Joannette (349 de l'Eglise in Verdun) both have good, if somewhat expensive glass selections. I'm not sure if they have the ones you are looking for specifically but they might be worth checking out. These are also among the best places in the city to buy bottles from Quebec microbreweries.
Montreal--for serious foodies/beerfans/travelers??
Hi there,
Long time lurker, first time poster.
Two beer bars that I would add to carswell's already extensive list:
-Vices et Versa (for 29 taps dedicated only to Quebec microbrews including the amazing Hopfenstark) http://www.vicesetversa.com
-Le Saint-Bock (for privately imported bottles that are otherwise unavailable in Quebec as far as I know) http://www.lesaintbock.com
If I had to choose one place to bring an out-of-town beer fan though it would definitely be Dieu du Ciel.
Enjoy.
