Thanks all -- I'm so glad some of you have seen it around town. I was beginning to give up hope! :-)

Hi Hounds,
I'm looking to buy a sweet gift for an older person who doesn't dig "fancy" chocolates (she's almost 80!). She loves See's Candies, but shipping a box of See's here will cost me around $70 (just for shipping!).

Can I find chocolates comparable to See's in MTL? Any ideas?

Thanks!

Thanks! I'll check out that store. Sadly, I don't have a Vitamix!

Da Emma! Love this place, and it's totally romantic!

Hi Hounds,
Can anyone tell me where to get coconut butter and coconut cream in the city? I've been to a few health food stores, but store employees tend to stare at me with vacant expressions.

Thanks!

Hi hounds,
I have an odd question: does anyone know of a cookbook that features a lot of whipped cream recipes?

Thanks!

Any idea where I can get one? Thanks!

The title of this post says it all: does anyone know of any restaurants open on Christmas Eve in the 514 area?

Thanks!

I'm a veggie, and I love Martin Picard -- the guy is a gem, don't hate!!

Any Ottawa restaurants that I shouldn't miss during my upcoming trip? Recommendations and thoughts appreciated!

Thanks, Hounds!

Hi,
We're traveling to Brooklyn this coming weekend, and would love to get a slice of the best that Brooklyn's got to offer --- pizza recs? Also, if there's street, park, or other food that we can't miss, I'd love to get those recs too.

Thanks, Hounds! :)

@Fintastic: I disagree, your post was a great one -- I especially enjoyed the "new-agey PC bullshit" part. ;)

@SourberryLily: Yes, take his class, you will love the man.

@blondee_47: You're right; I'm not sure he knows that he's a famous chef. He's just "Martin."

I'll preface this by saying that this post should have been written a few months ago...

I was lucky enough to snag tickets to Martin Picard's cooking class at his Cabane Au Sucre towards the end of the sugar shack season. The tickets were a gift for my husband, and being a vegetarian I had no idea what to expect.

If you get a chance, take this class next year. You'll learn a lot, there are a bunch of veggie-friendly dessert options (demonstrations and all), and the whole experience is lots of fun (made even more fun by constant cocktails!). While everything about my cooking course experience was great, what I really want to write a quick note about is Martin Picard.

It may seem strange that a vegetarian has anything nice to say about the one man who serves more pig products than any other restaurant in the province. But, Martin Picard is a real down-to-earth gem.

The man is kind, sweet, patient, and even a bit bashful. For a chef who runs a restaurant frequented by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and other great chefs, Martin Picard is proof that success doesn't have to change a person.

Some like him for his food and his wacky cooking show, but this vegetarian likes Martin Picard for his stellar personality.

Thanks! I've been to Icehouse (not a fan), but I haven't heard of Jolifou! I'll give it a shot. :-)

Looking for Tex-Mex (with full bar) suggestions...got one?

Thanks, hounds! :-)

Anyone taken cake courses at this place?

Thanks! :)

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Delice
1000 Rue De La Gauchetiere W, Montreal, QC H3B4W5, CA

Lacking is the world for Icehouse. Lacking in taste, spice, and seemingly skill. If you've had real Texas BBQ, don't waste your time. If Taco Bell is your thing, this is a step up.

Does anyone know when the Plateau farmer's market will be back?

Thanks!

You can try Kilo (http://www.kilo.ca/), and I've also heard good things about Delices des Dawn (http://www.dawnsdesserts.com/). Also, check out this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/644470.

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Delice
1000 Rue De La Gauchetiere W, Montreal, QC H3B4W5, CA

Thanks everyone! I have been to Pinxto (great food!), and I didn't even think of it for this occasion -- thanks for the reminder! :-)

Hi SnackHappy,
The restaurant we choose will be the setting for a birthday dinner.Moderately priced food would be ideal, and a great atmosphere would also be ideal. The birthday boy has been eying these three restos for awhile now, so that's how we came up with this list.

Any thoughts, ideas, or recs, that you can come up with would be fantastic! Thanks!

Hi Hounds,
We're looking for a good Spanish restaurant that can accommodate a small(ish) group of people. Has anyone experience the following restaurants? Your advice and comments are appreciated!

1. Club Espanol
2. Tapeo
3. El Gallego

Thanks, Hounds!

Thanks everyone!

We had the worst experience at Joe Beef -- nobody from our party of six would return! I haven't been to Kitchen Galerie, but I thought I should warn you about Joe Beef (overrated, overpriced, and just not that great).

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Joe Beef
2491 Rue Notre-Dame W, Montreal, QC H3J1N6, CA

Kitchen Galerie
60 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montreal, QC H2R1S5, CA

Do we have a large Whole Foods(ish) store somewhere in the city?

Thanks! I will def. give this place a try!

Has anyone been to the Capitaine farm? Seems like a lot of accusations here, but does anyone have concrete proof? Just curious...

Casa Cacciatore (sp?) used to make a great one, but they went out of business. Are you thinking of Jos et Basil (a butcher)? I'm curious...if anyone has anything to add, please let me know! :-)

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Casa Cacciatore
170 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montreal, QC H2R1S7, CA

You know, I used to live right near Olive + Gourmando, but I've never actually eaten there! Since I love a good soup+sandwich combo, I am going to take your suggestion! Thanks! :-)

A nice bowl of warm soup sounds just about perfect on a cold winter day, which is why we wandered into this cramped little restaurant.

The menu looked appealing enough, but I was taken aback by the prices (nearly $9 for a whole sandwich?). My mole and bean soup was greatly lacking in flavor, and my husband's beet soup (not sure of the technical name) was more like watered-down borscht. The sandwiches were fair enough, but the price didn't justify the simple bites. Here's a more precise breakdown:

Sandwiches: fair, but overpriced.

Soup: should be much better for a restaurant named "SoupeSoup"

Service: awful. After being served (and amidst chewing), we were asked to move over, so that another couple could share our table. I'm not opposed to sharing a table, but nobody likes to move to the side mid-chew.

Total Bill Price: $35...for two sandwiches and two soups.

Repeat Worthy: not a chance.