megmtl's Profile
A few questions for Portland / Scarborough
Wow, thanks so much to all who replied!! I am adding these places to the ever-growing list! Will be sure to report back on where we end up!
A few questions for Portland / Scarborough
Thanks for the quick replies!! We will definitely check out the Coffee by Design and leRoux for sure. For now, I'm leaning towards Emilitsa, but will also consider Fore Street as well!
I should also mention we'll be doing Duckfat for a lunch and the Allagash tour one day. I've also looked at some of the brunch spots on the other recent thread, all of them sound good!
Thanks again!
A few questions for Portland / Scarborough
Hello! We will be heading down from Montreal, staying in Scarborough, next week. We are so excited to come back after visiting last year!
We will have a full kitchen where we are staying so we will be eating in a few nights and then are planning to go for dinner at Hugo's and Blue Spoon as well. I had a few shopping/dining questions and your feedback is greatly appreciated!
1) We still have at least one dinner open and were thinking about Bar Lola or Emilitsa. Can anyone comment on these and how they compare food and price wise? I saw that the Emilitsa website didn't have prices but the food sounds amazing.
2) We will definitely be going to the Cheese Iron after all the mentions here on CH, is there any specific item recommended to buy there?
3) We are big coffee fans and wanted to see if there are any local roasters / cafes recommended to buy from?
4) We will be doing some grocery shopping at TJ's and Whole Foods (don't get those up here!) but are there any specialty shops or markets that we should hit?
5) Last, but not least! We want to buy some live lobster (shocking, I know) for one of our dinners in and are wondering where the best place to buy from is.
Thanks so much for your time and help!
Meg
BYOB with terrasse
Reviving an old thread to note that Terrasse Lafayette is renovating their terrasse that will be ready in a few weeks. I know this resto doesn't get much mention but it is really a great place! We went last night and had their rib steak and the amazing spinach and feta pizza. That pizza alone is worth going for! They make their own pizza dough, which is also used for their sandwiches and burgers as the buns. The staff is also friendly and helpful and we would love to see this place get more business, as they were almost empty last night.
Fresh bay leaves
I've purchased them at IGA, they were with the other packaged fresh herbs in the produce section. Don't remember which one I bought them from, but I've seen them at multiple locations.
Mondial de la bière 2011
Just so everyone knows, you do NOT have to wait in the first line. Everyone gets in this line to get tasting tickets, but there are ticket stations in the festival as well, usually with little to no lines :) Save yourself some time and just walk in!
I went last night and the new venue is bigger and while I'll miss the outdoors aspect of Windsor, this is a much better setup, with more room to walk around and more places to sit down. Also, one more tip :) There are 2 stations with multiple bottled beers, mainly microbrews, but the menus are hard to read and the lines are long, so I recommend printing out a list of these before you go, so you know what you want when you get to the front of the line. I'm happy to report that other fellow beer nerds had also done this last night so we weren't the only ones :)
Ice House
We went a few weeks ago and left feeling like it was good, the service was great, but that ultimately it just wasn't worth what we spent. We went around 6PM on a Friday and because we were only 2, they said we could sit at a table but if a bigger table came in, we would be asked to move, so we chose to sit at the counter. Unfortunately, it faces a wood-paneled wall, so this didn't provide much ambience, and the stools weren't very comfortable. We had the steak burrito with poblano (good quality ingredients, but was hoping it would have some spice to it), the sausage sandwich (great tasty sausage, but the bun was so-so), "tater tots" (deep fried sweet potato puree, good, but at $1 each (4 total), it could have been better), and an order of corn bread (decent portion, but really tasted mostly like flour.) We had a beer (very limited selection of 2 on tap, and Corona and maybe two other bottles) and an $11 margarita that was really good, not too sour and they used quality tequila, but poured only 2/3 full. Overall, it cost about $60 before tip, which isn't outrageous, and while there were other things on the menu that sounded tempting, I just don't see us rushing back anytime soon.
Le Boucan
We ate here Saturday night on a whim. We arrived around 9pm and the place was pretty busy. They have about 8 tables inside and a small terrace in the back with about 6 tables. With the dreary weather this weekend, the terrace was empty. We were able to snag a table near the door. There was a very young clientele that night. I think that we (in our early 30's) were quite possibly the oldsters of the bunch. Lots of people hanging out by the bar and enjoying themselves, perhaps before heading to Crescent St?
Service was fast and very friendly. Our waiter was very enthusiastic about the food and really seems to like working there. Also, our food came out pretty quickly given how busy they were. He recommended the Pit Boss ($42) which features 1/2 a BBQ chicken, 1/2 a rack of ribs, a serving of pulled pork, fries, potato salad, and cole slaw. This was definitely plenty of food for two people, and it gives a good sampling of the BBQ. I have to say, after having moved here from the South, and being bitterly disappointed by both Bofinger and Mesquite, this place is pretty darn good! The chicken was moist, the ribs had a nice chew while still falling off the bone, and the pork had a bit of a cakey texture, but tasted good. The sauce is really good, a bit thinner than I'm used to, but it has a really good smokey, spicy, and slightly sweet flavor. The fries were hot and fresh, the potato salad was ok, and the slaw was relatively bland. But overall, good execution with the meat, which to me is the most important.
All in all, we would definitely return.
I Think I'm Done With Katz's For A While...
Disappointing to hear this as we were hoping to check out Katz's on our trip this weekend, while taking RGR's tour. It is these kind of things that would definitely steer us away, even being tourists, the spectacle would very quickly be lost on us if the value is not there.
RGR, if you don't mind, what other places are you thinking of adding to your list?
"Dinner and a Show" Question
Thanks so much for the rec's. I think you are all likely spot on regarding the quality of the the "package" restaurants. I think we'll check out the discount website and hope to get a good deal on a show so we'll have more to spend on the what really matters, the dinner:) I've looked at some of the pre-theater suggestions on the board and hope to try one of those!
Good place to catch the Final Four
Hello, hounds! We'll be in NYC for Easter weekend and we would love to find a good sports bar to watch some basketball. Preferably a place with good bar food, but nothing too expensive (i.e. $15 burger and $10 beer) Dives are fine if there are TV's:) We're staying in the World Center Hotel near the financial district but we are perfectly willing to travel. Thanks in advance!
"Dinner and a Show" Question
Hello, NY Hounds! We're visiting for the first time on Easter weekend and we need a little help. A traveling companion has requested that we all go to "dinner and a show." I have to profess total ignorance regarding what kind of show, but he thinks we can find a combo deal with show tickets (guessing any show could do) and dinner at a nearby restaurant. I hope this makes sense. As foodie nerds, my boyfriend and I are really only concerned with the "dinner" portion of this. So my questions are: can anyone point me in the right direction for something like this? And, do you think it's too late to find something, given that it's less than two weeks away. Thanks and sorry if this is vague!!
Montreal hounds looking for help!
Thanks for the links, it looks like they'll be helpful! I've done some preliminary searching, but there is just so much to choose from! As for sushi, we aren't looking to spend more than $50-75 or so for two of us, not including drinks.
Montreal hounds looking for help!
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! Can't wait to check out the market. We'll be sure to try a bagel or two and will report back on the winner:)
Montreal hounds looking for help!
That may explain why we got such a good deal. Oh well, I don't think we'll be spending too much time in the room anyway! Thanks for the rec's!
Montreal hounds looking for help!
Hello, NY hounds! We are coming for the first time to NYC on Easter weekend. We're staying at the World Center Hotel and are super excited to explore all things "foodie"! We'll be visiting for 3.5 days and would love suggestions for any of the following: nearby food markets, good buffalo wings, pizza, and sushi and also any great wine bars. Other than the amazing markets here, these are some of the things we seem to lack in Mtl and would really appreciate your help!
Out-of-towners looking for good place for US v. Canada today!
I would second the McKibbins rec, their food is decent and they have a good selection of beers on tap. I don't think you'll find the English audio anywhere, just a guess, although if you tried the McKibbins downtown, you're probably more likely to find an Anglo crowd. Hope that helps and that you have a great stay here!
Bad experience art Sparrow
"Plague", really?? I was a restaurant manager in the states for many years and I can understand your feeling of a certain insincerity on the part of some waiters, that can happen, often in chain restaurants. But it is a server/manager's job to make the guest happy, always. If I had an employee who did not get this, we had to part ways, because if people did not come in our doors, we would have been finished. It seems to me that in this situation, the wait time was misquoted, and the host and/or manager should have addressed this situation. Quoting a time is not easy to do, but when you are way off, which it sounds like they were here, the guests should have been notified and apologized to, not told it was merely due to their popularity.
What's the best place for breakfast in Montreal
We tried McKiernan's brunch last weekend. We got there right when they opened at 10 and it seeed that they were not quite ready for service. It took a while to get a server but after that, the food came out pretty quickly. We had an Eggs Benedict with a crab topping and the Johnny Cakes, which came with beans, eggs, and sausage. The benedict was good, but the hollandaise needed a little more pop and if the bread was toasted, it would have had a little more texture. The Johnny cakes were really good, perfect balance of sweet and savory. Overall, it was a little expensive for breakfast, definitely not a place we could go to regularly, and the service was stuffy, which, unfortunately, is the second time we've noticed this at their establishments. Kind of a "you need us more than we need you" feeling.
Yesterday, we wanted to go to L'Express for breakfast but it was too early, so we took Bigfellow's suggestion and headed to La Banquise. It was great! We had the ham and cheese omelet, which was stuffed with ham, and we had the french toast, which came with an apple butter and other breakfast "fixins." Really well prepared, and only set us back $17!
One Week in Vegas = a Long Review!
We just returned from a week in Vegas and we had a fantastic time. Definitely spent more time eating than gambling, but we really enjoyed it! We tried to eat in for at least one meal a day and were able to check out some local foodstores. We tried several local places and a few on the strip.
GROCERY STORES (on some CH rec's)
Trader Joe's: We really wanted to like TJ's but we didn't. We walked around and put a few things in the cart but after a bit, we decided to put the stuff back and head to WF. It may have been ignorance on our part, but we did not know that it wasn't a full grocery store.
Whole Foods: We don't have WF here in Montreal and we were excited to check it out. It was huge, with great looking produce, and everything we needed. I did find the prices excessively high (we paid over $10 for a deli container of spicy potato salad), but I could see going there on occasion for special items.
International Marketplace: Wow! This place was awesome! It made me realize how little I know about food. We didn't get much, but it was so fun to walk through the aisles and see the products from so many countries. Really impressive!
BREAKFAST
Bouchon: Our first outing, based on many positive CH reviews. Have to say, unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. We were excited by the pastry offerings, so we decided to get the basket ($14) and when it came out, it looked great, but I'm pretty sure not one of the items was less than a day old. Just dry and stale tasting. We ordered the omelet special (sausage, emmenthal, and tomato) and the sausage was akin to Jimmy Dean, and the omelet just really had no flavor. Some fresh herbs would have really helped it. We also ordered the Croque Madam, which was pretty good, but an enormous portion. We barely made a dent, but it was good. The service was impeccable, though.
Hash House a Go Go: Did a "best breakfast" CH search and decided to check this place out. It was fun to watch heads turn and eyes bulge as the food arrived. I was really impressed by the size of the dishes and the strength I assume it must take to carry them around. The food was good, and we did not come close to finishing! We had the brown sugar pancake and the Warsaw hash. Service was ok, not great (took about 15 minutes to get a latte, with no apologies.)
Bellagio buffet: It was our only buffet and it was great. We managed to try a lot of items and left in considerable food comas!
LUNCH
Osaka: Again, another CH rec and we really enjoyed it! Actually ended up going twice. Some items we really enjoyed were the Red Dragon specialty roll and the Bam Poppers. Good sushi and good service. Next time we come, we want to go back for their "after 10 PM" specials.
Burger Bar: Had a modest "name your own" burger and the chocolate burger. The regular burger was good as were the sweet potato fries. The chocolate burger was really creative, but super rich, definitely good for sharing!
Wichcraft: Had the meatloaf sandwich, which was a really good size for $9. It was good, but I would try something else if we went back. It was a litle greasy for me, but my boyfriend loved it! The place was super busy, but we didn't wait long.
Los Molcajetes: Did a CH search for "best mexican vegas" and found this place. While a bit of a drive for us, it was worth it! We were one of two tables in for lunch. We ordered the green chile burrito and the combo molcajete. The burrito was great and for $2.50, it came with big chunks of pork and packed a lot of flavor. The molcajete was something too! It was loaded with beef and shrimp, as well as avocado, nopales (something I've tried a few times this past year and I really enjoy!), onions, and queso fresco. We loaded up a few tortillas with this stuff and left really happy, and full!
DINNER
Daniel Boulud: Made a reservation for early evening so we could get the tasting menu. The restaurant is beautiful, and it was great to face the waterfall. We did have to ask for the tasting menu, which is a tad annoying, given that there are tasting menu boards placed prominently outside every restaurant in the Wynn. After asking, we noticed our server then hand it out to his other tables who were sat before us. We ordered the pate and corn soup to start. Both were fantastic, with immaculate plating. We then had the moules frites and the steak frites. Unfortunately, the steak was overcooked (medium well to well, but ordered medium rare) and as much as we loathe sending anything back, this was the time to do so. However, they were extremely gracious and had a new, perfectly cooked steak and fresh fries out in a matter of minutes. For dessert, we had the chocolate fondant (probably the best dessert we had the whole week!) and the cheese plate. We really enjoyed our meal here, and the fact that we were able to do so on a budget!
Stack: Again had to ask for the tasting menu here, and the server was a little more peeved with the request than at DB. We got the bleu cheese salad and the calamari for starters, both of which were good. We ordered the steak and the truffle penne pasta. Both were really good! The steak was perfectly cooked and the pasta was a huge portion and was very fresh and hot. The desserts were the creme brulee and the jelly donuts, both of which were also good. The donuts were playfully plated, which was a nice touch. Overall, the service could have been warmer, but it was a good experience.
Lotus of Siam: We went on a whim right a little before they were closing and they were able to squeeze us in. We were a little surprised by the building exterior after hearing so much about it from CH and friends who have gone, but wow, was it good! We rushed to order and got dumplings for an app, then braised ribs in a red curry sauce and pad thai noodles. The ribs and sauce were so tasty, and the plating on both of these dishes was done with as much care as any of the other "fancy" places we went to. We really wanted to go again but could not make it. Will definitely go back the next time we visit!
Top of the World (Stratosphere): Hadn't seen any mentions of this one CH, but we wanted to enjoy the view and had previously enjoyed a lunch there a few years back. We did not want to drop $170 on the tasting menu for two, so we opted for a shared app, a cheese plate, and 2 desserts. The shared app was the platter they offer, which is $25 per person, which is a little steep, IMO. For $50, it was close, but not worth it. It was 2 (yes 2) shrimp, with a nice beurre blanc, duck ravioli with foie gras (nicely seared), and kobe medallions with a lentil risotto. BTW, you do not choose the offerings on the platter. The cheese plate was nice, as were the desserts, nothing mind-blowing. With wine, we spent far less than we would have with the tasting menu, and we really enjoyed the spectacular view.
MISC
Firefly: We went here twice and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sat in the lounge area once and in the dining room the other time, both times to have a little something and a glass of wine. We loved the people-watching and the food was great. Some standouts were the thai beef salad and the empanadas. So good and great service, too!
Phew, that took a while:) We really had a good time and look forward to returning again to try more places! Thanks to all CH'ers for the fantastic rec's!
Need some Vegas help, please!
You are correct, don't know what I was thinking:) We still hope to find a place to watch the 2nd episode on Wednesday.
Need some Vegas help, please!
Thanks Eric! I've actually never been to a Trader Joes so we'll have to check that out. I was hoping that since Top Chef was filmed in Vegas that there would be a fun place to watch it. We'll see...
Need some Vegas help, please!
Hello SW Chowhounds! We're coming from Montreal Aug 20-27 and are looking for a little help! We're staying just off the strip and will be renting a car. We're hoping to find some (or all) of the following:
1. A good grocery store. We don't want to eat out for every meal and we love to cook. I see that there are a few Whole Foods but are there any other recommended stores for shopping?
2. A good liquor/wine store. Our hands are tied here in CA, as all booze is provincially regulated and we'd love to find a good store with decent pricing and good finds. We really like Total Wine, but I don't see that there are any close.
3. Good sushi. Even though we live on an island, the sushi here is not that great. We would be happy with a place either on or off the strip, as long as it's fresh and not outrageously priced.
4. Good happy hours. I saw a mention of Firefly, which sounds interesting. Again, doesn't have to be on the strip.
5. Fun place to watch Top Chef premiere on Aug 26. We love the show and were hoping to find a place that may be offering a theme party or something along those lines.
Some places we're definitely going to are the Burger Bar, Red Square, and CraftSteak. We want to do some tasting menus as well, possibly for lunch when they may be cheaper. I've looked at the "recession busters" thread and will be doing a little more research on those closer to the time. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!
cheap bar
Has anyone ever tried Spurs near St Jacques in NDG? We've been intrigued by it's dive-y look but have never mustered the courage to try it.
Bar Rec in Old Montreal
I'm looking for a not too touristy locale in Old Montreal for drinks and maybe some appetizers on Tuesday night. We don't need anything flashy, as most people will just be getting out of work. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Where to eat in West Chester?
Thanks so much for the rec's, these places sound great!
Bennigans King of Prussia
Seasons52 is owned by Darden (Olive Garden). I've been to the one in Orlando and it's great. An upscale chain, with a decent wine list, and they change their menu 4 times a year to match the seasonal fares. Prices were a bit high and the portions are smaller (with caloric info given for each dish, IIRC) but the food was really good.
Where to eat in West Chester?
Hello, PA Chowhounders! We are coming from Montreal for a wedding in two weeks and are looking for some great places to eat! I have done some searches and have come across some mentions of "BYOB." Are these places that you can bring your own alcohol? If so, are there any restrictions, and which is the best place? We would love one great place for dinner (any cuisine but french:) ) and possibly two good breakfast/brunch options. We also love a good wine bar, if you have any recommendations.
Also, are there any recommended grocery stores or gourmet foodshops? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
What's open on Wednesday?
Does anyone know what will be open on Wednesday, as far as markets and restos? I know most of the grocery stores, banks, etc. are closed but wasn't sure about the others? Thanks!
