Abendschein's Profile
toronto boy visting montreal for a week: feedback on itinerary would be great!
I would definitely suggest a late-night meal at Lemeac or Laurier Gordon Ramsey... although lunch at the bar at Laurier GR is certainly a great immersion into the 514. Nice change from St-Laurent/Old Port.
I'm also a big fan of brunch at Byblos although I believe you are here over the holidays in which case they are closed until about Jan 4 I believe.
Special New Year's Eve Dinner for Two?
I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations along the lines of the original post for this year?
OliverB - what did you end up doing and how was it?
Thanks!
Birthday girl wants to wow her guests
Two suggestions:
Taza Flores on Parc for tapas - you can order a ton and the cost per person breaks down nicely. Last time we were there, they even divided the food among 8 of us equally and then each person's alcohol onto separate bills (so painless, esp as some didn't drink). Completely impressed out of town friends.
Second, ATMA on St-Laurent. Very authentic Indian - in a sexy setting. Have a couple of tables/ areas perfectly suited to large groups.
buenos aires for new years eve
Sorry! Just seeing this now. I ended up going to a house party :) I heard the InterContinental had a pretty good event going on though, for future reference. Casa Cruz as well, which I'm sure would have been awesome. Not sure if it was an open event (although it was a prix fixe menu, I believe) but I would certainly consider it as an option next year :)
Hungry New Yorkers headed to MTL for the holidays
In Outremont area:
Bouchonné (wine bar, small plates, foodie destination)
Bu (another wine bar, more Italian, less foodie-ish)
Rumi (middle eastern, cozy, non-foodie but good)
Lemeac (classic bistro, very Montreal, great late night table d'hôte - $22 after 10 pm)
Juni (Japanese done with a French twist - possibly the best sushi in town - and yes we are not a sushi town but I know several non-Montrealer sushianado globetrotters who name it as one of their faves) (yes I made up the word sushianado)
Fun spot: L'assommoir on Bernard. Hundreds of mixed drinks, good selection of ceviches. Not foodie-ish, but very Montreal-ish.
Taza Flores: Tapas, yummy, cozy, Parc Ave.
Buvette Chez Simone: Parc Ave. wine bar meets local hangout. Small plates. Good food, cheese, etc but not foodie. Trendy in a good way (IMO).
Au pied de cochon: classic. Totally foodie, totally unique, very yummy. Probably the one place you REALLY need to go to. Adds up but definitely easily doable for less than 175, just watch your wine...
Old Port:
Club de chasse et de peche: this one gets pricey but may be worth the indulgence (Au pied de cochon would still be my first vote).
DNA: Good food, great ambiance, happening.
Also:
Joe Beef or Liverpool House. (Little Burgundy)
I am obviously forgetting many but those are what popped into my head right off the bat. OH - I am a fan of the brunch at Byblos on Laurier - Iranian. I would check that out! (weekends only, as far as I know). And Le Cartet in the Old Port.
Dinner date - Garde Manger'ish
2nd. L'orignal could be a good option - opened by some of the original people behind Garde-Manger. A touch calmer of an atmosphere which may be better for a date.
buenos aires for new years eve
Any recent advice on this topic ?
Would love to spend NYE at a supper club type place (ie good music, good crowd, maybe even some dancing later on into the night). Given how tricky transport can be, suggestions in the San Telmo area would be ideal.
Review of Les trois petits bouchons
Thanks for the review! I've also only been once and was really impressed - and meaning to go back :)
Upscale bar/lounge in Montreal serving innovative cocktails, where people over 35 years of age won't feel out of place?
For innovative cocktails, right at Bernard and St-Urbain there is L'assommoir. I'm not sure there's anywhere in Montreal with more of a selection - really creative mixology going on there!
http://www.assommoir.com/
Cafe Cherrier
Cafe Cherrier is a great Montreal experience. Crowd is diverse - everyone from families to artsy Plateau types to quebec celeb types (that I don't recognize lol) to the young and fun. Food is pretty standard brunch fare with a French twist. Some great salads. Service is slow but it's definitely the place for a long casual brunch to catch up and people-watch.
Decidedly better than Universel which is busy, bustling, quick, and quite greasier - more like a diner although much nicer looking. Quick friendly service. You can be in and out in 30 minutes flat!
I go to both frequently. It's really about what you're looking for but I would definitely pick Cherrier over Universel for an out-of-towner.
Venue for a sugared almond-free wedding in Montreal
I have seen some absolutely amazing events at the Science Centre - presumably most rooms would be a little too large but perhaps worth looking into :
http://www.centredessciencesdemontreal.com/en/centre/centre_salles.htm
In the summer, the terrasse at Koko (Opus Hotel) is quite lovely (and I've seen weddings there). Koko itself is quite a nice space for a wedding (very white, modern).
The St-James Hotel is of course very fabulous - not sure if XO (the restaurant) could accomodate so many but worth looking into.
Finally, the interior 'courtyard' and 'cellar' spaces at the InterContinental can be pretty cool (though needs to be dressed up).
Last but not least, is Auberge des Gallants in Hudson. I went to a wedding there this fall and the setting was incredible - the leaves were on fire with colour and the pictures were stunning. The venue is very Canadian lodge, the food was alright, but most of all it was unique and fun. We were in the Maple Lodge. I don't find the pictures on the site particularly inspiring so you may want to contact them for more if ever you are open to heading out of town (guests can stay at the Auberge, too, which is ok and reasonably priced).
http://www.gallant.qc.ca
Good luck!
l'express, only something else
Hmm my bad! Someone had told me that... or maybe I dreamt it ? lol either way, sorry for the bad intell...
l'express, only something else
The great thing about Montreal is that dark jeans and a dress shirt is dressy enough for essentially *everywhere* - and you will always find people who are more or less dressed up than you.
Express but not : Au Petit Extra on Ontario, Lemeac, Holder (but the food is really hit or miss, unfortunately.. mostly hit, but sometimes a real miss). And even though it's not L'express at all, the Burgundy Lion is all kinds of fun and has a decent menu. (its sibling, McKiernan's, could be a good lunch option for you as well...)
fusion/ scene/ energy : Koko is the current hot spot in terms of supper clubs, bar none. You can do it for $75 a person - no alcohol. Trinity is #2 but as you will easily find on here, the service/food/ experience can easily be a real disaster and ends up quite pricey.
Mtl in Nov for Honeymoon - dining recomendations
3 nights, on honeymoon for me would be : 1- Au pied de cochon; 2- La Chronique; and 3- tie btw Club de chasse et peche or Toqué. Three great areas of town: Plateau, Laurier-Outremont, Old Port.
Pullman / Bu / Bouchonné / 3 petits bouchons event...
Looks great - thanks for passing along the info.
Best brunch in Montreal?
There have been some really extensive threads on this subject so be sure to check them out.
Personally, lately I've been basically rotating btw Reservoir, Caffe della posta, Cafe Cherrier and this little tiny place called Le grille-pain on Roy near Parc Lafontaine. Le grille-pain is very laidback, very simple non-greasy neighbourhood diner feel, bright, clean. Never had their french toast but it's certainly not a 'foodie' type place if that's what you are looking for.
Dinner on Bernard: 20 ppl... can it be done?
So what was a smaller wine & chatting evening became a full-on dinner and we'd like to keep it in the Bernard area - can it be done ? (St-Laurent/ Parc of course being viable, preferably walking distance to Bernard/St-Urbain as we plan on heading to L'assommoir for drinks...)
I know there are a lot of smaller great places around, but what about one for a group of 15-20?
Wine bars: which is the best for a group?
I'll take a few out of the running, being Pullman, Pop!, Bu, Modavie and Narcisse. We've been there enough and would like to try somewhere new...
If there's going to be food, actual meals would be preferable to small plates only (since this would be in lieu of an actual dinner for most).
Dishes not to be missed at Pintxo and Pop!
I always love the egg/cod pinxto. It's simple and surprising and it works! Second the suggestion for the beef cheek or the fish specials.
At Pop!, wine bar or not, gin fan that I am, the Brazilian Bubble Tea poptail (or similar name) just makes me happy. It is what every fruity cocktail wishes it were.
Montreal - A goldmine of resto variety?
A few for your list:
/Hungarian - there's the Budapest/Hungarian deli on St-Laurent that has a good selection of sausages and such, great for a sandwich or buying things I know by name but have no hope of spelling. It's slighly south of La vieille Europe on St-Laurent.
/Indian - Atma on St-Laurent is surprizingly chic for having quite good Indian food. Haven't been thrilled by the service recently, but the food remains good.
/Indonesian - Nonya on Bernard
/Italian - Da Emma in the Old Port, Primo e Secondo in Little Italy
/Japanese - Mikado on Laurier, Jun-I also on Laurier (with a french twist)
/Juice Bars - my exclusive provider of smoothies is Liquid Nutrition which are suddenly just about everywhere
/Middle Eastern - I really like Rumi,original Hutchison location. I used to be a Byblos fan but I've converted (although I still go for their brunch)
/Seafood- APDC, Joe Beef, Pinxto, ceviche at L'assommoir -> very fun night - ceviche platters + 'sampling' their very extensive drink menu ;-)
/Soup - La soupiere on Duluth
/Spanish - Tapeo, Casa Tapas
/Thailand - Chao Phraya on Laurier
/Vegetarian - Chu Chai, or its byow mini-me, Chuch on St-Denis
Personally, I think it might be more fun to just figure out if there are any must-try's that you have missed, and aim to try them as opposed to trying one from each category!
Single diner in Montreal on a Saturday
Both Joe Beef and Liverpool House have great bars you can eat at...they are very similar. From what I can tell, the main difference is that Joe Beef has more seafood, and more of a market-based menu... Liverpool House is ever-so-slightly more Italian/mediterranean-influenced (but I wouldn't consider it Italian). I'm not sure but I like them both - overall prefer JB, though.
Brunoise closed after they opened Brasserie Brunoise near the Bell Centre downtown; they aren't the same, although still very good - just a lot more casual in ambiance and menu.
Magog?
In addition to those already mentioned, one place I love stopping in at it Caffucino in Magog. It is on the main street of restaurants and boutiques (rue Principale). It is basically what I wish Art Java or Java U were here - great coffees, cakes for dessert, and a great casual menu - paninis, meal salads, thin-crust pizzas (not sure these are still there but they used to be).
If you feel like taking a small drive through the country (or by highway too), in the town of Stansted there is the most amazing bakery called La feuillantine. It is operated by a young family from (France, or are they Belgian?) and their bread, croissants, cakes, fruit mousse cakes I dream about... basically anything I've ever had from there... is outstanding. There are literally lineups out the front door on Saturday mornings and if you show up too late, many items are sold out, since weekenders from all around stock up. Apparently this is the last summer they will be operating (per my mom who chats up everyone, everywhere), so get there while you can! They also have sandwiches and such. It's probably about 15-20 mins from Magog on the highway, more if you go along the lake (and greatly increase your likelihood of getting lost, although you'd gain in scenery).
http://www.lafeuillantine.net/# (check their hours)
Laloux, Jolifou, or Les Heritiers?
My choice would be Laloux although it can be a little on the noisy side (high ceilings). Another nice option could be Restaurant Les Pyrenées on St-Paul in the Old Port. I've only been once but it was quite lovely, good food, warm ambiance.
For those that love Pintxo...
Mostly, I simply love both. But, for a more detailed explanation of why I find them similar...
Both Pinxto and Rumi:
- feature service which is friendly, casual and yet very professional
- offer a culinary experience which feels entirely authentic, and of cuisines which are not frequently found in Montreal
- provide an atmosphere which is unpretentious and relaxed
- serve very good quality food , that is quite healthy, at what I consider reasonable prices
- are places that whenever I bring friends, they love the experience
- left me feeling, after my first visit, like I'd discovered a great secret.
Et voila. I live essentially around the corner from Pinxto, so I also consider it to have a neighbourhood feel. Yes, it's slightly more chic-looking than Rumi, but I find it a very casual elegance, lacking in formality... and that's a good thing. Let's not forget that Rumi's neighbourhood is indeed Laurier/ Outremont, arguably one of the most chi-chi hoods in town. I generally find the clientele at both restaurants to be quite comparable, although maybe they dress up a little more at Pinxto.
For those that love Pintxo...
Rumi :) (original location, I don't love the new one on St-Laurent even close to as much) - oh and this is in terms of vibe/feel - it's not similar cuisine in the least.
http://www.restaurantrumi.com/
Exotic Brunch
Rumi - in their original location across from the Figaro - has a few brunch offerings. I haven't tried it but if it's anything like their regular menu, I'm sure it's outstanding.
Aux Vivres - another I haven't tried - but a friend loves it. I believe it's vegan, or at very least, vegetarian.
I personally really love the brunch at Caffe della posta. It's not especially exotic but it's certainly a little different. Le Cartet is also great. Again, less of a greasy spoon interpretation of brunch but not highly exotic either.
Ginger and 5e Peche
I'll comment on Ginger since I've been many times - it's ok. It's conveniently located, if going out on St-Laurent later. It's not a see-and-be-seen but it certainly does attract a younger crowd, often for dinner on their way out (on weekends). Service and food can be SLOW but if you aren't in a hurry, then it's fine to just chat over a martini or two. Everything I've had there is reasonably good but it's certainly not going to be mistaken for the best japanese ever (from what I recall, with the exception of a pad thai, which I enjoy, it's all japanese menu items). Except for the dessert maki - that's worth the trip. Deep-fried rice pastry (I think), filled with tempura bits, chocolate, and strawberries or banana, drizzled with a honey sauce.
Overall, it's a pleasant place but certainly not a foodie destination. If I wanted awesome sushi/ japanese, my choice would be Jun-I on Laurier, easily. But this is an entirely different experience...
Le Local in Old Montreal
Any more reviews of Le Local ? Are we blown away ? I think the space is outstanding but haven't made it for dinner so far.
Toronto Chowhounder needs wine and small plates recs for larger group
Pop! Bar à vins would be the perfect spot. It is attached to Laloux (French bistro) on des Pins at Laval Street, in btw St-Laurent & St-Denis. It's a very relaxed atmosphere, often has live jazz on Thursdays (a trio or so), and is a really nice space. I think it's a very 'Montreal' destination, and generally a nice ambiance.
