traccan555's Profile
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
Mangoannie, I'm actually staying in the Rosemont-Plateau neighborhood so Magpie is very convenient. The conferences is only Thurs-Sat and I have a few extra days on either side, so I will only have to rush a couple of meals, thankfully!
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
Thanks everyone! Mango Annie, the taco place looks awesome, just the kind of place for a quick, but tasty lunch. Cheryl, Jane also sounds intriguing and Brasserie T and La Salle a Manger keep getting mentioned to me by people, so they're on my shortlist, as is Laloux for maybe a 'treat' dinner.
Mazurka sounds awesome too.. very traditional dishes. I wish I was there for more than a week, but I will take what I can get! Will be there very soon :)
Looking for Unusual restaurants in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Few more places worth checking out for food and winery/distillery tours + music:
http://www.glenoradistillery.com/dining.htm
http://www.ironworksdistillery.com/
http://www.grandprewines.ns.ca/restaurant/
Looking for Unusual restaurants in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Then you'll want to check out this place: http://www.thenormawayinn.com/music.html
I haven't eaten there but it's consistently gotten good reviews for traditional celtic recipes.
Also worth checking out are the various lobster suppers on the south shore. The church ones are usually yummy and very cheap; this one is quite well-known because it's in a pretty spot close to the ocean, and good food:
http://www.shoreclub.ca/
Looking for Unusual restaurants in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Not sure what you mean by 'unusual' but if you want good quality food in Halifax I would suggest going to Chives, on Barrington St; Fid, on Dresden Row, just off Spring Garden; or Morris East for more casual, gourmet pizza/pasta. For fish and chips or other delicious deep fried seafood go to John's Lunch in Dartmouth, near the Woodside ferry terminal. If you're looking for a good burger the Brooklyn Warehouse at Windsor and Almon (across from the old Halifax Forum) does a good one, as does Cut Urban Grill at the Marriott Courtyard attached to the Brewery Market. Gio, in the Prince George Hotel, is a good special occasion restaurant.
For homemade northern chinese food, Chee Lin, also in the Brewery Market, is consistently good.
Delicious, reasonably priced German food in Lunenburg at The Old Black Forest Cafe (technically just outside in Mader's Cove). Also in Lunenburg is Fleur de Sel, consistently ranked one of the top restaurants in the country. There is an Italian place in Lunenburg that gets good reviews too-- Trattoria della Nonna, but I have yet to eat there.
My favorite restaurant in Nova Scotia outside Halifax is Charlotte Lane in Shelburne- it should be open by the time you get here, I think they open in March or April.
I used to live in Saint John, but I haven't been there in so long (nor Fredericton) that I can't offer you advice on where to eat as there's been tons of closures and new openings since last I was there. The Saint John Brewpub ( I think that's the name of it) had acceptable gastropub fare on a quick lunch stop en route to the New England states a few summers ago.
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
Thanks Snack- I think I should explain that I'm coming from Halifax where there is not as much competition. Good quality restaurants-- while numerous for the size of our city-- just aren't as inexpensive. So the menus at Magpie and Bottega, while more expensive than typical pizza places, are slightly less expensive than the two more upscale pizzerias here in town. I'm not put off by their prices.
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
ios94, it's fine :) I love a good trad. pizza. And how do you find Magpie compares with Bottega (if you've been). I've heard from a couple people that they're neck and neck.
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
Thanks Marblebag,
Well, it's always difficult to pin-down what I'm looking for in terms of price. A couple of pricier meals are fine, but I'd like to mix it in with reasonable- and of course, a person can only eat so much food in one day, so a big lunch or dinner along with a healthy breakfast would make a 3rd large meal overkill. I don't want to just eat a turkey club or small pasta dish or salad every day for lunch, but sometimes I'm sure it will be all I feel like paying for or eating.
Some days I'll no doubt be on my own; other days with colleagues and friends who live in town.
I've heard Kazu mentioned several times before, and Il Focolaio too- I found their menu overwhelmingly large, do they have any trouble maintaining consistency with that many dishes---are some pies clearly better than others?! I'll add those to my list, along with the other lunch specials you mentioned.
Best food experiences Montreal for the money spent ...on a budget
Hi all,
I'm visiting the city for a week at the end of May; attending a conference. I am a grad student, so I am looking for good deals, naturally. By "good", let's say dinners for under 35 bucks before tax and tip including an entree and plat; or lunches for under 30. No wine or alcohol, no dessert, unless there's something really tempting. I also have a fairly conservative palate; not really into the venison/game/wildfowl meats; pretty standard stuff but done with fresh, local ingredients, expert sauces, comfort food with a creative twist. I am happy to search out anything within a 1/2 mile walk of a Metro stop, and atmosphere doesn't matter- noisy, young hipster-ish or traditional and a bit stuffy are fine. It's all about food quality and price. And early dinner/lunch/late table d'hotes are particularly appealing. Some of the places on my radar so far from friends and the board have been:
for Italian/homemade pizza: Magpie/Bottega
for breakfast/brunch: Nouveau Palais; Lawrence
for lunches/bistro dinners: 22h00 specials at Lemeac and Chez Victoire; lunches at Laloux, Quartier-General, Au 5eme Peche, Le Comptoir, L'express and La Montee de Lait; Ferreira: Le Seingalt; Le Local: Au Chaud Lapin
downtown lunch: Brasserie T; Kitchenette; Apollo wine bar @universite and Ste Catherine, Birks Cafe or Beaver Hall/XO or Sinclair for a 'special treat', I hear they're a bit more on the pricey side, but Birks has gotten rave reviews in several newspaper articles I've read, and I hear the Sinclair chef is one of the most under-rated in the city.
pub-style lunch: le Reservoir
other misc: Qing Hua Dumpling, Espace la Fontaine; Stash Cafe; Kitchen Galerie; 400 Coups-friday lunch special
Have I mentioned any "can't miss"; "better avoid"; "delicious, but whoever told you could eat there at lunch for 35 bucks even without wine is crazy". And what haven't I got that should be there?
Any and all suggestions appreciated. Thanks! Greg
Top Five In Halifax
I agree, Stories is very good, and often overlooked. I often forget about it myself. I'm glad they have a few items on their menu that aren't venison, bear, or other large mammal generally considered something to be scared of rather than shot and eaten ;-)
Restaurant Shake Up in Halifax
Apparently Bish will be closed after the New Year for a short time, and will be reborn as a more casual bistro style place. This has me excited, because their prices had continually shot up over the past 2 years, yet the food is generally very good.
Ray Bear now has a new casual restaurant called Mix Fresh Kitchen that I've already visited a couple of times, with solid, if slightly inconsistent dishes, but very reasonably priced. I expect it will only get better as they iron out the kinks.
Restaurant Shake Up in Halifax
The words 'decent' and 'donair' don't fit together in my vocabulary, but if you want something similar and tasty, homemade and not greasy, get the chicken schwarma from Tarek's Cafe on Robie, near the intersection with Young St. in the north end.
Halifax: Chinese Food
Cheelin is still the best IMO, although Szechuan in Bedford is also good. Szechuan is better for noodles; the mains (esp the Kung Pao chicken and orange beef) at Cheelin are awesome). Both have great eggrolls and homemade plum sauce...and dumplings.
Top Five In Halifax
Boynamedsous's top 3, same as mine. I would also add Morris East and Mix, Ray Bear's latest: although most people probably wouldn't include them strictly under 'fine' dining, I would say they're in the ballpark, at least in terms of the food quality, if not the atmosphere. Morris East does mostly pizza, but not your Italian grandmother's pizza. This is pizza-fusion cuisine at its best, with toppings like peaches, prosciutto, gouda and bechamel (yes, on the same pizza!) I wouldn't be surprised to see blueberries on a pizza there in season. Far out, but it always works, trust me. You get your choice of homemade thin-crust dough in white, whole wheat, or gluten free.
Mix is a casual comfort food spot... pastas, pizzas, burgers, but again, this isn't your Dad's backyard BBQ kind of burgers.. the bun is homemade brioche, there's delicious in-house spicy mayo, Oulton's beef and bacon, locally sourced cheese, and a scrumptious relish concoction that tasted more like a mango salsa.
I guess fine dining to me doesn't have to mean foie gras and sea bass; cooking the same kind of food you crave when you get home from a night at the Lower Deck can be fine too, given a chef who can take any raw materials and turn them into works of art.
Fiasco is often good, but have had a few disappointing meals there, Jane's is not what it used to be IMO, except for brunch, I find dinners have slipped somewhat. I was at Onyx for dinner a few weeks ago, and was really blown away compared to my previous visits. Amazing food and really top-notch service. Best meal I've had overall this year.
Where to find fresh Calamari in Halifax?
I third Fiasco... yummm. It's the sauce that does it, sweet and spicy at the same time. Actually, it's all about sauces at Fiasco. Very rich, can only handle a meal there infrequently, but when it's time... so, so decadent.
MIX Fresh Kitchen
Really? I found it rather limited. Did you go at lunch or dinner? I was there for dinner last night and there were 3 or 4 pastas, a burger, a couple of pizzas, and then apps. They said they were planning to add items soon.
A large menu isn't a problem for me if the chef can control the quality of everything on it; some places seem to pull it off just fine. Smaller menus are great *if* they change frequently (minimum, monthly), otherwise, once I've tried everything that sounds good once, I won't want to go back for a while, as I do tend to eat out a lot.
My meal was very good, and very reasonably priced.
Best pasta sauce in a jar?
I agree about Victoria's Marinara sauce (white linen collection). Still available at my local Costco, just picked up a pckg about a month ago. Recently while visiting Boston I purchased a brand called Pellicano's (traditional red sauce), made in Buffalo. Very good. Don't know if it's widely available, but if you can find it, it's worth buying. Very rich and sweet.... if you don't like your sauce sweet, this isn't for you.
Third boxcar, midnight train, Destination...Bangor, Maine.
Also, one final mention: Eagle's Nest over in Brewer is a great family-style place with excellent seafood (lobster rolls, especially) at good prices. Not fancy at all, but just good diner food and fresh fish. Highly recommended.
Third boxcar, midnight train, Destination...Bangor, Maine.
I wouldn't include Massimo's in the expensive category, really... not the pastas and pizzas, at least. The mains might be a little bit. But it's certainly on average equivalent in price to Olive Garden, Bugaboo Creek, and cheaper than Texas Roadhouse, and significantly better than any of them, IMO.
Best Maine spot for food/touring?
LulusMom, absolutely... the south coast of Maine...Kennebunk, Wells, Ogunquit, York etc. is not far at all from the Belgrade Lakes region, and even the White Mountains, Bethel, Conway NH, etc. Traffic makes it tough to estimate the time needed, but you could easily leave Portland ME after lunch, stop for an ice cream, browse a few antique shops, go for a nature walk, stay on backroads and still be in the mountains in time for dinner.
My wife loves olives, salads which foodies can enjoy as much as the entree, and small "tapas" like dishes.
Thanks for the update; I hadn't been there in nearly a year and must have missed the news when it happened. Is his sole venture the restaurant in the Gardiner right now or has he opened a new spot?
My wife loves olives, salads which foodies can enjoy as much as the entree, and small "tapas" like dishes.
Oops..missed the "won't be imbibing' part. Can't help you there... I generally don't imbibe when dining out, whether mocktails or cocktails, so I can't offer any suggestions. I would assume either CL or JK wine bar would be as good for that as any other...Wish probably not. I seem to recall they have a limited beverage/wine menu. Just a hunch though, don't hold me to it.
My wife loves olives, salads which foodies can enjoy as much as the entree, and small "tapas" like dishes.
I'd choose Colborne Lane personally for a special occasion dinner like a 1st anniversary. Near the intersection of Yonge and King, just a few blocks east. Fabulous food, small plates and main courses, both. Best soups I've ever tried. Not much in the way of coffee shops/dessert places that I'm aware of in that immediate vicinity but it's just a quick subway or streetcar ride away from lots of good neighborhoods like Queen W, Little Italy, Bloor and Spadina, etc. where there are plenty options. It would be within walking distance of Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar just of Front before St. Lawrence market which is good for an aperitif and dessert. Frankly the food is much more delicious at Colborne Lane, IMHO.
Another good, underrated food place is Wish Bistro on Charles near Bloor and Yonge although it's not a small plates menu...has a nice patio, lots of coffee shops in that part of town within walking distance.
There are hundreds of other options, Lee on King West, Edward Levesque's way out in Leslieville, Messis on Harbord St near the women's bookstore and Robarts library (VERY good food), Jacques Bistro du Parc for traditional french food in Yorkville (don't be put off by the 70's decor..food and service are both exceptional, but it's an old-fashioned kind of place..) and I could go on and on....
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Jamie Kennedy
9 Church St, Toronto, ON M5E1M2, CA
Messis
97 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
Edward Levesque's
1290 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4L1C4, CA
Colborne Lane
45 Colborne Street, Toronto, ON M5E 1P8, CA
Harbord
147 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1H1, CA
BEST OF THE MARITIMES
I agree with chilibean: I have to say Rudder's is overrated. Mind you, I'd never order a steak there. Seafood is really all they do well, especially the fish and chips, which aren't bad at all... but if you're looking for something a little more creative, try Chez Bruno on Main near the tourist info center. The chef is Belgian and does even better fish and chips, a simple delicious scallop dish in garlic butter, and pork loin with a delicious pommery mustard sauce. I also second Mapleleaf17's recommendations of Chez Christophe in Church Point, one of the best and most unique dining experiences in Nova Scotia, and also Charlotte Lane in Shelburne. While I suppose it's expensive for the area, coming from Halifax it seems super reasonable for the quality of the food..esp. the desserts..yumm!
Restaurant Shake Up in Halifax
And we lost Sebastian's too, which had delicious French food. I'm not getting too worried yet though... does anyone know who the new chef at twelvefortyone (formerly Bear) is? If he trained under Ray Bear, I suspect it will still be good.
We still have Gio, Jane's (for brunch and more casual dining), Chives, Morris East, and while Fid has redefined itself the food is still unparalleled, IMO. It's probably the best overall value now in the city. Two other (unlikely) restaurants that offer very good food (same head chef) are the dining rooms at the two Halifax Delta's. Far better than most hotels, especially the dreadful Westin which just can't seem to get it together food wise, no matter how hard they try.
Cut Steakhouse and Grill and Onyx are pretty good too, if a tad on the pricey side.
Are there any (good) French restaurants in Halifax?
I just returned to Fid this evening for a quick visit and it is every bit as good as ever, if not better, because the prices have dropped. Mains are now anywhere from 15-24, desserts 6-8. Dennis and Monica are superlative hosts, always going the extra mile for their guests, like the young lady who was celebrating her birthday this evening while I was there who received a complimentary birthday slice of gateau aux chocolat. It was a surprise to both of the people at her table!
It was very busy, at one point every table was occupied, and this was half-hour prior to closing time on a Sunday night. It was hectic and they were seemingly understaffed, yet each course arrived in a very timely fashion. I had the hanger steak which was unbelievably tender, served on top of what I expect was either steamed cale or collard green, which was underpinned by the most delicious garlic mashed potatoes I've had in a long time. The fresh berry tart was a delicious end to the meal. I kind of expected a long wait and, since I was dining alone and not doing the three-course thing with wine etc but I was in and out in less than an hour and a half.
Their menu may be different, but it is still the same wonderful Fid experience!
Maritime migrations - need help for vacation in NS and NB
Too bad you had to come and go so quickly!
Greg B, I normally wouldn't post those kinds of places, but heatherkay was specifically requesting informal and ethnic type restaurants. As far as those criteria go, the spots I mention are among the best Halifax has to offer. I've eaten at a couple of the more reputed Mexican restaurants in Toronto and Mexico Lindo compares favorably. Turkish Delight, in my humble opinion, is better middle eastern food than any of the many spots in Toronto I tried while living there. Naturally, Mezza is very good, and so is Gio(you'll find many threads in which I've raved about it), but I didn't think they were really what the poster was describing.
Maritime migrations - need help for vacation in NS and NB
Oh, one more place I thought of since you're taking the Digby ferry: there's a great French-Acadian place in nearby Grosse Coques called Chez Christophe. They do local specialities like 'rappie pie', a really weird concoction made from grated potatoes and chicken topped with molasses. Not my cup of tea, but people who grew up on love it, and this place's version is supposedly so good that it converts even the haters. They have other good Acadian specialities as well as seafood dishes.
You mention meat pies. I wonder if you're thinking about 'tourtiere' which is actually a French Canadian (Quebecois) dish that is very difficult to find outside Quebec. The only restaurant I have actually found that does a really delicious one is in Toronto, ironically, called Edward Levesque's. If you find a good one in the Maritimes, please tell me where, I'd love to hear about it.
Maritime migrations - need help for vacation in NS and NB
For seafood, the Tin Fish at the Lunenburg Arms Hotel in Lunenburg does an excellent job. Nearby Fleur de Sel is probably one of the top 3 restaurants east of Montreal in my opinion, and they do wonderful things with halibut and scallops, but it is an expense-account kind of place, not one you'd have to worry about either picnic tables or tour buses.
Halifax: For casual but delicious Turkish food, Turkish Delight on Spring Garden Road is inexpensive and you'll leave full. I recommend the Garlic Chicken Kebab combination plate, although if you like lamb (I don't particularly) everyone says the lamb kebab is fantastic. Mexico Lindo on Dutch Village Road (a really unimpressive, blue-collar part of town, but safe enough) is the only place with authentic Mexican food in Halifax. Cheap and delicious, parking is an issue (they don't have a lot), you're better off to find a side street and walk 5 minutes.
I'm not familiar with New Brunswick dining really... I was in Moncton for a weekend last year, but I wasn't overly impressed with the choices. I've heard St. Andrews has a number of good places.
Good luck finding anything late night! In Halifax, there's Onyx, Cut Steakhouse, Seven Wine Bar, but most of them stop serving full meals at 10 or 11 pm and then switch over to the late-night menu.
Best kept secret in halifax
OMG Chicken a la King! memories of church suppers in my childhood... I must go!
