North America Dispatch #58: Montreal: The Chowhound's Promised Land
Montreal, Quebec
I intend to finish off this leg of the tour with several days in Montreal, one of the world’s best food cities. Here’s what I wrote about Montreal a few years ago:
Montreal’s food scene is guileless. If you see a charming-looking restaurant, it’s likely charming tasting, as well. This is a strange land in which the inhabitants have never caught on to the smoke-and-mirrors trick; no Montrealer would ever think to open a pretty restaurant serving lousy food. Needless to say, serious recalibration was required. I mistrust atmospheric places not because I’m a vulgar hawg who’d just as soon eat from a trough, but because such places have so often fed me poorly. Hip vibey places rarely cook worth a damn because they know they can lure the unsavvy via ambience alone.
Montreal’s different, and the effect is pure liberation. I drop layers of cynicism as I keep stumbling into devastatingly inviting places, yet never find myself duped. Montreal restaurateurs believe in deliciousness, and they feel obliged to develop all aspects of their enterprises. The notion of lackluster food is simply unthinkable. I can only pray that none of these folks ever visits Soho.
In Montreal, you can just go somewhere—anywhere!—and eat. It’s like the promised land. I love walking around and choosing venues only the most callow New Yorker would pick. Dramatic little cafés where patrons sit with good posture and waiters speak in that intense hush. Cavernous candle-lit joints. Too-slick-to-be-true fast food places. Let me put it this way: The best bread I’ve found in Montreal came from a chain with almost a dozen outlets. They bake not just good bread, but heartfelt good bread; bread with character!
It’s like a dream. One wonders whether one’s chowhounding skills are peaking (am I like Superman off Krypton?), or whether Montreal is a city in which one simply can’t go wrong. Whatever the reason, I’ve never had a disappointing bite here. Even the humblest places have pizzazz and good food.
It’s a luxury to be in a place with virtually no bad restaurants. If you were to select an eatery by throwing darts at the Montreal Yellow Pages, you’d enjoy at least a satisfactory meal, and perhaps a great one. For non-hounds, who haven’t developed their ability to differentiate, this is heady comfort—an impenetrable dining safety net. For the savvy, it’s a vacation, a carnival ride, a delirious opportunity to turn off the chow-dar and just eat.
... and, after 8,000 miles and several hundred restaurant meals, I could use that! For the first couple of days, I’ll be joined by food-loving friends from New York City, Barry and Joel, who work in the film industry and will gladly go anywhere there’s free food.
That’s Joel on the left and Barry on the right.
Today we’ve mostly recapped my previous finds. We started out at a place I’ve been dreaming about since my last visit: Frite Alors (3497 Boulevard St. Laurent, Montreal, Quebec; 514-840-9000), where the pommes frites are fried, properly, in horse fat. They’re as good as anything in Belgium.
Per classical Belgian protocol, they fry their potatoes twice. These par-fried spuds await their finishing greasy bath:
Poutine (see report #53) here is a profound rendition, eliciting peals of rapture:
We decided to complete the equestrian experience by ordering horse steak. It’s delicious meat—horse was once the meat of choice in Philly cheese steaks, before a newspaper exposé blew the lid off the practice.
As top-notch as the fries are at Frite Alors, their sauces are really the high point. These sauces are not mere afterthoughts; each is made with care and love.
+ + +
I’d actually stumbled upon the grand opening of Frite Alors on my previous visit to Montreal, and on that visit, Au Pied de Cochon (536 rue Duluth Est, Montreal, Quebec; 514-281-1114) was also opening, to much fanfare.
Initial buzz focused, as a surprising amount of restaurant buzz seems to, around foie gras. Au Pied de Cochon made foie gras poutine, a conceit that titillated an international cadre of food journalists in town for some conference. Give that publicist a medal for timing things to a T.
I didn’t try Au Pied de Cochon at that time; it was too booked up by imperious pundits. But I gave it a go this time, and ordered the aforementioned foie gras poutine, which was sublimely luxurious:
Blood sausage with mashed potato and roasted apple was all kinds of hearty goodness:
And, for dessert, pouding chômeur, which translates as “poor man’s pudding,” a spongy biscuit afloat in maple-y soup.
Joel went cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs over the pudding, swearing and kvelling dramatically as he scraped persistently at the dish with his spoon:
This place is a carnivore’s bastion; take a look at the entrees:
Our first blessed slice of the astounding bread of Montreal:
+ + +
Patati Patata Friterie de Luxe (4177 Boulevard St. Laurent; 514-844-0216) is just a corner coffee shop. Only Montrealers could make it a place with style, verve, and soul. Here’s my original review (which still holds true):
Even the diners in this town kill … and are hip enough to make you feel as if you’re in an indie movie … and are run by people who care a lot about food. What sad world do we inhabit where it’s surprising that a place exists where all restaurants are run by people who care about food!
The menu at this thoroughly warm and inviting little corner luncheonette is posted on a wall board, and it’s uninspiring. Burgers, fries, salads, some crepes, etc. You search for the interesting item, the catchy wrinkle, but there is none. But observe the skinny kids cooking behind the counter. They’re working very fast, but … they’re seriously COOKING. These short order cooks are preparing their food with great pride and also palpable awareness that it will be eaten by someone. Watching them work is intoxicating, not to mention hunger-inducing, and the result is pure culinary warmth.
French fries are done in peanut oil (nice!) and are extraordinarily satisfying and came with good tart dipping mayo. The personable waiter/chef asked how I liked them, and cared about my answer. And he’s proud of the local microbeer (Les Brasseurs du Nord, which makes unexceptional beer which nonetheless has a certain charm, like humble French table wine), and pours it with gusto.
Lots of zip, pride, warmth, and a friendly, intelligent youthful crowd. Salads look awesome. The whole thing is dreamy.
This time I got borscht (simple, good) with more of those terrific fries:
+ + +
Coco Rico Rotisserie (3907 Boulevard St. Laurent at Napoleon, Montreal; 514-849-5554) is a cheap late-night joint for rotisserie chicken and potatoes. Plump birds are roasted to a brown, salty, juicy turn, and the potatoes (which sit beneath the spinning poultry, catching the fat) are a megacaloric delight. The place is owned by Portuguese, and they also sell swell egg custard tarts (pasteis de nata).
+ + +
Barry eats with me frequently, so he’s learned to pace. Joel, as photos above indicate, made the mistake of eating full-out at each stop (hear the precise moment—after the horse steak, after the foie gras poutine, and after the blood sausage—when he realized what he was in for in this podcast: MP3). He was not a happy camper by the time we came to our final bite of the day—a nightcap of smoked-meat sandwiches from the legendary Schwartz’s Deli (3895 Boulevard St. Laurent, Montreal, Quebec; 514-842-4813). Smoked beef is sort of halfway between corned beef and pastrami.
The midnight queue at Schwartz’s.
Meaty delights seen through a greasy window.
We smuggled the sandwiches into the hotel and scarfed them in an empty conference room, where Joel was miraculously revived by the magic of Schwartz’s fleshly delights.
+ + +
The Chow That Got Away
The following wonderful Chilean alfajor (lardy shortbread cookie stuffed with rich dolce de leche) came from a bakery/cafe whose business card was lost. It’s on a north-south side road not far from Au Pied de Cochon. I won’t forgive myself until I’ve found the place and tried more stuff.
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Thank you for this wonderful report on your visit to Montreal. I agree, it's hard to get a bad, or even mediocre, meal in Montreal.
I recently had the pleasure of trying the poutine fois gras at Au Pied de Cochon (I shared it, along with their Duck in a Can, with my dining companion), and it was one of the most decadent experiences I've had in a long time. Like you, we also grabbed one of those wonderful meat sandwiches at Schwartz's the same day we ate at APdC. Two such wonderful meals--I can't believe we had them on the same day. I'm still pinching myself.
Next time, we'll have to try Frite Alors, it sounds fantastic.
I'm not sure I'd be able to distinguish when fries have been cooked in horse fat. Does it contribute to texture or taste or both?
~TDQ
The Dairy Queen Feb 09, 2007 04:19AM
Taste, texture, spiritual vibe....everything!
Jim Leff Feb 09, 2007 09:30AM
Ah you are making me nostalgic for college days. Pre APDC unfortunately! I think they must be pratically around the corner from my last apartment.
What amazes me about Montreal is that they have so many institutions that really are worthy of the hype - like Shwartz's and the 24-hour bagel places. Often when you arrive somewhere and try their long-lived, famous places & signature dishes they are disappointing, but not in Montreal.
Also that little, non descript places like Coco Rico and Pitita can stay open for years and years. I do think that pretty places with bad food open, but they don't last.
julesrules Feb 09, 2007 10:10AM
You probably had the alfajor at La Chilenita on de Bullion at the corner of Napoleon. They also make delicious empanadas.
maia Feb 11, 2007 09:54AM
Thanks, maia. Google Maps seems to show it on a north eastern corner, and I remember it being on a south eastern corner. But it was (like Chilenita) south of Pied a Cochon.
Jim Leff Feb 11, 2007 10:28AM
Headed to Montreal in a few weeks, Jim. Gotta get my Schwartz's fix, and maybe Basha's downtown for a Lebanese lunch....
Did you hit some of the brewpubs? Great beer in that city.
Jeff Pinhey
Brewnoser Feb 11, 2007 10:10PM
Have you considered a visit to Toque!?
Normand Laprise is one of Canada's (and North America's) finest chefs. He was one of the first chefs of his generation to cultivate a relationship with regional growers, cheesemakers, fishermen, etc. And what he does with fresh, local ingredients is marvellous.
I haven't been to Toque since Normand relocated from St. Denis to the Financial District. And, as a New Yorker, I recall Normand's all-too-brief stint at Cena.
If your stay in Montreal permits a meal at Toque, I'd be curious to see what he is up to now.
famdoc Feb 11, 2007 10:28PM
Jim,
Your write-up does catch some of what defines Montreal as a Chowhound-friendly city. Although, there's plenty more to talk about. Like the banh mi Vietnamese sandwiches from grocery stores and "hole in the wall" places; the pupuserias; the Jean-Talon market with its own cultural identity; the whole range of Greek ouzeris, psarotavernas, and souvlaki places; all sorts of North African cuisines; Haitian lambi; Cameroonian fish; Iranian breakfasts; Italian cafés; Montreal-style submarines (with pizza-like toppings, salad sauce, oregano, salt and pepper); inexpensive but incredibly tasty pizza slices; imported French goods like dry sausage and fruit syrups; the wide diversity of Quebec's cheeses (that even French connaisseurs are impressed by); hearty meat pie; thick hot chocolate with or without spices; quirky tea lounges; different styles of Lebanese cooking; unpretentious French cuisine; apéro-time tapas; the wide variety of vegetarian and vegan restaurants...
Of course, most of these places aren't listed in travel books and some of them aren't even in the White Pages. Thing is, apart from a few sections of the city, Montreal is meant for Montrealers. Unlike larger cities, it's really easy to make sense of the place so the distinction between devoted tourists and locals isn't that great. On the other hand, Montreal is different enough from the rest of North America that the casual tourist will rarely see the real Montreal.
Was just chatting with Jeff Pinhey, who's soon coming to taste Montreal's beers again. He's right about Montreal's beer scene. Though I'm clearly biased (as a Montrealer coming back to Montreal and as a homebrewer), I must say that Montreal's brewpub scene doesn't seem to have any equivalent elsewhere in North America (though some of Chicago's brewpubs are worth a detour). The diversity of beer at local brewpubs is nothing short of fantastic. We don't have beerpubs where you get 200 kinds of beer but we do have a very wide range of high quality beer, brewed and consumed locally. From Czech and German lagers to Belgian ales, including some spiced beers, and different types of beer innovations.
As for specific location choices... The best (and original) Frite Alors! location is the one on Park. Leaps and bounds better than the St-Laurent extension. Basha, Amir, and other Lebanese chains are ok but you're much better off at Al-Taib (altaib.com). My current favourite for souvlaki is Coin Grec on Park but there are other places in the Mile-End and elsewhere that are really good (especially for lamb). The best poutine in town is at Banquise on Rachel (open 24/7). If you ever come during the summer, be sure to go to one of the terrasses on St-Denis. For instance, Côté Soleil has great French-style cuisine in an excellent setting. If beer and food pairing intrigues you, l'Amère à boire (brewpub) is hard to beat with both a full restaurant and a simple menu. Though some Haitians may prefer other places, Marché Méli-Mélo on Jarry has all the typical Haitian meals, including lambi and griots. My favourite banh mi place was a grocery store in Côte-des-neiges (the best neighbourhood for those who enjoy food diversity) but I now like Nhu Lan on St-Zotique three blocks from my place. Pad Thai from the Thai Express in the food court under Paramount Cinema downtown is beyond par, including at other Thai Express locations. Pain Doré's Rubis cake is out of this world. Le Maître Corbeau on Laurier is among the best cheese places I've seen (and I'm Swiss enough to care about cheese). Also on Laurier, Byblos serves all styles of Iranian meals but is best known for its weekend breakfasts. Restaurant Le Sans-Menu in St-Henri is one of those unpretentious French-style restaurants where you get the North American equivalent of real bistro food. Ice cream from Le Bilboquet is something to try at least once (though lines do get kind of long). Not only is the European-style pizza at Pizzédélic on Côte-des-neiges really good but their Gatodélic cake is to die for when left on the counter during the meal. My favourite bagel place is Fairmount Bagel which is somewhat lesser known than St-Viateur. The Olivieri bookstore near Univeristé de Montréal has one of the best European-style restaurants I've been to in North America. Many phô places are quite good but I especially like those on St-Denis between Bellechasse and Jarry.The Alpenhaus Swiss restaurant has two sections and the food is better in the smaller and cozier section. While it may feel too American, Zyng noodles can be rather good, at least at the original location on St-Denis.
Anyhoo... If you come back to Montreal, be sure to contact other locals.
Enkerli Feb 11, 2007 11:21PM
The only mistake I think you made is in choosing Coco Rico, which is definitely mediocre compared to many of the other chicken joints in the neighbourhood. Romados and Rotisserie Portugalia both absolutely blow it out of the water.
slutsky Feb 12, 2007 12:49PM
He could have gone to Marilou, the awesome Portuguese rotisserie on St-Laurent.
As for Toqué, IIRC the chef at Réservoir (brewpub on Duluth) originally worked at Toqué and now serves the same type of cuisine to a very different crowd.
Enkerli Feb 12, 2007 01:31PM
Howdy!
Reservoir is great, and the beer is even better, but Robin des Bois http://www.robindesbois.ca is the restaurant to try, if you want graduates from Toque.
And while you're in the neighborhood, you might as well stop in at the gallery... Coco Rico, Schwartz's, Patati Patata, man you guys must've passed in front of the door a dozen times!
zekesgallery Feb 12, 2007 05:17PM
I had a very unimpressive meal at Robin des Bois when I checked it out...
slutsky Feb 12, 2007 05:58PM
Howdy!
While I understand the importance of eating well, I also think that helping people buy eating is a fabulous idea. And give them lots of leeway because of their mandate.
zekesgallery Feb 12, 2007 06:03PM
Yeah I think it's a great idea but at the prices they're charging, and with the pedigree they boast of, the food I had was really really mediocre...
slutsky Feb 12, 2007 06:08PM
Howdy!
OK, how about this as a compromise. If you're going to go someplace for a mediocre meal (and I can think of a ton within 1 km of it) then you should go to Robin des Bois.
zekesgallery Feb 12, 2007 06:23PM
Zeke's point about ethical eating does connect to something important about Montreal's food scene. Not that Montreal is unique in pushing ethical food. But there's a specific vibe to the ethical food movement in and around town.
Community sustained agriculture, soup kitchens, importers of fair-trade organic coffee or chocolate, food co-ops... All of these exist everywhere in large cities of industrial societies. Yet there does seem to be more visibility for these things here in Montreal than in many other places where I've lived. Or they just fit together in a different pattern.
Enkerli Feb 12, 2007 06:35PM
FYI, La Chilenita is indeed on the SOUTH EAST corner of Napoleon and du Bullion. I second the opinion that that is where you found the alfajor.
blork Feb 13, 2007 11:12AM
Haha I third the opinion—I forgot to mention that.
slutsky Feb 13, 2007 11:14AM
Why am I not surprised that there could be a connection between Montreal's active blogging community and the Montreal chowhound community? ;-)
Quite glad that Jim has a second write-up about Montreal. Sounds like he had fun.
Enkerli Feb 13, 2007 01:27PM
Thanks, guys, it's a relief to know about La Chilenita. Was my intuition correct that they make a number of good things there?
Enkerli, I did say "I intend to finish off this leg of the tour with several days in Montreal"!
Jim Leff Feb 14, 2007 11:07AM
Your intuition was correct. I've always enjoyed Chilenita's empanadas, and their sandwiches and tacos are pretty good too!
slutsky Feb 14, 2007 11:54AM
Great write-up of the city where I'm fortunate to live and eat! We're just a couple of blocks east of the Portugese neighborhood, and I'd put in a plug for Ramados chicken the next time. Funny how the Arab food varies. We think the best shawarma is in the Basha in the Eaton Center underground mall, but the one on Sherbrooke across from McGill - on Union maybe? - has fantastic salads. Al-Taib is better for laham bi ajeen and Arab-style pizza, and their zaatar bread is fantastic, but Marche Adonis, out on l'Ácadie is the mother lode when it comes to pastries. As for me, I'm heading out to La Chilenita...
cassandrapages Feb 14, 2007 01:42PM
Falafel is an absolute lost cause in this city.
And again, can't recommend Romados enough... worth waiting in line.
slutsky Feb 14, 2007 01:45PM
Not sure about falafels being a lost cause. Can't think of where I've had it, but I remember some wonderful falafels from somewhere around town...
Enkerli Feb 14, 2007 05:15PM
Not sure about falafels being a lost cause. Can't think of where I've had it, but I remember some wonderful falafels from somewhere around town...
Enkerli Feb 14, 2007 05:15PM
Poutine, Spongy biscuits in a "maple-y soup", hockey.
Thank you Canada!
Eat Well Feb 17, 2007 01:25PM
I agree that Montreal is chow heaven and would like to speak for two special favorites: 1) Le Commensal, see phone book for several locations, a vegetarian's paradise with a huge cold buffet and a huge hot buffet ---prices are reasonable, and even a non-veg would find this place the salad bar from heaven. 2) The food courts in the underground city if you get there around 11:30-12 Noon before thousands of office workers arrive. Everything will be fresh then, every ethnicity will be represented as immigrants run the food joints, and of course prices are very low. Don't stop with the first food court as the underground (I read somewhere) would be 29 kilometers long if you straightened it out---it's just one food court after another for, like, miles. And one more thing, try and get to the big produce market at Jean Talon.
Querencia Feb 24, 2007 12:10AM
I agree that Montreal is chow heaven and would like to speak for two special favorites: 1) Le Commensal, see phone book for several locations, a vegetarian's paradise with a huge cold buffet and a huge hot buffet ---prices are reasonable, and even a non-veg would find this place the salad bar from heaven. 2) The food courts in the underground city if you get there around 11:30-12 Noon before thousands of office workers arrive. Everything will be fresh then, every ethnicity will be represented as immigrants run the food joints, and of course prices are very low. Don't stop with the first food court as the underground (I read somewhere) would be 29 kilometers long if you straightened it out---it's just one food court after another for, like, miles. And one more thing, try and get to the big produce market at Jean Talon.
Querencia Feb 24, 2007 12:10AM
Hello
I live in Montréal, how refreshing to read all the great comments you great people leave, I love all kinds of foods, just near my home are many asian restaurants, one of them is in north west of Montréal called Asie Moderne aka Modern Asia, excellent family restaurant, maybee only 50 seats but their meals are comparable to our chinatown.
Asie Moderne, 1676 Poirier street, city St-Laurent( corner Crevier ), 514- 748-0567
Like one person here mentionned Schwartzs is fantastic.
Marché Jean Talon & Marché atwater are two institutions well worth the visits.
Many thanks to Jim Leff for writing this :)
Ninja_59 Feb 24, 2007 07:36AM
Darn. I know I'm late to this, but are you sure Frite Alors is now using horse fat for their fries? When I asked about a year ago, they said they had discontinued...
MaeveH Mar 14, 2007 05:19PM
Honestly, I do not know, but Frite Alors has a very good reputation :)
Ninja_59 Mar 14, 2007 05:47PM
Not sure either. But the last time I went to FA (last week), I was pretty underwhelmed with their fries. I used to like them a lot and maybe I was just unlucky (they were getting ready to close) but it wasn't as good as, even, La Belle Province.
For some reason, I'm hooked on BellePro fries, these days. Especially at the Beaubien/ChrisCo location. Really fresh and fresh-tasting fries.
La Banquise is still the best place for poutine, though.
Enkerli Mar 14, 2007 05:56PM
I'm not sure why Enkerli won't stop talking about La Banquise's poutine. Their fries are consistently among the worst I've had in Montreal. I keep giving them a second chance, but every time I'm given a plate of soggy, overcooked, greasy mess. Their poutine sauce itself seems pretty standard to me.
What I've had trouble finding in Montreal since I came here is a good basic New York Style pizza. There are certainly plenty of places to get a slice, but everything I've tried has been way sub-par. I like the more "upscale" pizza places, like pizzetta, pizzadelic sometimes, but I'm looking more for a nice big tomato and cheese pie. Any suggestions?
hungryjackhungry Apr 20, 2007 10:52PM
"I'm not sure why Enkerli won't stop talking about La Banquise's poutine."
Because it works. Poutine is meant to be like this.
Enkerli Apr 20, 2007 11:47PM
I guess I'm just wrong to like my fries crispy, not covered in a week's worth of burnt fry scraps, and cooked at the right temperature so that they're tender without soaking up excess grease. I hadn't realized that the folks who cook at la banquise put such care into perfecting the grease sponge.
...and I love that we're celebrating the food ethics of a town that puts foie gras in everything, and has people lining up to eat sandwiches stuffed with wads of meat big enough to feed four people. I'll admit that I've never seen places like robin des bois or the people's potato anywhere else, but I wonder if they exist here to counter-act the food evils that seem to be the rule.
hungryjackhungry Apr 21, 2007 06:46AM
"I wonder if they exist here to counter-act the food evils that seem to be the rule"
In part. Québécois culture is defining itself using these kinds of things. Thinking differently, even if it means reproducing other patterns.
It's fun.
Enkerli Apr 21, 2007 11:13AM
Well, I'm Québécoise, and I know a lot of people here who don't eat like that. Not necessarily vegetarians by any means, but ethical eaters, yes. I don't get the "pile lots of fatty meat on everything" ethos. Lots of restaurants feature good vegetables and a moderate quantity of animal protein.
lagatta May 19, 2007 12:32PM
"What I've had trouble finding in Montreal since I came here is a good basic New York Style pizza. There are certainly plenty of places to get a slice, but everything I've tried has been way sub-par. I like the more "upscale" pizza places, like pizzetta, pizzadelic sometimes, but I'm looking more for a nice big tomato and cheese pie. Any suggestions? "
Enkerli...
Try Zesto's on 1199 rue University (between rue Ste. Catherine & blvd. René Levesque)...
Not trendy or upscale..
Modest decor and prices...
Low-key ambiance..
Family-style kind of place.
A lot of their business I know is delivering good, hot pies to local hotels in the area and I've also noticed lots and lots of taxi drivers stopping by to pick up their dinner there!
Everytime my husband and I are in Montréal, we go in there for their basic big tomato and cheese pies....
(And the "all-dressed" pie is terrific too!)
3 sizes to choose from, as I remember...
Washed down with some cold local beer on tap served in frosty mugs...
Mmmm! Never disappoints!
(We're from NY and used to the great pizza here so we're pretty picky about our slices;)
They also do some Greek dishes, as I remember.
Haven't been back to Montréal since 2003 so things might have changed as far as this establishment goes.
We're coming back again in September..
Can't wait!
And I'm planning on making my usual pizza pilgrimage back to Zesto's!
Hearty appetite!
mielody Jul 25, 2007 10:20PM
Hi,
It was quite dissappointing to see the restaurants you decided to showcase in your article becaue they're all super greasy heavy food places. It really doesn't do justice to the culinary experiences to be had in my city. I mean, you rave about FRIES for the whole article!!! I suggest you get a little more adventurous...and healthy next time you're in town. If you haven't passed away because your arteries were too clogged!
chosebine Sep 04, 2007 05:39PM
Chosebine,
This is just one of several montreal reports.
And, as was true during almost the entire chow tour, I stayed healthy by not having more than a bite or two of any one thing.
Jim Leff Sep 30, 2007 11:00PM
Jim,
If you come back to Montreal, it'd be fun if some of us could join you on a new version of your tour. Maybe we could go to a number of health-oriented restaurants in town, including the recently opened Veritas in Old Montreal.
Enkerli Oct 01, 2007 12:10AM
Well, this time I really did it. I ate at a place in Montreal that pretty well defies description. Anybody listening in here ever been to The Spirit Lounge? Jim, I am not sure how you'd take this place.
And yes, I got my dessert.
Brewnoser Oct 03, 2007 08:23PM
Been to Spirit. It's an experience. But I was still hungry after everything (including dessert). The whole thing about rules is fun and the food is quite good.
Enkerli Oct 03, 2007 08:37PM
Man, I was full enough. The decor is so.....
Brewnoser Oct 03, 2007 08:42PM
Because of their rules about those who don't finish their plates, I made sure I was really hungry before I went. That's probably why I was still hungry. That's actually the only reason I mention it. For a place where they make a fuss about portions, I didn't feel the difference between Catherine's portion and mine was that significant.
As for décor... Well, it's in the Village so we kind of expect "outrageous" décor. I liked it, actually. And I liked the way the restaurant was divided in different sections.
But, for décor and separate sections, I prefer the Economy Shoe Shop, in your neck of the woods. (Is that the name of that place? Several restaurants and bars connected to one another...)
Enkerli Oct 03, 2007 11:25PM
I think the schtick about finishing your plates is a bit over-rated. I mean, our dish had a date on it with the pit still in - that sat on my plate in plain sight, when it was supposed to be "like it had been licked clean". It was funny how he always said "good job" when picking up the empty plates, like a mother with kids.
On another Montreal note, I have decided that the smoked meat at The Main is the same as that at Schwartz's. I prefer the service at Schwartz's - if you are going to be brusque, be so while not making me wait for no reason.
I DO wish that more brewpubs in Montreal were permitted to serve food, as in full kitchen food. The City, so cosmopolitan in many things, was horribly backward and reeking of political sea anchors in that regard, as I know it used to be that you could not make beer in a place with a full kitchen. So we have Brutopia, Benelux, Dieu de Ciel with only snack type food. Or has that changed with the arrival of Trois Brasseurs and Reservoir? I was sure Amere a Boire did their eating area under a separate license....? And the Sergeant now has pizzas....
There is no bureaucracy like a French bureaucracy. Someone said that, didn't they?
Brewnoser Oct 04, 2007 06:32AM
The clean plate schtick seemed like a gimmick to me but it's also a gimmick which makes the place stand out from other Village restaurants.
Some people seem to prefer the smoked meat at The Main. I still prefer Schwartz's. The spice mix tastes more complex and the meat has a less spongy texture. True, the plain meaty taste is stronger at The Main, but I prefer that kind of a meaty taste in rare filet, instead of smoked meat.
The brewpub laws are just plain weird, in this province. But it's possible that some of these pubs don't have more food because they don't want to really be restaurants. Actually, some places (like Else's) require you to have food with your drinks, which can be an issue for a Montreal pub or bar.
Enkerli Oct 04, 2007 08:49AM
Else's would rather not serve food, but despite being a bar for so long, they can't get a pub license. No one on the Plateau can - some arcane law, probably anti-anglais pub culture.
Remember when the owner of the Sergeant went to jail because he served St. Ambroise instead of his own beer?
Brewnoser Oct 04, 2007 11:17AM
Guess we should pursue this through private messages. For this entry, though, let it be said that Montreal's food and drinks laws are even more awkward than those of other parts of the continent.
Enkerli Oct 04, 2007 11:42AM