New Montreal Restaurant Thread
- Thread starter EagerBeaver
- Start date
missed Delmo. Milos actually has weekly flights of fish from the mediterranean. some specialized types and all fresh, so expensive. the norm for greek seafood is simple grilling with quality olive oil poured after. on that, milos is the best of any i have experienced on the east coast.
Maevva - Crescent Street
I tried Maevva on Crescent Street for tapas last wekend. Had the following:
Coconut shrimp: quite nice
Chorizo (non-spicy): enjoyed it, but then I love chorizo
Grilled sardines: unremarkable
Mussels: unremarkable
Prosciutto-wrapped prunes: the prunes were too chewy
I found the white house wine (the only one they have by the glass) too oakey.
Dishes are $8 - $12
I tried Maevva on Crescent Street for tapas last wekend. Had the following:
Coconut shrimp: quite nice
Chorizo (non-spicy): enjoyed it, but then I love chorizo
Grilled sardines: unremarkable
Mussels: unremarkable
Prosciutto-wrapped prunes: the prunes were too chewy
I found the white house wine (the only one they have by the glass) too oakey.
Dishes are $8 - $12
Nantua
Anyone ventured to this resto. located at 275 Notre Dame St. W. Apparently run by Delmo's former manager!
Anyone ventured to this resto. located at 275 Notre Dame St. W. Apparently run by Delmo's former manager!
Nantua
It is reported (The Gazette) that Nantua was "...the sauce used to smother shrimp" at Delmo....."Shrimp Nantua"
It is reported (The Gazette) that Nantua was "...the sauce used to smother shrimp" at Delmo....."Shrimp Nantua"
This thread has not been posted on in almost 3 months and it's time for an update. Here is a list of my recent dining experiences:
Le Orchidee de Chine (Peel) - This remains my favorite Chinese restaurant in Montreal, and I have eaten at many. Very, very good food for the prices which are reasonable for what is served at this moderately high end restaurant. I ate here a few weeks ago and had a fantastic meal consisting of szechuan won ton dumplings with spicy peanut sauce, spring rolls, szechaun pork and fried rice. All dishes were very good. Also sampled a Singapore Sling (mixed drink). I don't know what was in it but it was good, kinda sour but good.
Reubens (St. Catherine) - I ate here several times, for lunch. I tried the honey battered fried chicken fingers and potato latkes, both of which were very good. The chicken fingers are served with a BBQ dipping sauce. Also had the chicken finger salad, served with ranch dressing. As previously noted, this is good tourist food. The menu specifically tailors Montreal specialties for the tourist palate. The most popular dish is the overstuffed smoked meat sandwich, Doc Holliday's favorite.
Santa Lucia (Stanley) - this was the pleasant surprise of my trip. It was cold one night and I did not want to stray too far from the Sheraton, when I spotted this little brick oven pizzeria while walking from the hotel to St. Catherine. I had the Bolognese pizza which has bacon, onions and mozzerrella served over a meat sauce. It was good, and very reasonably priced.
Chez Cora - (can't recall the name of the street but they are all the same). I ate breakfast here one morning and had the smoked salmon on a Montreal bagel, served with fresh fruit. Very good. I have had this dish at several Coras and it varies from restaurant to restaurant how much fruit they give you, but it is fresh and pretty good quality.
Eggspectation (de la Montagne) - I had the flambeed French Toast with equal portions of strawberries and bananas. This is a dish Special K turned me on to and it has become one of my favorites.
Auberge Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) - I had heard good things about this quaint little hotel restaurant, but was a bit disappointed. Food is good but overpriced, coffee was not hot and the service was slow due to the restaurant being understaffed. Food took way too long to serve, which is not good when you are very hungry for a breakfast.
Rotisserie Italienne (St. Catherine) - this place serves serviceable Italian food. Reasonably priced but nothing special. I had a bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce. I was very disappointed that they could not give me meatballs with my spaghetti. I always eat meatballs with my spaghetti - it's like the spaghetti is naked without it - but it's not an option here.
Le Orchidee de Chine (Peel) - This remains my favorite Chinese restaurant in Montreal, and I have eaten at many. Very, very good food for the prices which are reasonable for what is served at this moderately high end restaurant. I ate here a few weeks ago and had a fantastic meal consisting of szechuan won ton dumplings with spicy peanut sauce, spring rolls, szechaun pork and fried rice. All dishes were very good. Also sampled a Singapore Sling (mixed drink). I don't know what was in it but it was good, kinda sour but good.
Reubens (St. Catherine) - I ate here several times, for lunch. I tried the honey battered fried chicken fingers and potato latkes, both of which were very good. The chicken fingers are served with a BBQ dipping sauce. Also had the chicken finger salad, served with ranch dressing. As previously noted, this is good tourist food. The menu specifically tailors Montreal specialties for the tourist palate. The most popular dish is the overstuffed smoked meat sandwich, Doc Holliday's favorite.
Santa Lucia (Stanley) - this was the pleasant surprise of my trip. It was cold one night and I did not want to stray too far from the Sheraton, when I spotted this little brick oven pizzeria while walking from the hotel to St. Catherine. I had the Bolognese pizza which has bacon, onions and mozzerrella served over a meat sauce. It was good, and very reasonably priced.
Chez Cora - (can't recall the name of the street but they are all the same). I ate breakfast here one morning and had the smoked salmon on a Montreal bagel, served with fresh fruit. Very good. I have had this dish at several Coras and it varies from restaurant to restaurant how much fruit they give you, but it is fresh and pretty good quality.
Eggspectation (de la Montagne) - I had the flambeed French Toast with equal portions of strawberries and bananas. This is a dish Special K turned me on to and it has become one of my favorites.
Auberge Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) - I had heard good things about this quaint little hotel restaurant, but was a bit disappointed. Food is good but overpriced, coffee was not hot and the service was slow due to the restaurant being understaffed. Food took way too long to serve, which is not good when you are very hungry for a breakfast.
Rotisserie Italienne (St. Catherine) - this place serves serviceable Italian food. Reasonably priced but nothing special. I had a bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce. I was very disappointed that they could not give me meatballs with my spaghetti. I always eat meatballs with my spaghetti - it's like the spaghetti is naked without it - but it's not an option here.
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EB,
I agree about the chicken fingers at Reuben's. That's a good deal for an appetizer because it's a complete meal in itself. I also agree that their smoked meat sandwich is one of the best in Montreal. They usually have hot hostesses and wait staff too.
I noticed that Eggspectation abandoned their location at the Pepsi Forum.
I agree about the chicken fingers at Reuben's. That's a good deal for an appetizer because it's a complete meal in itself. I also agree that their smoked meat sandwich is one of the best in Montreal. They usually have hot hostesses and wait staff too.
I noticed that Eggspectation abandoned their location at the Pepsi Forum.
Santa Lucia (Stanley), is DEFINATELY a VERY good italian restaurant to go eat at. I used to go there a lot when I had my office in downtown. The owner is a super nice guy, and he's also the head chef in the Kitchen. The food and price there is excellent, I usually have the Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti, very nice. But honestly, I find their Tiramisu is a real delicacy. I never go there and not eat a piece of Tiramisu. I actually asked him once to make me a whole Tiramisu for a friend's bday, which he obliged, but for about $40.00. Hefty in price, but it was more than worth it.
Hi Montreal Asian,
I did not meet the owner but the service at Santa Lucia was very good, and I enjoyed my meal. The next time I am staying at the Sheraton I will definitely go there again as this restaurant is very close to the Sheraton on Stanley. I also liked the homestyle, traditional Italian restaurant atmosphere.
Other than the tiramisu, do you have any recommendations on the menu? I noticed a lot of other combinanation pizzas that were intriguing and was also wondering about the pastas, although the pasta selection looked pretty basic. Let us know your thoughts, thanks.
I did not meet the owner but the service at Santa Lucia was very good, and I enjoyed my meal. The next time I am staying at the Sheraton I will definitely go there again as this restaurant is very close to the Sheraton on Stanley. I also liked the homestyle, traditional Italian restaurant atmosphere.
Other than the tiramisu, do you have any recommendations on the menu? I noticed a lot of other combinanation pizzas that were intriguing and was also wondering about the pastas, although the pasta selection looked pretty basic. Let us know your thoughts, thanks.
Santa Lucia
The place looks a bit tacky, kinda hidden and inside looks kinda old and out dated... but don't be fooled by just the looks, cause this place is worth giving a try.
To be honest, I usually only stick with my Chicken Parmagian... the portion of the chicken is pretty big and also with the spaghetti (i usually ask him to change it to tortellini instead), is a nice sized portion also. Appetizers I go for the brushettas. pretty basic how it is made, but very nice way to start off the meal I find. bread is crunchy and the salsa on top is very refreshing.
My friends love the pizza there though. Whenever they go there, they always order the Pizzas and I always order my chicken. As for which pizza they specifically order... sorry, wouldn't know, I guess it's a matter of own preference? Might be a good idea just to ask the waiter/waitress what they would recommend if you really have no clue what you want.
But if you know what you want, you can try to ask the waiter/waitress to change a small thing here or add a small thing there, cause i know i like my food REALLLYY spicy, so I usually ask them to spice my pasta up a bit and when I get my tortellini, he really kicks it up a few notches for me.
Like I mentioned before, their tiramisu is awesome and probably one of the main reasons why i go back time after time.
Hope this helps.
The place looks a bit tacky, kinda hidden and inside looks kinda old and out dated... but don't be fooled by just the looks, cause this place is worth giving a try.
To be honest, I usually only stick with my Chicken Parmagian... the portion of the chicken is pretty big and also with the spaghetti (i usually ask him to change it to tortellini instead), is a nice sized portion also. Appetizers I go for the brushettas. pretty basic how it is made, but very nice way to start off the meal I find. bread is crunchy and the salsa on top is very refreshing.
My friends love the pizza there though. Whenever they go there, they always order the Pizzas and I always order my chicken. As for which pizza they specifically order... sorry, wouldn't know, I guess it's a matter of own preference? Might be a good idea just to ask the waiter/waitress what they would recommend if you really have no clue what you want.
But if you know what you want, you can try to ask the waiter/waitress to change a small thing here or add a small thing there, cause i know i like my food REALLLYY spicy, so I usually ask them to spice my pasta up a bit and when I get my tortellini, he really kicks it up a few notches for me.
Like I mentioned before, their tiramisu is awesome and probably one of the main reasons why i go back time after time.
Hope this helps.
MontrealAsian said:
I kind of though it looked "old fashioned" in a positive kind of way. Anyway, thanks for your input.The pizza I had was very good and I will look to try another combination the next time I am there.
I agree that the place is kind of hidden. I didn't even notice it until this past trip, although I have stayed at the Sheraton numerous times.
Which one?
Good evening guys,
I need your help. I am debating between two restaurants and I would appreciate your opinions/take on each. Verses or AIX Cuisine du Terroir?
Candy
xoxoxoxo
Good evening guys,
I need your help. I am debating between two restaurants and I would appreciate your opinions/take on each. Verses or AIX Cuisine du Terroir?
Candy
xoxoxoxo
A crisis for high-end Montreal restaurants?
A recent article in The Gazette covers the closing of two of the city's upscale gourmet restaurants and wonders whether the closings signal a decline in Montreal's restaurant industry. The closings, rather than signaling a trend, probably just reflect the inherent riskiness of the restaurant business. It's probably true that a city like Montreal can only support so many high-end restaurants (just like it can support only so many high-end escorts)...and in recent years Montreal probably experienced a surplus of both high-end restaurants and escorts.
Fine dining dead in the city? Foodies are chewing it over
Friday, February 02, 2007
For a special issue of Gourmet magazine in March 2006, editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl chose Montreal as the featured city. The cover enticed readers to learn more about the city's "great markets," "handmade cheeses" and "boutique hotels."
Featured most prominently on the masthead were the words "fabulous restaurants."
It seemed Montreal was at the top of the gastronomic heap. But now, three of our top 10 restaurants - Cube, Les Chevres and Anise - are closing in the space of two months.
It looks like 2007 might be dismal for the fine-dining scene.
The closing of the Hotel St. Paul's restaurant Cube hardly caused a murmur when it served its last glass of champagne on Dec. 31. Yet foodies were taken aback when Les Chevres shut its doors in mid-January.
Soon after, in a column in La Presse, wine writer Francois Chartier questioned the city's gastronomic credentials, blaming Montrealers for neglecting gourmet restaurants and asking foodies: "Where are you?"
Soon after, it became clear the cause of Les Chevres' closing was not customer indifference but debt.
You could chalk that up to the usual January restaurant casualties, but then an email was circulated Wednesday night by the owners of Anise, saying the posh Laurier Ave. restaurant would end operations March 3.
After a mere five years in business, Anise was closing shop. Les Chevres didn't even make four; Cube, less than three. Montreal's restaurant scene appeared to be crumbling at the foundations.
The latest closings are disturbing because the restaurants aimed high and burned out quickly. That raises the question: Has fine dining in our city seen its day?
"Pas du tout!" said Marc de Canck, the chef and owner of La Chronique, a four-star restaurant across Laurier Ave. from Anise. "We've never sold as many tasting menus. On weekends, I fill my 32 seats quickly, but I could still do 80 more."
He did acknowledge, though, that fine-dining restaurants have gotten a bad rap from diners who complain they are too expensive.
"I serve a three-course lunch table d'hote menu here for $25. You go to a bistro down the street, you'll pay more and it probably won't be better. Customers have to learn the difference. When they do, they come back."
Norman Laprise, chef and owner of Toque!, agrees.
"I've heard people say we're expensive without ever having eaten here or read the menu," he said. "Of course, bills can be high at Toque! because people come to our restaurant to celebrate. You can't compare a bistro with a restaurant like ours. It's apples and oranges."
Laprise said he didn't see the demise of these three restaurants as anything more than individual circumstances.
"We're so negative right now, about the city, politics and now the restaurant scene. What are they saying, that suddenly there will be no more chefs, no more producers, no more local ingredients? Never," he said.
"We're a nation of gourmands and we'll always be. Right now, I would say it's a question of the city's economy and how much we each have in our pockets."
For de Canck, success is not a matter of the ideal location or the time of year, but hard work, experience and having a head for numbers.
"Every day when we get to work, we re-evaluate," he said.
"We all know January is a rotten month, but we plan for it. In December, you hear chefs complaining they are too busy."
Laprise concurs, adding that steady business is not enough.
"These days, you have to be a good businessman to run a restaurant," he said, "because that's what it is - a business.
"I have an accountant here once a month. I pay my suppliers every week. I was driving a Honda Civic when I started Toque! 13 years ago and I'm driving a Honda Civic today."
A recent article in The Gazette covers the closing of two of the city's upscale gourmet restaurants and wonders whether the closings signal a decline in Montreal's restaurant industry. The closings, rather than signaling a trend, probably just reflect the inherent riskiness of the restaurant business. It's probably true that a city like Montreal can only support so many high-end restaurants (just like it can support only so many high-end escorts)...and in recent years Montreal probably experienced a surplus of both high-end restaurants and escorts.
Fine dining dead in the city? Foodies are chewing it over
Friday, February 02, 2007
For a special issue of Gourmet magazine in March 2006, editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl chose Montreal as the featured city. The cover enticed readers to learn more about the city's "great markets," "handmade cheeses" and "boutique hotels."
Featured most prominently on the masthead were the words "fabulous restaurants."
It seemed Montreal was at the top of the gastronomic heap. But now, three of our top 10 restaurants - Cube, Les Chevres and Anise - are closing in the space of two months.
It looks like 2007 might be dismal for the fine-dining scene.
The closing of the Hotel St. Paul's restaurant Cube hardly caused a murmur when it served its last glass of champagne on Dec. 31. Yet foodies were taken aback when Les Chevres shut its doors in mid-January.
Soon after, in a column in La Presse, wine writer Francois Chartier questioned the city's gastronomic credentials, blaming Montrealers for neglecting gourmet restaurants and asking foodies: "Where are you?"
Soon after, it became clear the cause of Les Chevres' closing was not customer indifference but debt.
You could chalk that up to the usual January restaurant casualties, but then an email was circulated Wednesday night by the owners of Anise, saying the posh Laurier Ave. restaurant would end operations March 3.
After a mere five years in business, Anise was closing shop. Les Chevres didn't even make four; Cube, less than three. Montreal's restaurant scene appeared to be crumbling at the foundations.
The latest closings are disturbing because the restaurants aimed high and burned out quickly. That raises the question: Has fine dining in our city seen its day?
"Pas du tout!" said Marc de Canck, the chef and owner of La Chronique, a four-star restaurant across Laurier Ave. from Anise. "We've never sold as many tasting menus. On weekends, I fill my 32 seats quickly, but I could still do 80 more."
He did acknowledge, though, that fine-dining restaurants have gotten a bad rap from diners who complain they are too expensive.
"I serve a three-course lunch table d'hote menu here for $25. You go to a bistro down the street, you'll pay more and it probably won't be better. Customers have to learn the difference. When they do, they come back."
Norman Laprise, chef and owner of Toque!, agrees.
"I've heard people say we're expensive without ever having eaten here or read the menu," he said. "Of course, bills can be high at Toque! because people come to our restaurant to celebrate. You can't compare a bistro with a restaurant like ours. It's apples and oranges."
Laprise said he didn't see the demise of these three restaurants as anything more than individual circumstances.
"We're so negative right now, about the city, politics and now the restaurant scene. What are they saying, that suddenly there will be no more chefs, no more producers, no more local ingredients? Never," he said.
"We're a nation of gourmands and we'll always be. Right now, I would say it's a question of the city's economy and how much we each have in our pockets."
For de Canck, success is not a matter of the ideal location or the time of year, but hard work, experience and having a head for numbers.
"Every day when we get to work, we re-evaluate," he said.
"We all know January is a rotten month, but we plan for it. In December, you hear chefs complaining they are too busy."
Laprise concurs, adding that steady business is not enough.
"These days, you have to be a good businessman to run a restaurant," he said, "because that's what it is - a business.
"I have an accountant here once a month. I pay my suppliers every week. I was driving a Honda Civic when I started Toque! 13 years ago and I'm driving a Honda Civic today."
Karma,Karma said:Its been a while Ive contributed to the thread, but Ive discovered some interesting places in the past few months. Will post tomorrow.
Tonight Im going back to Otto. Chef, I will report if I see the Plastik Woman once again
H.
I never had the immense pleasure of seeing the Plastic Woman. I am interested in hearing what you think about the experience, though, as I was unimpressed by the food, and the lack of polish of the waitstaff.
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EagerBeaver's Crockpot Barbecued Pulled Pork
Forget about Baton Rouge, the best barbecued pulled pork you will ever have comes from my own personal recipe. In order to make this, you will need a Crockpot (known as a "slow cooker" in Canada).
EagerBeaver's Crockpot Barbecued Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
2.5 - 3 pound fresh boneless pork tenderloin
1 medium sized onion, sliced
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 can chicken broth (14-16 oz)
1/2-3/4 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (hot and spicy variety)
Dash Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce
Salt to taste
6-8 tbsp Olive Oil
6-8 Kaiser Rolls
Side of cole slaw
Cut pork tenderloin into 6 equal sized chunks and brown them in olive oil for about 10 minutes on medium high heat. Remove browned pork, place on oil absorbent napkins and set aside.
Place sliced onion and garlic cloves and chicken broth on the bottom of the crockpot (at least some of the chicken broth should be reserved to moisten the meat, if necessary, later in the cooking process). Place browned pork chunks on top of garlic and onions.
Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours. Turn down to low for another 2 hours. At the 6 hour mark, remove the pork from the crockpot. Remove and discard the onions and garlic, but reserve some of the cooked broth, as noted above.
Return pork to crockpot and take it apart with a fork. It should come apart fairly easily; if you add some of the broth the meat will moisten and come apart more easily. Add one half to three quarters bottle of the Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (I tend to use less sauce and add to the sandwich later if needed). Add salt to taste, and vigorously stir the meat in crockpot. Cook on low another 2 hours. Serve on Kaiser Rolls, with cole slaw on side or on sandwich as desired. For an extra kick, splash on the Emeril's red pepper sauce.
This recipe whips ass on Bullock's or any other pulled pork I have ever had. I probably should patent it but instead I am putting it out on MERB for all to use, free of charge. Enjoy!
Forget about Baton Rouge, the best barbecued pulled pork you will ever have comes from my own personal recipe. In order to make this, you will need a Crockpot (known as a "slow cooker" in Canada).
EagerBeaver's Crockpot Barbecued Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
2.5 - 3 pound fresh boneless pork tenderloin
1 medium sized onion, sliced
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 can chicken broth (14-16 oz)
1/2-3/4 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (hot and spicy variety)
Dash Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce
Salt to taste
6-8 tbsp Olive Oil
6-8 Kaiser Rolls
Side of cole slaw
Cut pork tenderloin into 6 equal sized chunks and brown them in olive oil for about 10 minutes on medium high heat. Remove browned pork, place on oil absorbent napkins and set aside.
Place sliced onion and garlic cloves and chicken broth on the bottom of the crockpot (at least some of the chicken broth should be reserved to moisten the meat, if necessary, later in the cooking process). Place browned pork chunks on top of garlic and onions.
Cook in crockpot on high for 4 hours. Turn down to low for another 2 hours. At the 6 hour mark, remove the pork from the crockpot. Remove and discard the onions and garlic, but reserve some of the cooked broth, as noted above.
Return pork to crockpot and take it apart with a fork. It should come apart fairly easily; if you add some of the broth the meat will moisten and come apart more easily. Add one half to three quarters bottle of the Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce (I tend to use less sauce and add to the sandwich later if needed). Add salt to taste, and vigorously stir the meat in crockpot. Cook on low another 2 hours. Serve on Kaiser Rolls, with cole slaw on side or on sandwich as desired. For an extra kick, splash on the Emeril's red pepper sauce.
This recipe whips ass on Bullock's or any other pulled pork I have ever had. I probably should patent it but instead I am putting it out on MERB for all to use, free of charge. Enjoy!
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Forget about Baton Rouge indeed. The last time I ate ribs there (Complexe Desjardins), the meat fell off the bones okay, but it was dry.EagerBeaver said:
Beav: have you made the recipe without the hot and spicy sauce ? - I can't stand hot and spicy.
Addendum: Beav: I know you were the thread started on this thread, but shouldn't your post go into the recipe thread instead?
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Chef,
You can make the recipe with whatever sauce you like!!!! BTW, there is no recipe thread.
You can make the recipe with whatever sauce you like!!!! BTW, there is no recipe thread.
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