New Montreal Restaurant Thread

[EagerBeaver]

Mikasa

As I noted elsewhere, on my recent trip I ate at the ill fated Mikasa, about 2 weeks before a concrete slab would crash through the skylight and kill an unfortunate woman eating dinner there. I ate there June 30, a date which I remember because it was the night of the Stevie Wonder concert to open the Jazz Festival. I arrived in Montreal that afternoon, took a long swim in the Omni's outdoor pool, and then headed over to Mikasa for some sushi. I can't recall everything I ordered, but i do remember one of the sushis I got was a seared yellowtail tuna. I watched as the sushi chef applied what looked like a blow torch to the sushi for the purpose of searing it. I have never seen this technique used before in a sushi restaurant, though I am sure it is probably fairly common. The wait staff was as always young and courteous. One disappointment was that the dinner menu had a new exotic sounding ice cream (it was black something? ice cream), but they ran out after I ordered it. So I settled on the red bean ice cream, which was really good. I have had that before, but not the other kind.

No word on their website as to whether they are open again in the aftermath of the horrible tragedy of July 16:

http://www.mikasasushibar.ca/peel-eng/about.html

 

[EagerBeaver]

johnmbot,

You make some very good points, I must admit. By your criteria, Mechant Bouef would be a legitimate high end burger place, because they are using a very high quality beef and grinding it in house. But you will pay a lot there as well. The difference with Mechant Bouef is they are serving a massive burger that is too big (almost 12 ounces), and they do not have all the a la carte choices for burger toppings. This is the one thing m brgr has going for it, the numerous albeit very expensive a la carte topping and sauce choices.

I will try McLean's Pub next time I am in Montreal. I have been there before, but never to eat their food.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Best burgers i've eaten over the summer:

Harvey's (While in Mtl, i usually eat at the one near the Sheraton)

Johnny Rocket's (at Yonge/Dundas in Toronto....it's a retro restaurant...love it!)

Hard Rock Cafe (in Mtl & at both Toronto locations)

Personally, i like my burgers well-done (personal tastes plus because of the Mad Cow thing) and without cheese. What can i say? I hate cheese on my burgers...plus i'd likely weigh over 300 lbs if i ate my food with cheese, which i don't want to happen).

 

[EagerBeaver]

Le Pavilion Nanpic

On my recent trip to Montreal I made two forays into Chinatown for meals. The first was for a dim sum lunch at Ruby Rouge on rue Clark. As always the dim sum I ordered was very good. I got the spring rolls, a shrimp dumpling stuffed in rice noodle, and some steamed pork dumplings. Ruby Rouge offers fresh dim sum at a very reasonable price.

I also had dinner one night at Le Pavilion Nanpic. This is a basement level restaurant on the corner of St. Urbain and de la Gauchitiere. Their specialty is Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine. The night I was there it was raining but the restaurant was full. I had a dumpling appetizer which was disappointing, as it only came with one dipping sauce as opposed the two claimed on the menu. It was also a small portion. My entree was the beef with szechuan peppercorn sauce which was actually pretty good. The sauce was very strong - it tasted like a very spicy hoisin sauce - and while some might have found it too salty, it was fine for me. The portion size was acceptable. Overall based on eating here 3 or 4 times over the years I find this resto to be very hit and miss, some dishes are good and some are not.

I would have gone to my favorite Chinatown restaurant, Beijing (which is across the street from Le Pavilion Nanpic), but there was a line out the door and I did not feel like waiting as I was hungry. Beijing is a better restaurant than Le Pavilion Nanpic in my opinion, although Le Pavilion Nanpic offers slightly better ambience. Both restaurants have very crowded seating, with the tables packed close together. If you want to have a private conversation it is not going to happen at either resto.

 

[hungry101]

Sushi grade Tuna with wasabi

Can someone recommend a restaurant that serves salads with a nice piece of sushi grade tuna with sesame and wasabi or maybe an outstanding salmon salad?

 

[hungry101]

there are no standards as to what makes fish 'sushi grade' or 'sashimi grade'.

http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-grade-fish.htm

Sorrey if i was not clear John. I am looking for a downtown restaurant that serves a good seared Tuna with wasabi and sesame or maybe a good salmon saled. I am not looking for a sushi joint and it does not have to be a top seafood restaurant. I am looking for something casual within walking distance from the downtown hotels on Sherbrooke, where I can sit at the bar and maybe even chat with others. I used to have the slamon saled at Dundees but they changed their menu and also, I love tuna.

 

[CS Martin]

******editted************

 

[TheDon]

OK, this one is classic and will make some of us roll in the aisles:

In the September 2009 Tavel & Leisure Magazine on page 88 is a list of the Global Top 5 Dishes Under $5 worth traveling for:

#4: Montreal Poutine (fries with gravy and cheese; 25 varieties) at La Banquise. 994 Rue Rachel E.; 514/525 2415; from $4

OK, 10-19, Doc, Special K, cloudsurf, etc...etc..(if I left anyone out f__k you), time to take your shots. LOL

This place has actually really good poutine.

If you can open up a restaurant 7 days a week and 24hrs a day with the focus of your menu being poutine and still have your restaurant full with clients late night 2-3 o'clock at night on a weekday then your doing something good!!!

 

[Special K]

OK, 10-19, Doc, Special K, cloudsurf, etc...etc..(if I left anyone out f__k you), time to take your shots. LOL

Nope, no comment here.

 

[breadman]

Buddy of mine bought a couple of those take out chicken's at the IGA by the Hyatt....8 bucks a pop, not a bad deal if your looking for a quick meal on a budget. Only issue is getting rid of the carton...cant leave them in the room or they'd stink the place up. Solution...find a trash bag in the lobby...or pick a random floor and leave them by the elevator. Which one do you think I used?

 

[Doc Holliday]

No comments from me either, other than the fact i've never tried poutine, nor will i try it. I hate it!

 

[Joe.t]

No comments from me either, other than the fact i've never tried poutine, nor will i try it. I hate it!

Ok, either I sniffed too much glue when I was a kid or I just don't get it or maybe both, how could you hate something that you have never tried?.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Ok, either I sniffed too much glue when I was a kid or I just don't get it or maybe both, how could you hate something that you have never tried?.

Based on the odor. I also haven't tried poutine and won't because I did not like the smell. If food does not smell good I will not eat it, just like if a pussy does not smell good I will not lick it. It's really a pretty simple rule.

 

[CS Martin]

******editted************

 

[EagerBeaver]

CS Martin,

I really have no idea what you are talking about. I was giving an answer to Joe T's question, there is no hidden meaning or agenda or reference to past events which most people here either do not understand or else really don't care about. As far as reviews or the lack thereof that is a topic for another thread. This is a restaurant thread which is supposed to be about food and nothing else. My post was only a comment on food, plain and simple.

 

[CS Martin]

******editted************

 

[EagerBeaver]

You're the one who made the analogy to the smell of pussy, not me. Yes, let's keep it on food and not on SPs or pussy. LOL

I was not aware that there were any rules regarding what analogies I can or cannot make when discussing food. People who have read my posts know I frequently make analogies to make a point. The point I was trying to make here was intended for Joe T - not you,

 

[protagoras]

Based on the odor. I also haven't tried poutine and won't because I did not like the smell. If food does not smell good I will not eat it, just like if a pussy does not smell good I will not lick it. It's really a pretty simple rule.

You've missed nothing. Poutine is simply disgusting and it will clog right away your arteries. I almost always abide by to your rule : when it doesn't smells good, I don't eat it. The only exception is with cheese, especially a good Oka cheese. The more it stinks, the more it is good.

 

[EagerBeaver]

protagoras,

I always apply the smell rule with milk as well. I am usually not that fussy when it comes to eating out, but I am very fussy when it comes to freshness and something smelling or looking fresh, or not. I can think of a few foods I will not eat due to their pungent odors, and poutine is one of them.

I do not eat tunafish salad unless I make it, and I will not keep any leftovers for more than 48 hours. If not consumed within 48 hours all leftovers in my place are thrown away, with the exception of milk where I employ a smell test. Usually I will throw out milk at the 1 week mark or the first tinge of unfreshness in the odor.

When it comes to eating at delis and at restos that prepare food for display, I am always interested in knowing how busy they are because if they are busy the food is moving, and if not it is sitting around gathering bacteria and getting stale, and I have a sense for these things.

Another food I will not eat based on odor is an ethnic Eastern European dish called "sledga", which is basically pickled herring in a sour cream and onion brine. I grew up with this dish being served during the holidays at family gatherings, and the smell so sickened me that I have never eaten it and don't even want to go close to it. The smell and taste of tequila is also revolting and if you want to induce me to vomit, it would be easily done by force feeding me a shot of tequila. The contents of my stomach would be sprayed all over your chest!

 

[protagoras]

Foods smelling bad

EB,

Your point about food and bad smell reminds me of a story that occurred to me a long time ago (in the mid 80's). I was then in Rio de Janeiro (Copacabana) in a restaurant with a SP which was originally from São Luis do Maranhão (in the North East of Brazil). São Luis is a city on the Atlantic ocean and Nadia (that was her name) was from a family of fishermen. I ordered a fish plate and I remember that even if she was sitting in front of me, she said « Don't eat that plate, the fish is smelling bad ». I smelled it myself and said: « It's smell good!» and I ate it. It was a big mistake because I was really sick after my meal..