New Montreal Restaurant Thread

[EagerBeaver]

Gibby's

One of my favorite restaurants in Montreal, this Old Montreal standby remains great after all these years.

I ate dinner there with Chercherfemmes (who was game even though he had eaten a late, heavy lunch at a barbecue restaurant called "Boucan", or something like that, with a group of friends). We were joined by Doc Holliday and AlexK and another friend.

I ordered the Gibby's salad which was great. I love the dressing. Next came mussels provencale, which were made with wine, onions and bacon. Finally I had a seafood crepe, stuffed with lobster, scallops and shrimp, and topped with a rich cognac cream sauce, which tasted like a newburgh sauce with cognac.

Chercherfemmes got the Osso Buco and Doc had the trio of Canadian lobster tails, while AlexK ordered the prime rib. All of their meals looked delicious. CCF offered me some of his Osso Buco but I was already full from my dishes. The meals were all accompanied by complimentary house made fresh bread, and Montreal pickles, as are all dinners at Gibby's.

The food at Gibby's is pricy, but I have eaten here many times over the years and never had a dinner that was less than stellar.

 

[SloCumHeat]

Chercherfemmes and I tried this apparently new dumpling restaurant in Chinatown which is located on the corner of Clark and de La Gauchietiere. We ordered the shrimp, leek and egg dumplings and beef and broccoli. The dumplings are clearly house made and we both thought they very good. CCF thought the beef and broccoli was "boring", but I thought it was tasty/above average.

Service was not that great. The staff is young (appears family owned and the children are tasked with waitress duties), overworked and disorganized, from what I could observe. However the food made up for it and I suspect if we had not gone on a busy night service would be better.

Have you gone to "Mai Xiang Yuan" (Chinatown) on 1084 Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Best dumplings in Montreal. Okay I've only tried a few places.

"Qinghua" (Guy/Concordia) on 1676 Lincoln Ave isn't comparable now. Quality and service seems to have gone downhill at "Qinghua". Server screwed up the double/split order, dumplings were not super hot, service was terrible, and it wasn't even busy - I doubt I'd ever go back.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Have you gone to "Mai Xiang Yuan" (Chinatown) on 1084 Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Best dumplings in Montreal. Okay I've only tried a few places.

"Qinghua" (Guy/Concordia) on 1676 Lincoln Ave isn't comparable now. Quality and service seems to have gone downhill at "Qinghua". Server screwed up the double/split order, dumplings were not super hot, service was terrible, and it wasn't even busy - I doubt I'd ever go back.

I was at both of those places. I actually went to Mai Xiang Yuan a few summers ago with a Chinese girl who worked at Eleganza, who spoke fluent Chinese of that dialect and she ordered all our food. I can't remember her name but she was a very nice girl and in college.

Oh Dumplings was in the same category as the two places you mentioned. All 3 places had not so great service.

 

[Jaxan]

I visit Mai Xian Yuan every trip to Montreal, since we've discovered it. I don't think these places were designed for "best customer" service. Just good fresh dumplings made to order. I'll have to try those other two mentioned above. Thanks for the info.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mai-xiang-yuan-montréal

 

[EagerBeaver]

The advantage of Oh Dumplings! over Mai Xiang Yuan and Qinghua is that it has a more extensive menu that goes beyond dumplings, so that you can order dumplings and a more traditional entree like beef and broccoli, as CCF and I did. However the dumplings at Oh Dumplings! were definitely house made and in the same league as the other two places. I would go back there again, as I feel that the bad service was due to being extremely disorganized on a busy night during Jazz Fest, and would not be so noticeable at a less busy time.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I ordered the Gibby's salad which was great. I love the dressing.

Chercherfemmes got the Osso Buco and Doc had the trio of Canadian lobster tails, while AlexK ordered the prime rib. All of their meals looked delicious. CCF offered me some of his Osso Buco but I was already full from my dishes. The meals were all accompanied by complimentary house made fresh bread, and Montreal pickles, as are all dinners at Gibby's.

The food at Gibby's is pricy, but I have eaten here many times over the years and never had a dinner that was less than stellar.

My first choice for a last-day dinner had been The Keg in Old Montreal, which i'd never been to & always wanted to check it out. But when i found out that some of my buddies had already planned to have dinner at Gibby's, i decided to join them. Alex K was having some issues & nearly didn't make it, but in the long run he was very happy that he did. He had never been to Gibby's, while i had been there many times in the past.

I absolutely loved the salad, which came with the meal i ordered. It was great, and i nearly ordered another one!

The three lobster tails were very good. I nearly ordered steak, but since i'm trying to be careful with what i eat & drink, i chose something that i've always liked which i hadn't had in over a year. It was also slightly less expensive than the steak. I also got a baked potato with it (which i chose over other options) and it was also very good. I loved the complimentary bred & pickles!

Alex K actually had a rib-eye steak, not the prime rib. He doesn't have much of an appetite (never has!), so he ate half of it & ate the rest of it at 3am due to taking it back to his room with him. He loved it!

Choosing to join you guys at Gibby's over my first selection was one of the best decisions i made during this recent trip. It was my most satisfying at Gibby's after all these years & i can't wait to be back. It was a great way to put an end to another great trip! :thumb:

p.s. I had some water & a couple of Bud Lights during my dinner. Taxi from downtown was $10 (tip included).

 

[Jaxan]

My first choice for a last-day dinner had been The Keg in Old Montreal, which i'd never been to & always wanted to check it out.

It's funny you say that Doc, because on every trip to Montreal, me and my friends will say we will go somewhere nice for dinner. And we always end up just eating at The Keg. Not that it isn't nice, but it's your standard steakhouse/bar you can find in any city. Anyways, the reason we always end up there, was due to convenience, we typically stayed around the corner from there.

Definitely going to have to give Gibby's a shot next trip up... If we can manage to walk past The Keg, without succumbing to laziness. lol

 

[EagerBeaver]

Gibby's is vastly superior to the Keg. I have been to the Keg at Ville Marie, which I have heard is better than the one in Old Montreal. A local told me the one in Old Montreal is "badly run down." In any event Gibby's food is much better hands down. It is also a lot pricier. Gibby's is kind of an HDH steakhouse whereas the Keg is market price.

 

[Gabriella Laurence]

Hello everyone

I am considering going to H4C, Place St-Henri www.leh4c.com and I was wondering if any of you have been there since it opened last year. Any feedback?
It's the type of restaurant and fresh local cuisine I enjoy and it looks like it will be a good time overall.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jaxan]

A local told me the one in Old Montreal is "badly run down."

I wouldn't say The Keg in Old Montreal was badly run down. I've been to the one in Ottawa, and it was similar but this one is smaller. I do agree though, there is nothing outstandingly special about it, that would make one go out of their way to go eat there.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

I agree that Gibbys is better than the Keg but both are for different settings, Gibbys would be for a date or business meeting as the Keg is for a group of friends ( IMO ). Tried La Queue de Cheval once and found it not as good as Gibbys in all aspects and the 2 person meal cost $420 compared to the $250 at Gibbys. ( Cheval added a lobster tail @ $105 ).
Still trying to find a good Thai place.

 

[MAXHD]

Sol tee..
try restaurant thailandais on bernard o......i found it very good....actually the best i found so far,,,

 

[EagerBeaver]

Chao Praya is the best Thai restaurant I have eaten at in Montreal. However I have not eaten there in years. Back in the 2004-2008 time frame they were top notch.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I spoke to several locals over the past weekend who were split on which 'Keg' they preferred in Mtl. I mentionned i had heard that the one in Old Mtl was possibly 'run down', but they chuckled & asked me why i wanted to go eat in Old Mtl if i didn't like a 'run down' feel to it? They told me that was the beauty of it. It had an "old Montreal" feel to it.

But every outsider i spoke to was shaking his/her head when told that i often enjoyed going to The Keg whenever i was in Mtl or Toronto. They added that there are so many great indpependent steakhouses in those cities that actually going to a 'franchise' steakhouse was a waste of money (or a joke) in their opinion. There words: "Why go to Mtl if you're planning to eat at the Keg?" Nothing personal against 'franchise' steakhouses such as The Keg, but i got their point. "Keg" franchises are spread out all over the country. You can go to a 'Keg' in places such as Sudbury, Thunder Bay, etc. So i get what they mean by wasting my time & money if i spend my time eating at a Keg while in Mtl.

I've been to Moishes a couple of times in the past & for me anyways, Gibby's is far better....especially in atmosphere. Heck, i even prefer going to the Keg!

 

[Gabriella Laurence]

Gabriella,

H4C is actually really good place, my old neighborhood so I've tried all of them there. local food with product from here mainly. Menus can change with the season. Really fresh and nice!

If you like seafood and fish you will really like it. And just next door there is a bar called ludger, make really good cocktails and have happy hours specials on oyster 6/8$.

Thanks for the feedback, Aspen It's much appreciated!

 

[SloCumHeat]

. . .
But every outsider i spoke to was shaking his/her head when told that i often enjoyed going to The Keg whenever i was in Mtl or Toronto. They added that there are so many great indpependent steakhouses in those cities that actually going to a 'franchise' steakhouse was a waste of money (or a joke) in their opinion.
. . .

I am a "foodie", so, when going out-of-town, especially a great restaurant city like Montreal, why go to a restaurant that you can visit almost anywhere else or in you own home town?

I do recall having breakfast at Cora's in Montreal long time ago, before they came into southern Ontrario.

I almost went into Baton Rouge in Complexe Desjardins, but opted for something unique.

I have been to Reuben's and Dunn's however for Montreal smoked meat, only cause I didn't feel like doing the trek to the Plateau (St Laurent) and the wait.

 

[panthere]

me dont get me wrong...i love when i am coming to mtl to go to la Poule Mouillé...but last time i went it wasssss so hot outside...and they have no air conditionning ...damn i ddint like that at alll ...i was hoping if someone have a good restaurant and that have a/c...

p.s. great thread but damn tooo much page too go look one by one...lolll

 

[lgna69xxx]

I am the exact same way. When going to another city why would I go to subway, pfk or mickey d's when I can try local resto's or local chains that I could never get at home? Part of going to another city is doing things and having things you cant get at home. 100% agree with you SCH.

I am a "foodie", so, when going out-of-town, especially a great restaurant city like Montreal, why go to a restaurant that you can visit almost anywhere else or in you own home town?.

 

[smuler]

FYI

Side note

There is a Five guys off the Thruway on Rt 3 in Plattsburgh

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program

Best regards

Smuler

 

[lgna69xxx]

Some friends were staying in an apartment at 1160 St Mathieu last weekend and the little depanneur in the building has these killer homemade sandwiches for only $5.75 and they are fresh and HUGE! Chicken, Pork and Fish. Did not try the fish but the other 2 were incredible and the value cannot be beat.