New Montreal Restaurant Thread

[EagerBeaver]

Pho Cali, St. Laurent (Chinatown)

Chercherfemmes and I were scrambling to find a quick dinner before GGSex party Friday night and we stumbled into a very good find.

We set out to find a good Pho restaurant in Chinatown. CCF had eaten at Pho Bang New York and wanted to try a new place. Normally CCF and I do a lot of research before eating out, but this time we decided to wing it and take one for the team. We took a total stab in the dark with Pho Cali and hit pay dirt.

This place has really good Pho and unlike a lot of the other Montreal Pho purveyors who are using those big wide noodles, Pho Cali is using a very thin vermicelli noodle in their soup. And the broth is delicious. CCF and I both ordered the Pho Tai, which is basically a Pho with raw shaved steak which is then allowed to cook in the broth. The soup had a nice rich flavor and did not need any enhancements. A really good find in Chinatown.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Decarie Hot Dog

I had heard a lot about this little place, so i decided to check this place out since i was in the mood for a good steamed hot dog. It's about a 5-10 minute drive from downtown & located on Decarie boulevard, i believe in Ville St-Laurent.

Initially i was going to have the hot dog trio. However, i changed my mind & decided to have a burger, hot dog, fries & a Coke. The hot dog was great! I ate it in 30 seconds! The burger was okay & the fries very good. They were homemade fries.

The best part for this culinary delight was the total price: $7.30. Incredible!

I highly recommend this place if your a thrifty hobbyist wanting to take out a lady for lunch or dinner and make a good impression on her.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Chez Suzette - St. Paul, Old Montreal

This is a creperie in Old Montreal which I reviewed previously. What I discovered is that all the crepes on the menu are knocked down to half price if you get there around 2:45 p.m. In any event the waiter saw me staring at the menu outside and wandered out the door and told me that all crepes were half price for the next 15 minutes. So I went in and ordered the smoked salmon crepe which was served with capers, onions, a small side salad and cream cheese on the side. Regular price is $14.95 - but I got this tasty crepe for half of that price. They are using a good quality smoked salmon and they roll it into the crepe and serve it cold.

I also ordered the hot apple cider with spiced rum. It was also very good.

It was more an afternoon snack than a true meal, but still really good.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Beauty's- Mont Royal

This is a legendary breakfast diner on rue Mont Royal. It's been around forever and one of the reasons CCF and I like it is that they are serving a very good Challah French Toast and 5 varieties of American-style buttermilk pancakes. CCF ordered the Challah French Toast, I ordered the blueberry pancakes, both were served with a very crispy and well done (but not burned) bacon and 100% pure Maple Syrup. Not a huge portion, but filling and very good. Smuler ordered the breakfast sandwich which was eggs and bacon on Challah bread, which looked very fresh.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I like it is that they are serving a very good Challah French Toast and 5 varieties of American-style buttermilk pancakes.

I spoke to a local person familiar with Mtl's restaurant scene & when i mentionned this restaurant to him he made a slight correction: they actually serve 5 varieties of CANADIAN-style buttermilk pancakes, not American-style. You're welcome.

 

[Varmitt]

Used to go to Angelo Il Caccitorie, please excuse the spelling, On Crescent, between Rene Levesque and Ste Catherine, but I went by in the summer and it was closed...anyone know of it's future, did they move? any details are appreciated .

 

[Atlante 007]

Pour ceux qui aiment la cuisine francaise, il y a Le Pégase coin Giford et Papineau. Apportez votre vin, J'y vais depuis quelques années et c'est un de mes favoris.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Doc there is no such thing as Canadian buttermilk style pancakes in Montreal. Pancakes are not on most menus, crepes are. If they make a pancake with crepe batter it is not a real pancake. American style pancakes are not ever made out of batter used for crepes. Which is not a buttermilk batter and is not designed to rise and be fluffy. Beauty's and Reuben's are the only 2 Montreal restaurants I know of that make American style buttermilk pancakes. The Canadian style as it were is to pour crepe batter in a frying pan and serve you the result which is not a pancake but rather a fraudcake. Fraud might be a strong word because Montreal restaurateurs seem to think you can make an American pancake out of crepe batter. It is a crepe shaped like a pancake but made from a different batter. If you call that a Canadian pancake then it's something that is not even remotely similar to what I am talking about. It's like calling pastrami or corned beef smoked meat.

 

[johnybird]

Here are my Favourites:

Breakfast: Au P'tit Cochon (Rosmere), Healthier alternative but very good
BBQ: Le Boucan (Notre-Dame Ouest)
Italian: Tre Marie (Clark) They have an Osso Bucco to die for or Picasso (St-Eustache)
Mexican: I haven't been there in years but it's Called La Hacienda (Van Horne) little olace but very good food
Cajun:La Louisiane (Sherbrooke West)

 

[EagerBeaver]

Kyo Bar - Place des Armes Old Montreal

This is a high end sushi restaurant in Old Montreal just due south of Chinatown. Be prepared to spend minimum $150-$200 for 2 or don't go:

http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/kyobarcom?url

It's actually my kind of place. It was recommended by a friend who joined me there for dinner.

We started with a bottle of sparkling saki. It has a sweet and fruity taste. Next we ordered apps which were Gyoza (fried pork dumplings), blackened cod marinated in miso, and edamame. All very good.

For entrees we had 3 house special sushi rolls, the Snake, Gaijin and Kyo. These were all different and interesting. The Gaijin features a tempura cheese which is a bit like a cream cheese, and beef sashimi. The Kyo has lychee and strawberries in it, giving a sweeter taste. The Snake was really good but they use an avocado wrap which did not seem to hold together that well.

For dessert we had donuts with Yuzu. These are small donuts that are dipped in a rich, sweetened condensed milk. Tasted really good but not recommended if you are watching the sugar count because this one is Sugar City, baby!

Very nice spot and they seemed to be doing a lively business even on a Monday night. Recommended if you are not on a budget.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Doc there is no such thing as Canadian buttermilk style pancakes in Montreal. Pancakes are not on most menus, crepes are. If they make a pancake with crepe batter it is not a real pancake. American style pancakes are not ever made out of batter used for crepes. Which is not a buttermilk batter and is not designed to rise and be fluffy. Beauty's and Reuben's are the only 2 Montreal restaurants I know of that make American style buttermilk pancakes.

Chez Cora has buttermilk pancakes. I've also had them at many other restaurants throughout Canada, including Smitty's Pancake House. I've even made my very own using Aunt Jemima products. Yummy!

 

[EagerBeaver]

I never saw pancakes on the Chez Cora menu. They serve a lot of crepes and if they use the same batter it's not a real buttermilk pancake which rises and has a fluffy texture. Beauty's and Reuben's are making buttermilk pancakes but honestly they are not as good as what is served at IHOP, or any of many other U.S. pancake purveyors. I accept this because I understand that Montrealers eat crepes rather than pancakes. They see pancakes which Americans eat as similar but they aren't. And don't get me wrong- I like crepes and I had a great one this past weekend at Chez Suzette. It's just a very different animal. I think as a rule in Montreal the American tourist should stick to French Toast (pain dore) or eggs (oeufs) and save the pancake experiments for back home. I speak from experience on this.

 

[johnybird]

Actually I had the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes i've ever had at Restaurant L'Avenue (Mount Royal East). The Apple Cheddar Bacon pancakes were just amazing. Costco sells a Krusteez Pancake mix which if you follow the directions makes a really good fluffy pancake.

Not sure how Chez Cora is still in business, I've been there a few times and it has been terrible.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I accept this because I understand that Montrealers eat crepes rather than pancakes. They see pancakes which Americans eat as similar but they aren't. And don't get me wrong- I like crepes and I had a great one this past weekend at Chez Suzette. It's just a very different animal. I think as a rule in Montreal the American tourist should stick to French Toast (pain dore) or eggs (oeufs) and save the pancake experiments for back home. I speak from experience on this.

It's possible. However, i've eaten buttermilk pancakes my entire life & my mother did make 'crepes' on a few occasions also. I've also been to several different pancake houses throughout Canada over my life and they all served buttermilk pancakes, which is what i used to prefer for breakfast.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Actually I had the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes i've ever had at Restaurant L'Avenue (Mount Royal East).

Were they American-style buttermilk pancakes?

 

[johnybird]

Were they American-style buttermilk pancakes?

Yes not Crepe batter pancakes that most breakfast places have, those are kind of rubbery this was fluffy

 

[EagerBeaver]

Yes not Crepe batter pancakes that most breakfast places have, those are kind of rubbery this was fluffy

I was at L'Avenue a few years ago and I am pretty sure that their menu said "American style pancakes", so that the customer knows that the pancakes are not made out of crepe batter, which results in a rubbery pancake that is better suited for playing frisbee than for eating.

I have also looked at Chez Cora's menu and pancakes are not on it:

http://www.chezcora.com/our-menu/breakfast/crepes/western-cheddar

The vast majority of Montreal breakfast places do not serve buttermilk pancakes. They will make you a pancake out of crepe batter but it's not a real pancake. Exceptions are Reuben's, Beauty's, L'Avenue and possibly one or two other places. Even those places are not making great pancakes. So if you are American tourist you need to let the pancake fetish go and stick with the things Montrealers are good at which is Montreal bagels, eggs, French Toast, and crepes. If I go to Beauty's again I will order the Challah French Toast or the Challah Breakfast sandwich. Or a Montreal bagel with lox and cream cheese.

 

[november]

What we need in montreal is an IHOP, they make buttermilk pancakes. That is one of the things I enjoy when I visit the states.

 

[EagerBeaver]

What we need in montreal is an IHOP, they make buttermilk pancakes. That is one of the things I enjoy when I visit the states.

Agree 100%. IHOP's buttermilk pancake is better than any buttermilk pancake I have had in Montreal, although there are a few places that are as good or better than IHOP in Connecticut, such as Cristy's, Chips, and Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel sells their own buttermilk pancake batter mix on premises, and make their own in the restaurant attached to the country store. If you drive through Connecticut on I-95 they have a store which is combo restaurant/country market store just off exit 40- you can see the large Cracker Barrel sign from I-95. Cracker Barrel is one of the best breakfast places in Connecticut and the best breakfast place right near I-95.

 

[hobbyvil]

Flyjin

I'm surprised nobody mentionned this place as its full of your hotest, past and current sp/mp/strippers.... Its an expensive restaurent in the old port that is very much at the peak of its glory...should not last very long given this sort of crowd is always chassing the new it place. I recommand only if you are the type to buy a bottle of vodka with your friends....otherwise its in a humid basement and it does smell like fish: not classy...