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The six-course tasting menu served up by father-and-son duo Eric and Tristan Martin of Lemmonier (a restaurant in Southern Belgium with a Michelin star) was quietly impressive: no fireworks, nothing overly creative but lots of solidly well-crafted plates paying homage to Belgium’s best-loved flavours: endives, a delicious little morsel that was an upscale play on the classic moules et frites (mussels and fries) and, at the end, chocolate, of course.

Eric Martin confirmed what his fellow countryman Yves Mattagne had told me a few nights earlier about the impressive quality of ingredients available in Montreal. With the local bounty, the Martins prepared a superb appetizer of raw sliced scallops with finely diced pig’s trotters and Jerusalem artichoke. Another hit was the roasted breast of pigeon with potato skin crisps and a medley of root vegetables. Of the two desserts, I preferred the humbler one: a perfectly puffed-out soufflé laced with orange and bits of melted chocolate, its crust wonderfully crisp and sweet.

Getting to see what guest chefs can do is fun, but what truly impressed me at La Porte was the obvious care with which it is run: wife Pascale in charge of the the service, husband Theirry Rouyé and their son Maxime manning the stoves. Even when cooking a temporary menu put together by visiting chefs, one can sense that the two guys running this kitchen know what they’re doing. And, apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks so.

“It’s one of Montreal’s best-kept secrets,” said Marie-Claude Lortie, food critic at La Presse newspaper, who was also there to try the High Lights menu. “The food here is always well-done, very flavourful and creative, and the lunch is a steal.” I overheard another customer singing the restaurant’s praises, and soon discovered that he too was a long-time fan. “They are simply the best, and the cuisine, exceptional, using lots of ingredients from around here. I’m a regular at La Porte. It feels like it’s the High Lights festival every time I come,” says Stéphane Roy, who works for the renowned Cirque du Soleil.

Despite being originally from France, the Rouyés show uncommon devotion to the products of their adopted land, going as far as listing most of their purveyors on La Porte’s website. What the place lacks in fanciness (an extra server or two on the night of my visit would have greatly improved service, for example), they make up for with consistently excellent food.

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THE DETAILS

La Porte, 3627 Saint-Laurent, (514) 282-4996

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As is customary, the High Lights’ leading man was invited to serve multi-course tasting menus showcasing his cuisine at Toqué!, the city’s top fine cuisine address. After two consecutive nights of intense work, on Saturday both the visitting and the hosting teams seemed happy with what they’d accomplished and with how quickly they’d synched. “He’s one of the best ones we’ve ever hosted,” says Toqué! chef Charles-Antoine Crête. “Super nice, but also super professional and hard-working.”

On his end, chef Mattagne confessed he was surprised to find such an enthusiastic brigade and extraordinary ingredients in Montreal, a city he’d never visited before. Unable to source things like langoustines or sole locally, or to import his own caviar, endives or carrots, Mattagne relied on Toqué’s chef-proprietor Normand Laprise to find suitable replacements. Laprise’s carrots, which he deemed “exceptional”,  were puréed and spiced with pepper then paired with a perfectly seared slice of foie gras. What did Mattagne think of the duck liver, also from Québec? Equally exceptional.

The best of the night’s dishes was a delicate layering of raw shrimp especially flown in from British Columbia, the jellied reduction of a broth made with their heads, and caviar. You might guess how the chef rated these sweet-fleshed wild shrimp: “extraordinaires!”. Served in a faux caviar tin, it was paired with a wonderfully crisp waffle flavoured with lime zest – a play on a Brussels classic, the gaufre de Bruxelles.

Thrilled to get his hand on top-notch scallops (“which are very rare where I come from”), Mattagne kept them raw, juxtaposing their sweet flesh with Japanese flavours: a squid ink meringue,  yuzu, sake. Another winner, although as far from Belgium as a dish can get.

The Mattagne dinners being the headliners of the festival, it was no surprise to see flourishes such as sauces being poured tableside. Waiters made the rounds with bowls of “thai mousseline”, to be spooned next to the lobster tails they accompanied, following that with a drizzle of “chlorophyll” sauce. The over-the-top factor? Tiny mushrooms brushed with gold.

The Nova Scotia halibut, cut thinly and pan-seared for a minute too long, paled in comparison to the other five courses containing fish or seafood, even if it was paired with the chef’s famous oyster béarnaise sauce (too soupy). It was one of very few bumps on the seafood-centric menu which only included one meat course: deliciously tender and ruby-fleshed Québec venison with a confit of endives, another Belgium specialty.

By far the most lively course was a play on the European après-ski classic fondue savoyarde. A bowl of melted cheese was spiked tableside with Kirsch out of an eyedropper, and came with toasted bread cubes on wooden sticks, for dipping. It beat, by far, the dessert that followed, which mixed dissonant flavours: mojito, coffee, lemon and nougat.

Overall, the Yves Mattagne menu was a success, even if short-lived. More importantly, these dinners were very much representative of the everyday Toqué! experience – co-owner Christine Lamarche greeting guests at the entrance, eager and well-trained young servers, expert wine advice from the sommelier Samuel Chevalier-Savaria and elaborate food prepared with the best and most carefully-sourced Canadian ingredients that money can buy.

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THE DETAILS

Hight Lights Festival, February 16-26, 2012

Restaurant Toqué!, 900 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, (514) 499-2084

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Montréal en Lumière is much like one of Montreal’s many summer festivals, except with a rebellious air, throwing caution to the icy winter wind. Among the musicians jazzing up the scene are Quebecois classic hit maker Luc De Larochellière, Belgium’s Toots Thielemans, Diane Tell, France D’Amour, The Rat Pack, Cirque du Soleil collaborators the Jireh Gospel Choir, Catherine Major, French singer-songwriter Arthur H (swoon), folk-poppy Coeur de pirate and The Barr Brothers.

In dance, things get hot with Tango Pasión, Tradición Flamenca and Canadian Salsa Champions Katia Morales and Victor Contreras and contemporary dance from Danse-Cité. Theatre at the Segal Centre (Scientific Americans) and The Centaur (In Absentia) adds dramatic flair, and performances from Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental, Aussie circus C!RCA, Pigeons International, Jorane and I Musici astonish and delight as part of the festival’s themed evenings in music and performance.

Outdoors, downtown’s Place des Festivals literally lights up. A luminous ferris wheel and ice slide compete for attention with free music shows (Stefie Shock, Jali, Bottine Souriante, Alfa Rococo, Miracle Fortress, The Box, and, on February 25, Bran Van 3000), all lit up by interactive audiovisual video-mapping spectacle À Propos de Stern, created by Geodezik and Marc Leclair – the whole site features lighting created by Marc Tétreault and Jean Laurin. Drop by Place Émilie-Gamelin too for its giant, animated stained-glass window and interactive video projection.

And then there’s Nuit Blanche on February 25, possibly the most fun night in February. The night, organized by many factions of Montreal’s cultural community, brings thousands of people out to play in neighbourhoods across the city: Old Montreal, the Plateau and Mile End, and at the Olympic Park – though arguably the hub of artistic activity is downtown at the Quartier des Spectacles and at Art Souterrain in the expansive underground network of malls and corridors. Most of the almost 200 activities are free, so there’s much to choose wisely from: often it’s best to go through the website or Nuit Blanche guide and see what suits your fancy (plus there’s a handy iPhone/Adroid app, for those of us with app addiction.)

For years, I felt a need to see every art exhibition and installation possible – an impossible task, especially when I also wanted to see shows (and get beer and food of course). The big museums (Fine Arts Museum, Contemporary Art Museum, Canadian Centre for Architecture, McCord) are always fun, as is wherever Pop Montreal sets up, and Art Souterrain is a must, not only because it’s awesomely weird to walk around in malls during closing hours, and not only because it’s warm, but because you never know what arty happenings lurk around the next bend: immersive environments, sound art, photography, painting and sculpture, maybe even a few performance artists to shake things up.

Whatever happens, I always tour the Belgo Building, where many galleries keep their doors open until 3 a.m. and art even fills the hallways (rumours speak of an enchanted forest this time) – plus there’s crowd karaoke this year at Studio 303! Sing it loud, sing it proud, sing it in a crowd. And when all that art gets to be too much, head down the street to Métropolis for free all-night dance party, Club Soda for Karnival V.16 and the SAT for YU WA [le jeu/la paix].

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THE DETAILS

Montréal en Lumière, February 16–26, 2012

Nuit Blanche, February 25, 2012

Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin, Jean-François Leblanc

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Montréal en Lumière has built itself into one of the largest winter festivals in the world, drawing over 900,000 fans to explore and enjoy Montreal like a winter playground (which now includes a 110-meter-long slide!!!). A feast for your senses that combines performing arts, gastronomy, free outdoor activities, and a huge roster of cultural discoveries dotted around Montreal’s core.

THE LIGHTS: The new site at Place des Arts is going to wow. It will bring Montréal en Lumière to a whole new level of literalness. Progressive architectural lighting by Marc Tétreault and Jean Laurin will illuminate the surrounding buildings and public spaces. Original light projections, an LED panel stage, interactive boxes, a photomaton, video mapping and lasers all transform the space.

One of the major highlights of the festival will be the mega projection “A Propos De Stern” on the east wall of Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan. It’s an audiovisual experience created by Géodésik and Marc Leclair that will transform, distort, transfigure and deconstruct the entire building using state of the art video mapping techniques. These projections will display three times every evening of the festival (6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, and 9 pm).

THE FOOD: With the new site comes a bundle of new culinary and gastronomy events. We can now let our appetite fun free at the Escales Gourmandes, or grab a snack at the Bistro de Glace SAQ. Seek out Montreal’s famous Grumman 78 taco truck and then enjoy an Urban Cocktail at the RBC Dome. A whole world of fine dining magic, right in downtown Montreal in the middle of winter surrounded by lights? How cool! Check out the full gastronomy programing here.

NUIT BLANCHE: Starting Saturday, February 25 and going into the wee morning hours of Sunday, February 26, Nuit Blanche is going to be a crazily colourful nuit! Nuit Blanche’s epicenter will of course be the new site at Place des Arts, but free shuttle buses will circulate everyone around Montreal’s core to all the venues of Nuit Blanche.

A great way to start the night is catching Bran Van 3000 perform a set on the RBC Stage at PDA (8 pm). Circulate the rest of the festival grounds and then disperse out into the Montreal night! Metros run 24 hours this night to make sure everyone is connected to all the cultural events.

My personal favourite of Nuit Blanche is located a short walk from the main events, at The Belgo. For 2012, the Belgo has 15 official events happening all night long: From an interactive musical at Studio 303 (space 303) to African dance classes at Ingénieurs Sans Frontières (space 404).

The Societe des Arts Technologiques (SAT) will be hosting an homage to Japanese pop culture. From music, food, massive Harajuku Manga icons, Japanese lanterns, beer and sushi! SAT is definitely on my route for Nuit Blanche.

TIPS: Nuit Blanche can be overwhelming. There is so much happening in so many different locations it can be hard to pick through exactly what tickles your fancy. That’s why Montreal en Lumiere has an extremely useful iPhone and Android app presented by Hydro-Quebec! The app has complete schedules, locations, and descriptions of all events. It even allows users to pinpoint the nearest activities using the “radar” function and a super-futuristic “augmented reality” mode. You can even design your own Nuit Blanche itinerary and then share it on Facebook or Twitter!

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THE DETAILS

Montréal en Lumière, February 16–26, 2012

Nuit Blanche, February 25, 2012

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Every year, the festival has a theme—last year’s event was centered around women in the kitchen, and the programme featured special guest star Anne-Sophie Pic, the highest-rated female French chef, as well as a raft of other exciting invited guests.

This year, the emphasis in the kitchens will be on the cuisine of Belgium (specifically Brussels and the Wallonia region), with several events pointing to the unique melting pot of this Northern European country (hint: it’s not just waffles and frites). The whole festival will also culminate with a star-studded homage to Belgium’s most famous export, singer Jacques Brel. Quebecers have a special affinity with Belgians and this year’s honourary president is Yves Mattagne, who will be hosted by Normand Laprise of Toqué!, one of Montreal’s best restaurants.

There will also be a spotlight on the wines of the Pacific Northwest, specifically Washington and Oregon, and an accompanying emphasis on chefs and cuisine of Seattle, as well as featured events from Quebec’s Outaouais region.

Culinary tours: You won’t want to pass up a culinary tour of the city dedicated to one of life’s best things: Beer. The microbrewery tour will visit several of the city’s best brew pubs and breweries, and also includes some munchies so you can keep with the program. There is also a tour of Atwater market, the historic marketplace on the city’s south side, as well as walking tours of the Quartier des Spectacles, Little Italy and the Old Port- this last one includes a tasting of macaroons at local favourites Europea.

Jean-Talon Market: Montreal’s biggest market will host a series of events showcasing the best in Quebec terroir. Farm-to-table demos and chef workshops featuring the best of the province’s Outaouais region, including Chocomotive and Fromagerie Montebello.

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THE DETAILS

Montreal High Lights Festival, February 16-26, 2012

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The Montreal High Lights Festival starts on February 17 and runs until the 27. The 10-day fest offers food, entertainment and art, which all come together during the massively popular all-nighter called Nuit Blanche which starts on the 26th and goes well into the next day. One of the neatest parts of the event is the kick-off of Art Souterrain, where art is exhibited all over Montreal’s underground. You can stay warm while viewing!

During the event, Montreal’s underground city plays host to all sorts of fabulous art, films and performances. Discover the best and the brightest of Montreal’s art scene– both established and emerging artists. One of my favorites is the bluer-than-blue piece by Shayne Dark called Tanglewood (pictured above), which you can find it in the atrium of the Place de la Cité Internationale (Metro Square Victoria). Artist Isabelle Hayeur has an installation that totally transforms the passageways of the Quartier International- an absolute must see! And make sure to visit the McGill metro station where you can not only experience Alana Riley’s Love Songs but Manon de Pauw’s Échelle humaine [Human Scale] as well.

(TIP: Don’t forget to look up- some art is on the ceiling!)

Art Souterrain, which runs until March 13, features over 100 projects by contemporary photo, video, performance and installation artists. During Nuit Blanche, most of the artists (and a slew of volunteers) will be on hand to help guide you through the underground map. And even if you’re the solo type, this year they’ve launched a very cool iPhone App that will serve as your mobile guide to the event.

The art and architecture of Montreal’s subway system is fascinating in itself, but with Art Souterrain and Nuit Blanche on board, this will truly be a special event. See you under the streets!

Nuit Blanche, February 26

Art Souterrain, February 26-March 13

(Featured: John Oswald’s Hover, Shayne Dark’s Tanglewood, EntreZones5 by Nicholas Podschelni, Photo Credits: © Art Souterrain)

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Now more than ever, a woman’s place is in the kitchen—as the driving force of this year’s Montreal High Lights Festival. Every year since its inception a decade ago, the festival’s Wine and Dine Experience has organized itself around a theme, and this year the festival is honouring women in the culinary arts—from chefs to winemakers to cheesemongers…

The High Lights festival offers a vast and varied schedule of culinary events so extensive that there’s no way a single eater could ever dream of experiencing it all. But that’s the best thing about February in Montreal—there’s always something new to eat, and somewhere new to eat it.

This year, the festival’s honourary President is Anne-Sophie Pic of Maison Pic in Valence, France. Pic, who prefers to call herself a “cook” rather than a “chef”, is the only woman in France to hold three Michelin stars, the highest culinary designation in the world. Pic’s Presidential dinners at Toque!, in which an innovative tasting menu will be paired with wines from her chosen vineyard, Domaine Georges Vernay in Cotes du Rhone, will be the most sought-after table at the festival. Whether you want an elegant gala sit-down meal or something a little more casual, choices abound. Over two dozen of Montreal’s best restaurants will be hosting female chefs from around the world for special meals that are joint efforts between the home teams and their special guests. I’m particularly excited by some of the new-world pairings—Melissa Craig from Whistler’s Bearfoot Bistro at Old Montreal’s Chez L’Epicier and Elizabeth Falkner from San Francisco’s Orson at DNA are sure bets.

There’s also a serious collusion between specially invited winemakers (also all women) from France, California, Argentina, New Zealand, and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. And as for all that wonderful cheese, take a peak at our look at the Festival of Cheeses

(TIP: if you happen to have some little ones with you, they’ll be thrilled to check out a special brunch screening of Ratatouille, which is surely one of the few times that “rats” and “food” could ever be put in the same sentence and still be called “cute”.)

Guest blogger: Melora Koepke

Photo: Reuters

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As part of the Montreal High Lights Festival, the Festival of Quebec Cheeses will have more than 50 Quebec cheeses to taste and a vast selection of wines during its 6^th edition. Here’s a head start: try Caseus, Le Louis d’Or, Le Pizy and Mont-Jacob, which are all top prize winners and more than delicious, so you will probably buy one (or two!) after tasting.

During the event you’ll be able to chat with master cheese-makers. They will explain how different regional qualities (for example: how types of grass affect the milk used for the cheese) define the character of their products. As well, you will have the opportunity to see (and sip!) wines that pair best with the Québecois cheeses.

Two locations for the Festival of Quebec Cheeses

At Complexe Desjardins, you can sample the tasty products in the main concourse. While up at Jean-Talon Market, chefs from Charlevoix, a charming rural area of Quebec where the river, forests and climate contribute to a grassy land rich for goats and cows, will host free workshops in the Mandoline Room. Among the five topics offered each day will be the region’s specialties: lamb, veal, smoked salmon and foie gras. Montreal chef Jean-Paul Grappe will work with four Charlevoix chefs (Jean-Michel Bréton, Mario Chabot, Steve Rondeau and Pascal Gavel) and producers to discuss the yummy variety of products.

Jean-Talon market is the internationally famous outdoor market that is open all year round (yes, even in our snowy months!). This is a really fun market, so you should put aside at least a couple of hours to stroll, to see – and to sample. Many stands put out a free offering of their produce, so you can munch on a bit of local cucumber or celery while trying a sharp cheddar. There will also be free workshops conducted by cheese producers from around Quebec.

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DETAILS

February 17-27: Montreal High Lights Festival

February 19-20: Festival of Quebec Cheeses

Jean-Talon Market, 7070 Henri-Julien, Metro: Jean Talon

Complexe Desjardins, 150 St-Catherine Street West, Metro: Place des Arts

The post SAY CHEESE AT THE MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

First and foremost, let’s take care of the foodies. The Wine and Dine event invites international chefs to pair-up with our own gastronomic experts and serve wondrous meals tag-team style on their local tables. Usually there’s a spotlight on a specific country (last year was Portugal), but this year they’re thinking a little differently and “Celebrating Women.” I’ve got my reservation at La Cocagne to delve into the Latin cuisine of famed Mexican chef Mónica Patiño. Nothing like a hot chilli to warm the soul. There will also be wine and cheese events to snack on.

Next up is for you culture hounds. This year, in keeping with the “ladies” theme, the Performing Arts program has two honorary co-presidents: French actress (and Chanel muse) Carole Bouquet with Opera Diva (diva in the best sense) Marie-Josée Lord. The impressive concert line-up includes Vanessa Paradis and Melissa Ethridge, among many others. And we still haven’t even touched on the modern dance performances or fine art exhibits!

Last, but certainly not least, there are tons of mostly-free urban activities, including the High Lights event, now an annual visual and sound extravaganza held on the first Saturday of the fest (this year: Feb. 19) in the Old Port and around Old Montreal. Great for families, but don’t forget to bundle up the kiddies! The festival closes with the infamous All Nighter (La Nuit Blanche) on the 26th, where the whole city stays awake (read: parties!) from 8pm-6am with interactive art and music. You can check out all of them (hopping from one to the next on the subway or the free shuttle) or stay put and get cosy. Last year, I stumbled upon some amazing Opera Karaoke at Places des Arts metro station. The singers pretty much put American Idol to shame, so don’t think you’ll be missing out on much by turning off the TV. The festival awaits!

(TIP: Check out our great High Lights Festival Package)

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THE DETAILS

February 17-27, 2011
High Lights Festival
514-288-9955
1-888-477-9955

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