Molecular cuisine at Pullman: Chef Alejandro Digillo of La Vinería de Gualterio Bolívar in Buenos Aires has worked with the godfather of cutting-edge contemporary cuisine Ferran Adria. Chef Digillo has received several honours for his trendy yet unpretentious local and seasonal cuisine that focuses on applying new techniques in the kitchen. Expect some showmanship and a little bit of the theatrical when he takes over the Pullman kitchen during this year’s fest. February 26-27, 2013, Pullman, 3424 Parc, (514) 288-7779

Lunch around the world: What better way to spend your lunch hour then to travel around the world in search of exotic flavours? From February 25 to March 1, take your taste buds – and your coworkers – on a whirlwind culinary trip. All 6 of these restaurants will be offering 3-course lunch menus for $14.95. Any of these spots would be wonderful but my personal favourites are Byblos and Rumi. February 25 to March 1, 2013, Various locations

Festival of Quebec cheeses: This free activity is a must for all cheese lovers. It’s a great opportunity to discover more than 60 Quebec-made cheeses and meet some of the cheesemakers who will all be gathered at Complexe Desjardins for a 4-day cheese extravaganza. Quebec cheeses have come a long way in the past 20 years and they now rival some of the best imported cheeses. Go on the hunt for your new favourite cheese, learn how to distinguish regional qualities and discover everything you always wanted to know about the intricate process of cheese making from the masters themselves. February 20-23, 2013, Complexe Desjardins, 150 Sainte-Catherine West, (514) 281-1870

Sweet Sucre at Auberge Saint-Gabriel: Sucre is one of the hottest restaurants in Buenos Aires right now and we are lucky to have its chef Hugo Macchia at Montreal en lumière this year. Chef Macchia has worked in some of the world’s best kitchens, including 3-Michelin starred Mugaritz in Spain. He will be a guest chef at Auberge Saint Gabriel where he should be in his element thanks to the similarities between his native and adoptive restaurants, mainly the large cellar and roaster set in a welcoming, hip ambiance. February 21-22, 2013, Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel, 426 Saint-Gabriel, (514) 878-3561

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean at the Jean-Talon Market: The Jean-Talon market mezzanine will play host to a makeshift bazaar that will welcome 12 producers and food processors from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Discover these welcoming producers, exchange recipes and ideas and discuss their unique products, from dairy products and meats to spices, preserves, jams and regional specialties. February 23-24, 2013, Jean-Talon Market (Mezzanine level, 2^nd floor), 7070 Henri-Julien, (514) 277-1588

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A Quebec traditional comfort food, the shepherd’s pie from restaurant Mâche (pictured above) in the Latin Quarter is definitely a hit for people avoiding the cold. With six different variations of the original classic of ground beef, corn and mashed potatoes, this spot is offering variations that include pulled pork, merguez sausage and veal.

Restaurant Biarritz on the Main offers up a seasonal menu that changes weekly. Reflecting what’s available at the market, the winter season sees its share of soul soothing menu options such as the pork belly confit with cauliflower puree, romanesco, currants and capers.

Baxo, located in the Old Port, serves up modern terroir inspired dishes in an atmosphere as rustic that is able to charm the snowpants off of winter. Not to be missed is the entrecote for two – served on their signature butcher block with seasonal root vegetables, this dish will help you hibernate well into the night.

There’s nothing like a big bowl of hot soup on a cold and blistery day to keep you warm. What’s even better is if that bowl of soup is piled high with barbecue pork, saucy braised beef. Nudo in Chinatown offers a dinner and a show – the show being your noodles being made in front of your eyes.

If it’s coming in after having a snowball fight, or fighting your neighbour for a parking spot dug out in a snow-bank, warming up with a hot chocolate is synonymous with winter. Nowhere does it better than Montreal’s primere “Chocolate Bar”, Cacao 70. Close to 25 different kinds of hot chocolate ranging from 29.2% purity, all the way to 100% (with or without alcohol), a definite chocolate lover and aficionado’s fantasy destination.

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If you’re starting the day in the area, I recommend brunch at either fancy-schmancy Lemeac, which is celebrated for their classic bistro style and celeb-spotting (wearing Chanel for breakfast is not extraordinary here), or Toi, Moi & Cafe, who serve the “La Parisienne” breakfast of two boiled eggs, baguette strips for dipping, a stewed/baked apple and slices of cheese. If you just need a coffee and a croissant or a hot soup, look north to Gascogne, where the attendants wear little black hats and long aprons just like they do in Paris.

For fine lingerie, the top spot in the city is surely Lyla, where the first floor is devoted to high-end brands such as Simone Pérèle and Princesse Tam Tam. Upstairs you’ll find designer sportswear, like the colourful little Missoni dress I saw not too long ago. There is also swimwear up there; a treasure trove for daring bikinis by Jean Paul Gaultier or more classic styles such as Eres.

For more haute labels (albeit outerwear) like Armani, Yamamoto and Sonia Rykiel, Henriette L caters to a sophisticated business woman, or the many ladies who lunch in the area before getting their nails done at Lio Fratelli, a luxurious mani and pedi salon. Younger styles can be found at Billie or BCBG, which are just across the street. Men will want to browse the trendy racks filled with the likes of Neil Barrett, Costume National and more at Michel Brisson, who recently moved just a few blocks west to this bigger location.

For more domestic divas, Les Touilleurs is a kitchen paradise with all the All Clad pots, pans, gadgets and cookbooks (in both English and French) you could ever dream of. The store’s all-white decor seems to be a magnet for foodies, particularly ones with deep pockets. From the kitchen to the baby’s room, you’ll find everything thing you need to build your little angel’s new nest at Bouton Jaune– from the softest sheets and pillows to plushest cradle toys and onesies. A colourful place to buy one-of-a-kind gifts (for your loved-ones or yourself), Royer (207 Laurier Avenue West) sells art objects and creative decor pieces made with love from a large roster of Montreal artists and artisans. You’ll find treasures such as pretty coin purses crafted from Japanese kimono to modern ceramic vases.

Finally, if you’re shopping for a little “me time,” why not get a pampering hair treatment at Salon Orbite, the headquarters (literally) for many of the city’s well-known tresses. Their in-store boutique also carries a lot of high-end, hard-to-find beauty products such as the Shiseido hair collection, OPI, Aveda and MD Skinare. It’s not cheap, but I’m pretty sure you deserve it.

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DETAILS

Royer Objets Et Trouvailles, 207 Laurier Avenue West

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Photo Credits: © Tourisme Montréal- Stéphan Poulin, © Royer Objects/ © Royer Objets et Trouvailles

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Good news for the business crowd: Under the masterful eye of culinary star chef Normand Laprise, Toqué’s posh dining room in the International Quarter is now open for lunch. Local nine-to-five folk – and savvy out-of-towners – can now enjoy haute cuisine midday, between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., in a relaxed yet refined atmosphere.

Lunchers will enjoy Laprise’s fine-tuned, local produce vision; plus wines by the glass, conveniently available in full or half servings, respectively 4 oz or 2 oz. This means having, let’s say, a demi-verre of Vermentino 2009 Alta Mesa with your beet salad (as I did) and switching it up with a Douro 2006 Muxagat for your beef bourguignon – and not going back to your desk on wobbly feet.

Here I am with Toqué’s sommelier Samuel Chevalier-Savaria. Lunchtime guests can now order wines by the glass (4 oz) or half glass (2 oz).

The restaurant has also remodelled their bar. It now seats up to 15 people in a dynamic U-shaping setting: perfect for less formal rapid-fire meals. (Come Dec. 1^st, Toqué will also introduce a special bar menu for evening bites – a good spot for a first date, in case you’re worried about committing to a full-on, sit down meal with a total stranger.)

Just to be fair, I’ve also listed three more restaurants that offer, fast and classy midday meals. If you have an important client to wine and dine for a working lunch, or you just want out of the daily cafeteria grind, each one is definitely an address to impress.

TOQUÉ

Chef: Normand Laprise

Cuisine: Market

Prix fixe: From $25

Menu includes: 4 starters + 4 mains + regular coffee or tea, cheese and dessert are extra.

Time: Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 to 2 p.m.

Address: 900 Jean-Paul-Riopelle Place

Ambience: An elegant and contemporary space in warm hues

Neighbourhood: International Quarter

Call to reserve: (514) 499-2084

Nearby hotel: InterContinental, 360 St-Antoine St. W.

Business brief: The restaurant faces the Convention Centre (Palais des congrès), making it super simple to walk across the street for lunch.

GRAZIELLA

Chef: Graziella Battista

Cuisine: Italian

Prix fixe: $25

Menu includes: 4 starters + 5 mains, coffee and dessert are extra.

Time: Monday to Friday, 12 p.m to 2:30 p.m.

Address: 116 McGill St.

Ambience: Modern, bright interior in natural tones with an impressive 20-foot ceiling

Neighbourhood: Old Montreal

Call to reserve: (514) 876-0116

Nearby hotel: St-Paul, 355 McGill Ave.

Business brief: Private rooms are available for working lunches; they can accommodate 6 to 25 people with access to a projection screen and WiFi.

MILOS

Chef: Costas Spiladis

Cuisine: Greek, seafood

Prix fixe: From $20.10 (to honour the current year)

Menu includes: 8 starters + 6 main + dessert, the menu is online.

Time: Monday to Friday, 12 p.m to 3 p.m.

Address: 5357 Parc Ave.

Ambience: Open concept market kitchen and white spacious dining room

Neighbourhood: Mile End

Call to reserve: (514) 272-3522

Nearby hotel: Le Germain, 2050 Mansfield St.

Business brief: A little bit uptown but definitely worth the drive if you love seafood.

EUROPEA

Chef: Jérôme Ferrer

Cuisine: Market with French influence

Prix fixe: $23.50 to $29.50

Menu includes: An amuse-bouche, 5 to 6 starters + 9 mains, cheese or dessert is extra.

Time: Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Address: 1227 de la Montagne St.

Ambience: Victorian mansion with contemporary décor

Neighbourhood: Downtown

Call to reserve: (514) 398-9229

Nearby hotel: Vogue, 1425 de la Montagne St.

Business brief: Private room is available for 25 -30 people with projection screen.

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