FoodLab has been serving outstanding food in a very casual, trendy atmosphere for the past year. The menu changes every 2 to 3 weeks and is always centered around a specific theme: French Holidays, Japanese izakaya, etc. I sat down with Michelle Marek and Seth Gabrielse, the two talented chefs at the helm of FoodLab, for a Q&A session right before the big birthday event.

What was it like at the beginning?
Michelle Marek: We took a tour of the kitchen space a month and a half before it opened, it was in construction and we were planning it all out. But really, what we got was what we saw. The same empty, completely empty, space.
So when you started out, you didn’t even have the home ovens?
Seth Gabrielse: Nothing, no tables, nothing. We had a piece of the stage from downstairs.
MM: We covered it with a tablecloth just so it didn’t look so trashy.
How did you cook with no water?
SG: We cooked at my place and Michelle and I biked everything in.
And how long did it take before you had water and ovens?
SG: When we opened officially – because we did several events before FoodLab was launched – but when we opened officially, at that point, there was water at the bar area (several feet away) and we could use one third of the bar fridge.
Was there one single moment when everything came together for you?
MM: It’s a series of moments. We had a lot of nice experiences. We’ve been building something and we keep getting proof that, yes, this is still interesting and there’s still a lot that we can do. Despite our limitations, we’ve never let that stop us.
SG: There were moments at the beginning when we looked at our kitchen and realized that it would’ve taken 3 or 4 of the tech guys who work here about half an hour to dismantle it all as if it never existed.
MM: That’s a weird feeling.
SG: Now it’s fun because we see it becoming more permanent. And for me too, it was a series of events but one of the solidifying things was when we decided to start doing the themed-menus and we had a very positive response to them.
Can we expect the same kind of theme format for year 2?
SG: I think so.
MM: What freaked us out at first was not having some sort of direction. It’s literally impossible to work like that. There was no direction so we imposed this direction so at least there was a structure within the menus, because otherwise, it’s all over the place. We’re also looking forward to more collaborations next year, more festivals and more longer-running events.
In your wildest dreams, if there was no budget limit, what would you want? Who would you want cooking in your kitchen?
SG: This is not so wild and crazy but we would love to do an event with some of the old-timers of Montreal, some of the guys who pioneered this business. You know, James MacGuire, Joël Chapoulie, etc. It would be a lot of fun to bring some these guys together and do a meal with them.
MM: We’ve always wanted to do a big dance in the dome, open it up and have a dinner and dance event, but not techno dancing, more like ballroom. We’ve always wanted an educational element to what we do here so it would be cool to explore more workshops, more cooking classes or host these micro workshops here. The demand is there and it’s a neutral space in the city. We’re only open four nights a week so we are flexible and space is not an issue.

Until November 28, Foodlab will feature a Kamouraska menu inspired by a trip Michelle took to that region earlier this summer and then again a couple of weeks ago to collect ingredients which will be part of the menu. From November 29 to December 2 there will be a Quebec Christmas menu (Pea soup, tourtière, cretons, and a lot of traditional dishes will be on the menu at FoodLab while SOUK@SAT is taking place) and in December there will family-style set menus throughout the month for all your holiday parties. These will change on a weekly basis.

A

THE DETAILS

FoodLab, Society for Arts and Technology, 1201 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, 3^rd floor
Tuesday to Friday starting at 5pm

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In that spirit, we headed out to a different neighbourhood – downtown – to eat somewhere I’d usually be less likely to try, seeing as I live here– a hotel restaurant. And we ate well! We elected to try the TASTE MTL set-menu at Le Montrealais Bistro-Bar, the casual resto in the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel. The bistro is open late and has lot of space for families and large groups.

Because it’s a hotel restaurant, there’s this pleasant in-transit feeling, like maybe I’m eating there because I’m about to go on an exciting trip. The menu is a four-course set-menu, with two choices for each of the courses. Since there were two of us, we were able to try one of everything.

Our menu started off with two refined entrees: A white-tuna and arctic char carpaccio that looked like a mosaic (very pretty), and a duck foie-gras crème brulee flavoured with sortilege (a maple-flavoured, whiskey-like spirit.)

Then, we both had a saffron shellfish bisque with this little fella, a Quebec crawfish, perched on top.

The mains were both refined and simple: A rack of lamb with salted herbs from the lower St-Lawrence region, so tender I could cut it with a fork, and a filet of sweet-salty black cod with a tomato, olive and caper sauce.

The desserts were quite special, too: A chocolate/meringue fondant and pistachio macaroon sandwiches with raspberry sorbet filling.

And all this, for under $40 per person! TASTE MTL goes until November 11, check out all of the menus here.

The post TASTE MTL REVIEW: BISTRO LE MONTREALAIS appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

It’s not news to anyone – especially Montrealers – that our city was recently named one of the top 10 food cities to eat outside by Frommers. Still, we’re constantly finding new ways to get our eat on and TASTE MTL is just another stroke of genius in this regard. With 96 restaurants participating, it won’t be hard for every palate – and pocketbook – to find a pleasing plate at Taste Montreal – or “Montreal à table”, as it’s called in French.

Get your prix-fixe: Restaurant Week is a popular event in many other cities – including New York, Chicago and San Francisco in the U.S., and Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. The idea is to expand patronage of restaurants in a traditionally quiet time of year, by offering fixed-price menus at reasonable rates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oURkiYEbbC0

For instance, Montreal’s event, which will occur November 1-11, will have menu prices at $19, $29 and $39. Among the establishments on the list are some of Montreal’s top restaurants   – including Toque!, Europea, Ferreira Café, Van Horne, and Chez l’Ėpicier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WONKyTXCxfo

Food in the ‘hood: What’s also interesting is that diners – both Montrealers and tourists – will have a chance to discover eating establishments in parts of town not traditionally associated with the restaurant scene downtown and in the Plateau/Mile End– they’ll have a chance to dine in Ahuntsic at A Table, in Villeray at Tapéo, in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve at Le Valois, and at Bistro Le Répertoire in Rosemont, as well as in Griffintown, the Village. There is also a long list of restos in Old Montreal and the Old Port to choose from – anyone who’s been itching to try Les 400 Coups or Barroco, now’s your chance!

The merchants’ association of Avenue du Mont-Royal will be hosting candlelight dinners in six establishments along their storied road, as well as a 500-candle installation in the square opposite Mont-Royal metro.

Another great way to explore the city with your taste buds in tow is by participating in one of the neighbourhood Happy Hour guided walks organized by the City – whether you want to see what’s new to eat in the Quartier des spectacles, or you want to walk around the Mile End and absorb its “culinary diversity”, or feel like rediscovering the treats of the Old Port, here’s your chance to see  – and eat – it all.

THE DETAILS

Taste Montreal – Restaurant Week, November 1-11, 2012

The post TASTE MTL, MONTREAL’S RESTAURANT WEEK: NOVEMBER 1-11 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.