Sea bass carpaccio with ouzo pearls and beets. Taken at Chez L’Epicier (311 Rue Saint Paul East) by @mocali.

A venison tartare with foie gras and a pumpkin dressing. Taken at La Chronique (99 Avenue Laurier Ouest) by @mayssamaha.

In the words of the Instagramer: “Parmesan-crusted goat cheese lollipops, pancetta on a mini clothesline, lobster bisque cappuccino, and cheese sticks served to us in a cigar box (photo N/A). This restaurant is definitely amusing my bouche so far.” Taken at Europea (1227 Rue De La Montagne) by @midami.

Quail appetizer at the award-winning Toque! (900 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle) taken by @eatinq.

A birthday girl celebrates with her friends. Taken at Baxo (343 Saint-Paul West) by @stephsophmtl. P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Just before the dinning experience outside Barroco (312 Rue Saint Paul West). Taken by @carolynwheatley.

Dubbed “the finale: scallop sashimi, cucumber, green apple and fir powder.” Taken at Restaurant Laloux (250 Avenue des Pins West) by @thebuttermelts.

This one is a doozy: “Slow-roasted cod, forbidden rice, escabeche of mussels, peppers, & chorizo, cod brandade cromesqui and poulette sauce with saffron.” Taken at Auberge Saint-Gabriel (426 Rue Saint Gabriel) by @tastymontreal.

What’s that main dish? Skate fish. Taken at Brasserie T! (1425 Rue Jeanne-Mance) by @lalaladyc.

The lobster bisque cappuccino. Take a moment to let that one sink in. Taken at Europea (1227 Rue De La Montagne) by @lolotaj.

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Montreal is known for its food diversity and my ideal line-up for TASTE MTL would be to go international with my restaurant choices. You can now consult each participating restaurant’s menu online, which makes it just a little bit easier to decide. Suffice it to say that I already know what I would order if I were to dine at these restaurants.

Spanish > Tapeo: Tapeo (pictured above) is the most famous tapas bar in Montreal and one I’ve been going to for years for a little taste of Spain and sunshine. The tapas are authentic, creative and seasonal and will transport you to the Iberian Peninsula the minute you take your first bite.

I would order:

Spanish tortilla
Vine tomates
Patatas bravas
Churros con chocolate

Portugal > Ferreira: Ferreira Café is the spot to savour some of the best Portuguese cuisine in town in a chic and warm decor right in the heart of downtown Montreal. Pick from a great list of Portuguese wines to accompany you on your culinary journey.

I would order:

Cured Mediterranean sea bass, yuzu and fresh coriander
Pan seared fresh cod steak, new potatoes, roasted pepper marmelade and bouillabaise, broth
Caramel and Ferreira white port flan

French > Auberge Saint-Gabriel: The centuries-old walls of this “oldest inn in North America” contrast with the modern, funky décor touches to create a unique space in which one of the most talented chefs in Montreal serves fine French cuisine that is as beautiful to admire as it is delicious.

I would order:

Québec beets in varied flavours and textures, fennel goat milk yogurt, blackberries, some pecans, bitter orange marmalade.
Slow-roasted cod, black rice, escabeche of mussels/peppers/chorizo, cod brandade kromesky, poulette/safran sauce
The Auberge’s own Floating Islands, vanilla/praline/caramel

Latin > Raza: Raza has earned a great reputation as one of the best fine dining restaurants in Montreal and one of the only restaurants serving modern Latin food in Canada. Located on posh Laurier Street, this tiny restaurant serves a unique tasting menu using fresh South American ingredients.

I would order:

Scallop ceviche, hibiscus jelly, avocado
Poached cod, Peruvian bouillabaisse sauce, Yukon gold potatoes, Quinoa and fresh Andes cheese
Caramalized banana, honey crisps, dried fruits

Turkish > Restaurant Su: Turkish food is one of the most flavourful in the world and Su is a great ambassador showcasing the divine complexity and delicate aromas of this exotic cuisine.

I would order:

Anything that is on Su’s menu that night will be delicious

Check out the complete list of restaurants here. You can consult each restaurant’s menu by clicking on its name in the list.

The post TAKE A CULINARY TRIP AROUND THE WORLD WITH TASTE MTL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(Halloween how-to) Halloween in Montreal is fun for everyone, with parties, ghoulish events and family-friendly activities from Friday night to Wednesday night. Start off slow with pumpkin carving and games at the Montreal Botanical Garden’s Great Pumpkin Ball, to October 31, head to amusement park La Ronde for roller coasters of fun for kids big and small, Tour Montreal’s ghoulish history with Montreal Ghosts, or head up Mont Royal on a Haunted Mountain walking tour. Of course, Halloween wouldn’t be complete without the Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball, an interactive dress-up experience with a live cast on stage following along as the film screens, hosted by Plastik Patrik at the Cinéma Impérial, October 26, 27 and 31, And then there are the parties – check out the Montreal Buzz Halloween Guide for more opportunities for mayhem.

(fantastic food) Montreal’s TASTE MTL Restaurant Week begins Nov 1 and runs for 11 food-filled days. Peruse prix-fixe menus – from $19 to $39 – online, make reservations and experience some of the best meals Montreal can offer, all at unusually affordable prices for gourmet food. But how to choose where to eat among so many restaurants? If you’re into discovering new parts of the city, choose by neighbourhood: spend an evening in Old Montreal, the next one at a restaurant downtown, in the Plateau or Mile End, Outremont, the Village or Griffintown.

(film & animation) Yes, it’s still film festival season in Montreal! The French-language (often with subtitles!) Cinémania begins November 1 and runs for the next 11 days, with features, shorts, retrospectives (including an extensive one on Sandrine Bonnaire’s films), presentations and more. Cinémania opens with official Cannes competitor, Jacques Audiard’s De Rouille Et D’os, starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts in a story of a former boxer, his son and a woman coming to terms with a life-altering disability. On Saturday, October 27, check out The National Film Board’s Get Animated! workshops and screenings for all ages – even create your own Halloween-inspired animated film using professional equipment and post it to YouTube.

(circus & dance) One of the most talked-about choreographers in the world these days, Hofesh Shechter, returns to Montreal with his powerful show Political Mother, featuring 10 dancers and 7 musicians – and plenty of rock n’ roll energy – at Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, November 1-3. And Montreal-based international circus troupe 7 Doigts de la Main returns to La Tohu circus centre with acclaimed show Séquence 8, 90 minutes of breathtaking  acrobatics, physical feats and style all wrapped up in a tale of relationships with the “other” – running October 30 to November 17.

(east & west) Enjoy all kinds of entertainment at the 13th Arab World Festival of Montreal, October 26-November 10, linking Arabic and Western cultures through music, performance, film, art and talks. Place des Arts is the place to be to catch free performances all weekend, with evening dance performances, demonstrations of Arab calligraphy, film screenings of highlights of the festival, and plenty of amazing live music. The fest’s opening night performance mixes Arab folklore with world beats, flamenco and jazz via string-instrument vituosi Sultans of String to Le National, with openers Nicolas Pellerin et les Grands Hurleurs playing Arab-influenced Quebecois traditional music, while on October 27 at L’Olympia, hear the pioneering Algerian hip hop of Lotfi Double Kanon.

(sound & performance) Fans of experimental music and performance take note of the following. The Akousma Festival of sound art continues at Usine C (near the Village, super close to Atmosphère B&B: take in fully surround-sound performances (42 speakers!) by Francisco López and Daniel Menche on October 27 and Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, Monty Adkins and Paulina Sundin on October 28. Friday night marks the final night of the Phénomena Festival of performance art with Claude Poissant and (many) friends’ Cabaret Désir Dada at La Sala Rossa, preceded by a mysterious outdoor performance next door. And downtown at the SAT, catch the last screening of DJ Food’s graphic-novel-inspired The Search Engine, a psychedelic 360-degree audio-visual experience in the SAT’s dome – the same place they’re throwing an electro-dance Halloween party on Saturday night.

(music rocks) Friday night is busy with Aussie pop star Kimbra at the Corona, Rufus Wainwright at Église St-Jean Baptiste (309 Rachel E.), former Fleet Foxes member Father John Misty playing songs from his new album Fear Fun at Cabaret Mile End, while Swans and A Hawk and a Handsaw fill La Tulipe with wall-to-wall sound. On the other end of the musical spectrum on Friday night, Video Games Live at the Bell Centre, turns video game tunes into a symphonic stadium concert experience. Then, on October 27, go back in time with The Hit Men, featuring members of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, as they play a dinner show at the Rialto. Meanwhile, Montreal’s Wintersleep co-headlines with Elliott Brood for a night of rock at the Corona. On Sunday, The Smashing Pumpkins return in full form at the Bell Centre and Milo Green is at Sala. Monday night is ear-bending with Sam Shalabi and his Land of Kush orchestra at Sala, while Chris Isaak croons on October 30 at Theatre St-Denis, andThe Weeknd  takes over Metropolis for two nights: October 29 and 31.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: OCTOBER 26-NOVEMBER 1 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

We want all you foodie photogs, amateur and professional, to share your great Instagram restaurant photos with us as Montreal prepares for TASTE MTL, which takes place November 1-11, 2012. Our “Share. Eat. Win.” contest has 2 fun and easy phases:

1) Between October 25-29, tag any Montreal restaurant Instagram photos you have with #MTLaTABLE and/or #TASTEMTL. Anything “Restaurant in Montreal” related is acceptable and you can tag as many photos as you’d like. The 10 best pictures (selected by the blog’s bloggers and editor) will win a dinner for 2 people during Restaurant Week.

2) During TASTE MTL, continue to tag your photos with #TASTEMTL and/or #MTLATABLE. We will be monitoring all of the best Instagram pics and on November 8 we will select our 2 favourite TASTE MTL photographs to win a very special meal for 2 on November 11.

Check out the full contest rules and regulations and, if you have questions, please leave them in the comment section of this post. And please follow us on Instagram – we can’t wait to see your mouth-watering photography!

The post CONTEST: SHARE. EAT. WIN. appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

From November 1 to 11, TASTE MTL presented by the SAQ takes over some of Montreal’s best tables (and wine glasses). From Europea to Chez L’Épicier, from Le Grain de Sel to any one of the over 100 Montreal restaurants taking part, this will be an event the likes of which this city’s stomachs have never seen! Make your reservation now!

The post TASTE MTL TAKES OVER MONTREAL: NOVEMBER 1-11 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.