Surely though, we here at The Montréal Buzz are not the only ones who gravitate toward the Land of the Rising Sun. Fellow Japanophiles, here are some Montréal spots to hit for a quick Japanese fix.

EAT

MILE END

Let’s start with the best. Juni is bar none Montreal’s top spot for sushi. Executive chef Junichi Ikimatsu hails from Kyoto – as does his ever-smiling sous chef. Get the best seats in the house by sitting at the bar and watch the master in motion. He doesn’t speak a lot of French (mainly conversational English); so don’t be surprised to hear his multicultural staff talk to the Chef in his native tongue. As far as sushi goes, you’ll get traditional Japanese but served on modern white plates in a lively contemporary atmosphere. Pair it with the best sake in town. Some of my faves include the B-52 futomaki-temaki, which has red tuna, rice crispies, spicy mayo, avocado; and the Funny Maki, for which I can’t promise you’ll be laughing, but smiling, yes.

Nearby: If the night is still young, roll on over to Baldwin Barmacie across the street, one of the trendiest bars in the area.

PLATEAU

A Japanese restaurant that doesn’t serve sushi? “Well,” says Big in Japan André Nguyen (who co-owns the place with Chef Yutaka Abe), “we want you to eat a whole bunch of weird stuff that you haven’t had yet.” By this he means “classic everyday Japanese food.” So, expect yummy dishes like chicken wings tossed in caramelized soy sauce, gyozas stuffed with beef, mussels in a sake and prosciutto broth, and braised beef tongue in a miso broth. They also serve cold filtered or non-filtered sakes, the latter being that milky white version. Open until 3 a.m. it’s a great spot for late night munchies, but it’s also an after work hangout for many of the city’s top chefs, including Restaurant Toqué!’s Normand Laprise and Charles-Antoine Crête, and Frédéric St-Aubain, the Executive Chef at super-swank and ultra-private Le 357c in the Old Montreal. Décor aficionados should also take note that Big in Japan was in the hands of Montreal’s go-to design guy, Bruno Braen (he’s also a partner), who has also charmed Montrealers with his unique tongue-in-cheek style at glitzy Restaurant DNA, refined Le Club Chasse et Pêche, and Plateau neighbourhood bar Bily Kun, just to name a few. At Big in Japan the interior starts with an izakaya feel and ends on a pop-diner note. P.S. Big in Japan is indeed named after the Alphaville ditty.

Nearby: At the corner of avenue Pine, Big in Japan is in the heart of Montreal’s bar and nightclub hub.

DOWNTOWN

Speaking of Normand Laprise, my third pick is definitely newcomer Kazu (1862 rue Ste-Catherine ouest). Namesake owner Kazuo Akutsu used to work for the star chef. So I wasn’t surprised to hear that Kazu’s little hole in the wall (and I mean that in the very best sense) is frequented by big players on the resto-scene as well. André from Big in Japan recommends the pork neck, which he says must be “grabbed like a caveman.” Kazu apparently slapped down a roll of paper towels in front of him and said, “You’ll need this.” Homemade ramen also gets high points, as well as the 48-hour pork marinated in soy, mirin and sake – Hai! It’s as tender and tasty as it sounds. The resto is located in the Concordia University student ghetto, or Chinatown West, as some call the area (which is really a misnomer since there’s a bunch of different Asian restaurants, like Korean and Indian, and not just Chinese) and closes early, around 9:30 p.m., so if you get there past the 5:30 p.m. opening time for dinner, don’t get upset if there’s a line-up. Kazu is also open for lunch from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., but keep in mind there are only four tables and then maybe another half dozen at the bar. Oh yeah, bring cash.

Nearby: Kazu is situated on rue Ste-Catherine ouest. So you’re only a short stroll from the Pepsi Forum – where the Montréal Canadiens won all of their Stanley Cups – which is now a funhouse complete with cinemas, bowling alleys, cafés and restaurants.

SHOP

OUTREMONT

Guillaume De L’Isle is the owner of L’Émouleur, a tiny knife shop just around the corner from my apartment. Émouleur means “knife sharpener” in French, and Guillaume is certainly an expert at that (he uses a choice ceramic method), but his shop gets a lot of attention from professional chefs and foodies who come for his high quality knives imported from Japan. Your stainless steel ain’t got nothing on De l’Isle’s carbon steel blades, many of which feature magnificent swirls, a visual detail that often denotes superior strength – and beauty. One day I was crossing the street near his boutique and bumped into Guillaume on the corner. He was on his way to Juni to hand deliver his newest order. Always a good sign when the top sushi chef in Montreal gives you his thumbs up.

MILE END

Au Papier Japonais offers classes where you can learn various paper arts (how to make fancy boxes and books, drawing and painting, etc.), but to me the big draw here is the colourful assortment of washi paper, as well as papers from other parts of the world. This is a lovely space to buy original gift-wrap, delicate stationary or custom invitations. They also sell all kinds of Japanese-themed books (from cooking to decorating); vintage silk kimono, as well as more casual cotton versions; and home décor items such as shoji screens and lanterns.

DOWNTOWN

Collection de Japon is kind of hidden on the fourth floor of a building, not far from the Bay department store downtown. But those who make the trek are rewarded with all sorts of lovely imports from Japan; including one-of-a-kind kimono; furoshiki, an earth-friendly kind of wrapping cloth in beautiful fabrics (in case you don’t know how to fold them up as pretty as owner Ms. Uchimaya can, there’s a handy little video on her website), bento boxes for bringing your lunch to work in style; and elegant tatami mats.

GAY VILLAGE

Local label Mosaïk Montréal by designer Marie-Ève Chagnon has chic “kimono” dresses in teal or black and come with a bronze obi-style belt. Marie-Eve’s contemporary take ensures that you will not look like a geisha-wannabe. Available at J’Bouj (1699 rue Amherst).

VISIT

MONTREAL EAST

Just across from the Olympic Stadium, the Japanese Garden and Pavilion of the Montreal Botanical Garden is a Zen getaway by Japanese architect Ken Nakajima. The outdoor space includes a meditative rock garden, traditional lantern and bridges, and a bonsai garden with mini-trees up to 350 years old. The tea garden is only open from May to November, but not to worry otherwise as the garden is breathtaking all year round.

INTERNATIONAL QUARTER

If you’re planning a visit in August, there are two events you may find interesting. The first is Otakuthon, which is held at the Palais des congrès (Convention Centre). Next year’s dates are already planned for Aug. 12 to 14, 2011. Otaku is a Japanese term for those who have obsessive tendencies when it comes to anime, manga or video games. This unusual event where dressing up is de rigueur is probably the closest you’ll get to the Akihabara or Shibuya districts – or three days of Halloween.

OLD PORT

Second, there is the Matsuri Japan Festival at the Quays of the Old Port, usually the first half of August. (Dates for 2011 are still TBA at this time.) This is a lovely family event held al fresco that features Japanese food, cultural activities and performances (such as bon odori and taiko) and martial arts (karate, nawatobi, judo, kyudo, aikido) – and hardcore gaijins sporting yukatas.

The post A TASTE OF JAPAN IN MONTREAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Astute followers of our Montreal Street Profile series may notice that there is something different between today’s instalment and those about Bleury, Parc, Maisonneuve, Saint-Paul and Saint-Zotique. Yes, Square Victoria is not a street but it is surrounded by them and has enough stuff going on that it deserves its moment in the sun…

Technically it could be called Victoria Square, but we’re in Montreal and that’s not what we call it. Built in 1813, it was originally known as the Place du Marché-à-Foin ( Haymarket Place) and the Place des Commissaires ( Police Place) before being renamed in 1860 for a certain Queen when King Edward VII came to town. It has been both a hay market ( hence the original name) and parking lot in its long history, but serves now as a vital part of the connection between Downtown Montreal and Old Montreal, a meeting point and common space for those working in or visiting the Quartier International de Montreal. As such, it is now host to two major international institutions- the IATA (Air Transport Association) and the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), the latter of which is in an official arm of the UN. Another major player in the area is the Tour de la Bourse (which houses the Montreal Stock Exchange), a building, designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti, which is generally considered to be one of the finer skyscrapers built in that era.

On sunny afternoons, you will always find this tree-lined space filled to the gills with people eating lunch near the statue of Queen Victoria or Ju Ming’s “Taichi Single Whip” sculpture. However, perhaps its most famous feature is the iconic Hector Guimard-designed Art Nouveau entrance to the Square-Victoria Metro station, one of the few that exist outside of Paris.

Bordered by Viger to the north, Saint Jacques to the South, Cote du Beaver Hall to the West and Rue Square Victoria (an extension of McGill Street), Square Victoria boasts several great reasons to pay a visit…

Centre Du Commerce: As far as malls go, you’d be hard pressed to find a more picturesque one than the Centre Du Commerce (or World Trade Centre Montreal). The complex joins together a string of historic buildings that sat on Ruelle des Fortifications, one of early Montreal’s earliest and most important streets. These days it serves as the main thoroughfare in the Centre Du Commerce and sits under a vast glass-covered promenade that features a boutiques, coffee shops, eating stops and, of course, the Intercontinental Hotel. Also- if you’re in town on business and notice a banquet or reception being held here: RSVP ASAP.

The W: The clear entertainment star of Square Victoria, The W is of interest not just for travellers looking for a hip hotel in Old Montreal, but for those looking for eat, drink or dance. Ristorante Otto is Executive Chef Yves Lowe’s take on modern Italian food that is accompanied by the resto’s extensive wine list. The big attraction, though, is Wunderbar a slick cocktail bar that is at its most bumping on Wednesday and Thursday nights. For a quieter but no less slick experience, stroll over to the Plateau Lounge

Mann: You can tell this spa is manly due to the fact that it has two Ns in the title. Montreal’s only men-only grooming mecca, it’s got everything the modern man could need- from barbers to full-body massages.

Centre CDP: A spot whose principal business is the management of funds would not normally make a list like this, but this award-winning building is an incredible space that is absolutely worth a stroll through. It also houses a Houston Steak House with a great view.

Victory Hot Dogs: This is up the street from the square, but I need to mention this spot. For years I’d walk by around lunchtime and see a 20-person line stretching out of a place that, frankly, looks like a hole in the wall. I finally went in and realized why: Victory Dogs makes one of the best classic hot dog (steamed or toasted) and fries combos in the city and has been for decades. Grab one and go sit in the square.

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