Raza: Raza is easily one of my favourite restaurants in town, and probably one of the few fine dining Latino restaurants in North America. Chef Mario Navarrete serves up stunning, contemporary dishes inspired by his Peruvian roots at this chic Laurier street establishment. Raza, 114 Laurier Street West, (514) 227-8712

Van Horne: Van Horne restaurant is tiny, award-winning spot that’s been rightly hailed as one of the best in Montreal. It serves up sophisticated contemporary cuisine, unpretentious yet flawless service and a unique decor. Van Horne Restaurant, 1268 Van Horne Avenue, (514) 508-0828

Cheskie Hamishe Bakery: If you’re looking for the best chocolate babka or rugelach in Montreal, look no further because Cheskie’s has them. And if you are not sure what a babka or rugelach is, then head to this famous Jewish bakery right away and sink your teeth into a warm gooey chocolate-filled pastry that will have you instantly hooked. Cheskie Hamishe Bakery, 359 Bernard West, (514) 271-2253 ©roadfood.com 

Mamie Clafoutis / Le Patoquet: Some of the best croissants in the city belong to these two bakeries that are located on Van Horne Street not far from each other. You will also find classic French desserts and great lunch options at the two spots, along with a few tables to linger at. Don’t miss out on some amazing bread options at Mamie Clafoutis and great French imported candies and cookies at Le Paltoquet. Mamie Clafoutis, 1291 Van Horne Avenue, (514) 750-7245 & Le Paltoquet, 1464 Van Horne Avenue, (514) 271-4229  

La Maison du cheddar: Say cheese! This specialized cheese store carries a large choice of Quebec cheeses as well as some other regional products. La maison du cheddar is the perfect place to pick up a snack of fresh, squeaky cheese curds served in a cute paper cone, a gooey aged-cheddar grilled cheese sandwich for lunch or a few cheeses for a night in. La Maison du cheddar, 1311 Van Horne Avenue, (514) 904-0011

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Dishcrawl is a genius plan hatched in California, and has recently expanded to Montreal courtesy of Dishcrawl Ambassador Jenny King. For a set price (usually around $60 per person) you get to experience four carefully curated Montreal restaurants each with a specially prepared tasting menu. Once your spot is reserved, you get an email with the first location where you will meet up with your taste-bud tour guide.

The other locations are kept secret until you’re at their door ready for another mini-meal. The Saint-Paul Dishcrawl I went on was an enormous success…

We started our evening at Chez L’Epicier, a restaurant from chef Laurent Godbout, which has carved itself a rightful place in the top tier of the Old Montreal food chain. They served a trio of tasting dishes: beef tartare on a homemade brioche bun, grilled cheese lollipop, and a Jerusalem artichoke soup shooter.

After we had our fill, we had to stay on schedule and crawl to our second secret location. Although we did less crawling and more of the patented “Montreal Penguin Shuffle” as it was 30 degrees below freezing.

Our second location turned out to be Brasero Hardi. Where upon arriving they already had a delectable cocktail awaiting our frozen fingers called “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” which was a dizzying mix of Chartreuse, Midori, lime, green tea syrup, egg white, and garnished with dried seaweed. Brasero Hardi, a relatively new player on the Saint-Paul food circuit, served us two dishes with our cocktail: Marinated spare beef ribs on top of lardon pork mashed potatoes and house smoked salmon on horseradish panna cotta.

Everyone still had space for the three slices of pizza we were served at our third location: Dolcetto & Co, which has a welcoming decor of nautical whimsy. We were left to salivate while waiting for our pizzas: one with foie gras and fig, a margharita with barrata, and one with sharp pear, gorgonzola and pine nuts.

Our forth and final restaurant was Old-Port hotspot Santos, where we got some Spanish tapas action of paella, salmon tartar and churros with chocolate for dessert! Our group of thirty strong left with our bellies full of new friendships, an expanded yet exhausted palate, and a love for the great foodie adventure now known as Dishcrawl.

The next Montreal Dishcrawl is again taking place in Old Montreal (with a new roster of restaurants) on February 26. You can follow Dishcrawl on Facebook or check their website for upcoming Dishcrawl dates.

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THE DETAILS

Chez L’Epicier, 311 Rue Saint Paul East, (514) 878-2232

Santos, 191 Rue Saint Paul West, (514) 849-8881

Brasero Hardi, 139 rue Saint-Paul West, (514) 507-4558

Dolcetto & Co, ‪151 Rue Saint Paul West, (514) 419-8522

The post MONTREAL DISHCRAWL: RUE SAINT-PAUL RESTAURANTS appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

If tailgating isn’t an option in the cold winter months, then take the party indoors and hit up Blackstrap BBQ: the big boss mix plate is something that everyone should experience. A sampling of everything on the menu from smoked ribs and brisket to turkey and fried mac and cheese balls, this meal can feed a small family or serve as a reward to someone who’s just finished watching Silver Linings Playbook.

Momesso’s is an institution for any dude in NDG. This sports bar/restaurant is like your uncle’s basement man-cave that’s stuck in the 80s. Sports trophies and paraphernalia line the walls of this former NHLer’s classic diner that serves up their signature submarines with homemade hot sauce. The “supreme” usually hits the spot – steak, Italian sausage, sautéed onions and bell peppers, topped with cheese, coleslaw and their hot sauce.

Math is manly and so is hitting up Poutineville, who throw down 77 billion different combinations of custom-made poutines to order. From their signature smashed potatoes to julienned or sweet potatoes, this place features a poutine that pays homage to Montreal; a smoked meat poutine with mushrooms and fried pickle.

Il Piatto Pieno is the perfect place for the wannabe Soprano. Fire-cooked pizzas and fresh pastas to order (not to mention it’s BYOW), this spot in Little Italy leaves nothing up to the imagination when role-playing your favourite HBO Mafioso. Red and white checkered tablecloths frame towering plates of perfectly cooked Fettuccini Amalfitana – garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in a lush rose sauce.

What’s more manly than eating with your hands at a taco joint that’s situated in a converted parking garage, eating off homemade furniture made with recycled shipping pallets while sipping drinks out of a bag? Montreal’s first taco truck has turned their headquarters into a full-fledged dining option. With a rotating menu of inspired items, keep an eye out for their turkey dinner taco – thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings… in a taco! Check their Facebook page for their hockey night specials as well.

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 THE DETAILS

Blackstrap BBQ, 4436 Rue Wellington, (514) 507-6772

Restaurant Momesso, 5562 Chemin Upper Lachine, (514) 484-0005

Poutineville, Multiple Locations

Il Piato Pieno, 177, St-Zotique East, (514) 276-1076

Grumman78, 30 de Courcelle, (514) 290-5125

The post MANLY MEALS FOR MONTREAL SPORTS FANS appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

In a small-ish such as Montreal,  it’s huge news when two famous chefs decide to open restaurants within weeks of each other.

The first, Le Hangar, is a funky and vaguely Italianized resto by Louis-François Marcotte, Québec’s answer to Jamie Oliver (he also favours the ultra-casual “I’m just a dude like you” look and prepares uncomplicated food on two TV cooking shows). Too busy and famous to actually man the stove these days (blame it on the baby boy he and his radio-celeb wife just had), Marcotte put young talent Mike Diamond in charge of the open kitchen.

Smart move: the bruschetti and polentas (with toppings and flavours that change nightly) are much more delicious and complex than one might imagine. Menu offerings sound and taste familiar: mushroom risotto, mozzarella, tomato and basil salad, etc.: casual Italian served in a buzzy and cool atmosphere. Le Hangar is located in an up-and-coming part of town called Griffintown, which is only a five-minute cab ride from either Downtown or Old Montreal. Still gritty in parts, but clearly showing signs of gentrification, it is to Montreal (and in a much smaller scale, of course) what the Lower East Side is to Manhattan. The restaurant occupies a refitted old warehouse has charming brick walls and double-height ceilings and is done in an industrial-sleek style: cement floor, lots of glass and metal and even a piece of an old support beam reclaimed from New York’s Ground Zero (used as the base for a long communal table). Since opening day Le Hangar has been bustling, filled with the same stylish crowd that you often see at Marcotte’s other restaurant, the also very hip Le Local in nearby Old Montreal.

Compared to media-darling Marcotte, Patrice Demers might seem relatively low-key and reserved, yet the diminutive pastry chef has earned a loyal following after many years of wowing food critics and customers alike with some of the most imaginative and daring desserts this town has ever seen. He’s a chef’s chef, and a celebrity in foodie circles. After making his name at a few very well-known Montreal restaurants, Demers is finally his own boss. He just opened Les 400 Coups, in Old Montreal, in partnership with Marc-André Jetté (the chef). They are the first to admit they’ve been all over the map in the last few years – hence the name of the new biz (which, translated, means The Four Hundred Strikes).

Who doesn’t love a bit of self-deprecating humour? And stay tuned: Claude Pelletier of Le Club Châsse et Pêche, yet another of Montreal’s top chefs, also has something new in the works, to be unveiled in December.

Keep checking this blog for upcoming details…

DETAILS

LE HANGAR
1011 Wellington St
tel. (514) 878-2112

LES 400 COUPS
400 Notre-Dame Street East
tel. (514) 985.0400

LE CLUB CHASSE ET PÊCHE
423 St-CLaude st.
tel.  (514) 861-1112

The post MONTREAL’S TOP CHEFS OPEN NEW RESTAURANTS appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

As we sat at our table at the posh Europea, the other night, a friend turned to me and asked: “I wonder if it will be enough if I start with the gaspacho and have the mushroom pasta as a main course….”, to which I immediately answered: “Trust me, it will be more than enough, you have no idea what surprises you’ll get along the way…”.

I’d say it’s those surprises, in fact, that keep bringing me back to Europea, one of Montreal’s top tables. Whether you order a tasting menu or only an appetizer and a main, you’ll always be treated to several little amuse bouches in between courses, which are not only delicious but also quite fun.

That night, for example, things started off with a whimsical “lollipop” of a creamy, herb-laden cheese sandwiched between two round parmesan crisps.

Before our appetizers even hit the table, another little teaser arrived, in a funky espresso cup: “cappucino” of lobster and truffle, a.k.a. lobster bisque with foamy top.

When, at last, the appetizers arrived, it was fun to take in all the oohs and ahhs: my Brazilian friends hadn’t really expected our dinner to be so…. how shall I put it…. gastronomically refined.

I ordered the bison tartare not only because I’d had it before and knew how perfectly they serve it, but also to show the others, who were in Montreal for the first time, what bison meat looked like:

In keeping with the gamey theme, the carefully diced and seasoned meat was paired with a couple of raw slices of Québec venison, carpaccio style. Delish.

The only other dish that looked even better than mine wasn’t exactly a dish: Maysa had the great idea of ordering a tasting of Quebec artisanal cheeses as a starter. Her plate drew envious stares not only from myself (a confessed cheesaholic) but everyone else at the table. Her fave: the oh-so-creamy Riopelle, a triple crème with a buttery mouthfeel. Yum.

And then…. more surprises! A warm, millky cream served in an eggshell, which reminded me of eggnog. Not my favourite, I confess – blame it on my parents forcing me to down the stuff when I was a kid!

But wait… there was more! Moments later they brought us, in shot glasses, prosciutto with melon sorbet – talk about a classic pairing! – and, for dramatic effect, some Port in a pipette, meant to be drizzled over the whole ensemble. Cute idea.

By that point, nobody was actually hungry, yet we were excited all the same when the main courses arrived. Guess who ordered the most interesting of them all? Moi!

Knowing how phenomenal Eumatimi beef tastes – it’s produced near Montreal, organically – I ordered the “short ribs of Eumatimi beef, crispy galette of root vegetables, braised cipollini onions, sweet and sour BBQ”. If it sounds fancy, it sure looked it, too: the smokiness was actually visible, as the white fumes appeared trapped in a glass dome.

Once the dome was lifted, a seductive aroma of smoky, beefy goodness was released. And yes, it tasted as good as it looked: tender and perfectly seasoned.

We somehow found room and appetite to soldier on: the mignardises were simply too good to passs up on.

My fave: a lemony white chocolate cube on a stick. Fun!

Next up, some of the best macarrons I’ve tasted in Montreal. And a mini pistachio cake.

And… “haute” cotton candy!

At which point our waiter comes over and asks: “Are you ready to choose your desserts?”

We all looked at each other in disbelief. Surely, he had to be kidding!

But no, it wasn’t a joke…

We asked for just coffee and the check, and got ready to leave, and then…. out came the waiters again, with little sweet treats in cellophane bags, one for each: little meringues speckled with nuts. Needless to say, at that point the whole table was floored. The guy sitting across from me, who’s not exactly a foodie, said that was the best restaurant he’d ever been to. No kidding. I eat out too often and therefore am a bit jaded, so I couldn’t make such a bold statement, but truth is, whenever I have out-of-towners visitting whom I want to impress, I always know where to call… Enough said.

1227 Rue de la Montagne tel. (514) 398-9229, www.europea.ca/

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