I should subtitle this article "How to successfully use a kitchen torch and fail at decorating fish heads." In the Toqué! restaurant cookbook, the fish heads look all pretty. It's one of the restaurant's most popular (and simplest) dishes, but it turns out that when you take a … [Read more...] about Herbalicious and Spicy Fish Heads from the Toqué! Restaurant Cookbook
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Falling in LOV
When omnivores, carnivores and vegetarians alike are talking about a new restaurant in Montreal, it's a big deal. Because depending on your love of marinated tempeh, nutritional yeast-seasoned rice bowls and turmeric-tinged scrambled tofu, your opinion of vegan cuisine may … [Read more...] about Falling in LOV
Top 10 End-of-2016 Restaurants in Montreal
This is a 100% subjective list of the restaurants in Montreal that earned top marks for me this year, or held strong from previous years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But for something new...well, go to: 1. Le Fantôme This fine dining place in Griffintown is tasting menu … [Read more...] about Top 10 End-of-2016 Restaurants in Montreal
La Coupole: Revamped Fine Dining in Downtown Montreal
At La Coupole, lunch is happening. Sun fills the vaulted room and efficient servers place plates of salmon tartare and skinny frites in frot of heels and suits with somewhat longer-than-rushed and somewhat shorter-than-leisurely lunch breaks. Fortunately, the menu promises that … [Read more...] about La Coupole: Revamped Fine Dining in Downtown Montreal
MTL a Table and the Best Restaurants for Dinner, Lunch and Brunch
It's Montreal restaurant week time again – that magical part of the year when a week is defined as 11 days (Oct. 29 to Nov. 8, 2015).* All the better for us, since that means four more days of prix fixe menus at some of Montreal's top restaurants. Most restaurants give two … [Read more...] about MTL a Table and the Best Restaurants for Dinner, Lunch and Brunch
Le Bon Vivant: Little Burgundy’s Newest Neighbourhood Darling
The upside of gentrification is good restaurants. Case in point: Le Bon Vivant, which I believe started as a lunch spot with a small wine list and some local beers and has now grown into one of the nicest street-side dining destinations in the area. It's a notch down in price … [Read more...] about Le Bon Vivant: Little Burgundy’s Newest Neighbourhood Darling
From Pig Trotter to Scrapple: Fine dining meets sustainability at Lawrence restaurant’s popular brunch
"The place has been packed the whole time we've been here," notes my aunt's astounded cousin as we're finishing our brunch at Lawrence. From our corner table, we've seen the steady stream of diners coming, waiting and grazing at the Mile End's longest standing gastronomic … [Read more...] about From Pig Trotter to Scrapple: Fine dining meets sustainability at Lawrence restaurant’s popular brunch
Valentines Day Restaurant Recommendations
For some of these restaurant recommendations, it's too late to get a reservation, but for others, who knows? So if you're the going out on V-Day type, here are some places worth the splurge and others that don't take advantage of your romantic side by jacking up prices. BUT! To … [Read more...] about Valentines Day Restaurant Recommendations
Three Montreal Mini-Reviews: Sumac, Shinji and Renard Artisan Bistro
Here are two new Montreal restaurants and one oldie but a goodie. Sumac Sumac is the new hip kid on the St-Henri block (at least until the new Satay Brothers opens, at which time they'll probably share the "affordable gourmet" block party ribbon). It does Middle Eastern with … [Read more...] about Three Montreal Mini-Reviews: Sumac, Shinji and Renard Artisan Bistro
Pastaga: Little Italy’s Restaurant Renaissance
It's a long bus ride up St-Laurent to Pastaga Restaurant in Little Italy on a Monday night. The neighbourhood's southern tip has none of its weekend charm—no Italian shouted from doorways, no shoppers buying canned tomatoes and imported olives at Milano's, no Fifa World Cup fans … [Read more...] about Pastaga: Little Italy’s Restaurant Renaissance