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
Fine Dining
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
Top Restaurants for MTL à Table
Does it seem strange to anyone else that Montreal's restaurant week is actually 11 days long? I guess "Montreal Restaurant Week and a Half" isn't as catchy. In any case, from October 30th to November 9, 2014 a ton of the city's top restaurants are offering three or four-course … [Read more...] about Top Restaurants for MTL à Table
Toque! Take Two
The big news from earlier this year at Toque! is that the chef de cuisine, Charles-Antoine Crete, left to open his own place. Since then, I've been wondering what's happening in the Toque! kitchen, and how the food coming out of its hallowed walls compares to what came … [Read more...] about Toque! Take Two
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
Laloux: My New Favourite Montreal Bistro
In a city that does bistro well, Laloux is a whole lot more than duck confit. Bistro: well-priced, quickly-plated French food in a small neighbourhood establishment. Things are usually slow-cooked or quick seared: tender lamb shank, duck confit, steak-frites, probably some kind … [Read more...] about Laloux: My New Favourite Montreal Bistro
Montreal’s Best Terrasses 2014!
Walls of vines, fountains, fish ponds and wonderfully oppressive sunshine combined with blissful shade—Montreal is terrasse paradise. And since it seems that Montreal finally decided to warm up enough to not need a toque, all Montrealers want to do is spend brunches, long … [Read more...] about Montreal’s Best Terrasses 2014!
Stewed Alpaca and Peruvian Fine Dining at Mochica Restaurant in Montreal
It's actually a homestyle Peruvian dish, believe it or not. The alpaca adobo stew above, I mean. Go into the mountains of Northern Peru and you won't find any platings of the dish with edible flowers, balsamic gels and foie gras foams. The people of Piura would give you blank … [Read more...] about Stewed Alpaca and Peruvian Fine Dining at Mochica Restaurant in Montreal