I used to get asked a lot what the best Apportez votre vin restaurant (BYOB) in Montreal was and I'd wrinkle my nose and keep quiet, but now I have a better, less snooty answer: Les Cabotins in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is definitely a fun one with good value for money. Les … [Read more...] about Mtl à Table 2025: BYOB at Les Cabotins
Casual Dining
Gluten-Free Feast at Shabu Shabu Kagayaki
I can't stop raving about Shabu Shabu Kagayaki, an easy-to-miss Japanese hotpot restaurant in Montreal's Chinatown. I don't even eat beef or pork, the meats that are specially sliced for the nabumono preparation, and I still loved it. It was even better during the MTL à Table … [Read more...] about Gluten-Free Feast at Shabu Shabu Kagayaki
Pichai: Excellent Thai and Natural Wine in Montreal
I'd been hearing about Pichai, a Thai restaurant on the renovated St-Hubert street, for ages. People who spend more time and money eating out than me days were saying you couldn't get Thai this good anywhere else in the city. My standards for Thai are high after a few months in … [Read more...] about Pichai: Excellent Thai and Natural Wine in Montreal
Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
When I got the invite for a press event – my first in-person press event since Covid started last year – at the SAT, the Société des arts technologiques in Montreal, with its exceptional Foodlab restaurant and bar, I of course said yes. So no, I didn't pay for my meal (I did … [Read more...] about Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
Montreal’s New Vegan Sushi: Bloom and Ohana
First, I should say that I'm a huge fan of Sushi Momo, the first vegan sushi restaurant in Montreal. It's actually my favourite vegan or non-vegan sushi restaurant in Montreal, mostly from a quality/price perspective because we just don't get the same standard and breadth of … [Read more...] about Montreal’s New Vegan Sushi: Bloom and Ohana
Poincaré: Microbrews, Natural Wines and a Funky Menu of Small Plates Make this the Coolest New Bar and Restaurant in Chinatown
The entrance to Poincaré is easy to miss. It's right next to the family-owned Vietnamese sandwich shop Hoang Oanh Sandwich on the east side of St-Laurent, just south of René-Levesque. But walk up that staircase and you'll emerge into an eden of plants, gravity-pulled microbrews, … [Read more...] about Poincaré: Microbrews, Natural Wines and a Funky Menu of Small Plates Make this the Coolest New Bar and Restaurant in Chinatown
The Great Herb Grass Jelly Hunt: Meet Fresh, Mango Mango, G&D Supermarket
I'm a bit obsessed with herb grass jelly. Actually, I get a bit obsessed with everything that seems to have no flavour, because I'm usually convinced that it has flavour (otherwise who would buy it, who made it popular, why are there so many brands producing it?). In Montreal, … [Read more...] about The Great Herb Grass Jelly Hunt: Meet Fresh, Mango Mango, G&D Supermarket
Le Bowhead: Montreal’s Only 100% Vegan Pub
Chicken wings? Nope. Chkn wings? Yes. That's what the new all-vegan pub on St-Laurent Blvd says. Curry vegan mayo and vegan ranch with the same crudités of your average non-vegan pub also help. You probably wouldn't even know this place was vegan unless you'd done your homework. … [Read more...] about Le Bowhead: Montreal’s Only 100% Vegan Pub
Rum and Sun: Resto Palme Sparkles with Caribbean Fusion in The Village
Resto Palme is a bit like I’d want heaven to be: a palm-filled, airy space a few steps off a dirty street/Earth...with a good supply of agricole rum. Even better, the new Caribbean fusion restaurant on Ste-Catherine East between Beaudry and Papineau has soft linens to dab at … [Read more...] about Rum and Sun: Resto Palme Sparkles with Caribbean Fusion in The Village
Hot and Spicy Montreal: Restaurants to Warm you up
Last week, I did a TV segment about hot and spicy restaurants. It's the time of year when we need all the heat we can get, I figure. And while Montrealers are notoriously hot pepper-averse, I'm not. So I found a local, high quality hot sauce maker and then hunted down … [Read more...] about Hot and Spicy Montreal: Restaurants to Warm you up