|
Montreal Dining
Montréal's multiculturalism is vividly reflected in the city's diverse restaurant scene. Add a pinch of this, a dash of that--and voilà, there you have it: the perfect Montréal dining experience. For starters, let's begin in Old Montréal, where the city was founded in 1642.
French and Asian influences give comfort food a new twist within the stone walls of Chez l'Epicier Restaurant Bar a Vin (l'épicier is French for "the grocery"). This casually elegant eatery, wine bar and grocery--where the menus are printed on paper bags and water is served from milk bottles--faces the historic Bonsecours Market. The restaurant's fine cuisine may include selections such as arctic char, milk-fed veal carpaccio, snail shepherd's pie and parmesan oil raviolis. Specialty gourmet items like cheeses, sauces, oils and sorbets are available for takeout, and guests can sip wines by the glass or bottle in the adjacent wine bar. The restaurant's 2,000-bottle wine cellar includes many private imports and specialty wines, the majority of which are from France, with impressive selections from Burgundy and the Loire and Rhone valleys.
Diners exchange the Gallic ambience of Old Montréal for the atmosphere of a Moroccan oasis when they enter La Menara. Opulent red fabric drapings create the feeling of being in a desert tent, and belly dancers entertain as guests partake of dishes such as pastilla, a chicken and almond pie; various versions of couscous; and fragrant tajines, stews typically created from chicken, fish or lamb.
Other ethnic fare can be found in restaurants in Montréal's downtown area. What first catches your eye inside Cavalli Ristorante-Bar is the lively front-to-back bar area with its stylish hot pink illuminated backdrop and the establishment's chic, professional patrons. The restaurant's fusion-style cuisine, Italian with a Mediterranean flair, places an emphasis on creative pasta dishes and makes use of the freshest available fish and seafood. French and Italian selections dominate the impressive wine list.
In the heart of the downtown business core is Ferreira Cafe, a Portuguese bistro with an eclectic clientele. A wall embedded with colorful broken pottery provides a striking decorative background for the yellow-hued dining room, which has large windows that are opened in summer. This is an ideal place to unwind after work and indulge in Portuguese specialties such as grilled sardines, calamari, octopus, poached salmon, salted cod, rack of lamb, shrimp bisque and caldo verde soup. Dozens of ports and muscatels are featured on a wine list that's heavy on private imports from Portugal.
The name of Newtown Restaurant is derived from the nickname of Québec-born Formula 1 driver and co-owner Jacques Villeneuve (ville = town and neuve = new). The stylish and fast-paced dining room, downstairs from the dance club and upstairs from the lounge, is about as close as you can get to the nightlife buzz of Crescent Street. Guests spend a glamorous night sampling superbly presented Mediterranean dishes and selections from a comprehensive wine list.
Tradition, refined service and classic dishes are the hallmarks of The Beaver Club, whose upscale dining room is accented by rich wood paneling, a stone wall and elegant table settings. It's a formula that's brought regulars back for decades to the signature restaurant in the legendary Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. Canadian and French cuisines are at the heart of the international menu, which has an excellent selection of wild game. Impressive presentation marks such dishes as lobster enhanced with champagne and truffled macaroni, pan-fried black Alaskan cod, Boileau-region deer, grilled caribou and scampi. Or try the rack of lamb, breast of duck, pan-seared foie gras, filet mignon, fresh fish or roast prime rib. Memorable desserts like crêpes suzette and cherries jubilee are prepared tableside.
The area north of downtown has its share of eateries as well. The rich, decadent Québec cuisine at Restaurant Au Pied de Cochon may be too much of a good thing, but it's oh, so satisfying. The casual bistro-brasserie strips away traditional fine-cuisine formality for an emphasis on high-quality fresh ingredients. Sample duck with foie gras cooked in a can and opened at the table, or the chef's version of the classic Québec poutine, a concoction of French fries smothered in cheese curds and hot gravy. Try pied de cochon (pig's feet) stuffed with foie gras, or the grain-fed veal tourtière (meat pie), venison tartare, sea snails, lobster, soft-shell crabs, oysters on the half-shell, blood pudding or springtime fiddleheads. Start off with some oreilles-de-crisse (Christ's ears), a traditional Québec sugar shack appetizer of crispy, deep-fried strips of pork skin. Wash down your meal with fine wines available by the glass or bottle.
Where do you go for more Québec comfort food and the city's best baked beans? The "binerie," of course. La Binerie Mont-Royal, family-operated since 1940, is a bustling little diner in the heart of a trendy residential neighborhood. It is an ideal spot to sample affordable and traditional French Canadian foods like pea soup, tourtière (meat pie), stews, wieners and baked beans with maple syrup, or pâté made from pork drippings. For dessert try Québec classics like sugar pie or pouding chomeur (unemployment pudding). The narrow diner has a tidy but modest décor with counter or table seating. The owners and family members provide friendly personalized service.
The upscale Moishe's Steak House is part of history on "the Main"--a popular strip for authentic ethnic cuisine, cafes and dance clubs. This long-standing favorite of Montréalers is always busy (especially on weekends). Servers bring bowls of kosher dill pickles and coleslaw to munch on while you wait for your main course. In addition to its specialty of hearty premium cuts of American beef, the menu also includes grilled fish, chopped liver, chicken, potato latkes and Monte Carlo potatoes. An impressive selection of vintage wines is stored in dark wood wine cabinets. Expect to wait, even with a reservation, on busy nights.
More than a light lunch eatery, Wilensky's Light Lunch Inc . is a morsel of Montréal's Jewish history. This vintage corner deli was used as a location for the 1974 film "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz," starring Richard Dreyfuss. The deli stands proudly in the multicultural neighborhood made famous in the Mordecai Richler novel that inspired the film. Family-run since 1932, the décor remains virtually untouched. Take a seat at the counter and enjoy Wilensky's "special" sandwich made with salami, bologna and a choice of cheese. Or you can try a chopped egg sandwich, half-sour dill pickles, karnatzel (sort of like beef jerky) or an all-beef hot dog.
Still north of downtown Montréal, but a little farther out, is another group of restaurants. Near Old Montréal is Toque!, which left the neighborly Latin Quarter behind and moved across from the Montréal convention center in 2004. Since its opening, this restaurant has earned rave reviews and is regarded as a "must" stop for Montréal-bound gourmets. The well-spaced tables are luxuriously set and the ambience is relaxed in the roomy, stylish dining area. The restaurant takes great pride in using only the freshest regional ingredients and in the beautiful presentation of its dishes. Visitors can dine on the seaside grazed Québec lamb, Havre St-Pierre scallops, pan-seared foie gras, suckling pig, guinea fowl and Boileau venison or try the multicourse tasting menu. Guests are invited to pause from their dinner and tour the kitchen, where they can see executive chef and owner Normand Laprise working in symphony with his skilled staff.
The clientele is hip and the décor artsy at Cafe Santropol, a spirited, eclectic restaurant catering to the health-conscious crowd. Sweet root and minted ham sandwiches, vegetarian chili, desserts, milkshakes and fair-trade teas and coffees can be enjoyed with friends or while sitting alone, reading a good book and munching on a sweet carrot and alfalfa sprout sandwich. The socially aware owners also manage an off-site organization that delivers food to the underprivileged.
Reservations are a must at L'Express, a lively French-style bistro that has been a favorite with Montréalers since 1980. The café, on a trendy commercial strip in a multicultural residential neighborhood, has a classic décor featuring a black and white checkered tile floor, elegant artwork, upscale tabletops, tightly spaced seating and a bar counter for cocktails or casual dining. Each table is set with a generous jar of pickles for diners to enjoy while deciding whether to order steak and fries, foie gras, fresh seafood or steak tartare. Crème caramel is a sinful dessert choice. Attentive, friendly service is provided by career wait staff. The restaurant has an impressive inventory of wine, with dozens of selections available by the glass. You might even notice the bartender preparing fresh-squeezed orange juice for each screwdriver--an added touch of class.
For decades the compact Schwartz's Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen has packed in tourists, locals and an array of celebrities--many of whom are regulars--wanting to sample what many consider the best Montréal-style smoked meat. If you order a "medium," they'll know you want a medium-fat smoked meat on rye. Schwartz's sandwiches are small compared to some delis, but the price is low enough to order two. Top your meal off with a grilled liver appetizer, French fries, a kosher dill pickle and a cherry cola. In addition to the aforementioned smoked beef, the deli also has smoked turkey, grilled steaks and traditional potato latkes. Whether you share a table with strangers or go elbow-to-elbow at the counter, you can expect a long line at lunch and during the busy summer months. No-nonsense service staff, many of whom are long-time employees, abruptly take your order and deliver your food promptly. But regardless of whether you dine in or take out, remember to bring cash--credit cards are not accepted. The diner is on "the Main," the trendy St-Laurent Boulevard strip known for its nightlife, funky shops, interesting passersby and an abundance of popular ethnic restaurants.
On Île Notre-Dame (Notre Dame Island) in the St. Lawrence River, the luxurious Nuances is in the Montreal Casino, which occupies the former French pavilion from the Expo '67 world fair. Just as Expo '67 put Montréal on the map of world-class cities, the upscale casual atmosphere at Nuances has helped to solidify the city's reputation for world-class cuisine. Spectacular skyline views add to the ambience, and the formal dining experience is enhanced by the restaurant's fine collection of paintings on its wood-paneled walls and the staff's exceptionally knowledgeable service. Offered here is a varied menu--noticeably French but surprisingly contemporary and adventurous--with an abundant use of quality regional produce. In fact, the chef maintains a rooftop garden to ensure a ready supply of fresh herbs and edible flowers that complement each presentation. Food can be ordered à la carte or as a gourmet multicourse table d'hôte selection.
|
|
