Canadians are being encouraged this year by the Federal Government to travel in Canada, promoting domestic travel rather than to the USA and other foreign destinations. Last month, they launched a Canada Strong Pass initiative offering deals on national parks, museums, and other attractions & experiences across Canada. Exploring your own country is a great idea – especially if it includes finding interesting food & wine discoveries.
Your scribe was in Montreal last week and was impressed with many food items and restaurant menus. Quebec key specialities of POUTINE (French fries, cheese curds, and hot gravy) at LA BANQUISE and others & Smoked Meat (long line-ups still at SCHWARTZ’S Deli since 1928 on the major north-south street of Saint-Laurent – called “The Main) were no longer a focus for me this trip. Still excited about their many quality creme glacee ice cream shops including ICONOGLACE, KEM COBA, UNICONE, and a must in Old Montreal of Mlle CATHERINE. Excellent pizza led by recent award winner PIZZERIA NAPOLITAINE #900 at several locations should be checked out for an authentic Margherita. The food markets are interesting and purchased some clean paler morel mushrooms ($16/100grams) coming from the Yukon from Les Jardins Sauvages. Admired the bakery talents of AUTOMNE with top baguettes, batard, and 7 grain using all their own flours. However my favourite is still those outstanding fresh Montreal bagels. Big long time fan of ST.-VIATEUR Bagel Factory (since 1957) and their classic style. This trip bought hot fresh sesame bagels from them and the highly rated FAIRMOUNT Bagel (since 1919) for a blind tasting comparison. Both are outstanding but different with St-Viateur toasty and more chewy while Fairmount seemed slightly sweeter and softer. Fun experience.
Lots of top restaurants to enjoy. The two best for us were – MONARQUE BRASSERIE starting with Grilled Octopus fattoush salad, labneh, dukkha, and chermoula ($26) followed by Duck Confit fingerling potato, duck jus ($36), and Roasted half Cornish hen morels, asparagus, sauce poulette au Vin Jaune ($36). Smart by the glass program with value found for forwardly white 2023 Alvarinho Soalheiro Granit Vinho Verde Portugal ($16) & well paired red pinot noir 2023 Bourgogne Côte D’Or Domaine François Buffet ($19).
MASTARD One of only three Michelin Award winners this May – all one rosette – with Jerome Ferrer -Europea, and Sabayon. Five outstanding courses ($90) locally sourced ingredients, and cooked to perfection. Wine pairings offered and food allergies & intolerances are taken into account. See the fantastic menu attached. Liked how they printed out the names of their whole team contributing to the memorable meal, including our attentive server Benjamin Houde. A worthy better than one-star execution. Highly recommended.
Also checked out the enticing menu of June 28 attached for the consistently highly rated RESTAURANT MON LAPIN at which it is rather hard to get a reservation.
As a wine aficionado, something I support are BYOB restaurants, and Montreal has lots of these. We tried three on this trip and were delighted with all of them. Highly recommend:
LE P’TIT PLATEAU: Aubergine Confite et Ses Herbes ($15) & Fondant Souris d’Agneau Romarin et Amandes Grillées (15 hour “melting” lamb shank) for $40.
LES MÔMES: Three course $80 with exquisite Tarte tatin tomate cerise/Glace Burrata/Pesto pistache; Flétan vapeur & Carre de porc Iberique/ Fraise du Québec & Chocolat/Noisette/Cardamome verte.
OTHYM: Beautiful blue flower fresh pea, onion, and wild mushroom tartelette ($21) & Canard Goulu compressed leg and breast ($30) Great local suppliers used.
Perhaps should have brought BC wines but instead three classified Pauillac from 2003 paired well with vying for best of the vintage Duhart Milon over dependable balanced d’Armailhac and usual top favourite property Grand Puy Lacoste solid as well but not singing as elegantly in the hot vintage conditions.
Really like the amazing value lunches at MILOS and wrote up here previously our extraordinary experiences in Las Vegas & Hudson Yards in New York. Estiatorio Milos Greek restaurant the original one was opened by Milos in 1979 on Parc Avenue in the Mile End neighbourhood of Montreal. It is still popular and going strong with the quality lunch $49 serving three brilliant perfect courses. Tender grilled octopus with fava bean sauce, Sea bream grilled with broccoli, and moist walnut cake with vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. Visited twice on this trip. So very highly recommended! As is a culinary visit to Montreal.
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