1251 Gilford St. (corner Brébeuf), 514-658-1839. Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. No wheelchair access. Reservations are essential. Major cards. Not especially vegetarian friendly. Parking easy on surrounding streets. Price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Apr 09, 2010
A service station at Le Quartier Général
Am I ever excited about this week’s restaurant, and if there’s one thing this column needs lately, it’s something to get excited about. After a barrage of lackluster restaurants to review in 2010, I’m happy – no, make that thrilled – to report on a solid newcomer. And on top of that, it’s a bring-your-own-wine establishment. Take note, restaurant-goers, this column’s worth saving.
4115 St. Denis St. (near Duluth Ave.) 514-903-5089. www.restaurantlescavistes.com. Major cards. No wheelchair access. Parking difficult on street; try the paying lot on the corner of Roy and Rivard Sts.
Reservations are essential. Price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Jan 30, 2010
Street view of Les Cavistes
It was quite the “deer in the headlights” moment when I was dropped off in front of Les Cavistes. Located on St. Denis St. between Rachel St. and Duluth Ave., the restaurant looked so appealing from the outside that I understood why it took two tries to nab a reservation.
1083 Beaver Hall Hill; 514-861-2634; www.andiamo.ca; no wheelchair access; reservations are essential; vegetarian friendly; major cards; price range:$$-$$$.
Mussels with chorizo sausage, tomatoes and white wine
Lunch is a beat I rarely cover in this column, and for that I apologize. The reason is that most restaurants serve a cheaper, abbreviated menu at lunch and, as most chefs work nights, it's often the B team doing the cooking. And then there's the time thing. Catering to the harried business crowd, many restaurants aim to serve lunch in less than an hour. At night, dinner is a leisurely affair, which for me is essential for enjoying a luxurious meal. Yet there are now so many excellent restaurants doing lunch that I've decided to investigate, starting with the 4-month-old Andiamo.
160 Laurier Ave. W. (corner Jeanne Mance St.); 514-495-7666; www.greasyspoon.ca; major cards; no wheelchair access; parking on the street with meters; vegetarian friendly; reservations are essential; price range: $$-$$$.
Greasy Spoon's poutine
It boggles the mind to see how many new sources there are for Montreal restaurant reviews on the Internet. Besides newspapers, you'll find message boards, blogs, sites dedicated solely to restaurants, Twitterers, Facebook pages and so much more. I recently had dinner with a fellow newspaper critic who told me he rarely reads other people's reviews.
I do. Well, the good ones at least, where I can actually tie a real name to some wise thoughts. What I find fascinating about this chorus of critics is that it tends to sing very different notes when it comes to most restaurants, even the biggies. Yet most everyone seems to be in agreement over one new restaurant: Greasy Spoon. If there is one positive review to be read about the place, please point it out to me.
So allow me to be the first, then, or at least one of the first, to say I like Greasy Spoon
6422 St. Laurent Blvd. (corner Beaubien St.); 514-276-0444; www.apolloglobe.com; wheelchair access; reservations recommended; major cards; vegetarian friendly; parking easy on surrounding streets; price range: $$-$$$.
Seafood Salad at Apollo Bistro
There is no Montreal chef I find harder to review than Giovanni Apollo. This is the fourth time I'm writing-up one of his restaurants, and I'm just as puzzled after this meal as I've been in the past.
The first review came in 2001, after I dined at Tentation, a restaurant with excellent if somewhat fussy food, located in a dreary space unworthy of its glitzy occupant. The next was for The Lychee Supper Club, where the surroundings were impressive, but the fussiness of the food veered out of control. Think bison tataki with sautéed Thai vegetables and grilled shiitake mushrooms. Get the picture?
9030 L’Acadie Blvd. (corner de Beauharnois St.); 514-850-0000; www.restaurantellada.com. All major cards and Interac; wheelchair access; parking lot on site;
vegetarian friendly; reservations are essential on weekends; price range: $$$.
Published on Apr 28, 2009
Whenever I yearn for something seriously scrumptious, Greek food tops my list. And I’ve noticed that even my most-reluctant dining companions are always up for a night of fine dining at our local estiatorio. Even my husband, the most unenthusiastic diner on the planet, never says “oxi” to Greek nibblies. Problem is, halfway through his first plate of calamari, he starts to regale me with stories about his great trip to Greece when he was 19 with his ex-girlfriend. Not my idea of romantic dinner conversation. Anyhow, there’s no denying the draw of good Greek grub, and as I’m not on the grub beat, I’m happy to get more than my share of excellent Greek cuisine prepared in the finest of restaurants.
609 St. Denis St. (near Cherrier St.); 514-544-5038; www.lafabriquebistrot.com; no wheelchair access; reservations are essential; vegetarian-friendly; major cards; price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Mar 14, 2009
Salmon plate at brunch
The opening of a restaurant is always cause for celebration. There’s nothing like a new player on Montreal’s food scene to whip foodies into a frenzy, and the bigger the chef name behind it, the better.
I can’t deny, however, I was a bit apprehensive when I heard Laurent Godbout, chef-owner of the restaurants Chez L’épicier, Version Laurent Godbout and Le Duel, was set to open a bistro. I have been hot and cold on his establishments: hot on the three-star Le Duel, cold on the two-star Chez L’épicier and, I guess, warm on Version, which I rated 21⁄2 stars
96 Fleury St. W. (near St. Urbain St.); 514-504-7700; www.lesturbain.com; wheelchair access: two steps at the door; reservations are essential; vegetarian-friendly; major cards and Interac; Price range: $$-$$$
Published on Mar 06, 2009
The lunch scene at Le St-Urbain
There is nothing more exhilarating for a restaurant reviewer than entering a new restaurant that's packed to the rafters with diners forking up fabulous food, even more so if it's outside the usual fine-dining circuit. That's just what happened to me when I entered Ahuntsic's latest - or make that only - hot dining destination, Fleury St.'s Le St-Urbain.
4448 St. Laurent Blvd. (near Mount Royal Ave.); 514-287-0287; www.macaronibar.ca; no wheelchair access (but yes in summer on the terrasse); vegetarian-friendly; reservations are essential; Price range: $$-$$$
Published on Mar 03, 2009
Photo ALLEN MCINNIS/ THE GAZETTE
Pork-belly lollipops
Is it just me, or is everyone in this city depressed this month? What with this crazy weather, the grim-reaper economy, that wonky octuplets mother, and the endless furrow-browed posturing of Duceppe and Marois, I just want to crawl into bed and pull over the duvet. If things keep up at this grim pace, this column will feature cocktail lounge reviews, anti-depressant recommendations, and recipes for magic-mushroom risotto garnished with St. John's wort. Thank heavens I don't take commuter trains!
Some claim mild depression can be alleviated simply by taking a bath, washing your hair, putting on a new outfit or heading out for some exercise. A brisk walk is indeed ideal (that is, unless you slip on the ice and fracture your tibia), but if you really need cheering up, I suggest you leap into walking shoes, car, taxi or bus and head straight to The Main, or, more specifically, the new supper club/restaurant Macaroni Bar.
1812 Ste.Catherine St. W. (St. Mathieu St.); 514-937-4898; Open: Mon.-Fri. noon to. 3p.m.; Mon. to Sat. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; wheelchair access; Price range: $$-$$$
Published on Feb 12, 2009
Photo John Mahoney, The Gazette
Cod Brandade and Goat's Cheese Salad
How sad it was just this last September to learn of the closing of Le Paris, the popular downtown bistro that had thrived for more than half a century, delivering warm service and old-school French fare. Regulars, and there were plenty of 'em, would surely miss the plasticized menus, the worn burgundy tablecloths and especially the no-frills cuisine bourgeoise. It's always grim when a good restaurant closes, but even more so when it's one of the granddaddies. We all shed an inner tear at the loss of this one.
But then in November came some good news. Le Paris was to be taken over by Frédéric Pagget, the longtime chef of the restaurant, and his business partner Frank Laroche, former chef of that other downtown bistro fave, Le Caveau. So with a new coat of paint, an extra chef and a few less dusty theatre posters, Le Paris was back up and running before Christmas. I was more than eager to revisit this Montreal institution.
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