Montreal Round 3: La Vie est Belle

Prepare yourself guys, this is a long one. It’s a bit outdated (from summer 2017) but I haven’t had the time to put everything together till now. Montreal for some summer chilling. Humidity was unreal. Bixi ‘errday. Let’s goooooo.

Bixi
GaNaDaRa
Ca Lem
La Maison de Mademoiselle Dumpling
Drogheria Fine
Kem CoBa
Siboire
Darling
Ma Poule Mouillée
Au Kouign-Amann
Pho Tay Ho
Pizzeria Gema
Montreal Chinese Crepes & Dumplings
Crew Collective & Café
Le Mondial De La Biere
Restaurant Beijing
Portovino
Otto Yakitori Izakaya
Dalla Rose
La Diperie
Folk Fest sur le Canal
Nudo
Les Francofolies de Montréal
Kazu
Fade2Brooklyn
Grenade
Agrikol
Le Red Tiger
Arthurs Nosh Bar
September Surf Café
Adamo
Patrice Pâtissier
Café Cantina
Pandan Crèmerie
Noren
Hof Kelsten
Crème Glacée Bo-Bec
Finocchio
1001 Fondues
Chocolats Favoris
Thali Cuisine Indienne
Augusto Al Gusto
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
Nouilles de Lan Zhou
Place Emilie-Gamelin
Cuisine Bangkok
Village au Pied-du-Courant
Libertine Bakehouse
Rustique
Dinette Triple Crown
Alexandraplatz
Le Ballpark
Délice Oriental
Nos Thés
Snowdon Deli
Montreal Jazz Festival
The Dumpling Hut
Seoul Chako
Sen Vang
DoughNats
MELK Bar à Café
Moksha Yoga NDG
Gia Ba
Estiatorio Yia Sou!
Ichifuku
Fairmount Bagel
Arepera
Maison du Nord
Imadake
Street Art

Bixi

You know there’s always going to be Bixi involved when I’m in town.

Bike lanes.

Bixi
http://bixi.com/
5945 avenue de Gaspé
Montreal, QC
(514) 789-2494 or (877) 820-2453
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GaNaDaRa

Tried to go GaNaDaRa on my last trip but they were closed for holidays (December 23 – January 2). There’s no sign out front but look for the lineup that normally queues. Think Kazu but Korean style line.

I’ve shockingly never been even though I used to live sooooo close. Changed that and went with M on an early Monday for dinner. We over ordered but everything we had was fantastic!

The selection is pretty big; appetizers, kimbap, katsu, jjigae, tobboki, raymun, bibimbap and dupbap.

See the rest of the options here (1, 2, 3 and 4).

Banchan
They only give you one but it’s legit. A mix of onion, carrot and kimchi with the best tasting sauce. The kimchi was less marinated, more raw which I loved. Perfect heat too.

Milkis ($3.00)
Reminded me of a hybrid between pop and a non-alcoholic version of a vodka soda. Different but good.

Kimchi jjigae with pork belly ($11.00)
Satisfying tofu pieces with deliciously marinated pork belly and vegetables. Soup was flavourful and spicy.

Bulgogi raymun ($9.00)
Simple but well executed and homey.

Dak kimbap ($4.00)
You can tell their kimbap is freshly made. A small order (6 pieces) is the perfect amount.

Seafood pajeon ($8.00)
Looks different than your normal style pajeons. It was light, fluffy and packed with seafood.

Awesome spot! Happily would come back again.

GaNaDaRa
https://ganadara.ca
1862 Boulevard de Maisonneuve
Montréal, QC
(514) 933-2288

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Ca Lem

Cute ice cream/sorbet spot in NDG. We came on a Monday evening and there was no line! Just a continuous stream of people coming in and out; mainly kids/families.

Hours.

Scoops are cheap! $2.65 for one scoop and $4.78 for two.

Watermelon is easily the most popular item here but they have some unique Asian flavours (durian banana, taro, strawberry lychee, HK milk tea and Vietnamese coffee).

Cute decor with sticky notes.

And your Instagram backdrop. Cue eye roll.

Strawberry sorbet ($4.20)
Mild strawberry flavour but was very light and refreshing.

Watermelon soft serve ($4.20)
M got this and it melted fast. She gave it two thumbs waaaay up.

To me, not as satisfying as the other ice cream spots in town but still worth a visit.

Ca Lem
http://calemmontreal.ca
6926 Rue Sherbrooke O
Montréal, QC

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La Maison de Mademoiselle Dumpling

We were looking to eat a light, late Tuesday lunch after running some errands. My aunt suggested dumplings and this place popped up so we decided to give them a try.

Hours.

It’s a small hole in the wall with two workers out front making dumplings fresh. Always impressed how fast and efficient they are.

Cute that they have a couple tables outside on the sidewalk to sit at.

Found out they’re originally from Harbin (north east China) which is why they have some northern Chinese dishes on their menu. Similar but different.

This was their lunch special menu.

Dumpling style Szechuan ($7.00 for 8)
The peanut sauce was slathered on a bit too much for our liking but there was a nice heat level and the dumplings were tasty.

Salade de nouilles fraiches (D14) ($9.50)
Cold noodles but not what I’m normally accustomed to. Much thinner and comes with peanut sauce and some thinly sliced vegetables. Heat level was nicely subtle.

Poulet (D4) ($9.90 for 12)
Chicken and coriander dumplings. You can opt for pan fried ($2.00 extra) or boiled; we chose the latter. Steep to be charging $2.00 just to get your dumplings fried.

We agreed the wrapper was nicely done but the meat inside was minced too finely.

Pretty decent and cheap but this dumpling spot isn’t screaming at me to come back.

La Maison de Mademoiselle Dumpling
https://www.facebook.com/La-Maison-De-Mademoiselle-Dumpling/
6381 Rue Saint-Hubert
Montréal, QC
(438) 800-6666

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Drogheria Fine

I remember walking by this place years ago and can’t seem to recall them serving food from my memory bank. Seems like it was a smart move as they have a second location in Little Italy doing similar things.

Their hours change (all it says is that’s it been “extended” for the summer on their Facebook page) so double check before you go.

We dropped by on a Tuesday evening. Just queue in line (if there’s one) and you’ll have your gnocchi in no time.

Gnocchi ($5.00)
There’s a large option ($8.00) but this was more than enough to share between two. You can add Parmesan and chili flakes; we added a small spoonful of parm. Honestly, you can’t go wrong for five bucks. Simple and homey. Just don’t expect too much and it’s fine.

Drogheria Fine
https://www.facebook.com/lasalsadellanonna/
68 Fairmount Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 588-7477

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Kem CoBa

Kem CoBa never disappoints. Always make sure to come here every time I’m back in town. Their homemade soft serve is the best!

I’m still surprised that they only open till 8:00pm everyday.

Sign outside always tells you the special soft serve.

Even if there’s a line, it moves fast. Second time I went, there was a line to the corner (but only took about 15 minutes).

Trip #2 had a new flavour combo.

The menu; ice cream, sorbet and soft serve.

The flavours are unique but I can never say no to whatever the soft serve flavour is!

La Florida ($4.57)
Coconut and orange sorbet soft serve. Best soft serve! Love how they always change the flavours to keep things fresh.

Strawberry and blackberry ($4.17 green cup)
Cbear went with strawberry and blackberry in a cup. Looked really refreshing and fruity.

La New Yorkaise ($4.57)
Raspberry lychee and rose water. Unbelievably good. The two flavours were a perfect match.

Probably my favourite place in the city for ice cream.

Kem CoBa
https://kemcoba.com
60 Avenue Fairmount O
Montréal, QC
(514) 419-1699

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Siboire

I’m always down to try new places and Siboire is one of the newest! We came around 8:00pm on a Tuesday evening and were able to grab a table in the corner near one of the open windows.

The inside is quite spacious but it was packed given it was a weekday.

Their decor is interesting; I looked up and spotted part of a Bixi frame being used to hold up some light fixtures.

Couldn’t figure out if their logo is a partial B or a little b (or an upside down inverted R according to Cbear). Definitely not the last one haha.

Their hours are impressive! If they actually stay open till 3:00am everyday, props. Gotta love Montreal!

Two beer prices (cup is $4.78 and pint is $6.52). They had beer flights ($11.52 for 6 four ounce samples) on the menu but it wasn’t available yet when we went. Boo.

See the rest of menu here (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). They have a couple standard flavours and then 2 new/rotating ones.

Trip d’automne III and Brett a Brett
Triple Belgium beer (left) while the Brett a Brett (right) was a bit floral and lighter compared to CBear’s trip d’automne.

Ingénieuse and BleuAle
Irish red ale (left) while the BlueAle (right) was supposed to be a “sour” beer. My taste buds didn’t detect the slightest bit of sourness. They added a few real blueberries in my pint, which was a nice touch.

Overall, I wasn’t too dazzled by the beers themselves. I’d expect more flavour/depth from a microbrewery but these left me wanting more. Didn’t have that cozy Montreal bar charm either.

Siboire
http://siboire.ca/
5101 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal, QC
(514) 379-3633

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Darling

Came here for a nightcap after having a few drinks at another bar in the area. Cbear has always been curious about Darling but never been so we stopped in for a drink.

Sign out front. It’s a cafe during the day.

The outside terrasse was packed but inside had plenty of space. We grabbed a table near the front and proceeded to check out the cool surroundings.

Definitely take a walk around before you leave. The decor is very eclectic and stimulates the senses.

We wanted to try the ciders that they have on tap (there’s 7) but two that we picked were out. Prices on the menu already include the taxes.

Cidrerie Milton Api-hop (#23) ($7.00) and Cidrerie Milton Rubinette (#24) ($7.00)
The api-hop was the better of the two. The “driest” according to our waiter but it didn’t taste dry at all. I’d get this. The rubinette tasted like apple juice. Medium sweetness.

Would like to come back during the day to see what it’s like compared to at night. Cool, chill spot to have a few drinks.

Darling
https://www.facebook.com/BarCafeDarling/
4328 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal, QC
(514) 379-1233

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Ma Poule Mouillée

After a couple hours of tennis, we needed some food to refuel so I suggested we head over to MPM for a Wednesday lunch. Lucky, there was a short line so we didn’t have to wait too long to grab our order and headed over to Parc Lafontaine to enjoy the sunshine.

I always like trying new things when I go back to old places.

Their menu du jour is where it’s at! They had two options (calamari and mixed combo); we went with the latter.

Combo mite ($13.00)
Such a good deal. You get a salad, fries and meat wise; chicken (two thighs and a drumstick), pork chops and sausage.

I have no idea how you can finish this alone but it’s perfect to share for two.

Pork chops were incredibly tender, sausage had a nice bit of heat to them and the chicken was moist. Get it piquant (spicy!).

4x Natas ($1.50 each)
Still as good and creamy as last time. Totally hit the spot.

Impressed again with MPM. Will be back again to satisfy my Portuguese cravings.

Ma Poule Mouillée
http://mapoulemouillee.ca
969 Rachel Street Est
Montréal, QC
(514) 522-5175

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Au Kouign-Amann

Au Kouign-Amann has been on my list for ages. I’m kicking myself that it took me so long to try. I finally gave it a try in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon and it was fantastic.

Hours are pretty good for a bakery.

The amount of people that came in and out of the shop was mind boggling.

Fresh croissants behind the counter.

The amount of times people asked what the kouign amann was to one of the workers was mind blowing. I wonder how often they get asked that…I’m surprised they don’t put a few signs up to prevent that.

The menu. Couple options beyond their kouign amann.

Kouign amann ($1.75)
Unbelievable. This is their specialty/bread winner and now I know why. It’s bread dough made with butter and sugar.

Layers of buttery goodness; it’s crispy, sweet and creamy.

Almond croissant ($2.75)
Came back for a second trip. Buttery, flaky and nice sweetness.

Get it. That’s all you need to know. Cash only! Wish they would round their prices so that it would be an even figure.

Au Kouign-Amann
https://www.facebook.com/Au-Kouign-Amann/
316 Avenue du Mont-Royal E
Montréal, QC
(514) 845-8813

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Pho Tay Ho

Oddly enough, I’ve never ate Vietnamese food in Montreal. I’ve been meaning to give Pho Tay Ho a try so I met up with E on an early Wednesday evening and we were able to snag a seat on the terrasse right out front.

Service is spotty; once we ordered and got our food, they never came back.

See the rest of the menu here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). I like that they have a sheet for you to mark your order.

Keep it because you’ll need it to pay after. Note: you can pay with debit.

Bo tai chant (#3) ($10.00)
Interestingly, this rare beef salad comes with shrimp chips.

Not the best that I’ve had; I would have liked a little more acidity and brightness to it.

Pho ga, long ga, tai (#15) ($10.00 large)
Mix of gizzard, liver, heart of chicken and rare beef. Rarely order chicken pho but the broth was very clean tasting and lemongrass was at the forefront.

Pho tom voi rau (#20) ($10.00 large)
Shrimp and vegetables. Broth was a little more sweeter but the shrimp was tasty (you only get four though).

Cheap, tasty and filling; can’t really ask for anything more.

Pho Tay Ho
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Pho-Tay-Ho/
6414 Rue Saint-Denis
Montréal, QC
(514) 273-5627

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Pizzeria Gema

We were debating whether to come here for dinner but the pizzas here are pretty pricey so we opted to drop by for dessert instead.

Hours.

They have a cute little takeout window if you don’t want to sit inside the restaurant. We queued up (no line) and ordered a frozen custard.

The menu is simple; pizzas and frozen custard.

Pistachio custard ($6.50) with melted chocolate ($1.50 extra)
There were three flavours to choose from (vanilla, pistachio and twist). The custard was very creamy, smooth and went down easy. They dipped the chocolate a la Dairy Queen style which was awesome (apparently, they use 70% dark chocolate) but for the price, the portion size is tinny.

Worth a try but I found it overpriced for what you get (it was $9.02 after taxes). Maybe order plain with no toppings, which would make it much more reasonable.

Pizzeria Gema
http://pizzeriagema.com
6827 Rue Saint-Dominique
Montréal, QC
(514) 419-4448

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Montreal Chinese Crepes & Dumplings

Decided to check out the newest Chinese crepe/dumpling place in town. The people coming in were hilarious to listen to; they clearly don’t know much, if anything, about Chinese street food.

Hours.

The name is incredibly generic and the storefront is essentially hidden. It’s located right beside a flower shop. I walked over for a late snack on a Thursday afternoon.

Outside menu.

Inside menu; jiao zi (dumplings) and jian bing duo (Chinese crepes).

There’s also some breakfast, lunch and side options.

The place is small but they have a couple of seats if you stay to eat.

Most people were grabbing takeout. Found out the owner is originally from Dalian (northern China). She’s very interactive and friendly with all the customers. Seems she already has quite a few regulars.

Traditional joan bing guo ($4.99)
I’ve only seen this at one other spot in town. This one is made fresh.

Crispy with an addictive soy bean paste sauce and filled with lettuce and fried wonton strips.

Sweet & spicy beef dumplings ($3.99)
They don’t normally do half orders but I got lucky and she let me try out their jiao zi.

Homemade, you normally get 16 in one order. Slight sweetness from the sauce and a tad bit of spice in the filling. Half order was perfect solo.

Always happy when places specialize on doing one or two things well. Great that street food is getting some hype! Debit or cash only.

Montreal Chinese Crepes & Dumplings
http://www.montrealcrepes.com
37 Avenue Westminster N
Montréal, QC
(514) 312-7284

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Crew Collective & Café

Signs for their drinks. Affogato sounds good.

Membership options. Would be a sweet place to have your office.

Crew Collective & Café
https://crewcollectivecafe.com
360 Rue Saint-Jacques
Montréal, QC

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Le Mondial De La Biere

I’ve only been to Montreal’s Beer Festival once before but a lot has changed since then. It’s now at the Palais des Congres building. Much more spacious and they even have an outdoor area! Lots of food booths (although oddly you have to pay by cash) and a million types of beer to try.

Entry is free (legit!) and tickets cost $1.00 each. You have to buy their RFID card ($3.00) but it’s a good system. All electronic so you won’t have a chance to lose any tickets once you’ve started drinking. Bring along an old beer fest mug, otherwise you’ll have to buy one ($15.00 with one of their ticket package options).

Le Mondial De La Biere
http://festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca/
1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montréal, QC
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Restaurant Beijing

We were craving some late night eats after a night out at Beer Festival. Perfect how Chinatown is around the corner. There were three restaurant still open on a late Thursday evening but we settled on Beijing. I’ve been at least once or twice back in the day.

Outside menu.

Menu is typical Chinese style with 225 options. See the menu here (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

There’s also some specials plastered along the walls in English, French and Chinese.

Service is fast and our food followed quickly.

Beef chow ho (#196) ($10.95)
A staple but you can never go wrong ordering it. Satisfying.

Sweet & sour chicken with ginger (#142) ($13.95)
More sweet than sour, this is pretty much Chinese Canadian style. Average.

Shrimp fried rice (#168) ($9.95)
Good wok hay.

Don’t expect anything special but it’s perfect for late night eats. Open till 3:00am!

Restaurant Beijing
http://www.restaurantbeijing.net
92 Rue De La Gauchetière Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 861-2003

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Portovino

Finally got to try one my aunt and grandma’s favourite places in the city. They come here often for the lunch deal (only valid weekdays from 11:00am to 3:00pm).

You get a soup or salad, entree, mini dessert and coffee/tea (from $11.00 to 26.00 – it depends on what entree you opt for).

Hours.

The inside is massive and pretty elegant. Lots of booth seats and you can even see into the open styled kitchen. Our waiter was pretty good except he disappeared at one point when we were ready to wrap things up and pay.

They have dessert on display up front when you first walk in.

The main menu is split into pasta, mussels & fries, pizza and calzones, specialties, salads and appetizers.

You can see the menu here (1, 2, 3 and 4). This was the daily lunch table d’hôte.

Bread and olive oil/balsamic vinaigrette
Nice that the bread is slightly warm.

Minestrone soup

Chicken soup

Arugula salad

Margarita ($13.00)
You get cheese, tomato and basil. The dough isn’t what you normally expect which made the crust a bit lacklustre.

Portovino mussels ($13.00)
Creamy but couldn’t taste any dill that’s supposed to be in the mussel sauce. Mussels were decent.

Comes with a side of fries and a fine herb mayonnaise. That was tasty but the fries sucked. Soggy and limp.

Linguine alla carbonara ($15.00)
This was my favourite of the three. Pancetta wasn’t too salty and the carbonara was creamy but not crazy rich. Loved it.

Creme brûlée
Very smooth and the dollop of mango sauce was delightful.

Closeup of the creme brûlée. Perfect lunch size.

Fresh fruit
Skip this. Generic grape, pineapple, honey dew and tiniest strawberries. Should have tried the cannoli instead.

The price is right. Great lunch deal!

Portovino
http://www.portovino.ca
5475 Rue Des Jockeys
Montréal, QC
(514) 341-4681

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Otto Yakitori Izakaya

I walked by Otto Yakitori Izakaya while we were in the ‘hood. It peaked my interest so I did a little research before deciding to check them out for Friday night dinner.

Hours are sick! Open till 1:00am most days and 2:00am Friday and Saturday.

Signs out front.

We were able to grab a table without reservations although the place was bumping. Service is friendly and super efficient; just like it is in Vancouver.

The menu is mainly grilled skewers (it is a yakitori after all) but there’s also some fried, hot steamed and finisher items.

See the rest of the main menu here (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). They also had a special menu.

Drink menu was mainly sake and cocktails but there were beers, wine, soju and whisky (see 1 and 2).

Otto chicken set ($16.00 for 8 skewers)
You get chicken meat balls, thigh, heart, skin and wing. An assortment to sample and perfect way to share. You can really taste the wood charcoal they use to grill their skewers.

Otto veggie set (12.00 for 6 skewers)
You get tomatoes, brussels sprouts, mushroom, lotus and zucchini.

Whatever the side dip is called is soooo good. Awesome zip to it.

Geso furai ($5.00)
Squid tentacles were crispy and nicely seasoned with a hint of heat.

Buta burger ($6.00)
This was surprisingly good. The bun was incredibly fluffy with a great sauce and tasty pork belly.

Otto curry rice ($7.00)
Chicken curry. Nice to have some carbs with our meal.

Sot-l’y-laisse kushi ($3.50)
Off their special menu. Chicken oyster wrapped in chicken skin. This was M’s favourite.

Cool spot with great food and reasonable priced drinks. Should have tried their homemade ice cream! Open late and gotta say, I love this area. Chinatown 2 just keeps getting better and better.

Otto Yakitori Izakaya
https://www.facebook.com/ottoyakitori/
1441 Rue Saint-Mathieu
Montréal, QC
(514) 507-8886

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Dalla Rose

Tried out a new ice cream spot in St. Henri. Dalla Rose has some unique homemade ice cream and vegan options.

We came after dinner on a Friday night and lucked out with no line.

The list of flavours is up on their window but it’s a bit hard to see.

Price is very reasonable ($3.00 single, $4.35 double and $6.00 triple) and you can get it in a cone, bowl or cookie sandwich.

The tape of cookies you can choose from to make your cookie sandwich.

Pints to take home.

There were about 9 different flavours but they change all the time (cookie dough, chocolate, salted caramel, corn, 49th Parallel Coffee “epic roast”, roasted pistachio, coco kafir lime and lemongrass, coco matcha and coco cacao).

Closeup of the flavours.

They had a Quebec strawberry, which was available the second time I dropped by. We tried a couple samples. Super good; the ice cream has a creamy texture and quality ingredients used.

This poster. Who doesn’t love Kanye? 😉

Corn and coconut matcha ($4.35 double)
Corn was UNREAL. Get it.

Salted caramel and roasted pistachio ($4.35 double)
Roasted pistachio was also delicious.

Quebec strawberry ($3.00 single)
Good but I was expecting it to be bursting with strawberry flavour. A little too subdued.

Look out for ramen in October! It’ll be offered an alternative during the off season. Debit or cash only.

Dalla Rose
http://www.dallarose.ca
4609 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 846-1555

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La Diperie

La Diperie’s are spreading like wild fire. I remember first hearing about them when they first came out in 2014. Fast forward three years later, there’s a planned total of 21 locations (2 even in Toronto)! Holy crap, that’s cray.

Menu in three easy steps.

They also have 9 options if you don’t want to customize your own.

Ingredients that are in their product.

Let the options begin!

Toppings galore.

Petit ($3.00) with cookies and cream choco dip ($1.00)
The dip is delicious! I get why people like it. Once that’s gone though, you’re left with plain old vanilla soft serve and a tasteless cone. Didn’t even eat mine.

Worth a try but La Diperie is not one I’m aching to come back to. Not when Dalla Rose is across the street offering similar prices!

La Diperie
http://www.ladiperie.com/
4600 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 379-1442

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Folk Fest sur le Canal

Montreal is the best. I’m surprised I’ve never heard of Folk Fest sur le Canal (aka. Montreal Folk Festival) previously but it’s magical. Very kid friendly with lots of families hanging out here.

They were celebrating their 10th year anniversary so they were asking for donations ($10.00) as entry fee. Otherwise, you can still get in for free. FREE! Only in Montreal.

They even had a silent auction going on. You could bid on concert tickets, music lessons, massages and restaurants!

Got to see some cool artists.

Sarah Harmer twice (solo and with her band).

Weather was perfect. Lots of vendors to eat, drink and buy things from.

They even had free water jugs to refill your water and sunscreen. Never seen that before.

Check it out! Super chill vibes.

Folk Fest sur le Canal
http://montrealfolkfest.com
3659 Rue Saint-Patrick
Montréal, QC
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Nudo

I’m always on the lookout for hand pulled noodles. At Nudo, they make them fresh; you can see the noodle guy pulling them right inside the kitchen.

Signs don’t lie right?

The service was better than normal. Waitresses were fast and constantly came back to fill up waters. I came on a Saturday evening and had no trouble getting a spot. The place is huge; think basement cafeteria, no frills style.

A few pictures of their noodle options just before you enter.

The menu is all about the noodles, noodles and more noodles.

This was the actual menu when I sat down.

Appetizers, side dishes (meat and vegetarian), noodles (soup and dry), rice and dumplings.

Woodear salad (#16) ($1.50)
These had a great chewy bite to them. Wish I could have tried a few more appetizers but it was just me.

Scallion pancake (#5) ($2.50)
Crispy and these would have been great but these were salty beyond belief. Tried to scrape some off but that didn’t help.

Braised beef shank (S-01) ($9.25)
Beef was incredibly tender and flavourful. The broth is supposedly spicy but I didn’t find that at all. Noodles were springy and had a satisfying bite to them. I also liked the scoop of pickled mustard they added on top.

Another solid cheap eat find in Chinatown. They even take credit card!

Nudo
https://www.facebook.com/NUDO/
1055 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal, QC
(514) 508-9636

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Les Francofolies de Montréal

Made a quick pit stop one evening to check out Les Francofolies de Montreal.

Think it was opening night and there was some gangsta French rap going on.

Les Francofolies de Montréal
http://www.francofolies.com/
Montréal, QC
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Kazu

Had to go back for their homemade soft serve. I might be the only person to go to Kazu and just order this hahaha. Sat at the bar, watched the chefs work their magic and savoured my dessert.

They’ve updated their menu since the last time I was here. Still has handwritten notes.

Dessert menu and drinks are separate.

Green tea homemade soft ice cream ($5.00)
Sooooo good.

Kazu
http://kazumontreal.com
1862 Rue Sainte-Catherine O
Montréal, QC
(514) 937-2333

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Fade2Brooklyn

Passed by this place randomly while Bixing and heard the sweet beats. It’s a small shop, slightly hidden (just south from the Halel Guys) but it was slammed on a Friday night so figured I would check it out a few days later.

Came back on a Monday afternoon and it was busy. They had three barbers working but I only had to wait about 10-15 minutes. Got a great fade, close to the way I usually get it back home. The barber that worked on me took his time and knew what was up.

Seriously wish this place existed when I lived here! It was painful finding a good barbershop back then. $20.00 for a cut including tax; bring cash.

Fade2Brooklyn
https://www.fade2brooklyn.ca
1454 Rue Mackay
Montréal, QC
(514) 903-2141
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Grenade

The terrasse is what hooked me. Terrasse + vines = you got me. Grenade looks a little ghetto from the outside but once you step inside, you’re in for a treat.

Cool how they have a separate entrance straight into the terrace area!

Outside menu. They were also advertising some Full Moon party.

We came on a Monday evening for drinks and some bites to eat. Lots of areas to sit at; we choose the last available high table, the rest had reserved cards on them. Funny enough, no one showed up.

Apparently, they have a “happy hour” (from their website) but the only thing on the menu that was on special was three crappy beers. Talk about false advertising.

Click here to see the rest of the menu (1, 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 ).

Lucky sangria ($10.00) and Lotus ($10.00)
Sangria was nice and summery. They added a few blueberries, oranges, limes and lemons. The lotus was quite ginny but this drink grew on Cbear. She ended up ordering a second one.

Edamame ($6.00)
Best bang for your buck. Soya sauce was well balanced and added a nice sweetness. There was also some grilled onions and shallots.

Chicken dumplings, Thai shrimp and calamari meatballs and beef satay ($27.00)
Ordered separately, its $9.75/dish so you save a wee bit ordering 3 or 5 sharing plates. Food was all surprisingly good.

Beef satay was very tender, meatballs were stuffed with seafood and dumplings crispy.

Definitely overpriced for what you get but that’s to be expected at an Asian fusion place.

It was a slow night so we decided to check out a couple other cool spots in the area.

Grenade
http://www.grenadebar.ca
1603 Rue Ontario E
Montréal, QC
(514) 525-4251

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Agrikol

I’ve been wanting to check out Agrikol since day one so this was pretty hyped up for me. We came after dinner for a few drinks. No idea how but Cbear thought this place was Hawaiian (instead of Haitian). Hilarious!

We came on a Monday evening to find the place packed. Sadly, their terrace wasn’t open that evening which was a slight bummer. FYI: their food menu is different inside versus outside.

Feels like you’re on a tropical island while you hang out here. We sat at the bar and got to watch the bartender sling drinks all night. She knows her shit. Seriously impressed.

Even got to see them crush raw sugar cane with their little machine.

The menu is broken into small and large plates.

Drink menu is mostly about the cocktails.

Ginger beer ($4.00) and Ponch oloffson ($13.00)
BEST ginger beer I’ve ever had. Smooth, balanced, I don’t even care that there was no alcohol in it. I could drink this all night. This was not on the menu so you might have to request it. Cbear’s thoroughly enjoyed her ponch oloffson (Barbancourt 3, maraschino, orange and lime) drink.

Mant ($12.00)
Havana 3, suze and ginger mint. Small but tasty.

Butter donuts ($8.00)
Came with a side of rhubarb sauce. It wasn’t on the menu. A bit more heavier and doughy but it grew on me after a few bites. Cbear devoured her’s.

Great drinks, good vibes and excellent service. Can’t wait to come back!

Agrikol
http://agrikol.ca
1844 Rue Amherst
Montréal, QC

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Le Red Tiger

Le Red Tiger has been on my list to try over the past year or two. Finally made it out on a Monday evening, our last stop of the night.

Hours.

Outside menu.

This little sign is the best. Keep it down, you hooligan.

The place is cool and hip. Pretty busy for a Monday, can only imagine how bumping it is on a weekend. We grabbed seats at the bar.

Love the sliding garage door; perfect for a summer’s night.

Music was great with mainly 80’s hits.

Beers on tap.

Menu has some excellent, hard to find Vietnamese dishes.

Wish I could had tried the sea snails, bo kho and egg fetus (never tried this before!). Super reasonable prices.

Me love you long time
Price depends on what type of alcohol you choose but it’s tequila or mezcal with watermelon, Thai basil, ginger syrup and lime juice. Wasn’t a strong drink. Bartender came back and asked how it was. Cbear didn’t like it; he ended up not charging us for the drink (we weren’t expecting that) but that a nice touch. Excellent service!

Chardonnay ($8.00)

Red tiger ($6.00)
Light, easy drinking beer. They have this beer all over Asia.

Bo la lot ($10.00)
Don’t see these very often. Mix of beef and pork wrapped in betel leaves. Tasty but a tad on the salty side of things.

Banh kot ($12.00)
Pork and shrimp mini crepes. They top it off with coconut milk (Cbear wasn’t a fan) but I thought they were delicious.

Add the lettuce and herbs then dip into the fish sauce.

Definitely would come back to try more of their food! Perfect for late night sharing.

Le Red Tiger
https://www.leredtiger.com
1201 Boulevard De Maisonneuve E
Montréal, QC

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Arthurs Nosh Bar

Arthurs Nosh Bar has been on my hit list since day one. I know weekends are insane lineups so I decided it would be smartest to go on a weekday. Yes, you can only get the brunch items on the weekends but c’est la vie. I’ll take no line every time.

Hours.

We came around 1:30pm on a Tuesday and were shocked to see how busy it was. The tables are squished together so prepare to get cozy with your neighbours.

The inside is very chic and we were big fans of the decor/layout. The outside terrace is also nice but they weren’t making use of the umbrellas so we opted to sit in.

There’s a couple menus up behind the counter. Sweets, drinks and candy.

The menus double as placemats (that’s a first for me). Everything on the menu sounded delicious.

Service was decent but we kept on having to ask for water. Their jugs are small; literally, pour two cups and it’s gone.

All dressed matzah soup ($8.00)
Couldn’t resist trying their matzah soup. This is quintessential Jewish fare. Chicken, noodles, carrots and dill. Deliciously homey. A bit pricey but I don’t have anyone to make this for me so…

Mc Arthur ($15.00)
Portion size is huge. Chicken schnitzel served on challah bread was super satisfying.

Schnitzel was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Latke smorgasbord ($15.00)
They weren’t kidding when they named it. Scrambled eggs (perfectly cooked), latke, salmon gravlax (caviar and smoked salmon), mini cucumber and tomato salad (fresh) and pressed challah roll. Everything was impressively delicious.

The hype is real and it’s totally worth the price tag. Good luck if you’re brunching!

Arthurs Nosh Bar
http://arthursmtl.com
4621 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 757-5190

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September Surf Café

Cool, hip café in Little Burgundy. It’s directly across the street from L’Gros Luxe and a few doors down from the Joe Beef empire.

Came here on a Tuesday afternoon. Busy but lots of space to snag a seat.

Don’t miss out on the backyard; complete with a hammock to chill in. Love it!

Even the outside seating (out front) is cool and comfy.

Inside is bright and open. Coffee is from Anchored Coffee (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia). They had coffee, summer drinks and a couple light food options.

Like how their prices already include the tax. Makes things so much easier.

Lots of merchandise available too.

They even make surf boards! Dope.

50/50 ($4.00)
Half lemonade, half tea. Refreshing and light. One of their four summer drinks available.

Great spot to chill.

September Surf Café
http://www.septembersurf.com
2471 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 934-5000

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Adamo

This section of Notre Dame has so many gems (Arthurs Nosh Bar, Dalla Rose, Rustique and Tuck Bar to name a few). Adamo is another to add to that list.

I walked by it originally when it was closed but the babyfoot table caught my eye!

They do full pizzas ($19.13) but are more known for their pizza by the slice. They also had calzones ($6.00 including tax).

Price of their pizzas by the slice.

Options included basilic, pepperoni, rapini/ricotta, mozzarella, ham/ricotta, sundried tomato/ricotta, spicy Hawaiian and capicollo.

Only one communal table to sit at but I liked the standing room ledges along both walls. There’s some chili flakes, parmesan cheese, chili oil and Sriracha sauce (not sure who uses that jar) if you need to spice up your slice.

They had some cool Italian family pictures/postcards up on display. Family first.

Basilic ($3.26)
This thing is massive. Thin NY style pizza. Great crunchy bite, good crust, sweet tangy tomato sauce. Simple but good.

One slice might not fill you up but it’s a good snack. Debit or cash only!

Adamo
http://adamopizza.com
4629 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(438) 386-1800

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Patrice Pâtissier

I’ve heard great things about Patrice Pâtissier so decided to check them out one afternoon but didn’t realize they close Monday and Tuesday. Came back the following day and they were well stocked with a pantry full of goodies.

The inside is modern with much more seating available than I expected.

Interesting that their bread is from Hof Kelsten. Tons of pastries and drinks (tea, coffee, juices) to choose from. I forgot to try the “vert” which was recommended by a food friend. Next time!

Closeup of a few pastries. That rhubarb tartelette looked pretty fantastic.

Kouign amann apricot ($3.75)
A bit of a twist on the original (they do have both types) but excellent in its own way.

Blueberry scone ($3.25)
Buttery, moist and delicate. My aunt wanted something less sweet and this fit the bill.

The pastries are fantastic here and worth the splurge. Definitely need to come back to try more things.

Patrice Pâtissier
http://patricepatissier.ca
2360 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 439-5434

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Café Cantina

Mo wanted to try something new and found this Mexican California style place located in Pointe St. Charles. Can’t say I’ve ever been out to this ‘hood for food before so this was a first for me.

Sign outside.

We came on a Wednesday evening for dinner. Plenty of room to sit and they have some cool artwork up on the walls.

The menu is pretty small and simple. Appetizers, soups, salads and main plates.

Margarita ($7.95)
Oddly, this isn’t listed on either menu but our waitress verbally told us their available drinks. Mo kept on adding salt into her margarita…

Guacamole ($7.25)
They brought out chips and salsa (I believe that’s complimentary). We wanted to their guac, which was the best thing we ordered, but incredibly overpriced.

A tiny bowl for $7.25? Brutal. The chips were really salty.

Sopa de pollo ($3.95)
We got the appetizer size. Broth was weak and lacked any real depth in flavour.

Enchilada ($13.95)
Chicken enchilada with green tomatillo sauce and melted cheese. Also came with rice, black beans and salad. Oddly, this was listed as $12.50 on their chalkboard menu. Again, dish was way too salty. Chicken was slightly dry and the amount of rice/beans you get is laughable. Salad was unmemorable but the beets were tasty in it.

We wanted to like this place but honestly, it was a disappointment. Probably the worst meal during my three week trip.

Café Cantina
https://www.facebook.com/cafecantina/
1880 Rue Centre
Montréal, QC
(514) 903-3511

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Pandan Crèmerie

Hand rolled ice cream is all the rage these days. I was a bit apprehensive coming to check out Pandan as my first experience with rolled ice cream was just so so.

Sign outside with all their flavours of the day.

We came here after dinner on a Wednesday evening. Just a few girls were in front of us so we didn’t have to wait too long. They had three workers manning the stations and it took about 5 minutes to make. The cream comes from Waterloo, QC – yeah, you read that right. Who knew there was a Quebec Waterloo? Bonus: no preservatives or synthetic additives are in their cream.

There were six flavours of the day available along with two vegan options and popsicles.

Strawberry hibiscus ($6.50)
Topped with shortbread cookies, the ice cream was creamy, smooth and fresh. The strawberry sauce drizzle was a nice touch.

Honestly, don’t know why you need to get your own cup. It’s the perfect amount if you share. Cash or debit only!

Pandan Crèmerie
http://www.pandancreamery.com
3504 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 616-6654

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Noren

Noren is a cute little hole in the wall that specializes in a couple of Japanese street food specialities.

I dropped by on a Thursday afternoon after checking beforehand what their weekly special was (regimen!).

Hours.

They also make takoyaki and okonomiyaki along with some desserts and drinks. It’s cool that they have a little old school gaming system in the corner.

Their decor is very minimalist.

Reimen ($10.00)
Cold ramen with ham, cucumber, eggs, shiitake mushrooms and tomato. Their ramen was refreshingly light and summery. Shiitake mushrooms were beautifully marinated and sprinkle of sesame seeds/oil was a nice touch.

I’m always willing to try new spots, especially places that specialize in only one or two things.

Noren
http://www.noren.co
77 Rue Rachel Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 397-1141

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Hof Kelsten

Hof Kelsten is another boulangerie that’s been on my hit list for ages.

Hours.

The inside is chic and they play some chill Indie pop music in the background. I messed up and came on a Thursday afternoon (thought it was Friday so that I could try their challah bread). FYI you can reserve ahead of time for their speciality breads.

They have bread, pastries, sandwiches and brunch (only on weekends). Lots of people came in to grab baguettes.

The menu is split into breads, pastries, sandwiches and brunch options.

Cute little takeout bags.

Bialis ($1.50)
Apparently, they only make a handful each day but I was able to snag the last one. Great chewy bagel like texture with some sweet grilled onions.

Pain au chocolate ($2.75)
It’s flaky on touch and even better after your first bite.

Man, people are so lucky if they live in this area.

So many quality boulangeries within a 5 minute walking radius. I’ll be back for more!

Hof Kelsten
http://hofkelsten.com
4524 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Montréal, QC
(514) 649-7991

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Bo-Bec

Never heard of Bo-Bec until I read about it on Montreal Eater as being one of the best ice cream spots in town. I decided to give it a shot on a late Thursday afternoon.

They have 24 flavours and each flavour side is coded by colour (blue for ice cream, green for sorbet and brown for yogurt).

There’s also a million specials on the boards such as blizzards, milkshakes, banana splits, soft serve and drinks).

One scoop is $4.25, two scoops is $6.25. Taxes are included in the price.

I was able to sample two flavours before choosing. Service is a bit brisk.

Kulfi ($4.25 single scoop)
Never tried this before; it’s a mix of Indian spices (ginger, cumin and cardamom) and four types of nuts. You get full pieces of nuts too. I tasted pecan and hazelnut.

Creamy, refreshing like a chai (but better). Only unfortunate thing is it melted quickly outside. Cash only.

Bo-Bec
https://www.facebook.com/Crèmerie-Bo-Bec/
1300 Laurier Avenue E
Montréal, QC
(514) 527-1396

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Finocchio

We out in the burbs. Em invited me out to her new ‘hood and we decided on Italian. She’s been here a few times previously and enjoyed it. It’s apportez votre vin (BYOW) which I didn’t realize but she had that covered. Finocchio specializes in stuffed pasta.

We came on a Thursday evening. The place is quite spacious inside so we had no trouble getting a table for three. Lots of options to choose from: stuffed pasta, regular pasta, lasagna, pizza and veal.

See the rest of the menu here (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

There was also a trio special up on their chalkboard.

Rotolo with spinach and bacon ($17.95)
First time trying rotolo. Obviously, I had to try their stuffed pasta. Dish was well balanced with a sweet tomato sauce and ricotta.

Linguini putanesca ($16.95)
A had capers, anchovies, black olives, garlic, green onion and Parmesan. Definitely on the saltier side from the capers and anchovies.

Linguini calabresa ($16.95)
Em’s had Italian sausage, broccoli, garlic, green onion and Parmesan. Had a bite – good but standard fare.

If you find yourself in Sainte Marthe…

Finocchio
http://restaurantfinocchio.tripod.com
2955 Chemin d’Oka
Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, QC
(450) 598-6060

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1001 Fondues

This was in St. Eustache for a Jean Batiste festival.

1001 Fondues
http://www.1001fondues.com
St. Eustache, QC
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Chocolats Favoris

Chocolats Favoris is one of the new “it” spots. I say that because technically they’ve been around since 1979 and have 26 locations in Canada (even one in Victoria!).

I’ve never heard of CF until Em. She, being the dessert lover that she is, told me I needed to try it. Seems like there’s a soft serve chocolate dip battle going on between La Diperie and Chocolats Favoris.

There’s five sizes to choose from (baby, mini, small, medium and large) and four soft serve flavours (vanilla, chocolate, orange and strawberry). The chocolate one you can’t dip but the other three are fine.

There were a dozen chocolate dip flavours. Let the indecisiveness begin.

Prices depend on sizes and if you get the classic vs. éclaté (toppings).

It’s nice that you can sample the dip flavours before you commit. There’s also the éclat option ($1.49 – $1.99 extra) where they add extra toppings.

If soft serve doesn’t tickle your fancy, they have gelato and sorbet as well as fancy artisanal chocolates. You can even buy their fondues to go in small tin cans.

Strawberry with melting hazelnut dip ($4.59 small)
Nice that they have other flavours besides the typical vanilla. The melting hazelnut (milk chocolate) was just what I wanted. I found their chocolate dippy be much stronger and thicker than La Diperie’s. No ice cream managed to squeeze through the chocolate dip fortress.

Orange with crunchy hazelnut ($4.59)
This was much darker and richer hazelnut flavour compared to mine.

Vanilla with cookie dough dip ($4.59 small)
I didn’t try but A liked it. Although, he still prefers his go to combo of vanilla with cookies and cream.

Solid dessert chain (that reminds me of Juliat & Chocolat).

Chocolats Favoris
https://www.chocolatsfavoris.com
199 Boulevard Curé-Labelle
Rosemère, QC
(450) 951-6379

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Thali Cuisine Indienne

Not much to add about Thali other than it’s a cheap hole in the wall. Have only been here once before and that was at least five years ago. Best deal is their thali platters.

I was hungry and needed some late night Friday eats. I dropped by about half an hour before they closed.

It’s a no frills, Indian style cafeteria. Order and pay at the counter, grab the handwritten slip and then tell the worker what you want from the buffet.

There was some desserts in one of the display cases (jelabi and barfi).

There was four meat and nine vegetable options when I went. Taxes are already included in the price.

Thali (non-vegetarian) ($10.00)
You get 2 meats and 1 vegetarian option. I went with the lamb curry, chili chicken and palak paneer. It also comes with naan, rice and papadum. Rice is bland but filler. Lamb was tender but not much curry to it. Chili chicken was flavourful and slightly spicy. Naan was solid. Palak paneer was average.

You’re not going to find a cheaper, satisfying meal. Trust me on that one. Debit or cash only!

Thali Cuisine Indienne
http://thalimontreal.com
1409 Rue Saint Marc
Montréal, QC
(514) 989-9048

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Augusto Al Gusto

August Al Gusto is a Peruvian shop nestled among many ethnic restaurants. Owned by the same people as Villa Wellington (Peruvian as well), it’s a family run spot with a cute terrace.

Hours.

We were going to sit outside but it was getting pretty chilly so we switched to indoors. The place was not too busy for a late Saturday evening but that may have been because of the national holiday.

Service was friendly but they never came back to refill our waters. Short menu but they also offer a table d’hote (soup, entree, dessert and coffee).

Sangria ($26.00 pitcher)

My uncle wanted some sangria so we decided on a pitcher. They throw in maraschino cherries. Decent but not worth the price tag.

Outside menu advertising their table d’hôte menu.

Main menu.

Drinks menu.

Nachos al gusto ($9.00)
Guacamole, beans, onion and cheese. Couple pieces of nachos were crazy over salted. Unfortunately, they didn’t do a great job of layering the ingredients. Everything is put on top and sparse. Skip it.

Paella ($21.00)
Not your typical Spanish paella but delicious to my taste buds. Rice had the tastiest spice in it and there was a good mix of squid and shrimp.

Fish “n” chip ($15.00)
You get three pieces of fish; perfectly flaky and tender. Chips were merely passable but the salad added some healthiness. They brought out two sauces: mayo aioli and salsa verde. The verde had just the slightest heat to it.

Jalea ($20.00)
A mix of lightly battered and deep fried fish, shrimp and squid. Topped with some yucca (bit dry) and red onion/onions, this was delicious. Get it.

First spot I’ve tried in the Verdun area.

Augusto Al Gusto
http://augustoalgusto.com/
4578 Rue Wellington
Verdun, QC
(514) 769-5885

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Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal

I’ve passed by Musée des Beaux-Arts a million times when I lived here but never went. Decided to rectify that because it’s free on the last Sunday of each month!

Took a couple photos of a few cool displays.

Closeup of those faces, pretty cool.

A picture within a picture, ooooooo.

Hologram things…

And of course, a little Habs artwork. Because we in Montreal.

Patrick Roy maybe? 😉

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
https://www.mbam.qc.ca/
1380 Rue Sherbrooke O
Montréal, QC
(514) 285-2000
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Nouilles de Lanzhou

Another spot in Chinatown where you can get your hand pulled noodles fix.

Hours. Open everyday.

Just look for the grocery store (Marché G&D)/all the people peering into the front watching the noodle master in awe.

I dropped by on a Sunday for a pre-dinner/snack and was surprised to see it full. There was a mini line to grab a table. The inside is small with 3 seats at the noodle bar and about 30 more seats for the rest.

The menu is short and sweet (less than 10 items).

The menu out front is different than the one they give you inside.

Look for this combo option!

Lan Zhou special beef noodles combo ($10.97 small)
You get choice of side and a tea egg. You can also get your bowl spicy (which is/should be a no brainer).

I picked the spicy cucumber salad which had a satisfyingly crunchy bite and touch of heat. The noodles were fresh, chewy and toothsome. The broth was clean tasting and quite homey. Think simplicity; they let the noodles shine.

Seriously, a small is more than enough. Happily would come back to try their dan dan and/or braised beef (only available Friday – Sunday) bowls. Debit and cash only.

Nouilles de Lanzhou
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nouilles-De-Lan-Zhou/
1006 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Montréal, QC
(514) 800-2959

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Place Émilie-Gamelin

This area had a bunch of cool things going on which I stumbled upon.

There was the Cirque du Soleil crew practicing/setting up/testing out the equipment.

Jardins Gamelin. There was some eats available but I didn’t bother trying anything.

Place Émilie-Gamelin
https://www.quartierdesspectacles.com/en/location/29/place-emilie-gamelin/
1500 Rue Berri
Montréal, QC
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Cuisine Bangkok

The last time I went to Cuisine Bangkok was when it was hidden away on the upper floor of the Faubourg food courts.

Hours.

Outside menu.

Along with some specials for each day of the week.

Well, they’ve moved on to prettier, bigger digs.

I dropped by on a Sunday evening. They have daily specials but oddly Sunday’s been left out. Also weird is that their menu outside doesn’t display everything on the main one.

A nice perk is that they take credit cards here. Service was fine but I had to inquire about what spice level I wanted. Make sure you request it otherwise you probably won’t get any heat.

Beef pad thai (#56) ($10.15)
I tried out medium spice which was pretty much perfect. Just a bit of numbness and heat with each bite. Extremely spicy would be interesting to try. The pad thai was HUGE.

I was shocked by how much noodles was piled on my plate. Tasty but I found the sauce a tad too sweet for my liking. However, I did appreciate how their was some tofu thrown in along with the typical bean sprouts, green onions, eggs and crushed peanuts.

Good bang for your buck. Seems like Cuisine Bangkok is still relevant.

Cuisine Bangkok
https://www.facebook.com/Cuisine-Bangkok/
1327 Rue Sainte-Catherine E
Montréal, QC
(514) 509-7675

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Village au Pied-du-Courant

Jacques Cartier from the top of one of the platforms.

Cool pineapple recycled bin.

Lighting of the bridge with matching music and fireworks.

Village au Pied-du-Courant
https://www.aupiedducourant.ca
2100 Rue Notre-Dame E
Montréal, QC
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Libertine Bakehouse

We were originally going to drop by Libertine Bakehouse for pastries but found out that they also do lunch everyday (12:00pm to 3:00pm).

Lunch and other things!

Absolutely in love with that skull cupcake logo. Slick.

We dropped by around 1:00 on a Monday and it was not busy. Just two other girls that can eat (watched them each order lunch and a pastry).

The inside is gorgeous and their skull with a cupcake logo is on point (as the kids say these days).

Heck, they even have a full on turquoise coloured skeleton to tie the theme together.

Even the washroom decor is fresh.

Drink menu.

Pineapple iced tea ($3.50)
Refreshing, light and summery. Believe it was a mango pineapple blend.

Nordic shrimp roll ($14.50)
This was the better dish of the two. Came with side of potato chips (salty) and iceberg lettuce topped with bacon and a creamy dill dressing.

Never would have thought to use dill like that! Made iceberg taste good for a change. Shrimp roll was delicious.

Smoked méat croque monsieur ($12.00)
Side of green salad was bomb. The dressing they used was amazing. The croquet monsieur was different; the bread they used made it heavy.

Would have liked it to be more crunchy and oozing with cheese.

We were too full to try their pastries (nooooo) but they looked delicate. Next time!

Libertine Bakehouse
https://libertinebakehouse.com
806 Avenue Atwater
Montréal, QC
(514) 379-3109

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Rustique

Man, how do all the patisseries in Montreal do it? Seems like every place I go to is super cute, charming and Rustique is no different.

Hours.

The inside is homey, staff friendly and love the cozy seating area to sit and relax. It’s small but they have comfy pillows!

We dropped by on a Monday afternoon to try a few mini tarts/pies. There’s many flavours (see the tartes saisonnières board) but also a variety of baked goods and drinks. They even do wedding cakes which I’m sure are divine.

Menu is up on the wall.

They also had seasonal tarts and drinks available.

White orchard and hibiscus iced tea ($3.50)
Mo had her own mason jar so they used that to make her drink. Can’t say I’ve ever had such a flowery drink before but it didn’t have much taste.

Strawberry and rhubarb mini pies ($2.25)
A little too much crust to filling ratio but still tasty. They’re about two bites worth.

Lemon meringue mini pies ($2.25)
Filling was delicious. Not overwhelmingly sweet. Perfect to whet your sweet tooth.

This spot fits in perfectly with the rest of its food neighbours. Slice of pie next time!

Rustique
http://www.rustiquepiekitchen.com
4615 Rue Notre-Dame O
Montréal, QC
(514) 439-5970

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Dinette Triple Crown

Picnic dinner + southern comfort food = Dinette Triple Crown.

We came for an early Monday dinner. I wasn’t expecting the inside to be so small but there’s something like 8 seats. Turns out that was the takeout area. Oops. The main dining area is around the corner.

Old school milkshake maker in the background.

Plenty of condiments to choose from.

The menu is pretty straightforward. Meats (fried chicken, pulled pork and smoked brisket), sandwiches, salad and sides.

Same menu but in paper format.

Couple specials that were randomly half hidden inside.

Of course, drink menu with plenty of bourbon options.

Their picnic idea is genius! Only unfortunate thing is they’re not allowed to pack any open alcoholic drinks. But the park across the street is perfect for enjoying the sun and good eats.

M Jodoin cider ($9.00)
Pretty standard cider. Not much to write home about.

Ginger beer ($4.00)
I’m on a ginger beer binge. Pretty good but hands down my fav was still from Agrikol.

Meat & threes ($19.00)
Pulled pork, mac & cheese (which counts as two sides) and hush puppies. Pulled pork had a tangy mustard sauce. Good but we wanted the meat to be more tender.

Mac & cheese was a good portion to share and liked how it wasn’t too heavy.

Winners was the hush puppies! You get 6 scrumptious bites of heaven. Make sure to dip into the sauce for extra flavour.

Definitely need to come back to try the fried chicken. Love the originality of their picnic idea. Matches well with the food they’re putting out.

Dinette Triple Crown
http://www.dinettetriplecrown.com
6704 Rue Clark
Montréal, QC
(514) 272-2617

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Alexandraplatz

Finally got to check out Alexandraplatz on an early Monday evening.

The terrasse was packed with people! We couldn’t even grab a seat so we headed inside where there was plenty of room.

The place is very hipster but loved the laid back vibe.

You order at the bar so don’t expect a server to come to you when you sit down.

They have a good mix of drinks (beer on tap, bottled beer, cocktails, bubbles, wine and non-alcoholic).

They also had a regular menu on the table (see 1 and 2) and a couple drink specials to round things off.

They even had a few snacks.

The merguez special sounded pretty appetising.

Some fun looking beer handles.

Radler ($6.00) and Bourbon lemonade ($10.00)
Blonde beer and grapefruit soda. A solid refreshing, summery radler. Easy drinking. Bourbon lemonade was a mix of Maker’s Mark and lémo lemonade. Also good but you could taste the bourbon.

Rhubarb soda with vodka and Chardonnay (Castor) (6.8%) ($7.00)
This was their other special but they ran out halfway through making my drink. Luckily, they were nice enough and gave it to us on the house ($9.00 regularly). Tasted like a watered down version of vodka soda. Never heard of a beer being called a Chardonnay before but it was good. Read up that it’s aged in Chardonnay barrels (interesting). Smelled great; I got hints of floral and citrus. Apparently it’s a sour/wild ale.

Fun spot. Cash only!

Alexandraplatz
http://www.alexandraplatzbar.com
6731 de L’esplanade
Montréal, QC

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Le Ballpark

After a few drinks, we were heading to another spot when I spotted the $1.00 oyster sign outside. All night long! Every day! Le Ballpark, you know how to grab my attention.

Hours.

Sign outside.

Outside menu.

Their sign outside nailed it: “J’aime tes balls”.

This was the last stop of our Monday evening. There’s a cute, inviting terrasse out front but we sat inside at the bar. Their speciality is boulettes (aka. balls).

Beer taps looked pretty slick.

Food and drink selection is standard (cocktails, (four) beers and wine).

Nothing really stood out to me.

Phil Colin ($11.00)
Gin, lime, house syrup and bubbles. Not your usual Phil Colin. Might have been the house syrup that gave it it’s unusual flavour.

Dozen oysters ($1.00 each)
Who cares about anything else when it’s DOLLAR oysters! Can’t believe they offer this everyday, that’s like practically unheard of. Oysters were from PEI; fresh, succulent and delicious.

Came with two sauces (mignonette and a white beer, ginger and mango). Mignonette was good, the latter a bit too fusiony.

Get the oysters. That is all.

Le Ballpark
https://www.facebook.com/LeBallparkMontreal/
6660 Rue Clark
Montréal, QC
(438) 384-6660

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Délice Oriental

I’m shocked I’ve never been to Délice Oriental before but I read a great review on them so we decided to check them out Tuesday for a late lunch. It’s right beside Kazu; if you’re feeling like spicy Szechuan/Hubei/Hunan food, this spot is legit.

Hours. Open every day.

They were advertising fresh chill crab that was in season.

Prepare to be blown away.

Service is typical Asian style. Only one waitress, clientele was all Asians and saw tables ordering the whole chili fish (G14) ($32.99) and spicy crab that was in season. Looked so good.

Menu is massive. So many enticing options but there was only two of us so we had to select wisely. Would have liked to try some cold dishes and a bunch of innard/intestine dishes.

Click here to see the rest of the menu (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10).

2x Rice ($1.50 small)
We originally ordered a medium but our waitress accidentally brought us a small so we ended up ordering two to soak up all the sauces.

Cold noodles (M02) ($5.99)
Everyone’s take on cold noodles seems to be different. These had a slight spiciness to them and noodles were much thinner.

Reminded me of chow mein noodles but with a more satisfying bite.

Fish fillets in hot chili oil (C10) ($15.99)
This is legit! Massive bowl of perfectly tender fish, cabbage, bean sprouts, green onions, some kind of seaweed and chili peppers.

Easily could share this with three people. Spicy, complex and full of depth.

Mapo tofu (K01) ($9.99)
Another amazing dish. This was addictively spicy, numbing and the tofu was perfectly cooked.

Love finding new hole in the walls in Chinatown 2. Definitely worthy of future visits. Debit or cash only.

Délice Oriental
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Délice-Oriental/
1858 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 564-8999

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Nos Thés

I’ve walked by Nos Thés a million times but have never stopped by. It started raining after lunch so I decided to wait out the storm and grabbed a drink.

Hours.

This is an interesting (cute) way to deter people from bringing in board games and outside food/drink. LOL.

The inside is bright and spacious with an upper floor if you want more privacy. Busy for a Tuesday afternoon. Service is fast and efficient (they take your order on mini iPads).

The menu is much bigger than I expected. Lots of Taiwanese food and drink options. Click here to see (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8).

If that’s too overwhelming, check out the staff favourite blackboard options up front.

Dark roasted oolong milk tea ($5.85 large)
Got the mixed pearls ($0.50), small and large, that were nice and chewy. 80% sweet was still too sweet (should have done 50%) and less ice. It was similar to Chatime’s infamous roasted milk tea but a lighter, less roasted version.

They take credit cards here. Decent spot to grab a BBT or to hang out/study.

Nos Thés
http://nosthescafes.com/
1609 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 902-0246

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Snowdown Deli

I was feeling like smoked meat that’s not named Schwartz so decided to check out a spot I’ve never been to. I’ve heard good things about Snowdon Deli so I made the trek out to check them out on a Wednesday late afternoon.

Hours are pretty darn good. Every day same hours.

The inside is very diner-esque. The place is split; takeout on the left and the restaurant on the right. Tons of people were grabbing food to go. All the older Jewish folk were knitting 😉

The menu is surprisingly massive but let’s be real, why else would you come here if not for the smoked meat and other Jewish specialties?

See the rest of the menu here (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). There was also a specials menu (1).

The waitresses working are friendly and seem to be lifers.

Smoked meat sandwich ($9.75)
Got mine original, medium fat with mustard. Delicious.

Generous slabs of smoked meat and perfect balance of fat to meat ratio.

Potato latkes ($4.75)
These were crispy but prepare for the grease. Somewhat flavourless. Even the dip didn’t help much. Get something else instead.

An institution.

Snowdown Deli
http://www.snowdondeli.com
Montréal, QC
(514) 488-9129

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Montreal Jazz Festival

First night of Jazz Fest = insanity.

Coeur du Pirate.

Gets even busier. This was for Half Moon Run.

For Canada’s Day, they had this awesome show called Discotheque.

CARLY RAE JAPSEN! So sad she only sang two songs.

FEIST. Oh my god, I haven’t seen her in a few years. Forgot how sexy her voice is live. One of the best concerts I’ve seen in a long time.

Caught the tail end of Walk Off The Earth.

This was the group that won some new artist award: The Allison Au Quartet.

Watched a bit of Sugaray Rayford.

The last day of Jazz Fest. This guy, Pokey LaFarge, would have killed it in the 60’s; a mix of country, hillbilly, ragtime and rock.

Montreal Jazz Festival
http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/
Montréal, QC
(514) 871-1881

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The Dumpling Hut

The dumpling game in Montreal is cray. Every time I visit, another half dozen new ones seem to pop up. The Dumpling Hut seemed right up my alley but even I didn’t expect it to be in an apartment.

Hours.

Sign outside.

The inside is cozy with only four tables. Cute little post it note compliments adorn the walls when you walk in.

Someone needs to explain why there’s a traffic light as part of their decor though.

Seems to be family run. Daughter runs the front and is the only waitress. Mother is the dumpling maestro.

There’s eight types of dumplings and three sides to choose from. Can’t get anymore concise then that.

Pork and dill ($8.99)
You get 15 dumplings per order and they are boiled. Took it to go. Comes with a tasty chili sauce and soya sauce.

Dumplings were fresh and you could really taste the dill.

There was the slightest bit of soup inside them. Pretty good overall. Wish I could have tried a few more things but c’est la vie. Bonus they take credit!

The Dumpling Hut
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dumpling-Hut/
3591 Rue Clark
Montréal, QC
(514) 652-3897

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Seoul Chako

It’s been forever since my last Korean BBQ meal. Never been in Montreal for AYCE BBQ; I was pretty skeptical when I looked at the menu beforehand. Sushi at a Korean place? Never a good sign. Turns out the owners are Chinese so don’t come here expecting the real deal.

That being said, we were a group of four on a Thursday evening. Can’t believe how busy it was. There was already a line at 6:30pm. One family I saw (also a party of four) didn’t get sat for at least an hour. Yikes. Reserve (only can on weekdays). They almost messed up our reservation (took her name down completely different than her actual name) but everything was good in the end.

There’s three different menu prices. It depends on the time that you come and if it’s weekday vs. weekend.
– Lunch: Monday to Thursday (11:30am to 3:00pm): $15.99 vs. Friday to Sunday (12:00pm to 3:00pm): $16.99
– Dinner: Monday to Thursday (3:00pm to 10:30pm): $24.99 vs. Friday to Sunday: $26.99
– Late dinner: Friday to Saturday (11:00pm to 2:30am): $14.99

We tried most of the things on the dinner menu except for the fillers (aka. rice, deep fried and sushi).
– Good: seaweed salad, kimchi radish, tofu skin sushi, sliced beef, short rib, ox tongue, salmon, clams (its spelt calms on the menu), corn, pineapple (wish they sliced these flat instead of bite sized) and fried scallop.

– Decent: kimchi, salmon sushi (this is nigiri: okay but rice is bland), spicy salmon roll, spicy sausage, onion, zucchini and mushroom.

– Bad: edamame (dry), green beans (frozen and tasteless) and all the desserts (vanilla, mango, green tea and strawberry yoghurt ice cream were generic and pretty unsatisfactory). Also tried the lychee jello (tastes like those lychee suction cup candies) and mango pudding (good but too sweet). Desserts were disappointing.

Food was decent but service was pretty brutal. It was painful trying to flag down our waiter to get him to change our BBQ dish. We’d flag down other waiters, they’d say no problem and would never come back.

Can’t say I’d come back anytime soon. Do yourself a favour and go elsewhere; so many amazing restaurants in this ‘hood.

Seoul Chako
https://www.facebook.com/SeoulChakoMTL/
1824 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Montréal, QC
(514) 989-8886

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Sen Vang

Sen Vang is another popular Vietnamese spot in town. I read great things from a Montreal blogger so I wanted to see for myself what the fuss was about.

Their hours. Closed Wednesday.

I dropped by on a Friday afternoon for a late lunch and was surprised to see it was reasonably busy. This was around 3:30pm. Good sign.

I like how short their menu is (1, 2 and 3). Only 14 items total!

Thai basil and bean sprouts

Homemade sauce

Bun bo hue ($9.75 large)
Two sizes to choose from (small and large) so obviously I went with the latter. Unfortunately, the only difference (to me) is that you get more soup rather than more meat or more noodles.

Broth was tasty but I instantly tasted MSG/salt. The level of heat was pretty fiery with the first few sips but eventually subsided. Noodles were good (but wish they gave more). The best was the beef slices; perfect fat to meat ratio and it stayed incredibly tender the whole time I was eating. They even put in pork blood; pretty authentic/legit.

Wanted to really like this place but I’ve had better depth, more complex BBH. Cash only.

Sen Vang
https://www.facebook.com/phorestaurantsenvang/
5690 Victoria Avenue
Montréal, QC
(514) 507-2771

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DoughNats

Heard randomly about DoughNats through Arthurs Nosh Bar’s Instagram account. I decided to check them out Friday but was cutting it pretty close to closing time.

The inside is small, cute and brightly lit. Pretty much a takeout place but there was one small table nestled in the corner.

The owner, Nat, was very friendly and genuine. She let me try a sample doughnut (Cinder(Nut)tella) before ordering and even threw in a free extra for the road!

Love how the posters show off each “season” of flavours. They’re already on season 3.

The doughnuts are baked and there’s even vegan/gluten free doughnuts.

Half dozen ($10.00)
Two of tru-doh, firework, feeling salty, midnight 3.0 and a vegan strawberry. Pickings were slim as it was end of the day but I asked for a variety of whatever was leftover.

Their doughnuts are small but the dough is tasty, fluffy, yeasty and not overly sweet. Perfectly sized!

Cute spot. I’d come back to try more flavours. Tip: call and order ahead of time.

DoughNats
http://doughnats.com
5319 Boulevard Décarie
Montréal, QC
(514) 660-2699

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MELK Bar à Café

Had an hour or two to kill so decided to check out MELK after seeing the good reviews. I dropped by around 5:30pm on a Friday and had no trouble grabbing a seat.

Hours.

Service is friendly and fast. They were playing Sean Paul but switched it to jazz later on. Interesting mix of music.

The inside is small but there’s about 4 tables, 8 stools and 2 patio tables outside. They have coffee, tea, cold brew, matcha latte and even a kids drink menu.

They sell coffee beans from Parallel 49th (Vancouver) and Detour Coffee Roasters (Burlington).

Some baked goods are made in house but they carry doughnuts from Trou de Beigne.

Their menu of drinks.

House lemonade ($3.04 large)
Not too sweet and nicely refreshing. Perfect after my salty lunch of pho.

Pretty chill spot that’s not too hipster. I don’t drink coffee but I liked the vibe here.

MELK Bar à Café
http://melkbaracafe.com
5612 Avenue de Monkland
Montréal, QC
(514) 508-5789

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Moksha Yoga NDG

I’ve been to Moksha Yoga NDG a couple times now.

Schedule of yoga classes back in summer ’17.

Moksha Yoga NDG
http://ndg.mokshayoga.ca
#300, 4260 Avenue Girouard
Montréal, QC
(514) 544-9642

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Gia Ba

Needed something to eat after hot yoga so figured I could find something at Gia Ba. Technically, it’s a Taiwanese/Szechuan place but I forgot Szechuan isn’t exactly the best for solo dining.

Hours

Specials up on their wall. Chili soft shell crab sounded appealing.

I came 30 minutes before closing Friday night but they didn’t rush me to finish my meal. They ate their own dinner after they served me. Service was better than normal and they even accept credit cards! Must be catering to the Monkland clientele.

The menu is a long one.

See the full menu here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).

Dan dan noodles (#59) ($8.50)
Their menu says $8.00 so they overcharged me. Bowl was decent; acceptable noodles, spicy, crushed peanuts and bok choy. Problem was there no meat at all. Never had a dan dan without some meat in it so that was unsatisfactory.

Wasn’t too impressed with my bowl but maybe stick with the Szechuan dishes.

Gia Ba
http://restaurantgiaba.com
5766 Avenue Monkland
Montréal, QC
(514) 564-7698

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Estiatorio Yia Sou!

I don’t go for Greek enough but my uncle loves it so we hit up one of his favourite spots in the Queen Mary area.

Outside menu.

A couple write ups from The Suruban (uh, who?) and the Gazette.

The inside is pretty spacious and there’s some cool Greek mythology inspired decor.

We dropped by for a late 2:00pm Saturday lunch. Longest happy hour I’ve heard of (only on weekdays BUT goes from 11:00am to 7:00pm).

They have a pretty good lunch deal (soup or salad with your entree from 11:00am to 4:00pm) and a 3 course table d’hôte everyday (4:00pm to 10:00pm).

See the full menu here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and drinks menu (1 and 2).

Cold pikilia ($19.00)
For the dips (from top left clockwise), skordalia (whipped potato and garlic), olive & gets tapenade, tzatziki, kopanisti (red pepper) and taramasalata (roe but usually it’s more pink). There was also some feta, dolmades (meh) and spanakopita (excellently flaky).

Side of pita comes warm and plentiful.

Prepare to be stuffed!

House salad
Huge smack of feta on top of iceberg, purple cabbage and carrots. Decent but the soup was more enjoyable.

Cream of mushroom
There were two soups of the day (other was lentil soup). Cream of mushroom was delicious without being too heavy. Well balanced.

Grilled lamb chops ($24.00)
Asked for it medium rare and it was perfectly cooked. Four good portions of tender, succulent chops. Comes with rice and fries.

Cretan moussaka ($16.00)
Think a mix between lasagna and a shepherd’s pie. Creamy from the bechamel sauce and a nice balance of flavour from the potatoes, zucchini, eggplant and minced veal/lamb.

Pork souvlaki pita ($13.00)
Didn’t try this but my uncle always enjoys their pitas.

You’ll roll out of Yia Sou with happy stomachs. Solid Greek spot.

Estiatorio Yia Sou!
http://www.yiasou.ca
5375 Chemin Queen-Mary
Montréal, QC
(514) 488-4222

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Ichifuku

Never had ramen in Montreal before but the ramen game seems to have picked up recently. I was looking to try a new spot and stumbled upon Ichifuku; it kind of blends in so you might miss it if you’re not paying attention.

No MSG. Interesting that they offer takeout for ramen…don’t see that too often.

Signs outside. They were advertising a new cold tan-tan noodle dish.

I dropped by around 8:00pm on a Monday evening. Wasn’t busy but they were already out of tonkotsu! Actually, they ended up having to close early and turn away a few customers as they ran out of broth.

They had two menus. Special menu (1 and 2) and regular menu (1, 2 and 3).

Service was friendly but a tad slow. Wait for my ramen bowl was much longer than I’m used to. 25 minutes for solo dining? Isn’t there a reason you sit at the bar? Lucky I wasn’t in a rush.

The music they were playing made for some good vibes. Was surprised they were playing “Feels”.

Tan-tan men ($11.00)
Spicy sesame pork in chicken broth. First time I’ve seen snow peas added to ramen. Broth was better than I expected. No MSG is used, heat level was good but the star was the in-house noodles. Great chewy bite; just wish there was a bit more.

They take credit cards. Good bowl of ramen and reasonably priced.

Ichifuku
http://www.ichifuku.ca
1925 Rue Sainte-Catherine O
Montréal, QC
(514) 932-7227

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Fairmount Bagel

Fairmount Bagel is a staple. I have to say I’m a St. Viateur man myself but respect the rivalry and what they do.

There’s quite the variety of bagels but let’s be serious; only one type you need to try. I went with the tried and true. Place is incredibly small and packed to the ceiling with bagels ready to be shipped. It’s open 24/7.

Sesame bagel ($0.95)
Got a slightly warm one and ate it as is. Good but doesn’t have that St. Viateur “magic”.

Cash only.

Fairmount Bagel
http://fairmountbagel.com
74 Avenue Fairmount O
Montréal, QC
(514) 272-0667

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Arepera

Arepera has been on my list for the past few years. Finally made it happen on a Tuesday early evening (around 5:00pm). Get there early otherwise be prepared to wait.

The inside is cozy and brightly coloured with interesting paintings lining the walls.

Their juice menu is intriguing. Tamarind, passion fruit, raw sugar cane & lime, soursop, guava, lulo and mango.

The menu consists of arepas along with a few platters. Everything is 100% gluten free.

See the rest of the menu here (1, 2 and 3).

Lulo juice ($3.00)
Never heard of this fruit before but it was heavenly.

La margaretiña (#22) ($9.00)
Cazón (minced shark stew in tomato sauce) and plantains. The arepa looks small but it’s massive. Meat was plentiful and tasty; honestly, would have no clue I was eating shark if it wasn’t mentioned. The plantain was a bit much though; very carb heavy.

Nice touch with the spinach salad to balance things out. The game changer was the avocado cream sauce; so flavourful with a hint of heat. Absolute bomb. The hot sauce was also good but I kept on reaching for the avocado bottle. Pack and sell that!

They take credit cards. Definitely worth a try. Just come hungry.

Arepera
http://www.arepera.ca
4050 Rue de Bullion
Montréal, QC
(514) 508-7267

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Maison du Nord

Maison du Nord is still the bomb.

The outside is still as hidden. Look for this ugly ass sign.

The menu looks pretty much identical but with a few things crossed out and some prices adjusted. Click here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).

Crystal noodles (#3) ($5.99)
No idea why they are called this but they’re cold noodles. Comes with cucumbers and pressed tofu. Refreshing and spicy, the highlight is the noodles. Perfect chewy bite/texture.

Noodles with vegetables in scallion oil (#14) ($6.99)
Endless flat wide noodles. The slight spice/heat on these were delicious. Came with some cabbage.

Pork and cabbage (#25) ($5.99 small)
Small is perfect. 10 dumplings, boiled.

Green onion Chinese pancake (#53) ($2.99)
Got this last time, still good. Thicker but love the green onions in these.

They take debit (minimum $10.00), VISA (minimum $20.00) and MasterCard (minimum $30.00). Guess they did the math on that. Still reigns as my favourite hole in the wall for Northern Chinese eats.

Maison du Nord
https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Maison-Du-Nord-Restaurant/
2130 Rue Saint-Mathieu
Montréal, QC
(514) 670-3188

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Imadake

The last time I went to Imadake was at the end of a food crawl (my one and only time I’ve done an organized one). It’s been years since then so for my last meal of the trip, my aunt suggested Imadake. We came on a Wednesday evening and it was busy but had no trouble grabbing a table.

Couldn’t put it any better myself.

The inside is super cool with huge Japanese styled murals adorning the walls.

They even have a cute anime style portraits of all their staff members.

More cool artwork. This was in the basement outside the washrooms.

Sake bombs are the thing to do if you’re drinking. When I say sake, you say bomb. Sake. Bomb. SAKE. BOMB. They had a summer special menu along with poke bowl on the back side.

The main menu is ichi extensive but has pictures of everything; cold dishes, salads, grilled, fried, ramen/noodles, hot dishes and desserts.

You can see the whole menu here (1,2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11).

Gobo ($7.00)
Burdock root deep fried. I’ve only had burdock one other time. These reminded me of daikon. Interesting spin mimicking fries.

Gyu tan ($10.00)
Miso marinated cow tongue. Delicious! It take a bit longer to chew but it’s well worth the effort. My favourite dish of the night.

Takoyaki ($6.00)
You get 6 pieces of octopus balls. I’m not a huge takoyaki fan but these were hot and crispy. I appreciated how it lightly sauced and had just the right amount of bonito flakes.