BRUNCH May 31, 2009

Having recently eaten two superb brunches at newly-minted Sparrow on St-Laurent, I decided to roll the dice on another brunch I have been looking to sample for a while. I have nothing but praise for M sur Masson and had high hopes for the brunch offering (here). Punters opting for the brunch special have a choice of freshly squeezed orange juice, granola with fruit or the soup of the day as well as a main for the princely sum of $18. For an additional $5 you can have a dessert as well.

On this day offerings include an omelette featuring goat cheese, honey mushrooms and bacon, braised bison, fresh pea and roasted tomato tagliatelle, tuna tartare with yellow beets, aragula and pistachio oil and a rock shrimp and asparagus risotto. Really just your standard brunch fare. Continue Reading…

DINNER May 29, 2009

The first (and only other time) I went to Chez L’Eveque there were only two tables in the restaurant and the other one was occupied by a guy who looked like he had taken as much steroids as the Bulgarian Olympic team and kept pretending to have a conversation with his penis (I could not have made this up). While the entertainment wasn’t amazing, the food was still unable to overshadow it. Classic bistro dishes prepared with little imagination, each served with the same starch and veg. It wasn’t cheap either, a contrast which was driven home by Chez L’Eveque’s proximity to Leméac, which was already wowing with its after-10pm menu. Needless to say I walked out fully intending to never return.

In these troubled economic times, a lot of restaurants are trying to emulate Lemeac’s success with that after-10pm. Among these is Chez L’Eveque which, quite wisely I would think, is differentiating itself by starting the evening menu at 9pm and offering a choice of any two of an app, main and dessert for a mere $21. As much as I like to hold a grudge, I love a bargain even more. Continue Reading…

DINNER May 28, 2009

When people ask me to recommend a steakhouse I often say “Moishe’s” even though I don’t think they serve the best steak in the city. But steakhouses are a particular breed and Moishe’s seems to capture the ethos of the old school steakhouse with its classic decor, massive portions and attentive service. I had to miss the Raj’s bachelor party/road trip because I thought the people at work wouldn’t appreciate me asking for a Friday off when I hadn’t been there for the better part of a month. Fair enough. And Moishe’s seemed like a great choice for dinner to make-up for the Kapitaine and I missing the sending off.

It’s hard not to overeat at Moishe’s. Before you’ve ordered a drink, the massive bread basket, plate of pickles and coleslaw have hit the table. You could just push these aside to save room for your meal, but that would be a shame. Besides, when the Raj shows up half an hour late for dinner you basically have nothing else to do. The coleslaw is nicely balanced, the pickles nice and crunchy and the bread, from baguette to rye, all deserve to be eaten with pads of butter that are too large to be polite. Continue Reading…

LUNCH May 25, 2009

Back from three weeks in French Polynesia after a good day and a half of travel and a particularly loathsome sandwich “Parisien” in LAX featuring sliced apples and a sickeningly sweet jelly jammed in a baguette with ham and brie (those were the only ingredients I saw when I bought it). Luckily, I was just in time for lunch. Alep. Closed. Daou. Ditto. We drove by Ezo on a hope and a prayer but  it was also closed. A good restaurant business plan in Montreal might include serving Lebanese food and being open at lunch on a Monday.

But Sirene de la Mer, only a few blocks south, was open. For a restaurant attached to a fish store the decor is fabulous. Even discounting the fish store handicap, it is pretty nice  for a Lebanese joint: brass, mirrors, lots of sunlight and waiters in matching uniforms. I was lugging around a stuffed full carry-on backpack and was wearing my sweaty travel clothes. I suspect they thought I had just finished stealing the pop cans from the garbage out back. Continue Reading…