Eatery: Le Comptoir – Imaginative food
I was so excited to eat here after realizing how new and hot this place was. Little did I know that I would have a “first” here. Yes. I ate pig’s heart at Le Comptoir Charcuteries et Vins. When my friend ordered the dish, I just skimmed the description; read roasted squash and figured it was a vegetarian dish. Truth is this dish was a masterpiece, with a medley of flavors and textures.
Considering I’m not particularly adventurous in trying strange meats or animal organs, I was very pleased with this experience. I have so much respect for Chefs like Ségué Lepage, who take you on a journey of their imaginative creations. And he should be proud; this restaurant was named 8th best new restaurant in Canada, in the 2011 edition of EnRoute magazine.
All of the dishes we tried were well balanced even though they were a mishmash of ingredient
Posted By: Sonia Samji. Gourmand Blogger and Real Estate Broker with McGill Immobilier team. Sonia represents new condo construction in Montreal. She can be reached at 514.924.5971
Eatery M:brgr – Decadent and Tasty. Not Just a Burger Joint
I know what you’re thinking: “Oh how boring, she’s gonna write about burgers from a fancy burger joint”. And you would be partially right. Partially, because I don’t really do burgers, especially not at M:Brgr. Not because they aren’t decadent and tasty (and you can dress it up with any topping imaginable) but because this place has a few menu items I bet you didn’t even know about.
You can tell instantly from their large windows, that this place is trendy. One side has a comfortable banquet with a Montreal landscape in the backdrop and the front section has laminate floors all the way up the walls and the ceiling – a nice touch. But there’s no place like the bar. You’ll notice they have a wide selection of almost every type of alcohol. And the bartenders there are top notch. Not just friendly and welcoming, but also knowledgeable. If you’re being served by Dan, ask him to make you one of his specialities. He’s an Alchemist with alcohol.
My mouth is watering just thinking about this gluttonous rendition of a poutine. Listen to this: a pulled pork poutine, with sweet potato fries and BBQ sauce. Absolute flavour explosion! It has all the right tones of sweet, salty and plain old satisfying. Best not think about the calorie count or weight watchers points that will be used up with this one!
If however, you’re planning on being somewhat indulgent while still staying sensible, I highly recommend the AAA Steak Salad. Tomato, arugula, garlic Dijon dressing and shaved piave cheese dressed with sliced pieces of tender steak, make this salad a must try.
Craving a little side dish? Order the sweet potato fries; they might just be my favourite in the city. I even ventured into trying their meatballs and learned they’ve only been on the menu for 2-3 months. A hit. But only if you like some spice in your life, because that’s a spicy meatball! The tomato sauce is lightly flavoured but is perfect to help balance out the heat expanding in your mouth. If you have room for dessert go nuts, because they have a good selection.
So who would I recommend this spot to? Just about anyone. Perfect spot to go to before the game or even later – they have a reduced late night menu that’s friendly to your pocket and your hungry belly. Lunch time is also a good time to check it out. Reservations aren’t really necessary, but why take a chance.
M:Brgr
2025 Drummond
Montreal, QC H3G 1W6
514.906.0408
Posted By: Sonia Samji. Gourmand Blogger and Real Estate Broker with McGill Immobilier team. Sonia represents new condo construction in Montreal. She can be reached at 514.924.5971
Eatery M:brgr – Decadent and Tasty. Not Just a Burger Joint
I know what you’re thinking: “Oh how boring, she’s gonna write about burgers from a fancy burger joint”. And you would be partially right. Partially, because I don’t really do burgers, especially not at M:Brgr. Not because they aren’t decadent and tasty (and you can dress it up with any topping imaginable) but because this place has a few menu items I bet you didn’t even know about.
You can tell instantly from their large windows, that this place is trendy. One side has a comfortable banquet with a Montreal landscape in the backdrop and the front section has laminate floors all the way up the walls and the ceiling – a nice touch. But there’s no place like the bar. You’ll notice they have a wide selection of almost every type of alcohol. And the bartenders there are top notch. Not just friendly and welcoming, but also knowledgeable. If you’re being served by Dan, ask him to make you one of his specialities. He’s an Alchemist with alcohol.
My mouth is watering just thinking about this gluttonous rendition of a poutine. Listen to this: a pulled pork poutine, with sweet potato fries and BBQ sauce. Absolute flavour explosion! It has all the right tones of sweet, salty and plain old satisfying. Best not think about the calorie count or weight watchers points that will be used up with this one!
If however, you’re planning on being somewhat indulgent while still staying sensible, I highly recommend the AAA Steak Salad. Tomato, arugula, garlic Dijon dressing and shaved piave cheese dressed with sliced pieces of tender steak, make this salad a must try.
Craving a little side dish? Order the sweet potato fries; they might just be my favourite in the city. I even ventured into trying their meatballs and learned they’ve only been on the menu for 2-3 months. A hit. But only if you like some spice in your life, because that’s a spicy meatball! The tomato sauce is lightly flavoured but is perfect to help balance out the heat expanding in your mouth. If you have room for dessert go nuts, because they have a good selection.
So who would I recommend this spot to? Just about anyone. Perfect spot to go to before the game or even later – they have a reduced late night menu that’s friendly to your pocket and your hungry belly. Lunch time is also a good time to check it out. Reservations aren’t really necessary, but why take a chance.
M:Brgr
2025 Drummond
Montreal, QC H3G 1W6
514.906.0408
Posted By: Sonia Samji. Gourmand Blogger and Real Estate Broker with McGill Immobilier team. Sonia represents new condo construction in Montreal. She can be reached at 514.924.5971
Eatery: Plateau’s Greasy Spoon
I find it so intriguing how a place can get such mixed reviews, guess I’m lucky because I have never been disappointed at Greasy Spoon. It has all the qualities a hot spot needs: great vibe, rustic decor, tasteful spin on comfort food and of course, its welcoming terrace.
LOVE the inside of this joint, with its impressively long wooden bar, comfortable leather upholstered chairs and random knick knacks all around. Going back to my “great vibe” comment, well that’s awarded to the variety of music, playing at the perfect level in the background; old school r&b…sometimes a lil rocky, and as we all know, music can really set the mood.
Now the food…
If there’s one thing I just have to get when it’s on the menu, it’s salmon tartar. And their version rocks it out with an asian inspired zing!!! Tuna croquettes, nut crusted goat cheese with spicy honey and the smoked meat poutine (not served with regular fries, but instead these puffy little potato balls) were also fab-u-lous menu items. We actually had a hard time deciding which mains to get, because there were so many good choices! Finally we ended up getting the linguini with leak and wild mushrooms in sage cream sauce and the lobster roll that was served just the way it should be – in a toasted hot dog bun, with tasty mayonnaise, accompanied by delicious homemade chips and coleslaw.
And WOW was my pasta ever satisfying. I try not to order pasta when I eat out, but due to my love affair with mushrooms, I just couldn’t resist. Great texture in this meal; perfectly cooked pasta, wild mushrooms and a perfectly blended cream sauce. And if Sheppard’s pie isn’t a comfort food, then I don’t know what is. And their version was different and interesting; the caramelized onions and braised beef work wonders together & it’s served with homemade ketchup. Feel the need also to recommend 2 of their desserts; the citrus zest crème brulée and of course, the delectable half-baked chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. Need I say more?!
Heck,I love this place.
Do yourself a favour and visit it without any expectations. If you’re lucky, you’ll have the floor manager, Nico and he will make sure you’re a happy customer.
Prices are decent and the menu is available on-line so you can budget beforehand. It’s also worth pointing out, that the guys who opened up this spot are also the proud owners of Lucille’s Oyster bar and Marche 27 – also well known spots around the city. Greasy Spoon is easily a great spot for dates as it would be for a meal amongst friends.
Enjoy!
Greasy Spoon
160 Avenue Laurier Ouest Montreal, QC H2T
(514) 495-7666
http://greasyspoonmtl.com/
Posted By: Sonia Samji. Gourmand Blogger and Real Estate Broker with McGill Immobilier team. Sonia represents new condo construction in Montreal. She can be reached at 514.924.5971
Eatery: Unique Izakaya Dinning Experience at Kazu
If you’re sitting there thinking to yourself “What’s a Kazu?”, then where have you been?!!
Kazu is not a what, but a who.
He is a chef; a culinary genius who has brought to Montreal a totally unique Izakaya dinning experience, both for ambiance and taste. When you walk in (usually after a 10-15 min wait…well worth it!), you notice that the only real decor on the wall are the menus, written in marker, on scrap paper. But what really stands out besides the smiling faces of patrons and workers alike, are the aromas surrounding the delicious meal you’re about to eat.
At lunch, your meal is always served with a mini soup or salad. I say mini because the salad is no more then 3 mouthfuls! And might I add, it’s best version of potato salad I have ever had (sorry mom).
If you’re going for supper and considering which appetizer to start with, please try the shrimp pancake. It’s a shrimp patty, which I believe is served on a type of English muffin, covered in salad and mini rice puffs. But what really gets your taste buds going, is the sauce. This is what makes Kazu a culinary genius; the flavours he blends aren’t like anything we’ve ever had in this city. Whether it’s a dressing or a mayonnaise blend, it’s all unique and divine Continue reading: Eatery: Unique Izakaya Dinning Experience at Kazu
Posted By: Sonia Samji. Gourmand Blogger and Real Estate Broker with McGill Immobilier team. Sonia represents new condo construction in Montreal. She can be reached at 514.924.5971
The MREBlog Welcomes Sonia and her Montreal Food Reviews
Did you know that in Montreal we have more restaurants per capita than most North American cities? With the only exception of New York.
At one point, I started a restaurants reviews section called Eatery. In all honesty, as much as I wanted to continue to write about food, my attention got always re-directed to Real Estate Advice. So that was it for the restaurant posts.
Lucky me, I found Sonia.
Sonia is a young Real Estate Broker, a colleague from McGill Immobilier, who also happens to be the go-to person for Restaurant reviews. You want to know what’s hot in the city? or a good piano bar? Best Japanase spot in town? Ask Sonia. She will know.
A self-proclaimed “Foodie”. She loves to explore new spots, from the little start-ups places (hole in the wall, as she calls them) to the well established ones.
Sonia, we’re all looking forward to your reviews. Welcome to the Montreal Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/
Eatery: Resident Diner in Old Montreal
Right in the corner of Notre Dame and St Denis (or Bonsecours since it’s on the south side), you will find Resident Restaurant; a big and spacious room with high ceiling, elegant yet casual minimalist decor. The type of cooking they offer is a mix of comfort food with a twits of gourmet.
I’ve had the chance to eat there a few times (and try different dishes), and I’ve even met clients for lunch (they’ve loved it!). By far my favorites are the spicy Crab Cakes as appetizers, and for the main course I loved the Lamb Shepherd’s Pie, and the Grilled Bavette with Shallots on Red Wine Sauce.
Resident Diner
Address: 400 Notre Dame E. (corner of St Denis)
Tel: 514-844.1466.
Average price: $16-$23 per person (not including tip or alcohol)
And…Live jazz band on Saturday night.
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Affiliated Real Estate Agent working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in condos and revenue property in the metropolitan area of Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889
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Eatery: Exploring Montreal Favorite Food Spots
A friend once told me that there were around six thousand restaurants in Montreal. At first I found it hard to believe, but the more I looked around everywhere I went, the more convinced I was that maybe my friend was right. Still I haven’t found a way to find the actual numbers of restaurants in the island.
But it made me think: If I were to count all the places I’ve ever eaten in Montreal over the years – whether they had been cafes, lounges, restaurants or just a sandwich place – I could probably be counting over one hundred. There is no doubt that our city has a high restaurant ratio considering we are only 3.6 million in population in the metropolitan area. But it isn’t the quantity that we’re known for in Montreal, but the quality and variety of restaurants. And above all, the food and drinks are still very affordable.
Variety of good food at all prices. And with that a new section on this blog: Eatery. We’ll keep on you posted on our latest tasty discoveries.
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Affiliated Real Estate Agent working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in condos and revenue property in the metropolitan area of Montreal. For buying, selling or renting contact Deya at: 514.917.7889
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