i heart montreal

Au Petit Extra

1690 rue Ontario Est | Metro Papineau, then a short 8 minute walk.

Once again it's a hot night. I took the un-air conditioned Metro a few stops to the Papineau station then walk about 6 long blocks to Au Petit Extra. I choose this restaurant tonight because it was one of my favorites from my last trip and always highly recommended.

The atmosphere here is very cozy and typical of a good bistro in Paris, light wood floors, a dark carved wood bart, school house lighting and chalkboard menus.

Prices range around CDN$7.50 for starters and CDN$15-23 for main courses. Each meal comes with a small appitizer soup or salad.

The starter salad is actually quite good, mixed greens, watercress and some marinated celery and tomato. This is dressed with a delicious sweet vinegrette. The sald also has a distinct basil flavor but I didn't know if it was in the greens or the dressing.

I skipped the "entree" or starter course because the meal comes with the above mentioned salad and I didn't think I needed to eat heavy. No need to make a hog of oneself.

For my main course I selcted the "Pave de Mahi-Mahi et Viniagrete au The' Vert" (CDN$23.50). Daring. I usually don't order fish. Last time I was here I had the duck, but it's so hot that it doesn't seem appetizing. I usually like mahi-mahi so I hope it will be OK!

The mahi-mahi dish was beautufully served and had jasmine rice, matchstick carrots and snow peas on the side. The dish had sort of an asian influence. The sauce it was served in was tasty but I failed to see the "the' vert" (green tea) flavor. Although I enjoyed the dish I found the fish to be slightly undercooked. I am not sure if this is how it is served or if the chef goofed. Regardless I was able to separate the pink portion.

For dessert I had a choice between Tiramisu with strawberries, creme brulee or a tarte nicoise which was like a citron tart. I picked the creme brulee (CDN$4.75).

The creme brulee is served in a small bowls (hey I have those bowls at home). The texture is thick and soft with a good vanilla taste. Probably as good as any creme brulee you'll ever get. I could eat 2.

I would give Au Petit Extra 4 hearts for good food beautifully served. For service I don't give them a very high grade because I don't think it was very personal.

If you want a table either reserve or arrive before the rush. I noticed that around 8pm people started filling the place.

One warning, there is no English menu. Beware the mystery names that may show up (Monkfish, Lamb liver, gizzards). The staff is pretty good at assisting with the French words.

Total bill CDN$39.50 (US$36), not including a starter but I did get a glass of Rose wine, coffee and dessert.

I hated their coffee. It tasted like it had been on the burner all day. maybe it was "French Roast".

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Le Paris

1812 St Catherine Ouest, Montreal (Downtown)

Shoping on rue St Catherine? Le Paris is located on the far west end the rue St Catherine shopping mecca and is a great place to stop for some rest and good food. I read in a few places that Le Paris ranks as on of the top 5 best restaurants for French food in Montreal.

The bistro is a small place with a rustic interior with weathered walls covered with misc prints of no paricular theme. In fact, the entire place has no theme or decorating style at all but it seems to come together to give Le Paris a homey "Parisian" atmosphere. Each table is covered with burgundy tableclothes to match the banquettes and a bouquet of fresh flowers

I must say, as I entered, the staff was very friendly. As I was seated I seemed to be greeted with a "bonjour" by every waiter in the place. Le Paris is also a welcoming place on this hot summer day because they are very nicely air conditioned and actually serve ice in their water.

Le Paris offers a price fixed 3 course lunch menu which is based on the price of your main course. The prices range from around CDN$12-20.

For my starter I had a choice of a green salad or "salade quinoa" which was quinoa (a type of grain) laced with green onion and bits of duckmeat. It was very delicious.

For my main course I am having a bavette in a sauce "eschallot" which is a flank steak in a shallot sauce It is served with french fries. The meat was very good and cooked to perfection. The shallot sauce had a nice sweet flavor from the wine reduction and caramelized shallots. The fries we also good but not the best french style "frites" I have had. There was also some cauliflower on the side. It was pretty mushy but I am not a cauliflower fan anyway.

For dessert there was nothing special, a rubarb compote or ice cream. I got the ice cream. I have some almond cookies from a bakery in my bag to eat as I walk.

Le Paris offers a good solid Parisian style menu with meals either a la carte or prix fixe. The prix fixe menu is a pretty good deal.

I would give Le Paris 3 hearts for food and 4 hearts for service. The atmoshphere is also warm and friendly. They get 5 hearts for good air conditioning.

Total bill CDN$22.25 (US$20).

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Boris Bistro

465 Rue McGill, Montreal (Old Montreal)

www.borisbistro.com

I spent the morning wandering around old Montreal, poking in and out of the shops on rue St Paul. It's a beautiful Sunny day but it is a bit hot, not too humid.

Lunch today is at Boris Bistro which is another place I liked last time I was here. Hopefully I will like it again.

For a starter I ordered the pomme frites which are fried in duck fat. How sinful is that?

For my main dish I really wanted what I had last time I was here which was the duck confit and salad with lentils but I thought I should be more adventourous and order something different. I picked the tripple decker duck sandwich. The waitress says it has apples, sprouts, mango mayo and red onion on it. I asked her to skip the red onion.

Both the fries and sandwich came at the same time. The sandwich was decent but lacked a little character. It seemed to have some duck confit and apple but the mango mayo taste was not noticible. The frites were good but not too hot. They were served with what I think was a remoulade mayo for dipping.

In all it was a decent lunch but nothing exceptional. I would give them 3 hearts. Service was also friendly, but not smothering. I just wish they would put ice in the water...

Total bill CDN$20.80 (US$18) not including wine, coffee or dessert.

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Thursday Morning

I got a late start today. I spent most of the morning message around with my laptop connection and work email. Even though I got up early I didn't get out of the room until 11.30am. I did manage to go outside for a short walk to get some breakfast, a coffee, apricot/cheese danish and an almond croissant all for about 6 bucks.

I have reported on my day yesterday but I spent the day wandering the rue St Denis doing some shopping then I was suddenly exhausted (at about 5pm) and went back to my hotel for some rest. I napped until about 7pm, I felt guilty doing this but why should I run myself ragged?

Today it is so nice that I want to walk around scenic old Montreala and maybe go to the Montreal tower which is at the old Olympic stadium. Who know I may ditch that and do something else.

I didn't mention, I have a headache. I took some Excedrine but that didn't help. Now I have a headache and jitters...

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Network Outage

Due to a network outage at my server, some posts did not publish yesterday. They have been restored and now appear below this post.

Au Pied de Cochon

536 rue Duluth est, Montreal | Metro Sherbrooke

www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca

In case your wondering I think the name means the "foot of the pig".

After wandering around in the shops of rue St-Denis all afternoon I retired to my hotel room and had a fast nap and shower. I needed that but I could have slept through the night. But I didn't, I had things to do...

Mainly to eat...

Au Pied de Cochon was on my favorites list from my last trip to Montreal so I had to come back.

The atmosphere here is friendly and social. This is a really great restaurant but not an intimate one. People are here chatting, gossiping, celebrating and generally having fun. The floors are rustic wood, tables wood and worn with age and lighting is with globes hanging from the ceiling. If you want to grab a good seat, ask for a counter seat at the bar. The kitchen will be right in front of you. It's a pretty exciting sight to see and makes you appreciate how hard these guys work!

To start off the table I am served a big bowl of soft dark country bread with a malty flavor. I could eat the whole thing. For my "entree" I picked the endive, walnut and blue cheese salad (CDN$8). I sort of wanted the french onion soup but that make me burb. The salad was pretty good but not the best I've had. I thought it was a bit salty and the blue cheese didn't taste so good. I sort of expected a salad completely made with endives but they were mixed win with baby mixed greens. Actually there were more greens then endive.

For my main course it was hard to select from all the meaty specialties ranging from pork feet to venison to duck. To keep it simple I am having what they call "the happy pig chop". Knowing that the dishes here are quite dramatic, god knows what will be on the plate! This place is not for the faint of heart or your vegan friends!

As expected the pork chop was a huge cut of meat but I didn't really like it. First it was smothered in mushrooms, onions and broth which is something I can't stomach. Second it was dry. I broke my "no pork chops at a restaurant" rule. I hate to have dining rules but I can't remember if I have ever been to a restaurant and had a pork chop that wasn't dry. The dish sort of left an onion flavor in my mouth. I need gum.

For dessert I am getting a dish that I have waited a year for. It's called "Pouding Chomeur" which I think has something to do with your grandmother. It is sort of a sponge cake cooked in maple syrup and cream. It's a low fat, low carb dessert, NOT! Last year someone told me th at this is one of the rare places where you can find this on the menu. I actually have the recipe from this restaurant somewhere. I hope this makes up for my other 2 courses that were not to my expectation.

Is it me or am I not re-living the experience? The pouding was also not up to my expectation. It just didn't have the bubbly hot character I remembered. OK, yes it was warm and distinctive maple syrup flavor but the cake part was somwhat flat and cold. Not what I remember.

Today I struggle to give Au Pied de Cochon 3 hearts so I have to give them 2. I think I have to read my review from last year to see why I liked this place. Service was as good as to be expected, friendly but not personal.

Total bill CDN$40.17 (US$36)

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L'Express

3927 St-Dennis, Montreal | Metro Sherbrooke

We landed today at 10.30am, I passed thru customs, picked up my luggage, caught the shuttle bus and I was at my hotel by 11.45am. My "Priceline" room wasn't ready so I grabbed my messenger back and headed out to lunch.

Just as I started my last trip to Montreal, I begin this one at L'Express. Call me unimaginative but I am also having the same meal, Ham and Cheese Quiche with frites (CDN$9.05). I poked thru the menu and nothing else interested me except for the Duck Confit Salad, but it just seemed too heavy and greasy forthis hot day. Can quiche and frites seem less greasy? I have to admit the menu prices here seem a bit high for lunch. Most entres are around CDN$15-20. You could easily have a $40 lunch.

Hello! I won't even spend $5 on a sandwich in our cafeteria at work!

I don't know if the quiche here is better or worse than any other place but how could you ruin quiche? Besides it the frites (french fries) that I really want. I am still glad I got the quiche. It was quite tasty and a good size portion. The fries were the star of the show. They were crisp and piping hot served with a lemon flavored mayo for dipping.

I don't know how they get the fries so good in the french culture. They never taste like anything at home.

For desset I selected the Tartelette Citron (CDN$5.70). The tart is good but not as good as expected. I don't think the crust is dry enough. The lemon custard filling is pretty tart and tangy.

Today I skipped wine and coffee so as not to run up the bill. Besides if I drink wine I will want to sleep. There is no time for that right now. I did get an ice tea (CDN$2.85!!!) but feared asking for a refill. Sometimes outside the USA, ice tea doesn't come with free refills. Considering I could drink 6 glasses, that could be an issue!

I would rate L'Express 3 hearts. The food is good and consistent but I wouldn't cal it special. It's food! Service was friendly and decent. I don't know why but she was friendly at first then went cold. Was it bacause I didn't order the bill elevating wine and coffee?

Total bill CDN$20.06 (US$18).

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Air Canada Flight 7739

Newark Liberty to Montreal Trudeau

As I mentioned earlier, this flight is onboard a CRJ-100 which is a smaller 50 seat regional jet. This is one of Air Canada's "Jazz" branded flight. I guess that is their term for short distance express flights.

Actually, the inside of the jet is pretty nice. It looks like there has been an upgrade since last year. The seats are leather and not too small and the jet is pretty clean. All the announcements are pre-recorded in French and English.

There are only about 15 people onboard and we depart the gate ontime. Unfortunately as we approach the runway the captain announcesd that we are number 22 for take off. Did every jet at Newark decide to depart at 8.30? Dispite our "on-time" departure we actually take off 1 hour later at 9.30am. I don't know how long the actual flying time is but perhaps these types of delays are built into the schedule.

Do these people know that it's a priority for me to have lunch in Montreal?

Speaking of lunch, today I think I will start my first meal at L'Express. After all, this is where I had my first lunch last time I was in Montreal. Tradition. L'Express is a traditional French style bistro serving yummy carbo and fat foods. Like frites, quiche and corque monsieur. I also remember having a good dessert there last year. After lunch I can wander the francophile streets of the "Plateau du Mont Royal" which is the district L'Express is located. It is likely that I may also be back tonight for dinner at Au Pied de Couchon famous for it's pork and hearty dishes.

OK, this Air Canada Jazz flight has turned into "Air Canada Ice". I am sitting by the window exit and it's cold! I am wearing shorts and a tee which is something I rarely do when traveling. Oddly enough I looked at the inflight menu and they offer a pillow and blanket for $2. I guess free amenities are a thing of the past!

Knowing how cheap I am I would rather freeze and have icicles hanging from my nose before I pay $2 for a blanket. Can I at least keep it?

The inflight snack is a beverage and a twin pack of Oreo cookies. I am having coffee to wake up. Oreo cookies? That's not very Canadian!

The flight attendants are very friendly. Lots of lipstick and smiles. I am surprised that there are 3 attendants servicing the plane. That seems like a lot for a small jet.

It's formality time. Canadians have paper work too! Time to fill out the customs form. I declare nothing. OK, do I need to declare my small package of Pepperidge Farm cookies?

Did I ever tell you about the time I was almost deported from Canada? I went there to Toronto to do some freelance work and when I arrive I told them why I was visiting. Big mistake. "Sir you cannot come and work in Canada. Are you suggesting that your trade is so unique that no Canadian can do this?" Oooops I was almost an illegal alien. I guess I never though this because I am white. We usually think of illegals being people who have snuck across the border from Mexico or the South American states.

We are just minutes from landing at Montreal. It looks like we will be only a half hour late. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get into the city from the airport. I know there is a shuttle for about CDN$22 round trip.

Welcome to "i heart montreal".

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Newark Airport

I got an early start this morning but I may have got here too early. My flight is at 8.30am and I got to the airport just before 7am.

Check in at Air Canada was pretty slow as there was only 1 agent to check everyone in. That's one agent handling three lines. What the sense of having a different line for all classes of service if you only have one person to check everyone in? The worst is that there is always a person with an issue in front of me. I think there should be 4 lines, one for elite and first class, one for economy, one for people buying tickets and one for the scum who have issues, changes, heavy luggage and re-routes.

Regardless, I survived. I also landed a exit row, window seat. That's good because if we end up sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours, at least I will have leg room.

Since I am a "Star Alliance Gold" and I am traveling internationally I also get to use United's Red Carpet Club. The only good perk about this is that you get a comfortable, quiet place to sit and a free cup of lousey coffee. It's not as exciting behind those glass doors as you think. The only redeeming factor here is that I stopped on my way to the airport and got a warm cinnamon-raisin bagel to eat with the lousey cup of coffee.

It's about an hour to departure now and I don't see any Air Canada jets at the gates. Somehow I remember thinking this last year when I sat in this same seat. Ultimately the jet can in at the last minute. Actually the trip to Montreal is on a jet, but not a big one. It's on a CRJ which is a 50 seat regional jet. This is my least favorite way to fly. They are never comfortable and have small seats. What do I care? The flight only cost me $45.

I am hoping thaty when I get to Montreal the weather is better then it is here. Yesterday the temperatures went up along with the humidity. It's what we call a HHH day - hazy, hot and humid. Actually it feels like Florida. I hate it. When it's like this I usually just stay inside my air conditioned condo and watch the electric bill go up. From what the weather report says it looks like Montreal may be a mixed bag between heat and drizzles. Who knows...

Oh! My tiny jet just arrived. It's an "Air Canada Jazz". I wonder what that means?

Time to go!

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Live! from Montreal (again)

The Summer is passing fast and I think it's time for a vacation. I have been traveling a lot for work lately and I am on the road almost every other week. So far this year I've been to Houston, Tucson, Asheville, Charlotte, Orlando, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami and the Keys, Atlanta and San Diego. I haven't had a real vacation since my Paris trip in November 2005 (see "i heart paris").

Two weeks ago I realized I had a free week and decided that I should use it to my advantage. It may be the last time I get a vacation until Fall. My first choice was to go to Amsterdam, but the good hotels were all booked and the ones that were left were too expensive or dumps. My next choice was Prague, but frequent flyer tickets only offered me a flight through Warsaw with a 7 hour layover. What do you do in Warsaw airport for 7 hours? The I decided I would try Berlin. It sounded like a fun city and the hotels were cheap. Unfortunately, there was a "love" festival going on which filled up a lot of hotels and those that were left had inflated prices. Besides, United Airlines was offering me the same Polish connection and I didn't want to waste my time in an airport. After all this I decided to steer away from Europe because I was only planning a short trip and would spend more time flying and getting over jet-lag then I desired.

After a few calls to United I easily found available free frequent flyer seats from Newark (Paris of the east) to Montreal (Paris of the north) on Air Canada. I vacationed in Montreal at about the same time last year (see the archives on this blog) and decided it was a good idea. After all, I had a good time and I have been dreaming about the food ever since. How could I go wrong? It's only a 1.5 hour flight from Newark, the food is delicious, the shopping is great and the people are friendly. So I booked the flight and a room at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel located in a decent place in the center of the city. Even though this is a decent hotel this is going to be a big let-down because last year I stayed at the luxury Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. Typically I couldn't afford the place but due to a clerical error from Liberty Travel I got a $250 room for $125. You see, it was posted at $125 "per person based on double occupancy". I was one person and when I inquired they told me $125, not catching the error. I doubt the Queen Elizabeth would give away a room for $125.

Anyway, the Four Points would be fine but two days ago I poked around a web-sight called biddingfortravel.com and found that I could probably do better. On Bidding for Travel, people posts their winning bids from Priceline so you have an idea what hotels are going for. They also list the hotels that are usually offered with each zone. After reviewing all this, i went to priceline.com and entered my bid. $70 a night, central Montreal, 3 star hotel for 4 nights. Most of the hotels offered in the Montreal area are pretty good. The only two I was concerned about was a Novotel, which was a little to far to the west and a Holiday Inn, which was a little too "Holiday Inn". So I clicked my mouse and the bid began. As the wheel spun I watched and then the result, I was awarded a room. I crossed my fingers and looked for the hotel name....  THE HYATT REGENCY! Wow! I couldn't have asked for better. A $200 a night hotel room for $70 ($86 with tax). See slide show

It's gonna be a good vacation!

So I'm off. This is my second trip to Montreal and I've seen many of the sights so I am looking forward to wandering, eating and shopping. I might even find something cultural to do, but don't count on it. Mostly I want to hit 4 restaurants that I loved last time I was there, L'Express, Boris Bistro, Au Petit Extra and Au Pied de Cochon. That's 4 meals out of 8 (not including breakfast). I should also try to find a place with good Poutine, that Quebecois specialty. I think it's french fries covered with gravy and cheese curd. I also have a few new places on my short list; Le Grand Comptoir, Le Vaudeville, Bistro L'entrepont, Cafe Cherrier, Le P'tit Plateau, Le Paris and Les Heritiers. We'll see where I end up.

I also just remembered something I had that was memorable at Au Pied de Cochon, it was a dessert called "Pouding Chomeur". The dessert is a piece of very fluffy cake topped with a mixture of cream and maple syrup, then baked at a high temperature until golden and bubbly. Sort of a Canadian version of Sticky Toffee Pudding.

The other good part of this trip is that Quebec no longer allows smoking in bars and restaurants.

I depart for Montreal from Newark Liberty Airport on Wednesday, July 12 at 8.30am. I will begin blogging from the airport and update until I leave on Sunday, July 16. Join me!

If you would like to read my adventures from Montreal in 2005, click on the categories or archives on the right or scroll through this blog.

Impressions of Montreal

My short (it seemed long) holiday to Montreal is over. I really had a good time and never realized there was such a wonderful city so cloe to New York. It's amazing that there is a city which seems so foreign and so refined, only an hour and a half flight from Newark.

Before I go into my tips and impressions, I want to remind you to visit this sight again in the next few weeks. I took tons of photos and will add them to my posts and maybe put an album online.

Here are my final impressions:

-Traveling to Montreal is like taking a mini European vacation. I think it would be a good prep for anyone who fears going to Paris. One of the biggest differences between Montreal and Paris is the most people in Montreal can speak perfect English.

-Airfares to Montreal can vary greatly and can be very inexpensive on off peak days with an advance purchase.

-French is the primary language of Montreal and the Quebec government goes to great lengths to keep it that way. Be prepared to learn a few French words.

-Most people easily switch between English and French. Many seem to wait for a greeting of "hello" or "bonjour" to determine how to converse. Don't worry, even if you want to greet someone with "bonjour" or a "bonsoir", they will know which language you speak. You can't fool them.

-In restaurants many waiters are happy to help translate a menu and explain the French specialties.

-in general people in Montreal are very friendly and welcoming. They love your money!

-The European custom of kissing on both checks is widely practice. If you feel you want to kiss your concierge, remember kiss on the left then kiss on the right. Never go for a full lip kiss unless you really "like" him.

-The custom of having wine with lunch or dinner is a very common practice. You will be surprised to find glasses of wine as low as US$4.50 in some restaurants.

-Restaurant prices can vary greatly but with a good US to Canadian exchange rate you can get a good meal for around 20-30% less than in a big American city.

-The Metro has a good network and is an easy way to zip around. You can buy a strip of discount tickets or a 3 day tourist card which will save you money off individual ride tickets. The Metro trains are not air conditioned. I guess we are spoiled in New York City

-In the Summer it can be very hot and humid in Montreal. Some restaurants seem to have bad air conditioning or none at all. Dress light and casual.

-Pastry, pastry, pastry. Montreal is not a "non-fat" city. Bakeries still bake in the French tradition.

-Montreal is a beautiful and varied city. Parts will remind you of Paris, New York, London, Melbourne and other international cities. There are parts that are very modern and other that are old world.

-There is a lot of shopping to be done in the downtown area. Be prepared to walk a lot and find some incredible deals!

-Too cold? Bad weather? Go underground. Montreal has a sprawling underground city in the downtown area that links from shopping center to shopping center. There are specialty stores, food courts, services and entry to department stores. It's impossible to find a plan and it's signed horribly, but wandering is half the fun, or is it?

-Supermarkets are the best place to buy souvenirs or picnic supplies. Look for maple syrup (in cans!), jams, biscuits and picnic supplies. The three main markets in Montreal are Provigo, IGA and Metro.

-People don't seem to use cell phones here as much as in other cities.

-People don't smoke as much as Europeans do, but smoking is still allowed in restaurants. Most have no smoking sections.

-Old Montreal is very scenic and about as touristy as San Francisco's Fisherman Wharf or other central tourist districts. This is where you go to buy chintzy souvenirs, expensive maple syrup and silly little paintings of the city (although there are a few good vendors). Once you are ready to eat be careful because prices can be high and food can be substandard. For a good meal walk a short distance to the edge of the quarter to La Gargote or Boris Bistro. Both are reviewed on this sight.

-You wil get the best exchange rates by withdrawing money from an ATM. Check with you banks concerning fee's and rates. I have a non-Visa check card from my bank which charges me no fees and refunds fee's charged by other banks.

-Paying by credit card still gets you good exchange rates but your bank and credit card issuer will add a "processing" fee ranging from 1-3% of the purchase.

-Good news! The taxes you pay on your hotel bill are refundable! You can usually find a mail in form at hotels and the airport. Be sure you get a receipt from your hotel.

-Currency is easy to use oin Canada. Bill look different than US money but coins follow the same general size. There is one big difference, there are no $1 bills and coins come in added denominations of $1 and $2. Be careful or once you get to the airport you will have to buy a lot of candy bars to get rid of them all.

-The Aerobus is a great value into the city from the airport.

-For travel books on Montreal, I used both Frommer's Montreal and Lonely Planet's Montreal. Both offered great advise for walking tours, sights, restaurants and shopping. I think I perferred the Lonely Planet book if you can only get one. To get a great deal on a new or even slightly worn travel book, go to www.half.com or www.powells.com. You will often find the book you are looking for at a very low price.

-Fodors.com is a good sight if you want to read about Montreal online. Frommers.com can also be useful. Foodies can check into chowhound.com for tips on Montreal restaurants but be warned people on chowhound can be very opinionated and the Montreal board isn't particulary active.

-One funny note, as I walked the streets I often smelled people smoking "the funny stuff". How bold.

If you have any other tips, please add them to the comments on this post.

Remember, stay tuned as I update and organize this sight in the next few weeks. Also if you happen to visit any of the restaurants listed, please feel free to add your comments or review.

Au Revior, Montreal!

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Departure

I planned to be back to my hotel before 3pm to catch the Aerobus to Montreal Dorval Airport. As I wandered and lost track of time, I realized that I wasn't close to my hotel and only had under a half hour to get back, collect my luggage and catch the bus. To make sure I kept on schedule I caught a cab to take me the semi-short distance.

Upon arriving at my hotel I collected my luggage and actually caught a bus which was 20 minutes earlier than anticipated. I wanted to be sure I was at the airport early because in Canada you actually clear U.S. Immigrations and customs in Canada (be prepared to fill out all the paperwork).

Since I was carrying legal packaged food products I had to check the "carrying food" box on the customs form. This can result in an argriculture check to be sure I don't have a live chicken or banana in my bag. As I passed through customs the nasty guard grunted at me and stamped my slip without even looking. Shoot! I could have brought back some sausage and livestock because he didn't even look.

The gate area of Montreal airport io pretty nice and modern. Sort of makes the United terminal at Newark look like a train station. I am here almost 2 hours early so I have time to take advantage of Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge. If the Montreal Airport makes Newark Airport look like a train station, then Air Canada's lounge makes United's look like a refuge camp. Air Canada lounge is modern, bright and airy. There is complimentary wine, coffee, hard liquor and potato chips. I can't remember if I ever saw free hard liquor in one of United's Red Carpet Lounges. I'm having a Perrier anyway.

After a short wait in the lounge, we are a half hour away from our departure to the "Paris of the east". Next stop, Newark, New Jersey.

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12 en Cave

367 St-Paul Est | Montreal

www.12encave.com

In my last minute wanderings through Old Montreal I found the greatest wine accessory store. Not that I need anymore gadgets. "12 en Cave" carries just about everything you can imagine which ois wine relates. They have hundreds of corkscrews, tableware, glassware, handcrafted goods, wine racks, thermometers, textiles, decoratives and more.

If you appreciate wine, check it out. There are also a few other decent "less touristy" shops on the same block including a store carrying all sort of housewares from the south of France and a decent gifts shop (I bought a set of 4 placemats for C$12.99).

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Boris Bistro

465 rue McGill | Montreal

Metro - Square Victoria

It's my last meal in Montreal and I was planning to head out to L'express for an encore meal since. I really enjoyed my first visit.

I was sidetracked. Throughout my trip I kept walking by Boris Bistro on my way to Old Montreal but it was untouchable and always packed full. This morning is different. It is noon and there are only about 4 other parties here. I guess it's a good time to try it. Someone I met a few nights ago at Au Pied de Cochon told me that she heard it was good, "if you could get in". Well, I'm in!

The nice part about Boris Bistro is the shady outdoor patio for dining al fresco. Although the patio is shaded, most of thetable have big market umbrellas offering additional comfort. The interior is also very nicely decorated in a modern, but warm style (non typical French bistro).

The menu isn't huge but features classic French bistro fare with starters ranging from C$3 - 9. The main course dishes are also quite reasonable and range from C$12 - 19 and include dishes such as blanquette de veau, pork filet with cranberry sauce, duck risotto, braised rabbit and a few seafood dishes.

For my starter I order the endive, beet and blue cheese salad (C$6.50). Simple enough, very simple, really delicious. The dish comes with cubed red beet and sliced yellow beets along with a few spears of endive. This beautiful arrangement is topped with crumbled blue cheese and an olive oil dressing. Lovely. I sopped up every bit of the delicious dressing with my crusty French bread.

For my main course I selected the duck leg confit which comes with a green salad and lentils (C$12.75). The duck leg is so delicious and has a crispy skin with meat that is so tender you can cut it with a fork. The side dish of lentils want to my liking, but I am not a lentil fan.

On the side I got an order of frites (C$3.75). I know, I known not more frites! But at Boris Bistro there is one big difference... They are fried in duck fat. How unhealthy is that? Who cares, you'll never get that in New York City. The fries are very tasty and have a sweet flavor. They are cooked dark brown but aren't very crispy. These duck fat frites are served with a side of a mayo with added ketchup and spices. It went well with the fatty fries.

Boris Bistro also has a decent wine list by the bottle or glass. The selections include wines from Europe as well as Australia with a noticible absence of California wines. Wine by the glass is offered in the C$7 range and by the bottle you can get something at around C$35.

So...

Did you think I would pass up dessert? Never! Typically I would go with the creme brulee but today I'll try something different. My choice is fondant au chocolat and I don't even know what the heck I ordered.

I think I made a good choice. At first, the serving size of this dish looked stingy. On the plate the dessert was a small cone of chocolate topped with a few caramelized pistachios and surround with a caramel creme sauce. Well, after the fact it was hardly stingy. The small piece of chocolate would fulfil any chocoholics dream. It was so thick you could barely cut it with a spoon. The caramel creme sauce surrounding the chocolate was really delicious and I remember the menu reading that it was "salted" caramel. Truely a classic dessert.

I finish my meal with a simple cafe filtre (filtered coffee).

The service today at Boris Bistro has been so friendly and cheerful. My waitress is really a gem. That make a big difference. I don't know if it is always this good, or if it's because they aren't busy. I guess people don't go out to eat on Sunday afternoons.

I have to say that I am glad that I walked by this afternoon because I originaly thought the menu seemed bland. It was far from it. Sitting out on the shadey patio with the cool breeze blowing has been a perfect wrap up to my Montreal adventure. I have to award Boris with a golden star as my favorite meal while in Paris, uhhhhh, I mean Montreal.

Total bill including one glass of wine C$42.85 (US$37). Considering the amount and quality of food I would say this is a "best buy".

For food, service and atmosphere I give Boris Bistro 4 big hearts. Now I know why it was always full everytime I walked by!

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Au Petit Extra

1690 rue Ontario | Montreal

Metro - Papineau (then a short walk)

This is the last place on my "must eats" for this trip so I am lucky to get a table. I tried to get here as early as possible today to be sure I I didn't miss the opportunity.

I was pretty surprised that this highly recommemnded place is in such a non-descript neighborhood. With it's laquered storefront, globe lighting, thick venetian blinds and awnings, the exterior stands out in the neighborhood. It really looks like a Parisian bistro.

Au Petit Extra iis recommended by many guidebooks and forums on the net. It was also personally recommended to me by the Montreal foodies

The interior at Au Petit Extra is beautiful. It come with all the French trimmings. Creamy ochre walls, wood floors, huge blackboard menus, bistro firniture, schoolhouse lamps mixed with big chandeliers and large ornate mirrors. It's the perfect "last dinner" for my Montreal adventure.

The blackboard menu has no surprises except for that it is completely in French. If you don't read French I am positive your waiter will be happy to assist. I am actually impressed that I can read almost the entire menu.

The menu starters range from C$6.25 to $9.75, main courses go from C$18 to $24. Everything seems like a good value considering the beautiful preparations and atmosphere.

Tonight no duck in this bistro will be safe. Why? Because I am doing one of my vacation favorites...

DUCKFEST!

For my starter I splurge and order the Foie Gras Maison aux Pommes. At C$14.75 this is a Toys R Us bargain. I've seen this on other menus at $20 or more. The Foie Gras starter is beautifully presented. It come with three small, thick slices, toast wedges, sauteed apples and currants. This is the worlds most decadant dish. Poor duck. The foie gras was very rich and creamy and perfectly matched to the trimmings. One thing I didn't really like was the toast they served with it. I thought it was a bit too think and I perfer it to be more bland since the toast is just a vehicle to get the foie gras to your mouth.

Along with my foie gras I ordered a glass of muscat wine which is a sweet wine to compliment the foie gras. It's very nice but I don't finish it all and save some for dessert.

Along with the meal you are also served your choice of a gazpacho (?) Or a salad. I choose the salad. It a nice simple mixed green salad with a tasty vinagrette dressing topped with cucumbers and delicious spiced & candied mixed nuts. I think they were spiced with curry. I just want a bag of those nuts to take home.

For my main course I order the Magret de Canard aux Cerises. That's duck breast with cherries. Once again the dish is beautifully presented and at C$23.75 I consider it a good deal. The duck is sliced and cooked medium with a reduction made from cherries. It was very well prepared and I don't think I ever remember having such tender Magret de Canard. It was nice because it had just a slight layer of delicious fat, even thought I opted to cut some off. The duck was served with a few wedges of roast potato (too dry) and sauteed cabbage slaw which I thought was a bit weird. Regardless of the strange sides, the duck was worth it. I think I will send them my roast potato recipe.

Along with my main course I ordered a glass of grenache-syrah which was from Australia. It was decent but not in the French style, definitly new world wine.

Time for another decadant treat, cheese course. How could I leave a real French bistro with ordering the cheese course? The cheese hert is served at C$1.50 per 10 grams. I don't know metrics but that doesn't sound too bad. I just want a little bit so since it's by the weight I will see what they can work out.

The cheese plate prepared for me had 3 varieties of cheese, a morbier, camambert and a goat bouchon. The goat cheese was the best but the cambembert wasn't so tasty. The cheese was served with some crisp toasted french bread. In fact it was too hard and crunchy considering how thick the toast was. I think I would have preferred some standard soft baguette. One note, the chesse was served way to cold and not brought to a higher temperature after leaving the refrigerator. "Fromage" at Au Petit Extra" is charged by weight and my small plate of cheese costs only C$6

My next test is creme brulee, then I promise I will stop eating. The creme brulee here is C$4.75 but it's not a very large portion. The "creme" is as smooth as silk and creamy like soft butter. It was very well made. It's too bad that the crispy sugar topping was way over browned and left a burnt taste in my mouth (as did the service).

Au Petit Extra is really a Parisian treat right here in Montreal. Once again I am transported away to Paris after entering the doorway. My service was professional and friendly, but questionable. When I arrived it was fast and attentive but it quickly became less personal and slow once the place got busy. My waiter passes by many times without acknowledgement or a glance. Somehow, at one point I felt forgotten. How sad. (They don't know I am sitting here reviewing them on the spot).

Wouldn't a simple, "I'll be right with you" have helped? A good meal can be distroyed by bad service.

For atmosphere and food I would give them an easy 4 hearts. For service they bombed and get 3, but on the shakey low end. They seem to need more help. My experience here went from exceptional to questionable.

I guess if you are hanging out, eating, laughing and drinking with friends, slow service may not be such an issue.

My total bill this evening was C$70.17 (US$56), considering how much food I ate and the 2 glasses of wine I drank I guess that's not too bad.

As I departed I did not even get as much as an "au revoir".

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Ben's

990 Boulvarde de Maisonneuve | Montreal

Metro - Peel

I planned to eat lunch at Le Petit Extra today but when I arrived at the bistro I learned thatit was closed for lunch on Saturdays. I guess I will try it for dinner tonight. Instead I headed for Ben's, which is another place recommended in the guide books

Ben's is not what I would call a atmospheric place. It's the type of place that time forgot. Maybe it does scream with atmosphere if you take a look around. The peeling walls are covered in yellow formica with green trim around the edges. The floors are terazzo with green and yellow triangle pattern. Table are formica with multi-colored green, yellow and orange chairs. The waiters are "old world", truely "OLD world" dressed in black and white with aprons that are about as well worn as the restaurant.

OK, enough about the interior, I am here to eat smoked meat. Ben's has been around since 1908 and is a smoked meat institution in Montreal. I don't really know the history of smoked meats, but it seems to be popular here. From what I can recall, I remember reading that Ben's was the best.

Nothing here is really expensive and most of the food looks like cafeteria food, except for their special smoked meats. I ordered the special which was C$12.50 and included the "Big Ben Sandwich", dill pickle, fries, cole slaw and a coke. The Big Ben sandwich says it comes with "smoked meat" but doesn't saw what the meat is. I believe it is corned beef.

The sandwich is piles high with a good amount of corned beef and is served on rye. I am really shocked on how tender and light the meat is. It's really not smokey flavored but had a good meat flavor and a hint of pepper. The classic way to eat this is with yellow mustard which is at the table.

The fries and cole slaw were as about as bad as the service. The coke was in such a small glass that I inhaled it through my nose.

I guess Ben's is a good place for a fast sandwich with really tasty meats, but it left me unimpressed.

Total bill with tax - C$14.87

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Saturday

I just woke up and took a short walk to the train station below my hotel. The station actually has quite a nice market and food court which includes coffee shops, food court style restaurants, convenience stores and even a wine shop.

I headed for the bakery...

At the bakery I eyed up every thing in the case and selected a chausson au pomme and a date-orange muffin. OK, I am a hog. I also picked up a cup of coffee at Canada's answer to Starbucks, a cahin called "The Second Cup". I am not suppose to be drining coffee right now because I am bleaching my teeth, but I really need the "pick me up".

This morning I am eating my breakfast on the nightstand in my room as I wanted to type this post and prepare for my day. It is bright and sunny outside, the temperature is cool and the hunidity is low. What a perfect day for...

SHOPPING!

Believe me Montreal has more shops than anywhere I can remember in my recent travels. Not only are there ton of shops at street level but in the downtown area you can get lost in the "underground city" which is a sprawling complex of connected underground shopping centers. Yesterday I was quite far from my hotel and it started to rain so I went underground (like a rat) and navigated my way through the passages and tunnels all the way back to my hotel.

Back to breakfast...

The chausson au pomme I ordered is really delicious, one bite and I was back in "i heart paris" eating my breakfast at a boulangerie in Le Marais. The muffin was good too. It wasn't really a cakey type muffin but was sort of natural and fresh flavored. It really spiked with the tatse of orange and had anice caramelized top. The coffee from The Second Cup was good too. Not as nasty as Starbucks.

Did I mention that yesterday I had the most delicious chocolate filled almond macroon? Well, it wasn't as good as in Paris, but it was the next best thing. I got it at a chain bakeshop but I can't remember the name.

In addition to the macroon I also had a few other sweets yesterday. While in the touristy "Vieux Montreal", I stopped in a place that specializes in maple syrup products. I had a maple syrup flavored ice cream that had a great flavor and a shortbread biscuit topped with maple syrup flavored icing. How do you spell...

S-U-G-A-R-H-I-G-H ???

Anyway, I had a nice time walking through old Montreal and even though it is pretty, it's a big tourist trap. I wouldn't recommend eating here unless you know of the few places that actually don't rip you off. Do your research.

While in old Montreal I did buy one of those little watercolors that you see being sold on every sidewalk in every big city in the world. For C$10 I got a tiny little watercolor of Montreal's Hotel de Ville which is the city hall. Wherever possible I always pick up these little tokens and have them nicely framed for my home gallery. Unfortunately it usually costs a small fortune to have them matted and framed but they do bring back memories at each glance.

OK, the day is waiting...

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Au Pied de Cochon

536 rue Duluth | Montreal

Metro - Sherbrooke (then a short walk)

That's a weird name for a restaurant, "The Foot of the Pig".

I assure you that I will not be dining on a pig foot tonight. Au Pied de Cochon is a very popular, hustle bustle type of place which you will find recommended in all the guidebooks and online forums. . I arrived tonight at almost 9pm so the place is packed with people dining on seafood, game and, of course, pig.

The atmosphere is simple... big mirrors, the infamous bistro style globe lamps, wood floors and wood tables with black bistro chairs. No table cloths, no sharply dressed waiters or pampering hostesses.

As I look around I see people with triple tiered plateaus massed full with assorted seafoods. That's a lot of seafood this far away from the Atlantic! I also think that the "plateau" costs somewhere around $50 to $140!

This is NOT a relaxing place. It's loud, people are rushing around and the hectic kitchen is right in a front of me. Tonight I am wedged in at the counter right in front of the tiny kitchen. How exciting is that? Well, I guess it's not for the "faint of heart" and would make you think twice about going into the restaurant business. Be careful not to watch too closely.

For my starter I've kept it simple, an endive salad with blue cheese, apples and walnuts (C$8.50). This is sort of a wet dressed salad and the serving is huge. The plate is filled with greens, lots of blue cheese, walnuts and shredded endive. The serving is huge and everything tastes great. Oh, some of the greens are being cut right from a growers flat in front of me and used right in the salad. Now that's fresh!

For my main course I ordered the venison steak with, guess what, frites (C$18). I like fries as much as the next person but it getting to be a bit much. Well, regardless, having "cerf" is always a treat since it's difficult (and expensive) to get at home. Although this wasn't the most refined dish I ever had, it was very tasty. The venison was served medium rare and topped with tons of sauteed onions and mushrooms. The meat was very tender and flavorful. If you never tried venison before this would be a good place to start. It's really not bad, it tastes like a rich cut of beef.

The frites were served in a big paper cone alonside my deer steak. I have to say, sorry but these were the worst I have had in Montreal. They were wet, mushy and greasy. But one plus, they were served with garlic aioli.

Along with my meal I had 2 glasses of French Shirah red wine which was pretty good. I was actually impressed that it was served in the proper glass and I was offered a taste before the glass was poured. Unfortunately at C$9 a glass it was no value and drove up my entire bill.

(Richard, you're on vacation...)

Between courses I got into a conversation with the people sitting around me and after expressing my love for French food thay said I came to the right place but highly recommend that I also try "Le Petit Extra". I think that's my lunch or dinner stop for today! I am now on my 3 meal countdown before I go home.

My counter partner told me that she has a sweet tooth and usually orders "sugar pie" for dessert at Au Pied de Cochon. I never heard of this but I think it's a Canadian thing. Unfortunately the sugar pie is a huge serving meant for 2 people. After realizing this she tells me I must get the "Pouding Chomeur" (C$7). She explains that the meaning is somewhat of a poormans pudding or pudding of the unemployed. My new counter friend also told me that this is the specialty dessert at Au Pied de Cochon and you won't find this anywhere else in Montreal.

I have never heard of pouding chomeur so I decide to give it a try. When this arrives it is obvious, this is sticky toffee pudding Canadian style. How do the make it Canadian? With maple syrup of course! The dessert is a piece of very fluffy cake topped with a mixture of cream and maple syrup, then baked at a high temperature until golden and bubbly. Wow! This is a sugar rush. As my counter mates watched the waitress also joined in to watch me eat it and wait for my approval. This was so sweet my teeth ached from all the sugar. Boy was it delicious. When they asked me how it was I said that this was "Canada in a bowl". It was cakey, gooey and packed with maple syrup flavor.

With the price of maple syrup, I doubt an unemployed person would be eating this!

There was a very large man sitting next to me who had already consumed his creme brulee dessert and when he saw mine he ordered it too. Dude, lay off the desserts! The waitress told him, who cares you're on holiday and besides this isn't a "low fat" restaurant!

Au Pied de Cochon is about as atmospheric as you can get. It's not the kind of place to visit if you want a romantic meal. It's the type of place you come to for good times, good friends and delicious food.

My total bill tonight including 2 glasses of wine @ C$9 each was C$59.24 (without tip). That's US$48 or $40 without wine.

For service they get a dismal 1 heart or maybe 3 hearts. Boy they are slow but the staff all seem to enjoy their job and are ever so friendly. For atmosphere I would say they are either 1 heart or 5 hearts depending on how you look at it because if you sit at the counter it quite a show. For food I guess I will give them a solid 3 hearts (4 for the dessert).

Food here is not elegant or refined. It homestyle French comfort food, prepared and served as you would do it at home. No sprigs of parsley here!

I would say that Au Pied de Cochon should be on anyones list while visiting Montreal.

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Brought to You By...

I forgot to mention, "i heart montreal" is brought to you by Rogers wireless, Cingular's Canadian partner.

My Blackberry service has been totally reliable!

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L'entrecote Saint-Jean

2022 rue Peel | Montreal

I really had no plans to visit L'entretcote Saint-Jean but this morning I had a comment which suggested it and since I was shopping in the area I added it to my list of places to try.

The interior is decorated in a true Parisian style with burgundy banquettes, huge towering beveled mirrors, tiled floors and lighted by simple brass chandeliers with globe shades.

The menu here is simple, you have a choice of entrecote or entrecote. There is nothing else. The set menu is C$20.95 which gives you the soup of the day, a butter lettuce salad with walnuts, the famous entrecote with frites and profiterole for dessert.

The soup of the day is a cream of vegetable and is pretty good. It's not really thick but it has a fresh pepper taste. This is not a small cup of soup, it's a full size bowl. Along with the soup I am served a basket of french bread which is a bit rubbery.

The salad was simple, tender butter lettuce, walnuts and a vinegrette dressing. You can complain about that!

The entrecote is topped with a simple cream sauce and cooked to your liking. It's served with a side of frites. Truthfully, I am not a big entrecote fan and found the meat here to be no different than what I have had elsewhere. Entrecote can be a bit tough. The frites were tasty but not the best I've had. Regardless both were very tasty.

Now dessert. The dessert served with the set menu is profiteroles. My favorite. Unfortunately the profiteroles failed to impress me. The dough for the puff seemed to be made by the same baker who made the rubbery bread. The ice cream stuffed inside seemed cheap, as did the chocolate sauce. I will say that they were tasty but I am comparing them to the first profiteroles I ever had which were at a place called le bouledouge (the bulldog?) in Paris. I still haven't had an impressive dessert in Montreal yet (but I do have a almond macroon with chocolate filling in my bag...).

L'entrecote Saint-Jean is the perfect stop in Montreal when you want you "steak-frites" and your fill of Parisian atmosphere. The clientele during lunch is a mix of old ladies and businessmen discussing their latest annoying big deal. If you are lucky they will sit you next to a big mouth from Texas.

For atmosphere and service I would give them 4 hearts since everyone was so friendly and polite. May I also say that they were well dressed. For food they get 3 simple hearts. The food is good, but basic.

Total bill with wine and tax C$31.86 not including tax. That's about US$25.

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My First Impression

hhhh

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My first day in Montreal went very well. I arrived on time, zipped through customs and baggage claim then took the Aerobus to the city.  The Aerobus dropped me off right at the door of my hotel. Not bad for CDN$22.75 (round trip). I am staying at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth which is conveniently located in the heart of downtown (that sounded like a commercial).

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The Fairmount Queen Elizabeth (or "La Reine Elizabeth" as it is called in French) is quite nice for the price I paid. The rooms aren't huge but are nice decorated in tones of warm and pale golden yellows and cherry furniture. The room has a large window but I have no view except for roof tops. The bathrooms are tiny but are sparkling clean with black marble tiles and shiny fittings. Everyone in the hotel is very polite and helpful. I would say this is a 4 star luxury hotel (for US$115 a night!).

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Yesterday, I visited about 4 different Montreal neighborhoods. I bounced all over town on the convenient (but not air conditioned) Metro. The Metro is easy to navigate and move you to your location quickly for a reasonable proce. I enjoyed that each of the 4 neighborhoods had a different feeling ranging from modern to old world.

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Downtown (called "centre-ville" in French), where my hotel is located, is like any other city in the world. There are tall modern skyscrapers, big luxury hotels, cheap fast food restaurants and blocks and blocks of shops and department stores. Downtown is also where you will find the "underground city" and underground complex od shops, restaurants and food courts that ate linked below the office towers. You could shop underground all day (like a rat) and never see the light of day, rain or snow!

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In striking contrast, Old Montreal, which is a short walk from my hotel, feels more like Europe, maybe even Le Marais in Paris. Old Montreal is filled with some good, but pricey, restaurants. There are also enough little gift and souvenir shops to keep anyone busy for a number of hours.

The other 2 areas I visited were typical of any cities local neighborhoods, tree lines sidewalks filled with independantly operated shops and cafes.

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I only made 2 purchases yesterday which were 2 black and white enamel plaques, one reading "La Cuisine" (The Kitchen) and the other reads "Bienvenue" (Welcome). Each plaque was CDN$10 which is a very low price for this type of plaque.

Today I will do some more wandering through the city and check out Old Montreal and some of the shopping downtown. I am not sure where I wil eat today but, hmmmmm, maybe it will be something French.

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La Gargote

351 Place D'Yountville | Montreal

Metro Square Victoria (then a short walk)

www.bar-resto.com/gargote/

Is it time to eat again?

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Tonight, I walked a short distance from my hotel to "Vieux Montreal" (Old Montreal) to check out a few restaurants recommended in the guide books. To make my decision, I passed 3 restaurants to check out the atmosphere and the menu. The first one was a place called Boris Bistro which was too crowded (note to self, crowded places have good food). The second was another bistro called Holder which only had seating at a crowded bar and the third, La Gargote, had plenty of space in their dining room but none on their outdoor patio.

I chose La Gargote because they have profiteroles on their menu.

La Gargote was recommended in Frommer's guide book which usually has a mix of really good places and really touristy ones. I hope this isn't one of the touristy ones. The only thing that bugs me is that they aren't really busy. It's getting late and I have to eat.

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The dining room is decorated in a modern but classic style with deep red painted walls and bistro furniture. Tables are covered with natural colored tablecloths and natural kraft colored butcher paper. The beamed ceilings and fieldstone walls give La Gargote an "old world" feeling.

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The dining room is  comfortable but in warm weather they have an outdoor patio across the street. It's fun to watch the waiters crossing the street with hot plates of good French food.

The staff at La Gargote is very friendly and speak good English. Service isn't smothering but they do make sure you are satisfied. I asked my server what "gargote" means. She says it's a joke because it means "a really bad restaurant". I think it's a "south of France" thing. (Later I am informed that La Gargote means "The Greasy Spoon")

[time to eat]

For my meal I order off the daily specials menu which was a good list including beef, pork, fish and veal brains. Yes, veal brains. I never ate veal brains so I decided to try it.

Only kidding, that's one thing I think I'll never order.

From the specials I order something more civilized, the rack of pork (aka pork chop) which comes with a small starter choice of melon balls in port or gazpacho. I start with the melon. No big deal. Just melon in port. CDN$22.50 (for starter and pork)

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My "plat" (main course) is beautifully presented on an orange plate that is so hot it makes me sweat (really!). I am warned not to touch it. The pork chop is prepared with a mixed spice reduction that has  gingerbread type spices. I would assume that it was cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The chop is meaty and a decent size. The dish is served with a side of crisp julienned vegetables and a few roast potatoes. It's perfect. The serving is not too big, nor too small.

(Looking back, the small starter of melon balls was hardly satisfying. I remember wishing that I had ordered a starter also.)

Along with my meal I order a glass of Alsatian Tokay Pinot Gris which is a perfect "off dry" compliment to the pork dish. CDN$7.50

For dessert I ordered one of my all time French favorites, profiteroles. Profiteroles at La Gargote are served in the classic style, vanilla ice cream filled puffs topped with warm chocolate syrup. Delicious. Although these aren't the best I ever had (the puff wasn't very puffy), they are yummy. CDN$5.95

[in my opinion...]

La Gargote is a decent moderately priced bistro located in the sometimes pricey and touristy old Montreal neighborhood.

Total bill CDN$41.15 (US$33). That was a good deal considering it also included wine and dessert (tip was extra). I love a good deal!

I give La Gargote 3 solid hearts for good food, pleasant staff and a nice dining room.

An English menu is available and La Gargote also offers a non smoking area.

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L'Express

3927 rue St-Denis | Montreal

Metro Sherbrooke

L'express is one of the restaurants that came up most often when I did a web search for Montreal bistros and it is also recommended in most of the major guidebooks (Frommers, Fodors and Lonely Planet). After checking in at my hotel I took the Metro to the Sherbrooke station and walked up rue St-Dennis for lunch at L'Express.

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I walked up pretty far but never saw the bistro. After checking my guidebook for the address, I realized I walked a few blocks too far. As I walked back I remembered what the guidebook said, "No obvious sign announces the presence of this restaurant, only its name discreetly spelled out in white tiles in the sidewalk." How was I to see that when I was taking in all the sights? I guess L'Express is so popular that they don't need to waste money on a sign.

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The interior of L'Express is simple, burgundy walls, globe lighting and black & white checked tile floors with seating at simple marble tables and bistro chairs.  It's a hot day today and the interior is also nicely cooled. I really appreciate that! I arrived at the peak of the lunch hour and was unable to get a table, so I took a seat at the bar which is covered with stainless steel. For lunch is a good place to sit.

[ce qui à manger]

The menu is handwritten on paper and includes any French classic you may desire. Everything from "confit de canard" to "steak frites". No surprises here! Lunch prices range from CDN$8 to 22.OO depending on how fancy you want to eat. I didn't get any indication that there was an English menu.

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For my lunch I ordered a "quiche of the day" (CDN$8.95) which is ham and guryere cheese with leeks. It comes with a side of either "frites" or a salad. I think I will have frites. After placig my order, I am served a big basket of crusty and chewy French bread plus the waiter sits a large jar of cornichons in front of me. Cornichons! I've died and gone to heaven. I love cornichons. I may steal the whole jar.

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After gorging myself on cornichoms my quiche arrives. The beautiful quiche is an individual size and is nicely browned on the top. The crust is thin and flakey and very, very buttery but the filling is the star here, it is custardy rich and everything a quiche should be. I never had a quiche in Paris, but I would guess this is better. The mound of frites are crispy and hot and nicely golden browned. They are a bit darker than some people may be use to, but that's probably because of the sugar content in the potato. The dark edges really bring out the flavor. Delicious!

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For dessert I select from the specials list and order the Risotto aux Fraises (CDN$4.95) which is a rice pudding made with aborio rice and then topped with strawberries. This dessert is good but nothing great. The strawberries are very sweet and there is a decent amount but there wasn't very much rice pudding.

[in my opinion...]

The total bill here is CDN$20.93 which is about US$16. Not a bad deal for lunch including dessert and a glass of wine (CDN$4.95). Where in New York City can you get a glass of French red wine for $4? 

L'Express is a very cool place and like I said earlier, it comes with no surprises. The food is classic French bistro and the service is professional and polite. Most of the staff speaks English and would be happy to assit you with the menu.

Service is decent but I give them 4 hearts for their versions of the French classics and atmosphere. If I don't look out the   window I could be in a bistro in Paris.

Here is a photo of the menu, click it to enlarge. It should be easy to read.

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Air Canada Flight 775

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Today's flight to Montreal went really fast. We are minutes from landing for an on-time arrival. I managed to get in a little reading and planning for Montreal but I am hardly prepared.

It looks like a clear day and rain shouldn't be an issue. I should be able to get into downtown in about an hour after landing. After checking in I am heading to LUNCH! I think I may try L'express in the Plateau du Mont Royal area. That is one of the most popular places on my list so I want to try to hit it first. Lonely Planet describes it as a traditional Parisian bistro.

OK we are landing...

Bienvenue vers "I heart montreal".

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Newark Airport

I was up at 5am this morning and out of the house at 6:00. I drove to Newark Liberty, parked and was shuttled to the airport arriving at about 6:45. My flight is at 8:30 so I guess I got here a bit early.

Newark Airport is one of my least favorite places on earth. Since the London bombings they have a new policy to limit traffic into the terminal area, my van service from the car park can no longer drop me off at the departures section of the terminal. Instead they have to drop me outside, away from the building, 3 levels down. Does that make sense? First of all you have to drag you luggage from far away, second you have to wait to be picked up in the cold or rainy weather. I understand that they want to limit the risk of a terrorist attack but I hardly think a terrorist will be coming in on a Airpark shuttle bus. I really think it's kind of ridiculous because I am taking a shuttle which prevents excess traffic and I am the one inconvenienced. Short of completely closing the airport, I don't really think there is anything they can do to stop an attack.

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I am lucky today, because I am flying on an International flight I get to use United Airlines Red Carpet Lounge. What does this mean? I get to have free beverages, stale bagels and all the airline peanuts I care to eat. I also get a comfortable seat in a quiet place.

It's now 7:35am and we depart at 8:30 and there is no aircraft in sight. It looks like it's scheduled to arrive at 8am. Today I am flying Air Canada in a small "CRJ" jet. I hate those small jets but I did get an exit row seat and the flight is only 90 minutes. 

Once in Montreal, I have to figure out how to get from the airport to my hotel. I read that there was an airport bus which stop right at the train station which is below my hotel.

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I am staying at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth which is located right in the dead center of the city. I got a great deal from Liberty Travel which offered the hotel and airfare for 3 nights at $650. That's about $115 a night for the hotel plus the airfare. $115 a night for a Fairmont Hotel is a dirt cheap price since you can't get anything off their web sight for under $225 Canadian. You can't even get into a Holiday Inn for that price.

While in Montreal I only have 2 objectives, to eat well and shop. I am not really sure what sightseeing there is to do but I am sure I'll keep busy. I already scoped out a few popular bistros, bakeries and smoked meat emporiums. I just hope it won't be too hot.

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I have only been to Montreal once before and it was only for a couple days in the suburbs. I really didn't get to see much of the city so I wanted to return for another view. Could I experience Paris on this side of the Atlantic? After all Montreal is the largest French speaking city outside of France.

Which reminds me...

I forget my translation book. Hopefully most of the places are bilingual. OK, it's time to head over to my flight. The next post will be from Montreal!

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