Upscale Middle Eastern is still riding high in Montreal – especially with Damas Restaurant at the reins. Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi and a slew of popular cookbooks from across the pond, Su is dragging well-dressed Westmounters to Verdun, LOV is doing it vegetarian in the Old … [Read more...] about Damas: Gorgeous Syrian in Outremont
Restaurant Reviews
Falling in LOV
When omnivores, carnivores and vegetarians alike are talking about a new restaurant in Montreal, it's a big deal. Because depending on your love of marinated tempeh, nutritional yeast-seasoned rice bowls and turmeric-tinged scrambled tofu, your opinion of vegan cuisine may … [Read more...] about Falling in LOV
Tasty Tacos at Taqueria Arturo
Montreal is in a Mexican food heydey. St-Henri is swimming in carnitas. Downtown loves after-work agave. And while hot sauce is still catering to wimps/Quebeckers (in my opinion), at least Tacos Victor has whole conches of the stuff on its counter to add as desired. Then … [Read more...] about Tasty Tacos at Taqueria Arturo
Top 10 End-of-2016 Restaurants in Montreal
This is a 100% subjective list of the restaurants in Montreal that earned top marks for me this year, or held strong from previous years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But for something new...well, go to: 1. Le Fantôme This fine dining place in Griffintown is tasting menu … [Read more...] about Top 10 End-of-2016 Restaurants in Montreal
La Sala Rosa’s New Menu: Quality Spanish Classics at an Unbeatable Price
The first time I came to Sala Rosa was on New Year's Eve about five years ago. I didn't even know it was a restaurant then. I thought it was just a live music venue, which is still a lot of peoples' reactions when I tell them it's the city's best kept Spanish secret. My friend … [Read more...] about La Sala Rosa’s New Menu: Quality Spanish Classics at an Unbeatable Price
Gluten-Free Fine Dining at Three of Montreal’s Newest Restaurants: Hvor, Le Fantôme and Candide
Eating out is hard when you're gluten free. Even with a recent resurgence of heritage grains and healthy rice bowls, it's really nice to not always be stuck eating at home. Sure, it'd be nice to go to Patisserie Patrice and buy something gorgeous and flaky and creamy (life's … [Read more...] about Gluten-Free Fine Dining at Three of Montreal’s Newest Restaurants: Hvor, Le Fantôme and Candide
Living for Charcuterie, Chicken and Chenin at La Buvette Chez Simone
How do you define Montreal as a food city? We have a little of everything, but we specialize in a very open interpretation of French-inspired cuisine. We're grazers – a little of this and a little of that, all accompanied by a glass of wine or a beer. And we enjoy a place for … [Read more...] about Living for Charcuterie, Chicken and Chenin at La Buvette Chez Simone
Omnivore Grill and the Story of the Plateau Work Lunch
Has Yotam Ottolenghi taken over the world? Perhaps not, but he's certainly a big reason that Middle Eastern cuisine is big right now. And with a strong Syrian community in Montreal (and proud reps from the rest of the Middle East), the city isn't lacking hummus. Damas, Sumac, … [Read more...] about Omnivore Grill and the Story of the Plateau Work Lunch
The Great St-Henri Taco Crawl 2016
Okay, fine, the title's a bit ridiculous, because there couldn't have been a St-Henri taco crawl in 2015 – there weren't enough taco places! But like I said when I threw the "1st Annual Volk/Watson Christmas Extravaganza," there will obvious be more years of this awesome event to … [Read more...] about The Great St-Henri Taco Crawl 2016
La Mar Restaurant: A Peruvian Expat in San Francisco
La Mar is the bay outpost of Gaston Acurio's cevicheria in Lima, Peru. I fell in love with the open-air restaurant in a quiet area of Miraflores when I was there two years ago. The corvhina traditional ceviche with braised sweet potato and pale, large corn and a simple, perfectly … [Read more...] about La Mar Restaurant: A Peruvian Expat in San Francisco