Best of Montreal… The North American Adventure begins!
Let the great North American adventure commence! The upcoming posts will be about cities and towns Ole Sib and I visited on our USA-Canada road trip that took place this summer spanning over 30 states and 2 provinces, each one more delicious than the next. Sit back, relax and enjoy the foodie tour of North America!
The Best of Montreal
After a week of paradise in upstate New York’s Adirondack region for a family gathering, Ole Sib and I trundled off to America’s friendly northern neighbour and stopped when we hit the beautiful port city of Montreal. I have been fortunate to visit Montreal a few times thanks to some wonderful friends who attended college there and showed me great hotspots around the city. This best of Montreal compilation is an amalgamation of their excellent recommendations and a few other establishments we stumbled across along the way. Montreal is such a vibrant and diverse city that you could spend weeks exploring different neighbourhoods and, with a high student and graduate population, it is an ever-changing, thriving metropolis that has much to offer by way of food, drink and good times. Without further ado, I give you my best of Montreal.
Restaurant L’Avenue: Plateau
Guys. This might be my favourite brunch restaurant in the whole world. It’s a huge call, I know, but I feel in my heart that it may be the right one. Located on Montreal’s plateau neighbourhood, L’Avenue is hugely popular with locals and tourists alike because of its endless menu and amazing breakfast combos. The menu itself is a delight because it is laid out in the style of an old game show except, in this case, everyone wins! It is hugely appealing simply for the fact that it is possible to have all the breakfast favourites on one plate without feeling like an insatiable oaf. Plus, before the main event they bring out a large fruit brochette which makes you feel like the healthiest bruncher around while you’re sipping your strawberry and watermelon mimosa. If the bang for your buck element isn’t enough to tempt you here (why not, I will never understand) then it is worth the journey simply for the décor. With giant maple syrup cans and motorcycles adorning the walls, L’Avenue exudes a level of cool I can only just manage without running for fear of being noticed as someone inherently uncool. The cherry on top here is the bathroom (weird, I know), which I can only describe as the most psychedelic experience I have ever had. I’ll leave you to figure that one out.
http://restaurantlavenue.ca/index_en.html
La Banquise: Plateau
Since you’re already on the Plateau if you’ve taken the above advice and enjoyed breakfast at L’Avenue, why not turn your day into a food crawl and head further down the road to La Banquise for lunch? Or dinner, or a late night snack; it’s open 24 hours! One of Canada’s many fantastic offerings to the world is its poutine and at La Banquise it is possible to tuck into no less than 31 mind-boggling variations. I’m talking all the meats you could imagine, veggie versions, Mexican versions, vegan versions… The list is endless! (Until you hit number 31.) Personally, La Dan Dan serves as my ultimate recommendation. This sumptuous platter of delicious French fries, cheese curds, pepperoni, bacon and onions slathered in the meaty nectar also known as gravy was enormous and gluttonous and juicy and flavoursome and, quite frankly, fantastic. Furthermore, La Banquise has plenty of seating and also offers a quaint outside terrace area to enjoy in the summer months. It rates as my top spot for poutine. (And if you’re heading to Canada without thinking of puttin’ some poutine in your mouth, I’m not sure we can be friends.)
Taverne Gaspar: Old Port
After a long day of soaking up the tourist vibes in the beautiful city of Montreal, a great place to spend the evening is in the Old Port, a vibrant and picturesque area with plenty of bars and restaurants. During the day it is possible to catch a food market here or pick up some gifts at one of the multiple souvenir stores that all claim to have the best maple syrup in town. It is far from tacky down at the Old Port, however, with cobbled streets and charming old buildings in what was once Canada’s busiest port as well as a wealth of attractions down by the water; if you’re looking to zip line, paddle boat, see a Cirque du Soleil performance, experience a haunted house, take a Segway tour or do anything that holiday-you would entertain, the Old Port is your place. There is a great range of restaurants here (and some wonderful food trucks – be sure to check out Félix & Norton if you’re a cookie fan) whether you’re looking for a quick bite post-sightseeing or more of a fine dining experience. Ole Sib and I decided to set our sights firmly in the middle of the spectrum and stumbled across Taverne Gaspar, where we opted to sit outside and enjoy the warm summer’s evening. Taverne Gaspar offers an interesting menu of classic pub food but with a twist (be sure to sample their Jack Daniels barbecue sauce. I am a sucker for mac and cheese, which was excellent and only improved by the addition of bacon and peas. The ambience at Taverne Gaspar was relaxed and enjoyable and the imaginative cocktails went down a treat, so it earns a spot on the Montreal hit list for these reasons in addition to the fact that the food is reasonably priced and the location unbeatable.
Lola Rosa: McGill
Having hit some of the major tourist traps of the Plateau and the Old Port, it’s time now to head over to the McGill campus to see how the students live. This is a personal favourite area of mine thanks to my friends who showed me a good time here and because of the fact that I enjoy torturing myself with fond university memories… (The real world ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, people!) It is right in the centre of the city and is perfect in the sense that the thriving commercial downtown area meets with the leafy green avenues of the McGill campus and surrounding residential areas. Plus, it’s close to one of the entrances to Mount Royal so you can work up an appetite or work off those calories; the choice is yours. Upon recommendation, Ole Sib headed to Lola Rosa, a cosy vegetarian restaurant that is a stone’s throw away from the gates of McGill. Now, I know what you’re thinking, why did they go to a vegetarian restaurant when the blog is called holdthelettuce?! Well, yes, while I can assure you I have my doubts concerning leaf-only restaurants, I do trust the judgement of the pal who recommended somewhere as fantastic as La Banquise. What can I say? The trust paid off! We started with a plate of nachos, which were delightful and had a nice twist in the form of shredded beetroot, something that I wouldn’t normally go for but, hey, it was a day of firsts. I followed up with a vegetarian lasagne that was incredibly cheesy and tasty while Ole Sib sampled the pie of the day. Though the food was such a success that I even forgot meat was absent, the real win of the experience was the character of Lola Rosa. The staff was kind and attentive and there was a very homely charm about the restaurant that left us feeling coddled and full and ready for a nap.
Queues de Castor Beavertails (Honourable mention):
If the above culinary escapades weren’t enough to satisfy that sweet tooth, be sure to grab a beavertail when you’re in good old Canada. Located all over the country but founded in Ottawa, this tasty pastry store is famous for its beavertail shaped delicacies upon which is slathered a selection of toppings such as chocolate and banana, apple cinnamon and, my personal favourite, maple butter. They are life changing and a true testament to the gloriousness of this nation. You can also get poutine here. Canada, yo.
So concludes my ultimate Montreal hit list, but fear not, I have merely scratched the surface and intend to discover much more of what the city has to offer upon my next visit, whenever that may be. I hope you enjoy savouring these hotspots as much as I did and let me know your favourites in the comments!
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