Guest Bloggers: Boo and The Frenchman-Bon Apetite a Montreal

May14

Here is another installment from the travelling duo, this time from Boo.

My husband, known as the “Frenchman” on this blog, and I visited Montreal for the first part of our honeymoon, before flying to Greece. The Frenchman is native to Quebec, yet had not been back as an adult. Even though it had been twelve years since he had last visited, he felt right at home, and even mentioned moving there one day. But realistically, that won’t happen, we love the Wee One and time at Lester Beach too much! We also love Montreal for many reasons, including the amazing shopping, bicycle friendly streets, rich history, and the strong political interest and mobilization of the young people. However the top reason to visit Montreal is the food. All our favourites: amazing lattes, poutine, smoked meat, craft beer, crepes and croissants! So here is your eating guide to Montreal.

We ate a lot of poutine in Montreal, which made it easy for us to compare and decide on our favourite poutine joint. One of our favourites, and a favourite to Montrealers is La Banquise. Open 24 hours a day, La Banquise is the perfect place to go morning, noon or night. If you go around dinner time, you will wait in line for a while, but it is so worth it. With over 30 different types of poutine, there is something for everyone. The variety ranges from poutine with pogo sticks, to smoked meat and pickle, and everything in between. We chose La Matty, which had bacon, peppers, onions and mushrooms, and La Boogalou which had pulled pork, coleslaw and sour cream. What makes Montreal poutine different from anywhere else is the sweet, soft French fries and the large squeaky cheese curds. We had no problem finishing our large portions. And if you are worried about the extra calories in poutine, just hike up to Mount Royale or rent a Bixi bike and you will be sure to burn it off. Honourable mentions for poutine joints also include Chez Claudette, located just around the corned from the brew pub Dieu Du Ciel!, or poutineville, where you can make your own combination of poutine toppings.

Another must have in Montreal is their famous smoked meat. Schwartz’s is world famous for their smoked meat, and let me tell you, it is worth the hype! There is a line up out the door any time in the day, because people just cannot stay away. Schwartz’s has been in business since 1928 serving the same recipe: delicious stacks of smoked meat. The restaurant itself also hasn’t changed in the slightest, which only adds to the charm. We sat facing the kitchen, and was able to talk to the recent owner, who showed so much pride in his restaurant. So much so that he had to stick around to watch us take our first bite into our sandwich of smoked meat on rye. Our satisfied grumbles put a grin on his face. The smoked meat is so tender that is feels as though it melts in your mouth. This place is famous for a reason, it is the best smoked meat you will ever have in your life, so be sure to go!

For a very unique dining experience in Montreal, with delicious food, visit ONOIR, where you eat in complete darkness. Experiencing complete darkness for a hour or more may be scary for some, but it is amazing how it boosts your other senses, including taste. You order before going into the dark restaurant, but I would suggest getting the surprise meals to get the full experience. There is a set price for a two course or three course meal, and whatever you end up having, I assure you it will be delicious. The chef is a master of combining tastes that please your pallet. It is fun to attempt to guess what you are eating, and we did a pretty good job at guessing almost everything on our plate. The restaurant hires visually impaired people as their wait staff, and a portion of the proceeds go to local associations that support visually impaired individuals. It is a culinary experience you will not forget!

Montreal has many reasons to visit, only one of them being the food. Be sure to visit La Belle Province and taste all that it has to offer.