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Official Montreal Visitor Information Thread (pg. 3)
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| malek |
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| Spin Laden |
| beautiful pic, Malek! |
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| malek |
Some great ideas for Valentine's day
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From Toronto Star:
Avoiding romance? Avoid Montreal
Feb. 4, 2006. 01:00 AM
CLEO PASKAL
Montreal—Ah, the emotional minefield of Valentine's Day.
There are husbands who buy their wives sexy lingerie two sizes too small (or, worse, two sizes too big). Wives who know what their men think is sexy but just can't bring themselves to buy them that Halle Berry calendar. And just-dating couples, who are about to find out how romantic their new partners really are.
Makes you just want to run away and hide.
Which is actually a pretty good option. A four-hour express train ride from downtown Toronto is a land of relationship salvation, where horse-drawn sleighs jingle though the streets, candlelit dinners are affordable and excellent, and hotels are gracious and sexy. Not that I'm biased, of course, being a born and bred Montrealer.
It's a funny thing about Montreal, when I say where I am from, people usually get a wistful, faraway look and mumble "Montreal ... Nice town."
No one, except ex-Montrealers, complains about Montreal. And most of what the ex-Montrealers complain about is not having bought that triplex in the Plateau for $80,000.
Most Ontarians already have warm and fuzzy feelings about Montreal, dating back to the time they were 18 and realized that "drinking's legal in Quebec, dude!" Few can remember those early forays, except that the people are beautiful. But underage drinking helps everyone's looks.
Coming back sober only makes the city more romantic. There are the cobbled streets of Old Montreal, the rejuvenated waterfront, the funky Plateau area (which was so Queen West before there was a Queen West) and the endless summer festivals (jazz, comedy, film, theatre, etc.) with their full schedule of free shows.
Incredibly, the city only slows down a little in the winter.
Montreal is rediscovering how to love February and, in the process, it is becoming a hot-in-the-cold romantic weekend city.
A good way to start off is to embrace the outdoors. Beaver Lake (curb your snickers), on the mountain in the heart of the city, has just had a major overhaul. It is now climate-change-proof, with an outdoor refrigerated ice rink. The neighbouring small, free bunny hill, ideal for teaching kids to ski or tobogganing without driving too far and paying too much, is still free. And the cross-country trails are very well groomed (unlike some of their patrons).
For those willing to take their chances that winter in Canada is cold enough to keep the ice frozen the old fashioned way, the outdoor rink in the Old Port is large and fun, with regular musical evenings from Latin to jazz. It even rents skates, so you can laugh at the Floridian tourists as they flail around (much the same way as they laugh at your driving in Florida).
And if all that ice isn't enough, there is now Sub Zero, Montreal's first Ice bar — with ice walls, ice tables, ice glasses, you get the idea — on the roof of Hotel Place D'Armes, one of the new, sexy Old Montreal boutique hotels.
After all that fresh air, you've earned a good dinner. Montreal's tables are renowned, but from Feb. 16 to 26, festival-addicted Montreal hosts the odd but enlivening High Lights Festival. There are events like a five-kilometre foot race through the underground city, performance art pieces, concerts, light shows and, most important to someone who has just spent the afternoon skating, great warm food.
Top chefs from around the world fly in and team up with local restaurant divas to create morsels of exceptional decadence. This year's feature regions are Alsace and Vancouver. Can't quite imagine how it will work, but I am sure it will be fattening.
Montreal has a rapidly expanding repertoire of great places to stay. While the old standards, the Queen Elizabeth and the Ritz are still up to par, a slew of new boutique hotels has opened up in now trendy Old Montreal. All are quite good. There are also quite a few cozy and affordable B&Bs, like Pierre and Dominique's, on oh-so-cool St. Louis Square.
For the morning after, Montreal has fab brunch places, including the legendary Ladies Who Brunch spread at the Ritz and the More Lox With Your Bagels? classic Beauty's. They'll both more than fill you up for the train ride home.
All in all, if you are trying to avoid a romantic Valentine's Day, the worst way to do it is to go to Montreal. |
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| Caela |
| hey malek, where is that pic (above) taken? it's GORGEOUS...wow what a view.:) |
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| PIPER3112 |
| i think its mount-royal courts |
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| Caela |
| quote: | Originally posted by PIPER3112
i think its mount-royal courts |
:) thx
can u go there and chill? is it like a park? |
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| Epicurus |
| quote: | Originally posted by Caela
:) thx
can u go there and chill? is it like a park? |
Mont-Royal is gorgeous, and it is indeed a park. In summer, you can do some pedalo (peddling) on the lake, take a loooong walk through the woods, ride your bike along the many paths or just chill on the grass. It's huge, and lots of fun. Many corners to explore. Take your bf there and have fun :p |
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| Caela |
| quote: | Originally posted by Epicurus
Mont-Royal is gorgeous, and it is indeed a park. In summer, you can do some pedalo (peddling) on the lake, take a loooong walk through the woods, ride your bike along the many paths or just chill on the grass. It's huge, and lots of fun. Many corners to explore. Take your bf there and have fun :p |
;) will do, next time i'm in town :) thanks for the info |
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| PIPER3112 |
| and you can go there and smoke bats at the look out point |
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| SPACEMASTERS |
| quote: | Originally posted by malek
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Nice I need to go Canada. ASAP. If I could take Caela even better. :D
j/k |
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| malek |
From the Toronto Star:
Montreal has true savoir fare
May 6, 2006. 01:00 AM
RICHARD OUZOUNIAN
MONTREAL—It's been said that if you eat in Montreal, you get French food in American portions at Canadian prices.
That's a bit of an oversimplification, but it's true that this is a city where you can dine elegantly, substantially and economically.
One place which fulfills all of this and more is Brunoise (3807 St. André; 514-523-3885), the kind of restaurant you'd love to have nestled around the corner from you. Michel Ross and Zach Suhl, a pair of operators as charming as they are talented, opened it in The Plateau neighbourhood in May, 2003, and they've been receiving glowing reports from the press and the public ever since.
Their menu is centered around market-based cuisine, using classic French techniques as a base, but then going off into some wonderfully inventive flights. For an average price of $45, you get a three-course menu (appetizer, entree, dessert) plus a generous amuse-bouche which some places would consider an extra course.
Every single dish I've sampled has managed to combine freshness of ingredients with a real flair for enhancement. Their smoked mackerel with pear chutney appetizer is a masterpiece of contrasting texture and flavour, while their roasted sweetbreads and braised veal cheeks entree is a heavenly marriage of subtle, meaty essences, partnered with a caramelized parsnip that raises it to near sainthood. All of their desserts are knockouts, but the Vanilla Pannacotta with basil syrup is something unique that you simply have to try.
The room itself is simple, elegant, yet inviting. The wine list is carefully chosen, the staff knowledgeable and the atmosphere wonderfully relaxing. Make sure you phone in advance for a reservation. This is one place it would be a crime to miss.
Another favourite destination is Bistro L'Express (3927 St. Denis; 514-845-5333) for classic French dishes in a casual setting.
It's open from very early to very late and you come here for the tile floor, the zinc-covered bar, the noisy crowd and the reliable food. The rillettes are pure essence of pork, best smeared on their crusty bread, and accompanied by the giant crock of cornichons that's put on every table. Rognons de veau, steak frites, steak tartare — everything is excellent here. I've never tried it for breakfast, but reports abound that the croissants are probably the city's best.
Au Pied Du Cochon (536 Duluth E.; 514-281-1114) is another place to worship at the altar of the pig. The gelatinous meat that gives the place its name is served piled on mountains of mashed potatoes, as are the super-thick pork chops. Venison is usually available and foie gras comes in every form imaginable. In summer, they also offer giant platters of fresh shellfish. Don't bring a jacket and tie, but definitely bring a big appetite. And try your best to save room for some sugar pie for dessert. If Montreal has a guilty pleasure (and it does) it would be poutine, that mixture of French fries, gravy and cheese curds. It can range from the indigestible to the sublime, depending on the place you order it. The latter can be found at La Banquise (994 Rachel East; 514-525-2415), a 24-hour joint with a hip clientele and more than two dozen varieties of poutine. I dug eagerly into the BMO (bacon, Merguez sausage and onions), while my wife slurped down the Elvis (ground beef, green pepper and mushrooms.) It's all good and prices are around $6 for a regular portion. Don't order a large unless you're planning a visit to a cardiac unit.
No trip to Montreal would be complete without entering into the great smoked meat debate. Every vendor has its partisans and passions have been known to run high over this spicy, greasy, delectable concoction.
Many people swear by Schwartz's (3895 Blvd. St. Laurent; 514-842-4813) but I always find the service a bit too rough-and-ready (and I'm used to the cavalier treatment you get in N.Y. delis!), while the meat is often fatty to a fault. There are also partisans for Ben's (990 De Maisonneuve; 514-844-1000), Snowden's (5265 Decarie Blvd.; 514-488-9129), Lester's (1057 Bernard West; 514-213-1313) or other favourites. I'm fondest of Dunn's (1249 Metcalfe; 514-395-1927) where the meat is moist and flavourful, the late-night crowd is more entertaining than most movies and the fries are crisp and golden.
And finally, if you're going to Montreal, you have to get some bagels. Almost everyone agrees you should seek out the source: St. Viateur Bagel (263 St. Viateur; 514-276-8044). It's been in operation for nearly 50 years and its wood-burning ovens are open 24/7 to satisfy your cravings.
But just note one thing: if you come from decadent Toronto where they've even been known to sell chocolate bagels, remember one thing: this is a purist establishment and they only come in two varieties: sesame and poppy seed. And that may be the easiest food choice you get to make in Montreal. |
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