Food and Drinks in Montreal

I was invited to a media event held by Télégraphe at the new specialty food store FOU D’ICI, a while ago. Located on Maisonneuve and Bleury, it’s the perfect stop to pick up a few things for a delicious dinner if you happen to be downtown.

The evening was very well organized and encouraged each media guest to taste and discuss some of the key and local products featured at FOU D’ICI.

I started by tasting tea and shortbread cookies made from Myco Sylva’s mushrooms.

My second stop was a well-known product to me, La Fourmi Bionique cereals which taste way too good to be organic!

I got to finally taste the cornetti from La Cornetteria in Little Italy, another advantage to visit FOU D’ICI if you don’t stop often in Little Italy.

The pearls by Corfia were fun to try with an array of fruits and maple sugar all covered in chocolate! They also offer interesting custom products if you get in touch with them, like chocolate business cards.

The sushi from Chef Malmi were amazing creations. It’s been a while since I’ve had such fresh and tasteful sushi in Montreal.

FOU D’ICI also features a to-go counter with delicious meals that can be heated on location or easily at home. The team of cooks is directed by Chef Bergeron, a charming man who knows how to upgrade our last minute meal ideas.

I suggest you stop by next time you are in the area and browse the alleys for fun and local products that could highlight your kitchen. It’s definitely not the place to fill your fridge, unless you have a big weekly budget but it’s a good spot to treat yourself on a lazy week night.

*All photos for this post are from the media event and were made available by Télégraphe

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Deville Dinerbar opened recently on Stanley in the middle of Montreal’s downtown. I rarely visit this area for food escapades from previous bad experiences and high prices so it was a good opportunity to give the area another chance.

I was invited for a media event packed with hungry foodies and I ended up finding a place at the end of the bar. I was really impressed by the design of the restaurant, especially the merge of wood and mirror in the ceiling. The booths looked more than comfortable and it was easy to get a sneak peak at the open kitchen located on the first floor.

It didn’t take long before the food started flowing in with samples from the menu.

Tuna Taco

The tuna taco was deliciously fresh! I would have preferred a soft shell taco but overall, it made a perfect appetizer bite to go along a drink after work.

Hot dog wrapped in bacon

The hot dog was really, really good! Well anything wrapped in bacon is, right? I also appreciated the cabbage salad on top.

I got to try many more dishes like the mac & cheese dumplings (that’s right!), fried pickles and corn bread. On the sweet side, I tried a lemon meringue, a revisited apple pie, a milkshake shooter and a delicious Black Forest martini.

Deville Dinerbar was a great surprise and I will keep it in mind for my future 5 à 7 downtown. I would recommend going for a lot of small bites to share with friends. From what I tasted, the martinis were impressive and truly represented their titles. If you own an iPhone, get their app to control the “jukebox” while you’re there. The song selection is impressive and will definitely put you in a perfect mood for the ambiance that this old school Dinerbar offers!

*All photos in this post come from Deville Dinnerbar

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La Grande Dégustation de Montréal was a great success this year! Compared to last year’s Salon des Vin, the new formula was much better and really concentrated on discovering the product instead of trying to sell it right away. I’ve met a lot of awesome and passionate producers and went for two days straight.

I enjoyed my share of champagne, whiskeys and wines at La Grande Dégustation de Montréal and I ended up leaving with these great bottles:

Cava Brut Rosé

Juvé & Camps Casa Vella d' Espiells Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2006

Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso Classic

Marea de Leyda Pinot Noir 2009

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In exactly one week, the successor of Montréal Wine and Spirits Show will take place at Palais des Congrès de Montréal. The event will feature about 250 producers from 20 countries that will gladly offer one-to-one tastings and stories on their product. Wine lovers will get the ultimate experience and have the opportunity to attend a great array of conferences during the day. Whiskey lovers will also be spoiled with an impressive selection to try with the ongoing popularity increasing.

The event is the perfect opportunity to order wine from private imports and get it sent to your home in time for the holidays! La Grande Dégustation de Montréal will take place from October 27th to October 29th. The general admission is $15 and includes a taster’s glass and official event guide. Tastings vary in price and coupons will be for sale onsite.

Visit the website for more information.

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I was invited this summer to a cocktail tasting offered by Brahm Mauer at the gorgeous Loft Hotel. I’ve tried many great caterers in Montreal but it was my first time hearing about a bar service.

Brahm Mauer offers a special and very personalized experience with its bar to go and great staff counting 35 employees. Whether it’s for a wedding, a birthday or a corporate event, they seem to have done it all and they know how to please each client.

Photo credits: Tom Branconier

On that evening, I got to sample delicious and creative drinks that were all made using the same base. They found a smart way to keep the prices low while offering something special and it can be as cheap as $25 per person for a fun and different evening.

On the left: Passionfruit Martini, On the right: Champagne Sangria

If you’re looking to wow your friends in the future for a get together, contact the friendly guys behind Brahm Bauer.

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The team from Oz Zafe and Gita Seaton

Cookies Unite is back this year after taking January off to work on the Nouveau Palais. For this edition, the Oz Kafe team was invited to rock the kitchen and they excelled at it! They are actually the creators of the concept back in Ottawa and it’s because of them that this great project was started in Montreal by Gita Seaton.

The new menu format was quite hard to read so it was always exciting to see what would come to our tables and if we were right about our guesses.

Pickle soup

A pickle soup was served as the appetizer. It was the perfect way to warm the guests that had just arrived! I was a big fan of the addition of sour cream to the mix of pork, pickles and veggies. I would order it again in a heartbeat.

Rare Yak

It took a while to remember what a Yak was but with the help of Wikipedia, I remembered seeing a short documentary on them. The Yak is a long-haired bovine and a very small population, compared to the rest of the world, is being raised in Ontario.

The meat is healthier and from what I’ve tasted on my plate, it couldn’t be more delicious. It was covered by a bacon breadcrumb and a garlic mayonnaise. It was served cold and it was perfect.

Curried white bar

Next dish was an exciting plate of melted bar in its curried sauce and covered with fries. I loved the side plate featuring condiments I would have never thought of using. It was so good that I just wish my portion would have been bigger! Two of us were jealous of the two other plates on our table.

Sweet potato cake

The dessert was so exciting! It was to me a whole sugar shack meal featured in one dish, featuring only the favorites. The sweet potato cake was completed with ice cream, whipped cream and a maple/bacon syrup. I would have taken home a whole cake if I could have.

Oz Kafe was my favorite Cookies Unite so far. The service went so smoothly and the plates were perfectly sized. It was a great food adventure and guests left more than satisfied without feeling too full.

I rarely go to Ottawa but next time I do, I certainly know where to go eat!

All the gorgeous photos were taken by Chamsi Dib. Visit her portfolio here.

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After missing the last Cookies Unite, I was very excited for my reservation in November. The latest edition was held at Nouveau Palais so it definitely had a restaurant vibe compared to the evenings hosted at Dépanneur Le Pick Up as every little group was seated together in booths this time.

For this Cookies Unite, Aaron Langille was the guest chef. He traveled and learned cooking by working in well-known restaurants, including Le Club Chasse et Pêche, XO and Trois Petits Bouchons in Montreal.

The menu started with the homemade sourdough + stuff. I enjoyed the sourdough and pickled components made of cabbage and carrots but I wasn’t a fan of the spread. The animal fat taste was too strong even once mixed with the rest of the plate.

To wash it off, we were then offered a cup of Kombucha and what a great idea! Sadly it was mixed with too much apple cider vinegar and it empowered the Kombucha.

The second service was titled “La truffe du Canada” and it lead to a great conversation before on what on earth could that be. Finally, we received Jerusalem artichoke with a side of barley and cranberries.

I really enjoyed this plate as it was a mix I wouldn’t have ever imagined and it made me enjoy Jerusalem artichokes as the star of the dish.

Next up, beets, beets, beets and beef cheek!

Simple but great combination created. The beef was cooked perfectly but a bit dry. Once mixed with the beets though, it was a delicious and juicy mix!

Finally, honey, pear + juniper was an ice cream cone. I have to say that I got very excited to end my meal with this dessert!

Light and fresh, the juniper was a flavor to discover combined with ice cubes made out of pears. Sadly, the first item in the title seemed to be missing in taste and I would have loved a little bit more of sugar in this ice cream!

I enjoyed my evening at Cookies Unite but maybe not as much as the previous events. I really missed the interactions with strangers sitting a few centimeters away in a venue too small and it just ended up feeling like we were just waiting for food in a restaurant.

I think it would have been great to include one or two wine recommendation with each dish on the menu with the great selection that is now offered at Nouveau Palais (it’s no more BYOW). Jacques Seguin who created the list was of great help but also too busy from times to times with a full room ordering wine and drinks.

I think the crew of Cookies Unite is still figuring out how to run this night in a new location and I have no doubt it will get better in the near future!

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Photo used from the Avocado Flickr stream

I was invited last week to Avocado‘s very VIP party at their newest location in Little Italy – Café Avocado. As soon as I arrived, I knew I was in for a wonderful evening!

Avocado is a catering service in Montreal and a name that I keep hearing repeatedly when I go to events, weddings and even at Liquid Nutrition at work. If you’ve heard of Ludo Lefebvre’s pop-up parties in New York City, well Avocado is also behind bringing this great concept in town.

I was part of the first guests so I was lucky enough to check out the space and taste the first bites available. The oyster counter brought by Daniel Notkin was quite exciting and I am so glad that I do now enjoy these little gifts from the sea as I couldn’t dare to eat one a year ago. Notkin’s quite the man when it comes to opening oysters!

Sadly, I wasn’t able to take pictures of all the crazy delicious bites served during the evening as it was more than packed but here’s a sneak peak at Avocado’s creations.

The cooks were hard at work all night and I was quite impressed by the presentation and flavors achieved. Even if I’m not a sweet person, my favorite bite that evening was the foie gras, pistachios and chocolate “truffle”. I’ve got to say that only one other chef in Montreal made me enjoy foie gras so far so Louis-Roy Potvin, Avocado’s executive chef, has all my respect.

To top an evening packed with fans of the caterer, Avocado’s creator François Dussault had to bring out the champagne! This great team definitely knows how to treat its guests and make them feel special. Check out their upcoming pop-up events if you want to party and meet a fun crowd. Best tip would be to follow them on Twitter to get the scoop on the future date.

Thanks for the lovely evening! …and the hangover.

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I was invited yesterday to try the new In Foods products at La Guilde Culinaire. I had seen the packages online a few times but never in store so it was great to get a taste and more information about the array of pita chips and mashed potatoes available.

I’m not a fan of processed products but I’m also not always in the mood to cook everything from scratch. I think it’s great that people like Cheria Kyres take the initiative to bring us natural and quick options when we need it. I also love their pita chips which is a way more fun snack than regular chips.

As for the evening, it was very well organized with unlimited wine (and a nice headache this morning), delicious bites from the venue and Chuck Hugues using the featured products to make one of the greatest scallop dish I have tasted yet.

Since we were at La Guilde Culinaire, a pretty kitchen boutique and a wonderful space for cooking classes, we were invited to follow Chuck’s recipe from our cooking stations.

For products and recipes, take a quick tour here.

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I was invited to Europea last Tuesday to discover a new product by Knorr.  I won’t lie, I’ve been using their products my whole life along some other organic powder broths. I love making homemade broth too but it really is a question of time.

So why not find out about something new especially when Jérôme Ferrer himself does the presentation at his gorgeous restaurant. He was chosen as the French spokesperson for this product so you might already have seen him on French advertisement.

The evening started with a few chats with the fellow bloggers invited. Jérôme Ferrer then greeted us in his workshop which I covered this summer. The chef was more than friendly and excited about the evening spent with us.

We were then proposed to follow him around while he showed us the insides of his kitchen where about 30 cooks work in a room for salt and a room for sugar. The need was evident as all the desserts for his other locations are made here.

We then visited the three different floors of the restaurant separated into different concepts to accommodate couples or big groups. It was clear that Europea was really made to please the customer and make sure that no matter what needs the reservation had, they could cover them.

Goat Cheese Lollipops

Finally, we headed back to the workshop room. With a glass of red wine and a few snacks coming straight up from the adjacent kitchen, Jérôme Ferrer finally presented Knorr’s new Homestyle Stock:

With chicken or beef, the new Homestyle stock features a higher quality product to prepare soups or sauces as it really is a reduction of a broth. The stock also features a higher sodium quantity, double the quantity of regular Knorr broth. From my experience trying it at home, I would definitely keep the Homestyle stock for special recipes that need bold flavors and complete the ingredients.

To showcase the new stock, chef Jérôme Ferrer and his sous-chef for the evening Marie cooked both one recipe they worked on before.

Lemon Chicken and Broccoli – View recipe

Risotto with Lemon Confit

Both recipes were delicious and very simple. Jérôme and Marie really made sure that a minimum of ingredients would be used to really feature both stocks flavors.

An extra plate at the end to taste a trio of sweetness coming from Europea’s kitchen. Special mention for their delicious macaron!

My visit to Europea was really appreciated and it was great honor to meet Jérôme Ferrer. I think it’s a safe bet to step in any of his restaurants after seeing his passion for food. I actually got a scoop that evening and can’t wait to mention more about it!

As for Knorr, if this article made you curious about the new broth line, you might also be interested by their contest. Submit your recipes, which should be simple but full of flavors and win a trip to London, England!

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