skip to main |
skip to sidebar
After dining on Cantonese food the night before, we decided to deviate from the "must eats" in Montreal as found on the internet and from various recommendations. Yes, as much as it is a good thing to follow a framework of sorts when dining in a particular city, sometimes we just have to eat something we want. That would mean that it may never be on the radar for a visitor nor would it be hyped-up either. We went for Italian at Artigiani Pizzeria Ristorante as the kiddies love it as much as Chinese food.
Due to a sudden and heavy rainstorm, we ended up being soaked head-to-toe despite only walking a block and a half from Mont Royal Station. Since we were in dire need of anything green in colour, we shared the Insalata con Pere e Formaggio consisting of mesclun greens, pears, Grand Padano cheese shavings, walnuts and honey. This substantial salad was a nice mix of sweet, salty, tangy and umaminess (from the cheese). I particularly liked the ripeness of the pears as they were soft and sweet. Costanza's 2 boys both went for the Semplice pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. This featured a thin and crispy crust that had a decent amount of leoparding. The abundance of fresh basil was aromatic and impactful.
For my son, he originally chose the ravioli, but that was before he noticed that there was something evil in the ingredients (it was spinach...). So he had the Gnocchi al Pomodoro instead. He quickly gobbled it up and it was no wonder as the sauce was thick and rich, yet not overly acidic. There was a certain mildness that allowed the natural sweetness as well as the fresh basil to come through. The gnocchi was texturally on point being tender with a nice rebound. For my daughter, she chose the Tagliatelle al Funghi Trifolati which was also very good. Firmly al dente, the pasta was tossed with a mix of wild mushrooms and just enough truffle oil so it wasn't overpowering. The dish was flavourful and Earthy.
For the adults, we shared 2 pizzas including the Pancetta with red onion. Due to the liberal amount of light tomato sauce, the middle of the pizza crust was soft and wet. Despite this, the pizza itself fine with tender slices of pancetta and pungent red onion. I would've liked to see more saltiness to counteract the amount of moisture though. For Viv and I, the Artigiani pizza was better as the crust remained crisp and chewy throughout. On top, there was a substantial amount of meat including capicollo, sopressatta and Italian sausage. This surprisingly didn't soften the crust, but it added plenty of body and flavour (including a salty zestiness).
We also got 2 more pastas starting with the Rotini con Spinacci e Salsiccia. This sported a little past al dente rotini laced with garlic, white wine, spinach and sausage. Hence, there was no shortage of different flavours that were aromatic and only lightly salty. I found the big chunks of meaty sausage quite appealing where it helped add a robust angle to an otherwise light-tasting pasta. Lastly, we had the Spaghetti con Gamberi e Rucola that boasted large meaty prawns (which were beautifully prepared). Interestingly, the dish didn't eat as flavourful as it appeared. Despite the addition of arugula and white wine, I found that there was little in the way of distinguishing flavours.
The Good:
- Above average eats
- Attentive service
- Understated classiness
The Bad:
- Food came out a bit slow, but that was fine, we weren't in a rush
Generally, "the best" of anything is really subjective, especially when it comes to food. So when the poutine at La Banquise was dubbed "the best" by Travel & Leisure Magazine in 2009, the moniker stuck. I'm sure there are those who will argue against it, but for me, I had to see for myself. However, with kiddies in tow, we were not going to visit the place late at night nor intoxicated. Hence, we went for lunch instead. Lame? Yes. But we really had no choice!
So getting straight to the goods, we decided to get La Mart sporting hot dog wieners, bacon and mushroom as well as the standard fresh-cut fries, gravy and legit cheese curds. If one was looking for all of the right attributes for a good poutine, this one had it. The fries were good, albeit not crispy enough for us, and the gravy was thick and flavourful (although a touch salty). Furthermore, there was a good amount of squeaky cheese curds where half were melted (which was a good thing). Was it the best I've ever had? Actually not, but it was good nonetheless.
For my main, I decided to give the Sheppard's Pie a go and it was definitely unique. It was a whole lot spicier than I imagined and there was a considerable amount of whole rings of onion which made things a bit pungent. The ground beef was tender and moist though while bathed in flavourful gravy. I found the mashed potatoes to be a bit watery though. Unfortunately, the dish was fairly cold in the centre. Costanza went for the Breaded Chicken Burger and it was totally forgettable. Consisting of a frozen patty that was deep fried aggressively, this ate worse than something we would make at home. The picture to the right is actually the kid's cheeseburger (because the chicken burger didn't look all that good).
Elaine decided on the Banquise Burger with mushrooms, fried onions, Swiss cheese, spicy sauce and the usual produce. Compared to the chicken burger, this one was much better with a meaty hand-formed patty which was flavourful and well-seared. Add in all of the other ingredients and this was a tasty concoction. Viv chose the Chicken Club Sandwich that sported big chunks of chicken breast, bacon, lettuce and tomato on whole wheat. Although we appreciated the big chunks of breast meat, it was dry and chewy. The bacon was crispy though, so that was a positive, but the dry chicken made the sandwich hard to eat. Overall, we thought the food at La Banquise to be average at best. The poutine was good though and satisfied our cravings. Not the best in our opinion though.
The Good:
- Solid poutine
- Inexpensive
- Open 24 hours
The Bad:
- Average to below-average eats
- So-so service
I've been criticized in the past for attempting and succeeding in dining on Chinese food in the strangest of places (like Dim Sum in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale). This is especially true since I'm from Vancouver, which sports some of the best Chinese food in the world. However, there are times I want to put that claim to the test and more importantly, I just need some comfort food to break up the monotony of eating the same stuff night-after-night. This was the case as we decided to eat a classic Cantonese dinner at Keung Kee in Montreal.
Since the kiddies were dying for some Peking Duck, we got the 3-course deal. It started with the requisite roasted skin with crepes and accompaniments. They served it in an almost Beijing-style with plenty of meat attached to the skin. There was a mix of crispy portions as well as softer pieces. I found that the fat was not well-rendered and/or it was the type of duck with a thicker layer of fat to begin with. I found the crepes to be fantastic as they were thin, slightly chewy and not dried out. For the second course, we got the Duck Bone Soup with mustard greens and tofu. Either we were homesick and wanted some Chinese soup or this was actually quite good. Whatever the case, it was balanced and flavourful with plenty of ingredients including a decent amount of meat on the bones.
The third course was something unfamiliar to us as we normally we would expect a duck lettuce wrap. Rather, we got Stir-Fried Shredded Duck with bean sprouts and green peppers. Strange as it was to us, the dish was pretty good. There was a good amount of tender duck to go with the crunchy sprouts and peppers. The dish was well-seasoned, but due to the sprouts, the dish was water-logged. The same could be said about the Gai Lan with Beef as there was a considerable amount of moisture on the bottom of the plate. Despite this, the gai lan was crunchy, tender and vibrant. As for the beef slices, there was lots of it. The texture ranged from tender to a bit chewy.
Much to the delight of Costanza's oldest son, we also had the Peking Pork Chops which are his fave. Although the colour was on the paler side, the sauce was nicely tangy and purposefully sweet. The viscosity was just right, but there could've been less sauce. The pork chops were plentiful and fairly tender with a meaty chew. I would've liked to see them more tenderized, but they were still fine. To my son's delight, we got the Shrimp and Eggs as he loves mixing it into white rice. He loved it so much, he must've had 4 bowls of rice. The dish was actually quite good with more shrimp than eggs. Large with a meaty snap, the shrimp were cooked just enough while the scrambled eggs were tender and fluffy.
To go in a healthier direction, we also got a Steamed Whole Tilapia with green onions, ginger and cilantro. As much as I'm not a huge fan of the mushiness of tilapia in general, this one was prepared properly. Not only was it fresh (it was a live fish), the meat was fairly flaky and buttery. The sweetened soy was balanced and not too salty. Our last dish was the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with garlic (trying to get more greens into our diet). This was subjected to enough wok-heat where there was very little moisture while the pea shoots remained crunchy and vibrant. There was a good amount of garlic as well as seasoning. When we were done, it was pretty much agreed upon that the meal was solid. I'm pretty sure the fact we hadn't eaten a Chinese dinner in 3 weeks had something to do with it too.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Solid eats
- Decent portions
The Bad:
- Service, what service?
- A bit run-down
After our lunch at Olive + Gourmando, we proceeded to walk east towards the heart of Old Montreal (or the most touristy part that is). Costanza spotted Crêperie Chez Suzette at the mouth of Rue Saint Paul E. There and then he wanted crepes, it didn't matter if he was hungry or not and if the place was any good either. Well, after a quick internet search, it was determined that we would walk further East and try a generally higher-rated spot in Muru Crêpe.
We were able to catch them before they closed and got a few to share. My son only had the J'Adore featuring Nutella, chocolate syrup and whipped cream on his radar. He absolutely didn't want to share (which he really didn't either). The part I was able to wrestle from him was really good. The crepe was thin, pillowy soft while still showing some chewiness and elasticity. It was mildly sweet by itself and a whole lot sweeter with the Nutella and chocolate. Costanza's older son went for the Merci Beaucoup which was a simple crepe topped with butter, sugar, maple syrup and whipped cream. However, simple sometimes means better and this was no exception. Hence, the light aforementioned texture of the crepe was highlighted. The flavours were aromatic due to the butter and maple syrup and surprisingly not overly sweet.
For my daughter, she did a 180 from her usual choice of sweet things and went for a savoury crepe being the Savoyarde with mozzarella cheese, bacon, potato and creme fraiche. This was a bit more substantial (as well as the price) with plenty of filling that was ooey gooey with cheese and the saltiness of bacon. As much as this was enjoyable and good, I found the sweet crepe not the best match for the savoury ingredients. The side of fries were fantastic though being super crispy. Lastly, Costanza had the prettiest plate with the Coup de Foudre sporting a bevy of fresh strawberries, sugar, strawberry syrup and whipped cream. This was light and also not overly sweet. However, the crepe in this one was a bit chewier, possibly due to less liquid ingredients. Ultimately, we were satisfied and thought the extra walking was worth it. So much so, Costanza returned a few days after!
The Good:
- Thin crepes that were texturally on-point
- Decent service
- Flavours were appealing
The Bad:
- Sweet crepe didn't really go with the savoury ingredients
Posts
After dining on Cantonese food the night before, we decided to deviate from the "must eats" in Montreal as found on the internet and from various recommendations. Yes, as much as it is a good thing to follow a framework of sorts when dining in a particular city, sometimes we just have to eat something we want. That would mean that it may never be on the radar for a visitor nor would it be hyped-up either. We went for Italian at Artigiani Pizzeria Ristorante as the kiddies love it as much as Chinese food.
Due to a sudden and heavy rainstorm, we ended up being soaked head-to-toe despite only walking a block and a half from Mont Royal Station. Since we were in dire need of anything green in colour, we shared the Insalata con Pere e Formaggio consisting of mesclun greens, pears, Grand Padano cheese shavings, walnuts and honey. This substantial salad was a nice mix of sweet, salty, tangy and umaminess (from the cheese). I particularly liked the ripeness of the pears as they were soft and sweet. Costanza's 2 boys both went for the Semplice pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. This featured a thin and crispy crust that had a decent amount of leoparding. The abundance of fresh basil was aromatic and impactful.
For my son, he originally chose the ravioli, but that was before he noticed that there was something evil in the ingredients (it was spinach...). So he had the Gnocchi al Pomodoro instead. He quickly gobbled it up and it was no wonder as the sauce was thick and rich, yet not overly acidic. There was a certain mildness that allowed the natural sweetness as well as the fresh basil to come through. The gnocchi was texturally on point being tender with a nice rebound. For my daughter, she chose the Tagliatelle al Funghi Trifolati which was also very good. Firmly al dente, the pasta was tossed with a mix of wild mushrooms and just enough truffle oil so it wasn't overpowering. The dish was flavourful and Earthy.
For the adults, we shared 2 pizzas including the Pancetta with red onion. Due to the liberal amount of light tomato sauce, the middle of the pizza crust was soft and wet. Despite this, the pizza itself fine with tender slices of pancetta and pungent red onion. I would've liked to see more saltiness to counteract the amount of moisture though. For Viv and I, the Artigiani pizza was better as the crust remained crisp and chewy throughout. On top, there was a substantial amount of meat including capicollo, sopressatta and Italian sausage. This surprisingly didn't soften the crust, but it added plenty of body and flavour (including a salty zestiness).
We also got 2 more pastas starting with the Rotini con Spinacci e Salsiccia. This sported a little past al dente rotini laced with garlic, white wine, spinach and sausage. Hence, there was no shortage of different flavours that were aromatic and only lightly salty. I found the big chunks of meaty sausage quite appealing where it helped add a robust angle to an otherwise light-tasting pasta. Lastly, we had the Spaghetti con Gamberi e Rucola that boasted large meaty prawns (which were beautifully prepared). Interestingly, the dish didn't eat as flavourful as it appeared. Despite the addition of arugula and white wine, I found that there was little in the way of distinguishing flavours. 
