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The Drinks
Photo cred: www.lgrosluxe.com
Although L'Gros Luxe likes to keep its menu fresh they do have one staple I just can't resist - the caesars! Whether you're a fan of Jim Bean like me, or prefer an exotic twist of Saké, these caesars each have their own unique alcohol flavouring that's sure to keep you wanting more. Trying to get past each one of their toppings though can prove challenging. Keeping with the restaurant's eclectic style, each drink is dressed with a garnish that compliments its alcohol mixture. Take the Oh Deer God for example. This Jägermeister clamato combo is paired with a mini, beef or veggie burger (for all you non-meat lovers,) which is sure to make your taste buds jump with joy. However, beware the word mini. As you can tell from the photo above what L'Gros Luxe considers mini may be more than you bargained for!
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The Food
Photo cred: www.shutupandeat.com
Although L'Gros Luxe likes to mix it up some of their dishes seem to have found a permanent home on the menu. Presented on a wooden plank that screams "Take me for what I am!" their baked brie entrée comes with beet crisps and confit, roasted almonds, warm bread, and melted brie cheese. The crunchiness and faint sweetness of the beet chips combined with the earthiness of the almonds and the creaminess of the brie is the perfect ying-yang of sweet and salty.
Photo cred: www.roastedmontreal.com
Not a big fan of cheese? Then the deep fried pickles are for you. Crisp on the outside with a tangy, juicy pickle on the inside each bite is delicious - and the portions won't leave you stuffed like a pig. If you're willing to dip the pickles in the Sriracha mayo your mouth will be awakened by a soft heat that both compliments the dill breading and takes this starter to the next level.
If you haven't already noticed L'Gros Luxe loves taking comfort food and transforming it into a high-end bistro star. Their Fish N' Chips poutine, with beer battered Cod, at once reminds us of our Québec roots all the while propelling our stomachs to the eastern seaboard. Not only that, but they make two different kinds of grilled cheese! The classic, which you can customize by adding pulled pork, bacon, chicken, mushrooms, tofu, tomatoes, brie cheese, goat cheese or fried fish, or the poutine grilled cheese which showcases your classic poutine ingredients between two thick slices of sourdough bread. As you can tell this restaurant is not meant for calorie-counters of any kind.
Even if you're watching you weight or dining with a vegetarian, you don't need to be scared of L'Gros Luxe. Their menu is vegetarian friendly. Their kale and brie salad with maple cider vinaigrette, as well as their grain and black bean veggie burger, offers you all the vegetable goodness your lifestyle demands. In fact my favourite dish is their BBQ mushroom sandwich on ciabatta bread. A marriage of braised mushrooms and onions is slathered in L'Gros Luxe homemade (vegetarian) BBQ sauce, goat cheese, and arugala salad. The combination is killer and leaves little room for the small side salad it is accompanied by.
Photo cred: www.facebook.com
If you're come and tasted the drinks, conquered the entrées and main dishes, then there's aboslutely no reason why you can do the same with dessert! Sure you can order the Earl Grey Crème Brulée or the "Smores" Hot Chocolate, but my top pick is the Deep-Fried Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Served to you in a small bowl these delectable dessert tapas are drizzled with Nutella and topped with whipped cream. Bonus; if you're the kind of person who lives off bacon you can add some to your order for a mere $2.
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The Ambiance
Despite the fact that I haven't seen inside their new Sud-Ouest location I can tell you that L'Gros Luxe's style is both classy and laid back. Now you might be thinking how can those two words work together? Simple. L'Gros Luxe interior is decorated with cool dark colour paint (a beautiful forest green in their Plateau location) and antique wallpaper. They're also big fans of brass for their fixtures and wood for their tables, which are usually meant for sharing. Whether you're alone of with a few friends the bar is big enough to drink and eat without feeling like you're breathing down someone's neck. Last, but certainly not least, their staff are charming, personable, and attentive professional who love to crack jokes with their customers and offer you their top picks off the menu. You can tell from their smiles and attitude that they love what they do.
Photo cred: www.thegoldwatch.wordpress.com
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Liked my article? This was just a sneak peak into's L'Gros Luxe Sud-Ouest restaurant which opens July 22nd 2015. Come by and visit their new home - Alex and the gang can't wait to serve you.
Looking to learn more about L'Gros Luxe, its roots, and their food? Like and join their Facebook page here!
]]>Since the tender age of 8 I have been in love with cheese. My adoration for it began at a Christmas supper, after the main course had been served. My father's family had always been strong supporters of apéritifs and cheese before dessert. My brother, cousins, and I would always see them conversing and laughing over a few bottles of wine and a large cheese platter. Many cousins often made funny faces and held their noses when this tray would come out of the kitchen which confused me some because my father, his siblings, and my grand-mother swore by cheese. How could the adults be so passionate about cheese and the kids so revolted? I needed to get to the bottom of this!
]]> Of course, at that time, whatever I did my brother was quick to follow. Feeling confident with my little buddy by my side I hopped onto my grand-mothers, and he onto my fathers, lap and we asked "Can we have some?" Big grins were displayed by both and slices of cheese were spread on fresh baguettes for us. We were instantly hooked, and have been ever since...Photo credit: Ourcheeses.com
THE HISTORY OF CHEESE AND ITS QUÉBEC ORIGINS:
The art of cheese making began in the Middle East, not Europe, 7000 to 8000 years ago. Although historians can't confirm its origins it is said that milk was once transported in a container made of a goat, or sheep's, stomach and that the sweltering heat separated it into curd and whey. After the Middle East the principles of cheese-making spread to Asia, the Roman Empire, and Europe.
In 1620 the Mayflower brought cheese to the Americas. It wasn't until 19th century that cheese began to be mass produced. In 1851 the first US cheese factory was opened in Oneida County, NY. With demand on the rise cheese-making made its way cross-country and, of course, to our Belle Province.
Although cheese-making was very popular in Québec, the production of cheese became restricted to Cheddar after the English conquest. As a result the cheddar we consume today is a decendant of England's Cheshire cheddar. However Québecers have always, in my opinion, lead the cheese-making pack in Canada. In fact the first North-American cheese school was founded in Kamouraska and today the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire continues to innovate with cheese thanks to the dairy school that was founded there in 1893.
With the English so far away and our people's love for cheese growing strong two new types of cheese producered emerged in Québec:
OKA: Inspired by the Port-Salut cheese from Europe the Trappish monks of the Oka region began manufacturing this now well-known cheese in 1893.
Saint-Benoit: For their part the monks of Saint-Benoit-du-Lac Abbey created their own regional cheese in 1943.
These and other manufacturers helped grow the cheese community we now have in Québec. Were it not for these dedicated ancesters other foreign cheeses, like Swiss and more recently Artisnal cheeses, would not be so well-known, liked, or abundant.
MAJOR CHEESE CATEGORIES:
Soft
Photo credit: Whitestonecheese.com
In accordance with their name, soft cheeses are those whose insides are neither cooked nor pressed. When cut open, and only if they've spent some time outside your fridge, these cheese will bleed out their creamy insides and typically melt over a warm bread, toast, or bagel (my personal favourite.) They do this because they have a high moisture content, between 50% - 60%, but this percentage can be even higher in double or triple cream cheeses.
Photo credit: Fromagesdici.com
Kristine's pick: If you're new to, or shy to try, soft cheeses I recommend the Brie de Vaudreuil. Its mild taste pairs well with many types of breads, meats, fruit and vegetables, and wines. It can also be eaten on its own and its low price point is pleasing to any wallet.
Semi-soft
Photo credit: Whitestonecheese.com
Sticking to their namesake once more, semi-soft cheeses are harder than soft cheeses, but still malleable. Their moisture content is 45% - 50% and their middles are sometimes heated during production, which allows more moisture to be drained out. There are many different types and flavours of semi-soft cheeses because each is processed and made to ripen for different amounts of time.
Photo credit: Delucaswinnipeg.ca
Kristine's pick: If I had to recommend just one it would have to be the classic Oka. Still in the mild category it's recognizable by its orange tint and somewhat earthy taste. It's great to have in a panini for lunch or with slices of apple as a snack. The producers of this cheese have since made the Oka Raclette which, if you've never had raclette before, you must research and experience for yourself.
Firm
Photo credit: Redwhiteandbleu.com
This being the biggest and most common cheese category, firm cheeses are generally tougher than soft and semi-soft cheeses, yet elastic. Their moisture content is between 35% - 45% because their middles are drained and pressed. Québec produces many varieties of firm cheeses like cheddar, swiss, edam, etc.
Photo credit: Ourcheeses.com
Kristine's pick: If you're not into strong cheeses I'd caution readers against this pick. However, for those more daring folks I strongly recommend a pungent Emmental. With its sharp taste and grainy texture I eat this cheese as is, most often with a glass of white wine.
Blue-veined
Photo credit: Culturecheesemag.com
You guesses it! This cheese's name comes from the blue or green streaks that form in the middle of the cheese. They are more commonly known as blue cheeses and are, by far, the smelliest and strongest tasting cheeses. The smell and flavour, most likely, come from the culture that is mixed into the curdled milk. This helps the green or blue mould, yes mould, grow inside.
Photo credit: Ourcheeses.com
Kristine's pick: Although I'm not a huge fan of blue cheese I I do love pairing it with mild recipes. My go-to meal for blue cheese is an endive salad. This Bleu d'Élizabeth crumbles to the touch and pairs nicely with crushed pecans.
Fresh
Photo credit: Countrycheesecompany.com
Fresh cheeses are those who form by being left in the open to curdle. Once this happens the milk is poured into a cheese drainer, a basket with holes on the bottom, so the whey can seep out. This process also gives the cheese its final look. Their moisture content exceeds 60% and can be liquid, smooth, or creamy.
Photo credit: Freshmarketdirect.ca
Kristine's pick: Before I even knew of the other cheese varieties I ate Cottage Cheese. It is a multi-purpose cheese that can be added to many recipes because of its mild flavour. It's also a very healthy alternative to some of the cheeses you've read about earlier. I love eating this cheese with berries as a snack or adding it to a pasta sauce.
In addition to these texture categories cheeses can also be categorized by country of origin and by milk source like cow, goat, and sheep. More daring cheese connaisseurs will happily try camel, buffalo, and yak cheeses, as these are rarer and have an entirely different taste.
No matter how developed your pallet is there's a cheese out there for everyone. The trick is to experiment. Find a cheese you like and continue experimenting with more in the same category. Then when you've conquered one you'll be more open to sampling the others.
It's not cheesy to want to learn more!
Check out these sites:
1- The International Dairy Foods Association
2- Our Cheeses
]]>My friend and I planned a trip to Scotland and were curious if Montreal's afternoon tea scene was as good as the U.K.'s. Here was our chance to compare the two. We started with a trip to Montreal's Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel and ended two weeks later in Scotland enjoying afternoon tea at the Howard Hotel in Edinburgh.
]]> Here's a Brief History LessonAfternoon tea has been a tradition in the United Kingdom since the early nineteenth century. Anna Marie Stanhope, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, is credited with the creation of afternoon tea (History of Afternoon Tea) Stanhope having a "sinking feeling" in her stomach, in the afternoon, would sneak tea and small snacks into her chamber. She then began to invite friends over to delight in her afternoon tea experience. Soon enough the meal moved to the drawing room and into high society.
As we entered the Queen Elizabeth hotel we were a little nervous. The smart casual dress code and the 'reservations are recommended' certainly put pressure on us to act like one of the socially elite. Our expectations were certainly met. The maître d' led us to our seats near a window that looked out at the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral. With our mouths open, as we enjoyed the view, we noticed a group of experienced tea drinkers a few tables down from our own. The ladies had on all their best jewels, extravagant hats, and fully colour coordinated outfits. Let's just say we felt a little underdressed. We quickly came to the conclusion that afternoon tea is where we could pretend we were a part of royalty.
The choice of tea at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel was superb. They had everything from black teas to fruity teas. The menu described, in detail, each type of tea. Our waiter also gave us a box of tea samples so that we could use our sense of smell to pick our teas. This was helpful, because as any tea drinker knows, the smell can tell you everything you need to know about the tea itself.
Each person at the table gets one large pot of tea. The pot contains about four to five cups. The two teas we chose were the Buckingham Palace blend and the Vanilla Chai.
The Buckingham Palace: This tea is a favourite at the restaurant. For all Earl Grey lovers this tea is a must. The mixture between hints of Jasmine and Earl Grey leave the mouth watering. I am not a fan of jasmine; however, the aroma of the tea led me to give jasmine another chance. I was not disappointed. The tea surpassed my expectations to the point where I was ready to come back the next day so I could enjoy it again.
The Vanilla Chai: Now this is a flavour I have hated ever since I can remember, but the friend who came with me loves it. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel's Vanilla Chai is not heavily spiced, which is probably why I enjoyed it. It contains vanilla from Madagascar and candied cardamom. What is nice about this tea is that it does not overwhelm the palette. The vanilla laps in your mouth before leaving a gentle cardamom spiced finish after you swallow.
Overall, the two teas were pleasantly surprising and set the mood for the oncoming food.
The food came out on a three tier cake stand. Our waiter explained what each piece of food was.
The bottom tier had three different sandwiches. They were turkey and watercress, the classic cucumber and egg, and smoked salmon. The appearance of the sandwiches was engaging. Each sandwich's bread was a different colour and they all tasted fresh, as if they had been made right before we sat down. The egg and cucumber sandwich was my favourite because it was light and left the mouth ready for the next tier of food.
The second tier was my favourite. There were two lightly baked scones; one was filled with raisins and the other was plain. The scones came with strawberry, raspberry, cherry, and marmalade jams. There was also a jar of Devonshire cream. The jams were a bit disappointing because I expected them to be home made and not from a jar. The cream was heavy but the second it touched my tongue it melted delectably. They had a very fresh, sweet, and light taste. The Devonshire cream was so good we finished it on our first scone.
The final tier held three miniature desserts that could please all dessert lovers. There was a strawberry macaroon, a hazelnut and raspberry chocolate mousse, and a lemon and almond biscuit. The chocolate mousse was my favourite because it satisfied my chocolate and hazelnut fix. It was rich, but also light. The macaroon was disappointing because it did not have a very strong strawberry taste. I was disappointed with the lack of desserts. The three desserts offered did satisfy my sweet tooth; however, one more dessert would have been even more satisfying.
The overall ambiance at the restaurant was excellent. The street level view of the church created a picturesque scene that left us feeling like royalty. The waiters were courteous; however, when we were ready to leave it was hard finding a waiter to flag down to get the bill. This was not a big deal because we were feeling so relaxed and full from our meal that it did not even seem to matter.
Price per person is $26, Add champagne for a total of $35 per person.
To visit their website click here.
We had the opportunity to visit Scotland recently and we took this opportunity to go out for, what could only be, the most authentic of afternoon tea experiences. After much research online, we picked the Howard Hotel in Edinburgh. Our first experience at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel did not have us ready when we walked through the Howard Hotel's door. This time around we dressed up more than we had at the Montreal hotel. However, again we realized that we were underdressed and that the hotel we had picked for our afternoon tea was one that catered to the elite. As we giggled into the room where we were soon to be served our tea, we became mesmerized by the crystal chandelier that hung over our heads.
The authenticity of the experience was emphasized by the likeness of the room to a drawing room. There was a fireplace in one corner and a bar in another. The chairs were huge lounge chairs that are perfect for afternoon naps. To add to our nervousness of being in a place, that was certainly higher than our own hierarchical status, the room was empty. All the attention of the staff was on us. We could not help but speak in whispers.
The overall menu for the Howard Hotel was impressive. There were more desserts than the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth and the tea selection was magnificent. However, the scones were somewhat disappointing.
We were three people therefore we got to pick three teas. Like the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth Hotel the teas came out in large pots that held about 4 to 5 cups each. The Howard did not give us sample teas to smell which was a little disappointing because I find it always helps in choosing the right tea. The assortment of teas was above and beyond the one at the Montreal hotel. Each description of the tea gave us a story of how it came to be. The three teas we tried were as follows:
Peach Tea with Flowers:This was a light Ceylon tea that contained dried peach flowers. It was a very refreshing tea that steeped slowly. The strength of the tea was weak; however, the weakness made it perfect because the sweetness of the peach flowers was not able to overwhelm the richness of the Ceylon black tea elements.
Red Berries: This tea had a strawberries and cream taste. It had large dried strawberry chunks, pineapple chunks, hibiscus blossoms, and elderberries. The tea created a stunning deep pink colour; however it was a problematic tea for me. There was little balance in the tea. It was sweet, and I mean extremely sweet. That was it. It steeped very quickly which lead to a strong tea that had a very strong strawberry taste. If you like sweet fruity teas, this is the tea the perfect tea. However, if you are like me and enjoy light sweet teas then this is not the right tea for you.
The Howard Royal Scottish: This tea is a blend of Indian Assam, Indian Darjeeling, and Sri Lankan uva black tea. This is a great tea for beginner tea drinkers. However, for the more experienced, this tea lacked oomph. It was not a very strong black tea and did not have any flavours that popped. Some black teas have a delicious earthy taste and this one was lacking in that department.
The food was served on a three tier plate. There was a larger selection of food than at the Queen Elizabeth and the quality of the food also outshined the Montreal hotel.
The sandwiches were not the expected finger sandwiches. Each one played with our tastes buds. I preferred the sandwiches at the Howard compared to the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth because they were creative and unusual. There was also a larger selection. The sandwiches were peppered pastrami and horse radish, smoked salmon and lemon mayonnaise, Isle of Mull cheddar with celery, and tuna and sweet chili. The tuna and sweet chili was my favourite because it had a delightfully tangy. Not to be beat, The Howard also gave us a wild mushroom tartlet that was to die for. It was sweet and cooked to a soft perfection.
The second tier had scones. There was a plain scone and a raspberry scone. Unfortunately, the scones were a little overcooked. They were too crispy on the outside and the inside was not as soft. However, the raspberry scone was fantastic and beat out the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth's raisin scone. The Devonshire cream was much better here. It was extremely creamy and spread easily.
The final tier held the desserts. These desserts hands down beat the ones at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Every single one was absolutely perfect. The desserts were as follows: dark chocolate brownie, sugar fudge tablet, almond and potato macaroon, lemongrass curd mousse, and a gingerbread biscuit. The brownie was perfectly moist and delectably rich. The fudge was soft and sweet. The almond and potato macaroon was the best dessert I have ever eaten. Sometimes this type of macaroon can be extremely sweet; however, this one was light and just sweet enough. The mousse was stunning in appearance and was the perfect dessert to end on. It satisfied the sweet tooth without being too rich. The large selection of desserts was impressive and the fact that none of them was disappointing made the experience even better.
The room was impressive with a fireplace, chandelier, and purple lounge chairs. To add to the experience as we waited for the tray of food a bride rushed in with her father. There was a wedding reception going on in the next room. Totally unexpected, it gave us a story to laugh about as the food arrived and we began to eat. Later, the wedding party entered the room for cocktails while the bride and groom took pictures. Even though the room was filled with people, it did not break our afternoon tea ambiance. We were asked if it would disturb us if a harpist played music. The fact that we got to listen to a harpist, while we enjoyed tea, boosted the experience above and beyond. It was absolutely lovely. We were certainly glad we had picked this hotel.
Cost per person is £16.95. Add champagne for a total of £24.95 per person.
To visit their website click here.
All around the Howard Hotel beat the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in regards to food. This is because there was more of a selection and the food was extremely creative. However, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel had the better tea because we were able to smell the teas before we got them. This diminished the chance of us getting a bad tee. The atmosphere was 100% better at the Howard because of the drawing room setting with the chandelier, lounge chairs, and harpist. I mean if there is a harpist they automatically win.
Afternoon tea at both these hotels was one of the best food experience I have had. There is a little bit of everything and it is impossible not to satisfy everyone's taste buds. I think I'm right to think your mouth is watering right now. I think it is time to make a reservation for afternoon tea!
Photo credits to Olivia Robinson and Francesca Johnston
Work Cited
"History of Afternoon Tea." AfternoonTea.co.uk. Web. 20 March 2015.
]]>The first sign of spring is not the increase in temperature, the disappearance of snow, or the first sight of flowers in bloom. The first sign of spring, for Canadians, is the red, yellow, and blue Tim Hortons' coffee cups and the constant reminder to 'Please play again'. Tim Hortons' Roll Up the Rim to Win contest is the true announcement of spring. A new abundance of prizes and chances to win transfix the minds of customers and mask the slow and brutal last leg of winter. From February to May, the contest becomes an addiction for many; henceforth, it straddles the line between good and bad.
]]> Tim Hortons opened in 1964 and introduced to Canada a blend of coffee that has gained incredible popularity ("The Story of Tim Hortons" 1). In 1986, Tim Hortons introduced their Roll Up the Rim to Win contest to thank their customers for their loyalty to the brand and to the coffee. With each hot beverage purchased, the consumer was given a chance to win. Before the contest blew up with popularity, the best prize one could win was a box of Timbits (Tencer 1). In 2011, the chances grew with a 1 in 6 chance of winning from a prize pool that included cars, televisions, and barbeques ("Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim to Win® Celebrates 25 Years with Better Odds - One in Six Chances - And More Prizes Than Ever" 1). In 2014, Tim Horton's introduced a second chance to win on their medium, large, and extra-large cups (1). This year, the company has taken another step forward with an online contest. Enter a code and bam, you are entered for a chance to win. With all these extra chances of winning does it mean we actually have a chance at winning something more than a coffee or doughnut?The contest began as a small thank you to customers and has now become one of the biggest thank you's one can offer Canadians. Gambling or rather the game of chance offers individuals excitement and thrill. Roll Up the Rim to Win does much the same thing. With each sip of coffee, a small sense of thrill enters the drinker. Will they win a car, a prepaid credit card, or a television? The excitement escalates until finally the lid is ripped off the cup and one's teeth gnaw at the rim. Finally, the moment of anticipation is answered with "Win" or "Please play again." As Tanya Chen reveals in her Buzzfeed article, "13 People Who Took 'Roll Up the Rim' to the Next Level," Canadians take their Roll Up the Rim seriously. Chen shows one person's office contest rules. The rules include, "trash can cups are fair game" and "no one wants to hear 'oh I never win'" (2). Tim Hortons' contest has become a way of life and a Canadian tradition.
Every year Tim Hortons escalates the excitement by making their contest bigger and better. This year is no different. The company boasts that they are giving away "48 Million Prizes" and that "there are more prizes then Canadians" (Play Roll Up the Rim to Win Online 1). Almost everyone wants to participate now because it is technically impossible to lose.
Canadians can get a little crazy when it comes to their beloved Roll Up the Rim to Win contest. The itch to win is overwhelming. Clients come out of the restaurant with five Roll up the Rim cups, dump the coffee out and begin to gnaw their teeth into the rims. In essence, they bought the cup and not the coffee. The thrill is no longer equal to the appreciation and love of coffee but just to the contest.
Tim Hortons' play on chance has not been completely positive. It has brought out the greed in people. For example, in 2006, a 10 year old girl found a cup in the garbage at her school, in Saint-Jerome, Qc (Ryan 1). She asked her friend to help her roll up the rim. They discovered that the cup made them eligible to receive a new SUV. The situation became problematic when the girl's friend's parents thought their daughter was entitled to receive half the value of the car. As if things could not get any worse, the person who threw out the cup claimed that he had the right to the prize. Tim Horton's generous gift to loyal clients turned into a fight for a discarded cup. In this case the courts sided with the 10 year old (Ryan 1). This situation illuminates the issue with introducing gambling and chance into a setting accessible to a huge number of people.
The contest rules had to change drastically after the 2006 incident occurred. Now the In-Restaurant rules and regulations state,
Contest RIM TABS obtained through unauthorized sources or which are incomplete, mutilated, altered, reproduced, forged, counterfeited or irregular in any way, are automatically void. No RIM TAB copies, duplicates or reproductions of any type will be eligible for the contest. Contest Sponsor is not responsible for any lost RIM TABS. ("Tim Horton's Roll up the Rim to Win Contest - 2015" 11)
The company clarified that if a rim is lost or thrown out, it no longer belongs to the said person. Also, the emphasis on "[obtaining] through unauthorized sources" clarifies the issues of receiving a Roll Up the Rim to Win cup as a gift (11). If you give a cup as a gift, you lose all entitlement to the cup. A scene like this played out in Ontario where a hairdresser bought a Tim Hortons coffee for her co-worker. The co-worker won a SUV worth approximately 30,000$. The co-worker gladly shared the prize with the woman who had bought her the cup (Ryan 1).
In essence, Roll Up the Rim to Win offers Canadians a distraction from the gloom of winter. It creates excitement and hope. However, there are negative contest effects. People become addicted to chance and will do anything to win. Tim Hortons' contest reaches new heights every year, but maybe the contest has gone too far. There is always excitement when it is Roll Up the Rim to Win season and there is also always relief when it is over. Maybe it is time for Roll Up the Rim to Win to return to its beginning and only hand out free coffee or doughnuts.
Works Cited
Chen, Tanya. "13 People who Took 'Roll Up the Rim' to the Next Level." Buzzfeed. 2015. Web. 3 February 2015.
"Play Roll Up the Rim to Win Online". Tim Hortons. Web. 16 February 2015.
Ryan, Andrew. "Tim Hortons Adds 'Pre-cup Agreement' to Annual Roll Up the Rim to Win Promotion." The Globe and Mail. 2014. Web. 12 February 2015.
Tencer, Daniel."Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim 2012: 5 Facts You Should Know About This Iconic Promotion." The Huffington Post Canada. 2012. Web. 12 February 2015.
"The Story of Tim Hortons." Tim Hortons: About Us. Tim Hortons. Web. 12 February 2015.
"Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim to Win® Celebrates 25 Years with Better Odds - One in Six Chances - And More Prizes Than Ever." Tim Hortons Corporate. Tim Hortons, 2011. Web. 12 February 2015.
"Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim to Win® Contest--2015." Roll Up the Rim to Win In-Restaurant Contest. Web. 16 February 2015.
]]>Hey Montrealers! Do you want to impress some of your Lebanese friends? Do you have a newborn in the family and want to make something special to celebrate? Well, not to worry! Below you will find a simple and delicious meghli recipe that is sure to impress and put a smile on everyone's face.
Meghli is a Lebanese treat for special occasions. Traditionally, this desert is made when there is a newborn and is served to family members and neighbors. Meghli is a recipe often handed down among the women. Of course, in true Lebanese style in the everyone claims that theirs is the best, but I know that there isn't any meghli out there quite like my mom's.
]]> Some say that the brown pudding is symbolic for fertile rich soil, and the nuts on top are like seeds that will sprout and grow, an appropriate symbol for newborns. In fact, in the mountains of Lebanon, meghli was once the only treat eaten during Christmas.Don't be fooled by its brown colour, meghli is not a chocolate pudding, as I have often been fooled by it in the past. As my cousins were born one after the other, I became accustomed to the spicy smell of meghli that emanated from the large pot on the stove as my mom stirred it. I've always looked forward to the spiced, rice flour pudding that is meghli because it always meant that there was something special to celebrate. But much to my dismay, when my mother's arm got tired from stirring, I had to do my duty and finish the job.
Here's my mom's celebrated recipe:
Prep Time: 5-10 mins | Aproximate Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1hr 15mins
Servings: 12-14
Equipment: deep pot, stove, wooden spoon, ladle and small serving bowls.
Ingredients:*Nuts must be shelled and skinless. You can achieve this easily with the almonds by soaking them in water overnight or for several hours before making meghli. Then squeeze one end of the almond and it should slip right out of its skin.
Directions:
Firstly, place the pot onto the stove and mix water, rice flour, sugar, caraway, and cinnamon directly into it. Secondly, Mix the ingredients together and turn the stove on medium-high heat.
Continuously stir the mixture until it thickens. You will be able to tell by the slight resistance.
* Even after the mixture has thickened, continue to stir until the whites of the rice flour have dissapeared.
* If the Meghli begins to bubble and the rice flour has not yet dissolved lower the heat and continue to stir.
Tip: If your arm gets tired, lower the heat and leave the pot covered for a few minutes.
Once the meghli is done, remove from heat and taste. Next, ladle meghli into the serving bowls and allow it some time to cool, at least 5 minutes. Once top part has become solid, you can add on your toppings of dried shredded coconut and choice of nuts.
Eat and enjoy!
*Disclaimer the background noise is a Lebanese soap opera. Have one playing in the background for extra authenticity. ]]>
As a student, living in an apartment away from home, I can say eating healthy is not always a top priority. During my first year of university, most of my money was spent on outings with friends, clothes, coffee, tuition, rent, textbooks, and coffee. Buying and eating healthy food did not come before school. I cannot count the amount of times I chose a package of Kraft Dinner or Ramen noodles over a meal containing actual nutritional value. I picked unhealthy food options because the price of the food was cheap and the cook time was minimal. Eating healthy in-between going to class, procrastinating on assignments, working, or hanging out with friends seemed impossible. There was so much to do and no time to make a healthy and cheap meal decision.
]]> We are all guilty of making choices influenced on how easy they are. I was guilty of making inexpensive and easy to make meal choices while risking my health. The cheaper and easier something was to make, the more likely I was to buy it. For a student, time and money is of the essence.However, my outlook towards the relationship between time, money, and healthy foods changed when I discovered a quiche recipe. It suddenly became easier to eat healthy while also saving money. What is a quiche you might ask? Well, it is a fluffy omelette styled pastry dish. A quiche contains all the necessary elements to make students happy. The ingredients are inexpensive and interchangeable, the cook time and preparation time are minimal, the quiche lasts for multiple meals or can be frozen, and the meal itself is nutritionally satisfying.
A quiche is very forgiving to experimenting first time cooks. I constantly try new ingredient combinations with the same egg and milk base. I am someone who only buys foods that are on sale at the grocery store. Usually, I end up with a bunch of healthy vegetables in my grocery cart without any idea on how I am going to bring them together for a meal. The beauty of the quiche is that it can bring those random ingredients together. Sometimes vegetable sales are too good to pass up and when you end up with five stalks of leek in your cart (like I did), you have to find out what you are going to do with them. I made quiches. Those five stalks of leek ended up in multiple quiches that I froze for the times studying, instead of eating healthy, was a priority. Ending up with five leeks led me to a quiche experiment. Out of this experiment came my own leek, mushroom, and cheese quiche.
Save some money and help your body out by eating healthy while also sticking to a friendly student budget. I do not want you to fall into the same unhealthy dark abyss, that I did, eating only Kraft Dinner and Ramen noodles. A quiche is experimental and fun to make. I always enjoy trying new flavours and seeing what I can create with the ingredients in my fridge. The quiche is all about experimenting.
Cheese, Mushroom, and Leek Quiche
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serving: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
The ingredients you will need to make this quiche include:
Must Have Preparation Items:
The must have items to carry out this recipe are:
Preparation:
Cooking Instructions:
Making a quiche is beginner friendly. Almost anything can be added into a quiche. The quiche is an ideal student recipe that is healthy, delicious, and economical.
Quiches can be redefined every time you make one. I think that is what makes the quiche perfect for students. Not being constrained to specific ingredients makes it that much easier.
Other quiche combos that you might enjoy are:
The combos are endless. And I guarantee your quiche will taste good every time. Start experimenting!
]]>Having a YouTube channel is not new for Jonathan Cote Lahue, who has been experimenting with his cooking channel Just Eyeball It! for two and a half years now. With the success of the channel and the drive to experiment with other genres Jonathan has started four other YouTube channels that focus on everything from gaming to daily events. Being an official YouTuber comes naturally to Jonathan who is upbeat, lively and excitable. Key aspects that any successful YouTuber needs to have.
]]> When I enter Jonathan's cozy two and half apartment I notice how small the kitchen where he films most of his cooking episodes for Just Eyeball It! is. As we make our way in, I notice the huge banner on the back wall with his Just Eyeball It! logo. I am greeted with "Would you like some tea before we start?"Once the tea is made we seat ourselves at a two person table under a huge brightly lit window. Jonathan' excitement for the interview is mirrored by my own nervousness. After some small talk we get to the interview:
What is your YouTube channel Just Eyeball It! about?
Just Eyeball It! started as a cooking channel where I just go in the kitchen put food together and see what happens. So I don't usually look at recipes. Maybe I'll look at one quickly before I start just to get an idea of what I'm getting myself into. The process is usually ohh this is vaguely how to make this. Ohh merengue pie needs eggs? Who knew! Then I try to do it without the recipe and see what happens. It's all about spontaneity and creativity when it comes to cooking.
How many Just Eyeball It! videos do you make a month?
I try to do one or two a month. I have four other YouTube channels that I am also working on so one or two a month is all I can really do at the moment.
You have some very interesting creations on the channel including, the jelly omelette, dessert pasta, gingerbread pizza, and tomato pancakes. Where did these ideas come from?
Some of them I get from Twitter. I also try to get the audience involved. I ask them to send me an ingredient that I have to use in a recipe no matter how dumb it is. I just put it together and see what I can do with it. For example, for dessert pasta I wanted to turn a normal meal into a dessert (Dessert pasta was food coloured pasta with a sweet raspberry jam sauce). Or similarly I might try to do these like typically breakfast and typically dinner meals and reverse the roles. Sometimes it's just me going into my kitchen and pulling an ingredient out of the cupboard and seeing what I can make with it. It's just a lot of fun.
Watch Jonathan's dessert pasta creation here!
What got you interested in making a cooking focused YouTube channel?
I really liked cooking. I realized this at one point during Cegep. Oh I like this, this is fun. I didn't really realize that I liked doing the video aspect of it at first. I just started taking photos of food for a photo class and the rest went from there.
I was inspired to start a channel after I ended up seeing this video by Hannah Hart. It was for a Stop Online Piracy Act (S.O.P.A). There was this whole online protest thing when Google and Wikipedia blacked out. So she made this song called "Oh Internet". It was basically an ode to the Internet. It was so cool. I wondered, "What if I could have this impact on people online?" Well then ! She had a show where she was cooking food on the Internet. I thought, "Why don't I do this too?"
It seems the first year of your channel was an experiment for yourself in the realm of being a YouTuber. Now you seem to be progressing and really hounding in on Just Eyeball It! and your other channels as a brand. Do you feel like you and your channels are growing each year?
Yes, the first year I created a logo, but I didn't know what to do with it. I was just having fun experimenting. Other people hire people to create their brand and look for them but I do it myself and experiment. I take pictures and put them through Photoshop. There really wasn't any organization with what I was doing. Now I have four other YouTube channels so I would say I'm really focused with what I want to produce. This is a full time job for me so I'm pretty organized.
Are you having any trouble with the brand?
My brand was clear from the get go because it is very in line with who I am. It has always been about just trying to do new things and see what happens. And it's so easy and fun, and for that reason I haven't had trouble with it.
What aspects of vlogging do you enjoy the most?
I guess it depends because I have different kinds of vlogs. I have a daily vlog which is a diary of my life. I could be going Downtown (in Montreal) and pull out my phone and record what I'm doing. I like the diary aspect of it because I can look back at it and see what I have done. But the vlogs on the main channel or on Just Eyeball It! rather are more produced usually.
Are there differences in how you organize and produce your different channels compared to Just Eyeball It!?
Sometimes my other vlogs teach people about things or they talk about certain issues. They are really all over the place, but they let me talk about issues that I'm interested in. Whereas cooking videos don't necessarily let you. Just Eyeball It! doesn't let me cover issues properly when I'm making a video about cooking something. I can make jokes about an issue but it doesn't make sense to start discussing an issue when the video is about how to cook something.
You have created The Little Just Eyeball It! cookbook, what made you want to do that?
The first cookbook actually started as a class project. The theme was "Make Something" so I thought, "I'm going to make something having to do with my YouTube channel." I decided to revolve my project around that. I was filming recipes already, I already built the brand, and I already had all the graphic elements. It made sense to focus my project on that. I took pictures of recipes I made on my videos and really incorporated my brand into the cookbook.
Now you are selling it online right?
Yeah it's not easy.
You are also selling t-shirts and pins. Is the selling of that merchandise going any better?
It's hard to sell stuff. I mean really hard. In hindsight I went about it the wrong way. I started a shop when I only had about 200 subscribers. When you have a small following you can't really create a buzz around it. It would have made more sense to wait when I had more viewers. My priority right now is about gaining subscribers and bringing more people in. Merchandise only makes money when you have a big following.
How about your second cookbook Bake It Off?
The second one was in response to Tayler Swift's song Shake It Off. I made a parody video called Bake It Off. I thought it would be fitting to play off this theme and make a cookbook. So the cookbook is all baking recipes in line with Bake It Off.
Any cool creations in it?
I shot lemon meringue pie yesterday.
How did that go?
The first try was awful. It was so bad. I didn't realize that if you bake a crust in the oven you have to put pie weights. I figured out how to make naan bread the first go instead, but no that was not a pie crust.
So it's really a learning experience with cooking?
Yeah most of the time when I do try putting random ingredients. . . I mean I know more or less. Most of the time it works but sometime it doesn't at all?
Would you say your cookbook is designed for students who don't have a lot of time or money?
It is designed for people who aren't super picky about cooking. It's for the kind of people who would be like, "Oh I'm going to make a pesto sauce. Oh I need pine nuts? What are pine nuts?" I'm just not gonna use them and see what happens.
The Bake It Off cookbook is coming out in the spring?
It's actually on pre order right now. It's coming out in between November and December.
Do you ever get into a rut about what recipe you are going to do next on your YouTube channel?
I don't get in a rut for food stuff. It's easy. When I get in a rut it's usually with my other vlogs. I go and make a cooking video when that happens. I know what I can do. I just pick something out of my pantry or ask Twitter. That's easy.
Do you follow a schedule for making videos?
I do videos Tuesday and Friday. Between my four channels that I am producing content for sometimes the schedule is hard to follow.
Is your following getting bigger?
It is getting bigger. I gain subscribers everyday that's not an issue. Just Eyeball It! is edging close to 1500. But I do have to focus on growth. In the past I focused a lot on the content and not so much on gaining subscribers. Which I realize in hindsight was a mistake. But whenever I do focus on gaining subscribers it works.
What are your strategies for bringing more people in?
Collaborations. That's one thing that works really well. Make videos with lots different people. Doesn't matter if they aren't in the same city. You can do things over Skype. There aren't really any limits. It opens the amount of viewers that could potentially watch your video.
You have visited YouTube conventions, have you met any other foodie YouTubers there? Have any of them given you inspiration?
Food ones are a little bit less common actually. I know a couple of people who do it, but I'm not really in close contact with any of them actually. I was approached by a food YouTube network recently but I don't know if I'm going to go with that. I like doing the food thing on my own. I can control it. It's the other type of channels that I like to grow an audience with.
Why don't you want to work with a food YouTube network?
Just Eyeball It! is that thing that I do differently than other people and I want to keep doing that.
I watched your Bake It Off parody of Taylor Swift's song Shake It Off. What made you come up with this idea?
I thought this could work at getting more viewers and potentially turn into a Buzzfeed article. It had the potential to explode, [in popularity] but it didn't. It was great but the timing was off. Had I made it like 2 or 3 weeks earlier it would have done amazing. I looked at videos that had the same title and tags around that time [when Shake It Off came out] and they had way more views. It was a cool opportunity [and I thought] it might work [to gain more views and subscribers]. It didn't work quite the way I wanted but my second cookbook idea came out of it so that's good.
What would you consider Just Eyeball It! compared to your other channels?
It's kinda my baby. I only put stuff on there that I want to put on there. It's not motivated by anything other than what I want.
As the interview raps up I can feel the passion that Jonathan has for his YouTube channels. He hands me a pin with a video camera play button on it. It matches his Just Eyeball It! logo. The pride in his work is evident. He brings me into his tiny kitchen and shows me where he keeps his video camera placed precariously on top of the fridge while he films. He brings me over to his Just Eyeball It! poster and prepares for a photo. As the photos are being taken Jonathan hands out some words of wisdom for people who want to start their own YouTube channel, "Make stuff you are proud of." As I am leaving his apartement, I am in awe with the amount of work it takes to produce a YouTube channel and the drive that keeps Jonathan at it every day.
Visit Just Eyeball It!'s website or YouTube channel.
Slicing tomatoes and onions, mixing ground beef with secret spice combos, hand cutting potatoes into perfect French fry slices, and warming handmade buns to perfection: Working at a high end burger joint requires more than just flipping patties. Burger fabrication is an art that only cooking experience can help you with. For 21 year old Wesley, finding new ways to gain experience is how he got to his sous-chef position at Montreal's Burger Bar.
Wesley has had a knack for cooking since the age of 14 when he started working at Café Inn, a café run by his parents, located in Lac Brome, which is about 45 minutes outside of Montreal. The start of any job, even if it is owned by your parents, begins with the lowest of the low in work tasks. Wesley started washing dishes and doing small food preparation jobs before "eventually working on the line with [his] dad." He quickly realized that he was extremely interested in every aspect of the kitchen environment. Years spent working for his parents gave him insight into different cooking mediums and the ins and outs of running a small business.
I remember visiting the café with my elementary school class and having Wesley and his father bring fifteen excited little children down into the cramped basement kitchen where we got to make our own chocolate chip cookies. There was an element of pride in myself, and I am sure in some of the other students as well, of seeing one of our friend's feeling so at home surrounded by his own food creations. As years went by and I would continue to visit the café with my mother, it was always a pleasure to see Wesley come up the stairs from the basement knowing that he had made the food I was enjoying.
After the closure of his parents' café, Wesley had the opportunity to work at another family-run café in the same town. The experience at the new café, Café Floral, "definitely was the bridge between working for my parents and working for real world employers." The new Café taught him to be punctual and to be open to other methods of food preparation. Every restaurant has a unique style that is illustrated through secret house sauces, cutting techniques, and plate arrangements. Having the ability to adapt to those changes has aided Wesley's success at his current job. His experience at his parents' café allowed him to be trusted and given the privilege of working alone in the new café working environment.
"Progressing in the cooking world is next to impossible if you live in a small town"
The lack of promotion in the small town restaurant scene only fueled Wesley's ambition to further his cooking career and move to Montreal. "The opportunities in Montreal are greater and the pay is better. I just felt it was necessary in order to move forward." The move to Montreal introduced Wesley to a new world of restaurant businesses. He was no longer working in a cramped two person kitchen at his mom and dad's café where he could set the rhythm and slack off, if he wanted to, without consequence. Now he was in a highly industrialized kitchen working with three or more staff members as a line cook with clientele rushes that were far superior to ones in Lac Brome, where a full house happens during the summer season only. A line is where the cooking takes place whereby the plate moves down the line with each person in charge of different elements on the plate. A line cook is like a factory line worker making sure the part they are in charge of is done to perfection.
"When you work for your parents there is always a feeling of job security in the back of your mind. When you work for someone completely new the pressure is there not to screw up."
Working in a new environment has its challenges. Instead of just dealing with his father, Wesley had to learn his coworkers' rhythms in the kitchen. Unlike at Café Floral he was no longer in control of the kitchen when the boss was not there. Almost back to where he started when he was 14 years old, Wesley took on the job as line cook. The common worker mantra, 'You have to start at the bottom before you can make your way to the top' certainly came into effect with his new job at Burger Bar.
Eight months as line cook led to Wesley's sous-chef promotion. As sous-chef he "is in charge of the kitchen when the chef isn't around. [He has more] responsibility than the cooks, such as: making sure plating is nice, prep is being done properly and on time, and taking orders from suppliers." The quick promotion can be linked to Wesley's prior experiences. "The more experience [you have] in the cooking world, the easier it is when it comes to applying to kitchens." Gaining experience is a huge factor to success.
Wesley is always looking for new opportunities where he can increase his knowledge and gain new experiences. As sous-chef he is acquiring the ability to run a kitchen when the head chef has a day off. He is being given the opportunity to create and add new weekly specials to the menu. One special that Wesley has taken pride in is a Margherita pizza imitation in burger form. The beef burger contains a vampire warding off amount of garlic, basil, and bocconcini cheese all smothered in a tomato sauce and then topped off with arugula. Wesley's special sold well. It has driven him to want to one day get one of his creations officially put on the menu.
"I don't have plans to attend cooking school right now, but that may change as I get older"
Most people would argue that if the interest for cooking is there why not go to cooking school? Wesley did at first think that was the approach to cooking he wanted to take; however, he argues that "the experience I would gain actually working in the field would be much more appealing to future employers." Considering the amount of time he has spent cooking, from the age of 14 to his current age of 21 the intent to cook and gain knowledge through firsthand experience seems to be a practical way of doing things. Wesley is interested in learning through creative forms whereby one pulls things out of the fridge and tries to create something fresh and new with only those ingredients.
From the way it is going now, Wesley's cooking career seems like it can only go up from here. Next time you are eating at Burger Bar, think about the people who are making your food. Think about the effort and imagination put into creating that burger you are sinking your teeth in to. The creation of that burger could be the spark to a whole new world of cooking creations.
Image courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/lukechanchan/5908177942/
I am an avid gardener and I have been for at least five years now. It is the feel of dirt between my fingers, the hopefulness of having a plant sprout out of the ground, and the pride when that plant blooms which keeps me gardening year after year. Gardening brings with it a sense of determination and an appreciation of nature. I live on a small cattle farm which brings with it its own amount of awe; however, gardening introduced me to a new world filled with insects, birds, and pesky rodents. Insects that I had never seen before found their way in between my tiger lilies and my rosebushes. Caterpillars hung out on milkweed leaves, and humming birds would occasionally reveal their presence by a quick glint of green feathers as they themselves found something to eat.
]]> Gardening has an element of isolation. It is you and the plants and no one else. The isolation let me have time to think and let my mind meander. You may be surprised how many problems can be solved when the mind is given free roam. Gardening gave me an appreciation for those illuminating experiences.A successful garden requires determination and time. Every day weeds need to be pulled and finicky plants need to be water. Having that determination and will to put time into taking care of my flower garden each day gave me a sense of pride. It is with my determination to take care of my garden that allowed them to reach a potential that I could be proud of.
Each year I became more ambitious and built up my garden plots. I became garden crazy as my mother liked to say. Last year, I decided to switch up my gardening gears. I wanted to try my luck at growing vegetables. I planted carrots, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, and a single cabbage.
It was a gopher named Joe who almost ruined everything. He was as much of a nuisance as Bugs Bunny on the Looney Tunes Show. As seeds began to sprout Joe would cross the road and make his way into my new garden. At dusk he would waddle over, sniff, rise on his hind legs, look about to see if anyone had spotted him, and then begin his feast on the carrots and potato plants. The devastation began. Tomatoes went missing from their stalks, potatoes were dug up from the ground, and beans were left half eaten hanging limply off the stems. Like Bugs Bunny he kept coming back day after day and no matter what obstacle I put in his way he would always get the better of me. It seemed like all would be lost, but I was determined to save my single cabbage. Why the interest in the cabbage over the other vegetables? I have no idea but I Joe was not going to eat my prized possession. I built a fence: he dug right under it. I spent every waking minute trying to scare him off but of course the next morning more vegetables would disappear. I became exhausted and frustrated but each day I would guard my cabbage as it slowly got rounder. By the end of the season all my vegetables had been butchered except my cabbage.
Pulling that cabbage from the ground was an interesting experience in itself. I naively thought I could pluck it off its stem. Yeah right. The first tug left it in the same position, the second pulled my back and the third left me on the ground. I wildly grabbed a knife: I was going to cut it out. Let's just say I got a little hysterically crazy like Jack Torrance from The Shining. I put the blade to the stem and began to cut. It hardly made a mark. The cabbage was determined to stay where it was. Half an hour later, out of breath and with sweat dripping off my forehead I severed it from its stem. Success! I could finally begin to cook with it.
Another problematic situation arose. What was I going to do with all this cabbage? Cutting it in half took just as much effort as trying to get it out of the ground. Now what could I cook with it? My summer soon became absorbed with different meal creations involving this massive cabbage. An interest in cooking and an appreciation for food came out of this experience. I had grown this cabbage by myself and had guarded it for three months from a gopher. I was determined to eat all of it. I discovered online every which way a cabbage can be cooked, chopped, and seasoned. My cooking skills which were mediocre to begin with grew with each cabbage meal attempt. I made multiple kinds of coleslaw, cabbage soups, and cabbage salads. I even tried my hand at cabbage rolls. Anything and everything I made had cabbage in it. I used that cabbage to the last leaf and came out of the experience with a gratitude and a newfound interest in the multifunction of ingredients and the interesting ways in which people can put them together.
My gardening experiences created a sense of determination and appreciation for hard work. I enjoyed creating new challenges for myself as well as overcoming ones that were unexpected. With gardening came an interest in food. I am in wonderment with the never ending array of recipes and tastes one can find using the same principle ingredient. I can honestly say that a single cabbage and a gopher named Joe helped shaped me as an individual.
Photo Credits: Francesca Johnston
]]>All photos in this post are courtesy of Adam Castonguay Photography
I attended a private event at La Champagnerie on Monday, February 17th as part of the John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition (read more). For those interested in hosting an event there, I would not recommend having over 150 people as we were 160 and it was completely packed. Both restaurant and bar, La Champagnerie is beautifully located on rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, literally across the street from Marche Bonsecours. It's a great place to take tourists!
The space itself is very cool. There are two bars and two semi-levels. The main bar is in the centre of the main room and is surrounded by small tables to the side where you can sit in small groups. At the back of the venue, there is a second level with a second bar and large booths that are perfect for getting bottle service with a group of friends. The front end of the restaurant offers little windowed alcoves that are the perfect setting for a romantic date.
]]>La Champagnerie offers plenty to delight the senses. It is Montreal's first and only champagne bar and offers more bubbly options than I knew existed. As I was there for a group event, we were limited to one champagne option but it did not disappoint. Most are only available by the bottle but expect to pay $8-$30 by the glass. If you have a reason to celebrate, I highly recommend throwing on some heels and selecting a bottle of heaven from La Champagnerie's extensive list.
When it comes to food, the theme is French. We had a set menu filled with nice small plates easily edible while standing, all from the regular menu. We tested the delicious beef tartare, mini poutine (pictured), duck magret, salmon tartare, ceviche and arancini. Many menu items, including the two tartares, have champagne incorporated into their recipes. The duck magret was served on skewers with a delightful mix of Asian BBQ sauce, wasabi, lime and galango mayo. I loved the Asian twist on this French classic. The ceviche of crab and scallop was a big hit with me, as any ceviche is want to be. Even the arancini are different from traditional riceballs, as they are "popcorn risotto balls" with goat cheese, pecorino and spicy mayo. These really packed a punch and an explosion of flavour. I'm not sure that I'll be able to return to the traditional Italian arancini.
Though I didn't have a chance to taste them, the main dishes at La Champagnerie sound delicious. They include lobster rolls, pork shoulder sandwich, fish and chips, three mushroom papardelle, and a seafood dish that includes black cod, scallops and tiger shrimp. Everything except the lobster roll contains champagne.... One thing is certain, I'll be back to try these and more with a bottle of bubbly on the side.
All photos in this post are courtesy of Adam Castonguay Photography
]]>Even with the clutter of activity options, Atelier & Saveurs adds something special to the city. Located on the bottom floor of the historic and award-winning Telegraph building, it provides cooking, cocktails and wine appreciation lessons in a beautifully designed setting.
A&S Workshops
Ateliers & Saveurs (A&S) offers a wide range of different workshops that correspond to several levels of expertise. From half-hour sessions for people on a tight schedule ($20) to two-hour elaborate lessons on specialty cuisine ($55-$75), A&S can evidently cater to a diverse group of individuals.
The "Fancy Tapas" Workshop
In the "Fancy Tapas" workshop, students are encouraged to make four types of tapas (small portion entrees) and a unique dessert, all while enjoying a few complimentary glasses of wine. In a group setting of 12, faced by the head chef, all the ingredients come together to create tasty meals.
Following an informational demonstration by the head chef, each student is assigned a specific task to ensure participation by all. The workshop's stages follow the usual steps that take place when preparing a meal from the preparation to the assembly and finally, the tasting.
From simple chopping and marinating, participants' engagement results in an incredibly delicious product: sauté of mushrooms on crispy puff pastry with melting old cheddar, crispy mini-tortillas topped with guacamole and marinated shrimps, Shrimp tempura marinated in spicy mayonnaise and curry pepper salad, beef flank steak and balsamic caramelized onions over country bread toast and for desert, a deconstructed lemon tart.
Restrain from salivating, if possible.
Other note-worthy workshops include:
Follow the Chef...at the market ($95): Includes a chef-guided tour to the market to educate students on how to pick the best ingredients, followed by a cooking lesson using the ingredients purchased and then a tasting!
Pastry Delirium ($55): Bake 3-4 popular pastries and take them home to enjoy in a take-out box.
Private event workshop - Battle of the Chefs: The group is separated into two teams, accompanied by a chef to compete on making the best starter, main course and dessert. The group then dines together to decide which team cooked up the best meal.
The A&S Team
These innovative and collaborative workshops would not be possible, of course, without the talented A&S team, comprised of renowned chefs, mixologists and sommeliers. Head chef, Marc Bilodeau, received his education from one of the world's most prestigious culinary schools, Cordon Bleu Paris in Ottawa. Not only does he have a highly educated knowledge of food and extensive experience in the industry, but he also has a contagious, dynamic personality. His workshops include delicious, yet simple, recipes and useful cooking tips for every day use such as "Never wash your mushrooms in water because they are like little sponges. Use a brush or damp cloth to remove any dirt."
A&S clearly has all the elements needed to create an unmatched customer experience with its qualified and dynamic staff, a lovely setting, as well as a long list of workshops that can suit almost anyone, even those not particularly fond of cooking! It is the perfect place to enjoy a fun, interactive activity with friends followed by the chance to indulge in your creations by kicking back in the dining room with a nice glass of wine selected by the sommelier to perfectly match the blend of ingredients. Taste buds exploded.
Recipe for Sauté of Mushrooms on Crispy Puff Pastry with Melting Old Cheddar
(Serves 4 persons)
150 g Button mushroom(s)
150 g Shiitake(s)
1 unit Onion
1 clove Garlic
2 sprigs Thyme
100 ml White wine
100 ml Cream 35%
15 ml Grainy mustard
½ leave Puff pastry
75 g Old cheddar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Butter
1. General preparation (30 minutes - preheat oven to 400 F°)
Cut the button mushrooms into small dice. Remove the feet and slice shiitake mushrooms. Chop the white onion and garlic. Chop the thyme. Cut cheddar into 12 squares.
2. Crispy puff pastry preparation
Cut circles of puff pastry using a cookie cutter. Place the circles on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cover with parchment paper and second baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Sauté of mushrooms preparation
In a pan, drizzle some olive oil and add a knob of butter. Sauté the onions and the mushrooms over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped thyme and cook a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add chopped garlic and cook for one minute before deglazing with white wine. Let reduce by half. Stir in cream and mustard. Simmer 3 to 4 until the sauce thickens.
4. To serve
Place the mixture on the circles of puff pastry then cover with a square of cheddar. Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
]]>1. Know what you and your posse will be ordering in advance.
Rush hours in a restaurant are hectic. Don't call in and yell "Honey what would you like to have?" in our ears.
2. Do not assume we know what "the usual" is.
There are hundreds of orders that are processed in just a few hours. No matter how often you call, chances are we have no clue what " the usual" is.
3. Refrain from mumbling.
Not only does the person taking your order not understand, no one does.
4. Avoid being rude, we're people too.
You are not the King/Queen of the world and we are not your peasants. Be kind - We are making your food.
5. Know your address (street included) and phone number.
Know that when you have to step out of your house to check your address and/or street name and have us waiting on the phone, we are secretly giggling histerically.
6. Do not drink and dial.*
You will end up forgetting what you ordered and then call back to complain. Please see #4.
7. Make sure you are calling the restaurant you intend to reach.
If you are ordering the "Joey's Special" and its acually the "Dani's special", we will be worried.
8. Do not ask "what do you guys have"? Rather say what you want.
Chances are we have a lot off different things and will be annoyed to recite our entire menu. Tell us what you want and and we will recommend the closest thing we have.
9. Avoid threathening the innocent restaurant employee.
We do really try our best given the high stress levels in the restaurant. If you threaten to return your order if its even a tad cold when its -40 outside or threaten to never order from us again, we know for a fact that "they always come back" holds true and guess what? You will be blacklisted, yea, we do that.
10. Listen.
Normally we will repeat the order. If you later call back and claim we got it wrong, this is a clear sign that you are a horrible listener.
]]>Jordan Lebel, former restaurant reviewer and current Food Marketing professor at Concordia University, was kind enough to share his knowledge of the restaurant and food industry during a short chat earlier this week. His insights can provide a "behind the scenes" look of what it takes to succeed in this cut-throat competitve market.
As a restaurant reviewer, what was your thought process when trying out a new restaurant?
I served as an inspector for the Distinguished Restaurants of North America program (DiRoNA), funded by American Express, Hiram Walker and Tiffany. We had 5 pages of criteria that I also helped develop.
So the thought process was guided by the fact that we had to complete (after the visit) 5 pages of questions and notes. Essentially the thought process is to evaluate as objectively as possible the restaurant on food, service, experience and to separate the objective from our subjective value judgments.
]]> Do you think there is a recipe for success for restaurants in Montreal?
Having taught restaurant management at the top two schools in hospitality management in the world - I can say that yes, there are "markers" for success. However, as for an exact recipe, no.
There are guidelines, dos and donts, but turning a restaurant into a commercial success is not an exact science. Passionate or commited people (owner, manager, employees) is important. Food that isn't average. Service that is attentive. The rest "depends".
Take some of the longest success stories in Montreal such as Schwartz's Deli on St Lawrence. The décor is terrible; the food is ok; the service is so-so. Yet it's a landmark. So is there a recipe for success? Some parameters can be spelled out but there are numerous factors that must converge to create success and many do not lend themselves to precise specifications.
What would you say to someone who is planning to open a restaurant in Montreal?
Do your homework. Research successes and see what they are doing right but don't try to imitate everything you see. Know what you are getting into. Manage to the right of the decimal (i.e., cents count). Spend the money on a good PR/Social Media person, set objectives to achieve, learn to convert "likes" into sales.
What would you say is the most common misconception about the restaurant industry?
You can make a lot of money easily.
How did you begin your career in the "food industry"?
I actually started as a dishwasher at $1.25 per hour. I am glad I did. It gave me a unique and valuable perspective as I am a very observant person. I was fascinate by this sector. I worked in a commercial cafeteria, putting out 2000 meals per day
What do you feel is the most important lesson you can teach your students about the "food industry"?
1. It is filled with incredible opportunities if you broaden your horizon and you bring your A game to the positions you apply for.
2. Learn to decode and respect everyone's relationship to food, it is the key to good marketing.
Favorite restaurant in Montreal: Chez Jordan.
[Clearly Jordan also has an excellent sense of humor]
Best "Foodie" City: Ex-aequo in NA: Chicago + New York, Europe: Madrid
Favorite quote:"Food is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
- Harriet van Horne, American journalist (1920-1998)
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There are few people that know exactly what they want to do with their life from a young age and dive into adventurous experiences to achieve their main objectives without hesitation. Jordan Lebel can surely be classified in this category of people. Since the age of 12, Lebel's passion for food was a prominent factor in his life. Regardless of his parents' worried opinions, he began working as a line cook in a local restaurant. Lebel's parents strongly encouraged him however to pursue higher education given the unsteady and misunderstood reputation of a career path in the restaurant industry. This encouragement resulted in Lebel pursuing a course in hospitality management, which eventually shaped him into the person he is today: an inspiring and renowned professor as well as a multi-skilled credible professional.
]]> Although Lebel kept a career in the restaurant and food industry as his ultimate goal, he leveled with his parents and sought academic advancement. At this time, yet another passion entered his life, his passion for learning and discovering new things. He enjoyed broadening his knowledge so much that he reached the peak of his educational career at the PhD level. With his research in sight, he could finally mix his love for food with his motivation for new discoveries.Lebel's studies focused on the relationship between pleasure and the consumption of chocolate, which eventually labeled him as Dr. Chocolate. These unfamiliar findings caused several people to take notice of Lebel's expertise and knack for strategic thinking in this field. His research was broadcasted on several media outlets and was also published in the Psychology & Behavior journal.
It is difficult to summarize Professor Lebel's career path given his diverse mix of roles. However, it is important to know that Lebel has managed to cover as much as possible in the food industry. He has worked as a chef, a restaurant inspector, and a restaurant reviewer all while continuing his research in comfort foods and sharing his knowledge through teaching.
Following his three years at Cornell University, Professor Lebel returned to the John Molson School of Business where he developed two important additions to the course offering: Food Marketing and Marketing Yourself. Lebel now teaches Food Marketing every fall semester as the special seminar course for the Marketing major. The course introduces the several aspects that comprise the food industry from the retail level to the manufacturing in addition to the psychological effects of social situations on food consumption.
What differentiates Lebel from other professors is his sincere interest in both sharing his knowledge as well as his attention to expanding his experience by learning from his students. "There is just so much to learn about it from so many different angles," says LeBel. "I learn as much from the students as they do from me. When you approach it like that, a certain magic sets in." Although Lebel has an extensive list of credentials he is still fascinated with what his students have to offer to the class, "Last semester I had tears. A few of the [team projects] just hit the nail on the head. I'd put their presentations against any marketing agency in Montreal or Canada."
When Lebel isn't at Concordia entertaining his students as Dr. Chocolate, he serves as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for YES Montreal, a not-for-profit organization that "enriches the community by providing English-language support services to help Quebecers find employment and start businesses." As if all this didn't keep him busy enough, Lebel also contributes a monthly column for magazine Le Must, where he writes the "Parlons Plaisirs" section on food-borne pleasures.
Furthermore, Lebel's extensive efforts in expanding students' knowledge on the food industry go far from unnoticed. He has received numerous rewards and recognitions for his innovative teaching methods and his success in expanding the course curriculum in an unfamiliar manner. In 2005, Lebel received the Dean's Award of Academic Excellence and the Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, which is selected by the students. His students continue to appreciate the lessons he shares as they also awarded him with the 2011 MBA Student's Choice Award.
For his highest and most recent distinction, Professor Lebel was awarded the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, which is given to individuals who not only are superior in the teaching of their own courses, but also prove commitment to making a significant difference in their field. The award recognizes ten individuals across the nation every year that then become lifelong members of the fellowship. Lebel expressed great gratitude for this honorable recognition, "It makes me feel like I must be doing something right. I am ecstatic and quite humbled to join in the ranks." Clearly, Lebel exudes success and perfection in all that he commits to, which sets an incredible and rewarding example for the students he encounters.
Professor Jordan Lebel is an exciting and charismatic individual who always seeks new challenges to enhance his knowledge on the food industry. For now, Lebel is committed to teaching at Concordia while working on smaller projects. "There is no better place to teach food marketing than Concordia", he explained, "We have amazingly talented students." Given his diverse and dynamic background, it is both exciting and intriguing to see what he will chose to engage in next.
]]>Having settled comfortably in the Little Italy neighborhood of Montreal, one would have to question the soundness of my mind for even considering pizza delivery when an abundance of quaint and tasty Italian food restaurants seed the neighborhood.
For a homelike traditional Italian atmosphere, you can try out Tre Marie, an out of the way restaurant on Clark Street near the corner of Mozart Street; for many years this traditional Italian restaurant has been the chosen spot for first dates and meetings with old friends or simply for dining alone on a hefty plate of pasta with a delightful glass of red wine and the local Italian newspaper, Il Cittandino Canadese, for companionship.
And if you like to bring your own wine, a fast food Italian restaurant with good taste and good prices to consider is the casual dining atmosphere offered by Trattoria Piatto Pieno on St. Zotique at the corner of De Gaspe. Not only is the pizza pie delicious, the scallops are too die for. Nonetheless, diner beware, Yelp reviews for this restaurant are chaotic.
There is always that special evening, perhaps, it's game night, or the end of a long hectic day when the children are crying for pizza, when it crosses my mind to spread the checkered table cloth on the kitchen table and order in.
Touted as being the most popular pizza delivery option, Pizza Hut offers a combination of Americana chicken wings for game night and the scrumptiousness of a pizza pie in one delivery, in addition, it might just be the most affordable option if you use Pizzahut coupons.
]]>If you live downtown Montreal, you may have heard of Chef On Call, the gourmet fast food delivery service known for its home-style cooking and late-night hours. My downtown friends have praised it, so I was thrilled to have a chance to try it and write this review. As a Concordia grad myself, it's exciting to see a Concordia-grown, business succeed and grow. They're now expanding their delivery services and will open a third location on Cote-Des-Neiges later this month.
Chef On Call is not your ordinary fast food: they offer an exciting range of sandwiches, burgers, pastas, salads, milkshakes, desserts and more. Rather than generic, mass-produced options, Chef On Call takes pride in its homemade recipes, made with love and delivered with a smile.
For my lunch I enjoyed the Chic spinach salad, the Cubano Wrap, and a mix of french fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings accompanied by various dipping sauces - a very impressive spread.
I started with the Chic, a mix of baby spinach, goat cheese, honey toasted walnuts and dried sweet cranberries, topped with the Chef's balsamic vinaigrette. It was fresh, crisp, and packed with flavours that hit the palette in all the right places. The texture of the soft cheese and the hard walnuts complemented each other and added substance. On its own, this salad would make the perfect light lunch.
The Cubano wrap, filled with sauteed mushrooms, avocado, melted Monterey Jack cheese and the Chef's roasted garlic mayonnaise was hard to put down! I've had my fair share of vegetarian wraps and this was definitely in my top five. The combination of ingredients was on point and every bite was warm, gooey, and delicious.
Still not convinced? Wait until you try the French fries. The generous portion of thick and crispy fries will satisfy any late night craving. You can have a lot of fun with the various dipping sauces (my favourite - honey dijon!) and the alternatives (sweet potato or onion rings, anyone?).
Not only does Chef On Call make great food, they're also responsible. Customers can appreciate the recyclable and biodegradable packaging, as well as the use of enviro-friendly electric scooters that get your order to your door. So if you're a student, professional, or something in between and need a quick and delicious meal, the Chef is On Call and you can place an order at their new, easy-to-use website: http://www.chefoncalldelivery.com
]]>When sitting at a table in an impressively designed and well lit and restaurant, it is easy to take for granted all those working behind the scenes to make our dining experience possible. While we are necessitated to interact with wait staff, we tend to forget about all the busy, toiling hands that slice, chop, bake and fry up the mouth-watering foods we love; we forget that it takes the diligent efforts of an actual flesh-and-blood person - usually working under immense pressure - to prepare the foods that miraculously arrive at our table only moments after they are ordered. It is, after all, only natural to spend more time contemplating that second slice of brownie cake than it is to wonder about what kind of day the person who cooked your dinner is having. What most people don't realize, however, is that behind the restaurant industry's thinly veiled façade of professional courtesy is a seedy underworld of substance abuse and despair.
]]>As someone who has been in the business for the better part of a decade, I have witnessed firsthand the terrible lifestyle choices that can arise from working in such an environment. For many of us "line" or "short order" cooks, as we are called, the rigors of long hours, intense physical exertion, and inadequate compensation (all of which come part and parcel with the job) are often motivating reasons for turning to illicit substance abuse. To be sure, this dark side of the industry is not reflected in the camera ready smiles and immaculately starched uniforms seen on the Food Network, or even in the aggrandizing mythologies promoted by food writers such as Anthony Bordain. Rather, it is an ongoing phenomenon that gets little to no mainstream attention. Considering the immense growth of the industry in past years, with recorded sales upward of $631.8 billion in 2012 alone, and the recent emergence of "foodie" culture, more and more young cooks find themselves in compromising situations as they enter into the work force.
This may all seem sensationalist or even like a rehashing of an old story, and in some ways it is - but only to those outsiders who are unfamiliar with this grim reality. In my own experience working at some of the busiest corporate and independent eateries in Toronto and Montreal, I have not seen any measures taken to alleviate the ongoing problem. Instead, what I have witnessed are supervisors that are willing to sell cocaine and methamphetamines to fatigued employees; coworkers spending almost all of their earnings on alcohol at the bar after work each night; individuals driven to work upwards of seventy-hour weeks just to get by on bare essentials; young men and women seriously injured without compensation or due afterthought. In short, what I have witnessed is a great under appreciation of the people who make it possible for others to go out and enjoy their relaxing dining experience.
To really understand why drug and alcohol abuse is so endemic to this particular industry, it is important to take several factors into account. For starters, a great wage disparity exists between front-of-house staff (servers and bartenders) and back-of-house staff (cooks, chefs and kitchen managers). Whereas cooks are paid a fixed hourly rate, wait staff are paid both an hourly rate and gratuity on food and alcohol sales. Ultimately, this means that regardless of how much work they are expected to do, or the proficiency with which they are required to do it, kitchen workers always walk away with less than everyone else at the end of their shift. In essence, the only way they are able to earn more is by working more.
In trying to correct this injustice, several restaurateurs have implanted compensation systems that are more equitable in profit distribution. However, since the average kitchen position still only pays anywhere from $12-14 an hour, is it clear to see how fulltime workers can spiral into near poverty. To underscore just how great the margins in earnings are, consider that in 2008, chef David Chang noted that a server at his Momofuku Ssäm Bar could earn as much as $1,700 in a 32-hour workweek, while a cook working the same number of hours would make $350. To put things in perspective, this means that on average, wait staff are capable of earning up to $43 more an hour than the people responsible for overseeing all stages of food preparation and production. Because kitchen staff are still paid by an hourly rate with virtually no share in the profit from overall sales, they are forced to commit much more of themselves to their work life if they are to support themselves financially. It is not enough, however, that the back-of-house staff are grossly under compensated, but the hours and tasks required of them are immensely difficult.
For this reason, they are more likely to engage in substance abuse as a means of dealing with the pressures associated with their line of work. Of course, not all abuse in the workplace is confined to hard drugs: excessive reliance on nicotine, caffeine, marijuana and alcohol are commonplace and even condoned among certain managers. Some resort to legal substances as a means of coping, while others use heavily addictive controlled narcotics. So prevalent is the problem that combined data from 2002 to 2004 reported the food services industry to have 16.9% of current illicit drug users among full-time workers aged 18 to 64, and ranked highest among all industries. Moreover, it also had a 12% current heavy alcohol use rate and ranked fourth among all industries.
Although there does not seem to be a correlation between low wages and substance abuse, having an individual spend up to 60 hours on their week working under extreme conditions is a sure-fire way to produce negative results. Moreover, because the employee is required to work such long, irregular hours, they inevitably end up associating with those who are in the same position as them. Ask anyone who has worked in the industry for an extended period of time and they will tell you just how easy it is to get involved with the wrong people. If you find yourself slaving away your entire weekend, chances are you will consent to socializing with people and doing things you might otherwise not.
Josh Levitt, an employee at a well-known Montreal steak house, describes his own descent into the world of illicit drugs and alcohol:
I don't think people truly understand how challenging this work is...I mean you have to stand on your feet for hours on end every night unusually until one or two in the morning. And it's not like we stand around just cracking eggs and flipping burgers...this is high volume, fast paced work. After a while in the game, you get burned out and you start looking for ways of making the time pass easier...something to take your mind of the heat and the noise and the chef's voice screaming for you at to move faster. So naturally, in this type of environment, where you also have a lot of cash floating around and people who are desperate to make it through their shift and possibly make a little extra on the side, you are going to find all kinds of bad things going on.
To be sure, the culinary world can be a thankless and brutal one. Some of us choose this path because it is what we love doing, while others do it purely out of necessity. Personally, I have had some of the best times of my life working in kitchens, and I have met some incredible individuals. However, I, like so many others have seen the ugly side of the industry and know the physical and mental toll that it can have. If you are someone who enjoys eating out, just starting out along your journey into the world of cuisine, or an industry veteran who wants to improve the current situation, please remember that it is up to all of us to make a difference in the industry that we love.
]]>Wonton soup is a veritable staple in Chinese cuisine. Every restaurant in Montreal seems to have its own unique take on it, with some achieving better results than others. When it's made properly, it's salty and savory, meaty and satisfying, with a delightful contrast of textures. When it's not made properly, it's watery, starchy, chewy and thoroughly disappointing, if not entirely inedible.
]]> Since it is such a quintessential dish, I find that it can often be used to gage the overall quality of an establishment and to assess everything from the freshness of its ingredients to the quality of its service. With this in mind, I recently set out to find the best wonton soup in my home neighborhood of Ville Saint-Laurent, a veritable mecca of cultures and international cuisines.For convenience, I decided to start my search near Côte-Vertu metro on Decarie Bldv. and to work my way outward towards home, near the Place-Vertu mall over by Cavendish. I chose five popular establishments with good street visibility and a lot of foot traffic, four of them happening to be within a few blocks of each other on Decarie. I decided to get take-out in all five cases, which would give me time to evaluate the décor, ambiance and popularity of each establishment while I waited, on top of enabling me to test the patience of the person at the counter when all I ordered was soup!
Here are the results of my research, which yielded quite a few pleasant surprises...
Skip to:
5. Fu Lam Buffet, Wok and Grill
6. Winner and reviews by others
7. Complete listing and maps (includes link to menus)
When is a bean not a bean? When it's a soybean, of course!
]]> Whether you like your sprouts organic or prefer your sirloin rare, chances are you've heard about the ongoing debate over the potential health benefits of soy versus its potential health hazards. Scientists, health experts and the food industry at large seem to flip-flop on the subject, as they have on many similar issues over the past several decades. Eat your meat! Eat your greens! Eggs give you energy! Eggs contain cholesterol! Synthetic sweeteners provide all the satisfaction of sugar without the calories! Aspartame will give you cancer, sucralose is the way to go! Sucralose confuses your metabolism and makes you gain weight! Sheesh! It's enough to make you want to give up on eating healthy altogether.
Though it may be difficult to navigate the maelstrom of conflicting information out there, it is important to know the pros and cons about the foods we eat daily. Nowadays, it seems like soy is in just about everything - in one unpronounceable form or another - which is reason enough to take a closer look at what exactly it is we're eating.
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]]>William a.k.a. "Billy" Gogas, co-owner of Lafayette Hot Dog
1870 St-Catherine East, Montreal (514) 522-5028
William a.k.a. "Billy" Gogas is a trilingual Greco-Canadian from Shawinigan with a degree in Political Science and a shrewd business sense who dishes out some of the best poutine smoked meat in Montreal. Sounds unlikely? We're just getting warmed up.
]]> During a recent interview, the co-owner of Lafayette Hot Dog in the heart of the Montreal's Village shared a wealth of insight into what it means to be a successful restaurant owner in today's sluggish economy as well as into the financial, political and cultural-linguistic struggles that many small business owners have to overcome.Broad-shouldered and burly, with a graying beard and a strong jaw, Gogas is a tough guy with a heart of gold. Friendly but blunt, disarmingly straight-forward, he has the tired yet bright eyes of someone who works like a dog, but is no stranger to happiness. He also has a sharp analytical mind, an impressive grasp of local and international politics, and could probably teach circles around your average university business professor. Sometimes, you can't judge a book by its cover; other times, a book gets outfitted with the wrong dust jacket altogether.
Now married with a young child and a new baby, Gogas has been working in the restaurant business since he was 14 years old, though, as it turns out, not entirely by choice. The son of Greek-immigrant parents, Gogas started working at his father's restaurant in Grand-Mère, Shawinigan, where he was born and raised. Growing up, the restaurant business was not so much a calling as a way of life. "My father used to say a restaurant is like a prison with the door open" explained Gogas, "it takes up so much of your time and energy that you can never really leave".
As a teenager, Gogas learned how backbreaking and unforgiving the restaurant business could be, so after working for the family restaurant as well as a few others, he decided to pursue a different path. After attending John Abbott College then Concordia University where he obtained a degree in political science, he hoped to pursue a career that would enable him to travel and see the world. With that in mind, he tried applying for the Foreign Civil Service, then CSIS, or even briefly considered applying to the SQ, but openings were scarce, the timing was bad, and it just wasn't in the cards. In the back of his mind, the restaurant business was still looming, and it seemed like to obvious next choice.
The decision to get back into the restaurant business after University was initially supposed to be a short-term measure, but after a while, reality hit home. "I'm Generation X - we think we can do anything; but eventually, you gotta wake up" explains Gogas. After several years of managing other people's restaurants and learning from their mistakes, he ultimately decided it was time to run his own place and started looking for joint venture opportunities. In 2002, he found just the opportunity he was looking for in Lafayette Hot Dog, a family-run restaurant that has been around for over 35 years.
Granted, becoming a co-owner and co-manager of your stereotypical "greasy spoon" in the heart of the Village might seem like a strange business investment to some, but not to Gogas, who recognized both the establishment's longstanding success and its long-term potential. Gogas was also drawn to the fact that Lafayette's is an independently operated, family-run business, not a franchise or a chain. "When it's not really yours, when you don't have any real control, you just can't be as invested", he says. He was also keenly aware of the strong work ethic that such businesses usually entail and to which he largely attributes Lafayette's success over the decades.
Lafayette's is a homey place where the waitresses always remember their customers - either by name or by menu preferences - and where you're always greeted with a warm smile. Excellent customer service is a key-component to their ongoing success - as is ensuring customer satisfaction. This is where it's important to have a manager on site, says Gogas, who has been known to pull double-shifts behind the counter. "We [he and his co manager] are here to solve problems. If a customer's not happy, we give him a free meal... whatever it takes" says Gogas, who further explains that even though his staff has the leeway to make these decisions themselves, they often aren't comfortable doing so, and having a manager on site helps smooth things over. This also helps keep the staff in line and operating at peak efficiency, which in turn enables them keep to their costs down and their menu prices low.
Price is another important factor, says Gogas, explaining that in today's economy, everyone is struggling - including his customers - and that providing good value helps establishments such as his stay afloat. He also explains that providing fast, friendly service and flexible menu options, such as substituting ingredients, make these establishments stand apart from all the McDonalds and other impersonal fastfood joints out there.
When asked what the greatest challenge he has to face as a restaurant owner is, Gogas is unequivocal: "Politics. Politics and corruption." Armed with a degree in Political Science, Gogas knows a thing or two about how the system works - or, in his opinion, doesn't work. He blames political corruption, high taxes and mismanagement for the state of Quebec's economy and its repercussions on consumers and business owners alike. He also points a finger at the new POS (point of sale) software imposed by the government. Meant to prevent tax evasion, the new system was a pain to implement and can really slow things down, particularly during the lunch rush. To make matters worse, this past year was particularly difficult due to a number of factors, explains Gogas. He cites the sluggish economy, the numerous student protests that bogged down the city core, the never-ending road work which made traffic a nightmare, and the changes to the fireworks schedule this past summer, all of which had a detrimental impact on tourism. "Montreal was blacklisted." Explains Gogas. "Who's gonna wanna come here?" Though his restaurant managed to pull through, he was forced to let go of no less than 8 employees and take on double shifts to pick up the slack.
Gogas also explains that language issues are a source of headaches in the restaurant industry. Growing up in the heart of francophone Quebec, he frequently witnessed and was sometimes the target of language and cultural-based discrimination. Today, even though he runs a French establishment with francophone waiters and all-French menus, he says he's still occasionally the target of language-based discrimination. "I'll be speaking to a customer in English and someone will say 'aye, retournes-chez toi, le Grec' [go home, Greek], and I'll say 'I'm from Shawinigan, and I speak French better than you, why don't you go home?'"
When asked what his plans are for the future, Gogas replies that he's seriously thinking about leaving Quebec, perhaps of going to Ontario. Between the stagnant economy, the corrupt politics and the construction situation, Montreal has become an increasingly difficult place to survive for small business owners, and many restaurants have gone under in the past few years. When asked how he manages to stay in business when faced with such insurmountable odds: "Dumb luck", he replies. And though I suspect the real answer must be far more complex, I can't help but admire his modesty as I settle down to enjoy my Poutine.
Lafayette Hot Dog
1870 St-Catherine East
(in fron of Papineau Metro)
(514) 522-5028
And yet, all is not so cheery in Montreal's restaurant scene. Times are tough, and with so many upscale restaurants struggling and going under in this difficult economy, it's a wonder that these casual establishments - with their modest or even meager markups - manage to stay afloat. Their unlikely longevity is a testament not only to their success, but to their popularity, as equally evidenced by the popularity surge in television shows featuring casual eateries, like the Food Network's "You Gotta Eat Here" and "Diners, Drive-Thrus and Dives". So what's their secret? Montrealers love their comfort food, it would seem: familiar, down-to-earth dishes like tomato alphabet soup and a pizza-ghetti, washed down with an oversized tumbler of orange crush and polished off with a tiny bowl of pudding chômeur. On the other hand, Montrealers also love their fine dining, which doesn't prevent dozens of more upscale restaurants in Montreal from tanking every year. So what's the secret to diners' success? What keeps us going back to our favorite lunch roosts time and time again?
It might be a subconscious desire to root for the underdog, to scorn Big Business and make an effort to ensure that small business owners aren't pushed out of the market by all the McDriveThrus of this world. Perhaps some feel an almost familial sense of loyalty towards the restaurants they've been going to for years, where the waitresses remember their names and where they can just order "the usual". Personally, I admit to feeling a certain unadulterated joy at being able to kick my shoes off under the table and unabashedly eat with my fingers alongside other diners who are shamelessly doing the exact same thing. In today's high-tech, high‑stress, high-octane society, it has become something of a guilty pleasure of mine to kick back and relax with the local paper and a bottomless cup of mediocre coffee instead of endlessly running from one place to the next with a Smartphone in one hand and a mezzo frappuccino in the other.
So my neighborhood burger joint wouldn't be my first pick for a first date or an important business meeting. But a mid-week lunch with co-workers, or quick bite and welcome reprieve from cooking at home after a long day at the office? Bring on the paper placemats! Despite their bad rap, I think I speak for many Montrealers when I say that greasy spoons shall forever hold a special place in my heart, red vinyl, grey linoleum and all.
Coffee has become a popular fix in Montreal over the last decade. Tim Hortons has always been a good and cheap cup of brew which many enjoyed, but places like Starbucks gained much popularity in this booming city. Although the cup is pricier, it hasn't stopped business men and women, as well as hundreds of students from rushing in to get a cup, for that early morning meeting or class. However, just like Tim Hortons and Starbucks, both fast food coffee houses, many people are leading faster paced lives, leaving them to chug down that cup of deliciousness, and depriving them of the taste, and the experiences, better and more affordable coffee houses are offering the people of Montreal.
I decided to travel around the city and visit a few of the small and undiscovered coffee shops. Drinking the rich coffees opened my eyes to the appreciation of the java bean the coffee house gems of Montreal, which I am more than happy to share with other coffee lovers out there.
First and foremost, in Downtown Montreal on Bishop Street there is one of the most friendly, coffee/resto I have ever been to, Kafein. Although it does bring in many customers from Concordia University, it is just not enough to do it justice. From their healthy sandwiches on focaccia which are always accompanied with a side of chips and coleslaw, to their homemade chili and soups, to the out of this world smoothies, this quiet and hypster coffee house is one that makes it great to chat with friends over a cup of coffee. Kafein is made up of two floors depending what you are in the mood for; while the upstairs is made up of a couple tables and chairs where you can sit quietly and do homework while enjoying their very affordable Latté; the downstairs is more of a lounge where you can have great conversation with the staff and other customers. The service was very good and quick. Kafein is definitely one of the best I have seen in awhile, and is sure to melt the heart of all coffee addicts out there in more ways then one.
Cafe Myriade
Image source: Flickr
Next on my list was Cafe Myriade. I went on a hunt for this quaint coffee shop after reading the many positive reviews. I felt like it was worth a shot, and that it definitely was. Walking in you smell that fresh cup of brewed coffee which completely clouds your mind as you're walking up to the cash. The menu is written on a black board and offers a variety of different choices sure to warm the heart of anyone. Playing music from Radiohead and My Bloody Valentine sets a cool ambiance great for hours of conversation. Cafe Myriade prides itself, from what I could see, mostly on exotic drinks, like chocolate water--water with dark cacao which tastes bitter, but full of flavour. This coffee house is definitely different from Kafein, in the way that it's more intimate, leaving it as a place of discussion more then an area where students can go and do homework. Now lets get to the coffee, which is a discussion on its own! The cafe has a great variety of beans (Kenyan, Jamaican, American) which are chosen to fit specific types of preparation. While other coffee shops offer you a wide range of choices, you will definitely appreciate the more narrow and focused selection here. More, the diversity of the menu is also reflected with its authentic and rare tea varieties such as the Black one imported from Northern China. This exotic coffee shops will definitely open all coffee lovers to a new flavour of coffee.
Cafe Olympico
Image source: Flickr
Cafe Olympico definitely has to be one of the best italian coffee bar/coffee shops I have ever visited. From the coffee, to the food, to the people and staff, for many Italians it's a piece of home, and for newcoming customers like myself, it's a mini trip to Mile End located on St Viateurs. Definitely busy and always full of noise. Besides the flavourful coffee, what I enjoyed most was the barista with his curly moustache. He made this cafe feel comfortable enough that it could be your home for right now, surrounded by people who no doubt enjoy coffee and company as much as the next person. Cafe Olympico is definitely simple and to the point, which makes it easier for newcomers who walk through the door, confused by all the noise going on around them. The smell though when you walk in definitely gives most a headache, but I enjoyed very much; it is a mixture of the espresso which this entertaining barista has just made, with the fresh desserts. there is nothing fancy in the seating area but the old Italian look of the place definitely gives you this warm and inviting feel. I greatly enjoyed their very cheap...did I say very cheap $2.50 cappuccino and scone. Definitely a Montreal hit.
Montreal is surrounded by the hyppest undiscovered coffee shops, that I myself am slowly only discovering now, after 22 years. It's a shame that so many people choose brands over quality!
If you're unfamiliar with its location, located in Ville Saint-Laurent, Decarie Hot Dog is extremely easy to pass by. But having students, residents of this city, and workers from the area walking up and down Cote Vertu, it's a landmark people tend to always find themselves eating at and enjoying.
]]> Outside, a couple picnic tables are filled with mostly young boys. Inside, a couple stools are mostly vacant as a small line-up retrieves quickly prepared take-out. Stepping into Decarie Hot Dog, there's no surprise why people call it a throwback to their youth. It reminds me of a time when I could still play with lawn darts and the only place to play video games was the arcade. I can only imagine that a single feature has not changed since opening up shop, except their signage, which has been heavily weathered and faded.I can imagine at peak hours this is no place to hesitate, since the space is so cramped and in high demand that movement would be essential to the safety of your person. We took a minute to decide, or rather, to find "hot dog" on the menu. We ordered two of the combos, one with poutine, that netted us four steamies, wrapped in individual Lesters papers, two drinks and two orders of fries. An older man scribbles on the counter with a pencil to determine our total, which comes to roughly $13. Definitely a good deal, not too pricey.
For the uninitiated, a steamie is the Montreal version of a hot dog - picture the steamed white bun and boiled wiener variety that competitive eating contestants consume repetitively, which are spread with yellow mustard and topped with a tangy coleslaw. Decarie Hot Dog is more or less what defines the best Montreal hot dog, in my opinion. Of course, best is quite personal.
The fries come in paper bags saturated with residual grease. A couple shakes of salt sitting on our table brings the flavor up to snuff. These fries are of a soft and creamy variety, almost like strings of mashed potatoes soaked in fryer oil. The poutine variation comes smothered in a gravy more reminiscent of the chicken sauce. Sweet and tangy are not words I ever want to describe poutine gravy, but it is the only way of describing this explosion of flavor.
As I sit there there are more swarms of people going in and out, addicted and hypnotized by the Decarie Hot Dog experience and meal. And who do we have to thank for this Montreal landmark, Nick and his wife, who have run and worked here for more then 40 years. Having their son Tom there, now, to help run it, I can definitely see this restaurant is here to stay for a long time.
Q: How long has Decarie Hot Dog been open?
A: It's been open for almost for about 45 years.
Q:What made you choose this area?
A: I started in many several places, first in the East end, but there was too much commotion and violence at night, 40 years ago. I then moved to Jarry Street and Henri Bourassa, but there was a spot available in Ville St Laurent. It was a quieter area, and more family oriented. I built up my restaurant and told myself I would ever move.
Q: Do you prefer the restaurant or cart?
A: Ugh that's a hard one. They are definitely both very different, but having had the restaurant for longer, I definitely have adapted myself to it and enjoy it.
Q: What made you decide to go into the food industry?
A: Well I arrived in Canada and I enjoyed being with the public, being on contact with them and serving them. At that time I was given the opportnity to work be given my own restaurant, so I took it, and enjoyed it so much I stuck with it.
Q: Did you ever think it would become such a landmark?
A: Well by the time I moved here I had gained experience and patience not only in the food industry but with people as well. I also sacrifices a lot to get to were I am now. It is not that it does not surprise me, but it definitely pleases me. A lot of hard work from me and my family has helped push this restaurant for success and we are no doubt proud that it has gotten to where it is now.
Q: Have any famous people passed through these doors?
A: Oh! Many politicians lik Stephane Dion, and mayors, as well as athletes from the Alouettes and Montreal Canadiens. There has also been Rene Angelil.
Q: Have you retired yet, or are you still working there?
A: No I'm always working. I do leave for Greece with my wife for four months out of the year, but when I'm back I'm working.
Q: Do you ever plan on retiring?
A: No never! I will continue to work until my feet keep me standing.
Q: Is this a business that you will be passing down and keeping in the family?
A: Yes definitely. My son and daughter are already handling the business. All the administrative part of the business they have taken charge of, and my grandchildren come in and help during the summer, weekends, and whenever they have time off. This restaurant will always stay within the family.
Q: Do you enjoy what you do?
A: Yes. I go in 7 days a a week and will always do that.
Q: If you can go back, would you change anything or any decisions you've made about the restaurant?
A: No. People tell me I should have enlarged but I have kept it a size I can manage well.
Q: Is there one dish that beats all the rest?
A: Hot Dogs but poutine has become a close second.
Q: Do you get sick of being around food and eating it?
A: No! Never! If I don't have a hot dog a day then forget it, something is wrong. I eat the product that I serve to other people and I'm proud of it and it tastes very good so I eat too.
]]>Though eating locally sounds like a trendy term adopted by foodie's, purchasing local produce is actually beneficial to your health, as well as the environment. Even with a bounty of information available on the web, questions remain; questions that make local eating sound extreme, out of reach and expensive.
Montreal is home to a variety of fresh food markets that offer Quebec grown produce. The Jean Talon Market, the most popular, has a long history with Montrealers. Providing locals with food that has been grown in their province is one value you can't buy in the grocery store. When the vendor is the same person who grew your food, you know you've reached a community of locals who believe in supporting Quebec while also living healthier lifestyles.
Is eating local really all it's cracked up to me? Here are 5 common myths debunked about local eating that will challenge you to see how a trip to one of Montreal's many markets will change the way you think about fresh food.
Top 5 Myths:
#5 - You can't get locally grown, fresh produce all year round.
#4 - Locally grown produce costs more.
#3 - Locally grown food isn't really better for my health.
#2 - I will only be able to eat certain produce items for a few weeks/months a year.
#1 - There aren't any markets nearby; they're all in the city.
]]>
This backgrounder takes a look at the role of the Jean Talon Market in Montreal and how its presence within the city has contributed to a local food movement.
Eating locally encourages a food system within proximity that provides locals with sustainable produce. Fresh produce markets play a major role in Montreal's food culture. Four larger, well-known markets - Jean Talon, Atwater, Maissoneuve and Lachine - make up for most of the local produce that is sold in Montreal, making it easy for locals to eat the freshest, shortest-distance traveled food. Therein lays the outstanding belief and value that the local Jean Talon market stand behind - local farming and eating local in order to help Montreal sustain itself with fresh food.
]]> A Look into the History of the Jean Talon MarketThe Early Years
The renowned open air market has a rich history in Montreal. In 1931, the city of Montreal purchased what at one time a lacrosse playing field. Namely the most popular market known to Montrealers, the Jean Talon Market was inaugurated by then mayor, Camillien Houde, in 1933. In its infancy, awnings and long canopies from the north and south ends of the open market served as a hub for distributing local produce to clientele. The market then occupied a main building known as the "chalet". Aside from the market occupying the chalet, a Laval bus terminal and restaurant also shared the space until 1961. With a large clock heading the front of the building, the Jean Talon Market settled roots in its underdeveloped yet overpopulated neighborhood. Located in the Little Italy district, the market itself contained a certain European flair with its exterior setup, therefore drawing in local Italian-Canadians. Its defining characteristic being an open air market meant merchants built their own coverings during the winter months in order to keep selling their produce. Over the years, the chalet has served as a point for growth for the market. In 1943, six entrances made up the Jean Talon Market as it looks today. By 1983, heated coverings were put into place in the winter, and by 2004, the market would undergo an evolving transformation.
2004 - Today
The market evolved from a hidden neighborhood market into a dynamic and expansive area. Nestled and surrounded by residential buildings, Jean Talon Market's clientele grew exponentially. Though the market sees most of its traffic from May to October, it became necessary to expand the area for the growing number of vendors interested in displaying their produce. In 2004, an underground garage was constructed in order to open 450 parking spots, which has also made room for 22 new specialty shops in the market. Furthermore, the space created room for 30 new outdoor stales headed by Quebec farmers and artisans. Committed to bringing Montrealers the freshest food possible all year round, the market also went on to expand their winter mall - living up to their longstanding mission statement "To give Montrealers access to local produce in their public markets that relate to their values" (CGMPM).
Until 2006, a vehicle was welcome to traverse through the market streets, but since, a new policy has been implemented, allowing vehicles from Friday to Sunday only. This has been a popular and convenient characteristic of the market.
The Current Issues - Local Produce vs. Imported Produce
Many of the issues that surround the market have little to do with the market itself, but rather the values and beliefs it embodies. The economic, environmental and health benefits behind the idea that local produce is a better, more sustainable food system to live by encounters problems when it is pinned against the convenience and habit of importing produce. Imported produce is transported from out of country resources; this has become the main method of receiving produce in grocery stores. Between quality and cost, imported produce is not always cut out to be the best route. This has contributed to local farming becoming exceedingly popular.
Here is a look at a few outstanding and contrasting issues that have made local farming a widely supported option:
Economic
Environmental
Buying local produce from a market such as Jean Talon encourages a population to grow their own food. Beaudin's article also showcased an urban garden in the middle of Montreal called the Jardin du Marche rue Ontario. This one garden provides neighborhood locals with vegetables and herbs. Supporting local crops promotes a self sufficient attitude. In addition, Montreal harbors 97 community gardens that are in constant demand. Local planting becomes more appealing to a population when quality, taste and handling all left in their control which contributes to a healthier environment in return.
Health
Another health benefit to buying from produce from the market is the relationship locals adopt with their vendors. Every year in late August and into September, Jean Talon Market vendors take down names and numbers of customers who want to reserve bushels of tomatoes, corn, strawberries, etc. for the coming harvest weeks. Vendors also participate in teaching locals about their produce items and different methods of storage, preparation and preservation, all attributing benefactors to a healthier lifestyle. The opportunity to know the person who has grown your food, handled your food and knows how to get the most out of it exists at the market.
Future Implications: How Does the Jean Talon Market Affect Montreal's Future?
In an informative article in the Montreal Gazette, "Radical roots", local farmer Jacques Remillard is featured as one of the many vendors who want Montrealer's to be introduced to fresh and new produce by offering samples of them: "Pairing knife at hand, Jacques spends his autumn days at the market bundled up in wool and flannels, slicing off slivers of bright pink Moroccan radish, pink turnips or black-skinned radishes for customers to try. He's a one man marketing board for varieties of strange and radical roots" (Semenak). This experience is unique to the market. In order to be further educated about local fresh food and its benefits, sampling it and learning about it from the person who grew it effectively brings you closer to the food you eat.
The Jean Talon Market's presence within the city encourages locals to eat regionally and to maintain their produce needs by adopting a seasonal attitude towards consuming. In turn, the market relays these affects to Montreal as a whole:
The Jean Talon Market plays an integral role in inspiring local chefs to showcase locally grown produce. Olivier Perret, chef of the Montreal restaurant, Sofitel, creates a weekly menu from his regular Thursday trips to the Jean Talon Market. His Menu du Marche consists of local produce that is bought from the market. This is another way that the market's influence on Montreal is showcased. Vendors provide and educate customers like chefs who in turn teach their customers about allowing the seasons to create the menus. This circle of local food education passes on the markets values to Montrealers and tourists alike.
The future of the Jean Talon Market is strongly held by the beliefs and values it presents with the bounty of locally grown Quebec produce it showcases. The market brings tradition and availability to Montreal after 79 years of continued growth and expansion.
Works Cited
Beaudin, Monique. "Bumper Crop - In The City." The Montreal Gazette 17 Sept. 2011: B1. Print.
Blogger Martin. Project 365: Day 270. 26 Sept. 2012. Montreal in Pictures. Web.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency. n.p. 9 June 2011. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.
Dean, Adam. Policy Innovations. n.p. Web. 18 Sept. 2012.
European Bri. 3 Jan. 2011. Euro's World. Web.
Health Canada. n.p. 1 June 2001. Web. 7 Sept. 2012.
Head Health Nutter. Live Lighter. 10 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 Sep. 2012.
Hell, Karl. Importing. Reference for Business. n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2011
Marches Publics de Montreal. Corporation de Gestion des Marches Publics de Montreal. nd. Web. 14 Sep 2012.
Mayssam. Jean Talon Market. n.d. The Montreal Buzz. Web.
Reid, Evelyn. About.com. n.p. 2012. Web. 14 Sep 2012.
Semenak, Susan. Market Chronicles: Stories & Recipes From Montreal's Marche Jean-Talon. Canada: Editions Cardinal. 2011. Print.
Semenak, Susan. "Preserving For the Rest of Us." The Montreal Gazette 5 Oct. 2011: C1. Print.
Statistics Canada. n.p. 29 Oct. 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2011.
The University of Utah. n.d. Web.
Van Rosendaal, Julie. "Freezing the rest of your best - Save freshness - Make the harvest last through winter." The Montreal Gazette 5 Oct. 2011: C4. Print.
]]>Image source: Flickr
A tapestry of cultural foods has worked its way into Montreal's reality. We have come to expect pleasant surprises when we choose to dine out. We are rarely disappointed! While there are many "down home" variety of restaurants, dynamic restaurants from these many cultures are represented by popular, highly recommended eateries. In a continuation of exploring these many cultures, my investigations will, once again, be separated by regions.
This article concentrates on East Asia consisting of China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia and Tibet. Not every country has dedicated its cuisine to one particular restaurant variety, but has, instead, created a fusion of cultures within one ranking. The most represented culture is Chinese. Montreal's Chinatown is small in comparison to those in other Canadian cities, such as Toronto and Vancouver, but it is a vibrant community nestled in between downtown, the business district and Old Montreal. There are many large and small restaurants, specialty stores and community centres as well as Montreal's Chinese Hospital. The south shore district of Brossard has the largest Chinese population, by district, ranking at 12% of the population. Other East Asian cultures have not taken up residence in any specific borough in Montreal.
While the Japanese population is very small in Montreal, its foods, extremely popular worldwide, are very well represented with in excess of 175 listed restaurants. Sushi, generally attributed to the Japanese, has infiltrated every Asian community's repertoire.
Korean is the second largest East Asian community in Montreal with a vibrant community centre located in N.D.G. as is a very well stocked Korean market. Korean food is noted for its powerful spicing and flavour. There are a number of excellent Korean restaurants scattered around Montreal, in particular downtown and the N.D.G. area.
The Taiwanese, Mongolian and Tibetan populations are quite small and tend to fall under the umbrella of the Montreal Chinese Community. Unlike in other Canadian cities, finding restaurants specializing in these cuisines is limited. There are no dedicated Taiwanese restaurants, just one Mongolian and three Tibetan. The flavours from these cultures can be found intertwined in the menus of most Asian restaurants that boast extensive choices.
Recipes:
China Chicken Stir-Fry with Angel Hair Pasta Noodles
Japan Faux Seafood Sushi Wrap
Korea Short Ribs (Galbi Jim)
Taiwan Fengli Su (Pineapple Cake)
Mongolia Beef Hâche
]]> Chicken Stir-Fry with Angel Hair Pasta Noodles
These faux sushi are designed to assist those without the proper sushi rolling skills to enjoy a tasty sushi-like experience. Great as an hors d'oeuvre at a casual gathering of friends.
Dipping Sauce
Yield: 24
* substitute with 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
** if Asian apple not available substitute with Gala apple
*** if you are adding in brisket or stew meat for more quantity, then it's
best to braise for at least 2 hours. The goal is for meltingly tender
meat that is falling off the bone.
slightly adapted from Zester Daily
2½ cups all-purpose flour (590 ml)
1/8 tsp baking powder (0.6 ml)
1/8 tsp baking soda (0.6 ml)
¼ cup + 2 tbsp non-fat milk powder (60 ml + 30 ml)
¾ cup butter (175 ml)
¼ cup shortening (60 ml)
½ cup confectioner's sugar (125 ml)
2 egg yolks
1) In a mixer, whip up the butter, shortening, and confectioner's sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to mix until fully incorporated. Sift your dry ingredients into your wet: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and milk powder. Mix very well, until a thick wet dough is formed. Split the dough in half, roll each half into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
While it's resting, make the filling:
Pineapple Jam
1½ cup pineapple chunks (350 ml)
½ cup water (125 ml)
¼ cup sugar (60 ml)
2 tbsps cornstarch (30 ml)
a dash or two of cayenne pepper
Take your water and mix in the cornstarch. Put your pineapple chunks, water mixture, cayenne pepper and sugar in your saucepan and boil down for about five minutes. Blend well in your food processor, then return the pan and reduce down more, about ten minutes. Let cool before using.
Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Split each dough log into twelve pieces. Roll the pieces into balls. Press out the center with a finger tip so that you have a hole traveling down each center of the ball. Fill with pineapple jam. Sacrifice a couple of your dough balls and use about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of extra dough to close off tops. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of your cakes are golden. Cool and serve with extra pineapple jam.
Serves 6
]]>
Everything revolves around food. We all need to eat and the reality is that starving people rarely do. Us privileged few tend to take in much more than we can swallow, in a hurry, often forgetting to chew. Food is absentmindedly received, leftovers tossed, and the tip sent to the guy whose sweat makes sure we get our morning coffees with the heaps of sugar with the hopes that the sweetness will remove the bitterness of our obsessive consumerism.
Image source: Flickr
If you are new to the so-called trendy or starving artist feel shared by many Mile End neighbourhood holes in the wall, Le Cagibi may seem as sketchy as the agency its name suggests. Nestled in what may appear to be one of the city's most ramshackle buildings, it's easy to dismiss this run-down and rickety place upon first glance. Push past the undeniable dirty feeling, the mismatched dumpster dive decor and worthless trashy figurines, however, and you may enjoy one of the best local food and entertainment experiences in town.
]]> Once inside, it soon becomes apparent that the illusion of cleanliness is not a top priority for this establishment. Had I not been summoned here to support a friend's DJ performance, I surely would have turned right back and left after spotting lip smears atop freshly poured glasses of water. Instead, I reluctantly followed the music into the back room and eventually managed to choose the least grungy upholstered seat left. I sat there for an hour or so, repeatedly peering up at the antique ceiling panels that I anticipated would loosen at any moment to collapse down on my head the moment I allowed myself to be distracted by the show. But this did not happen. As the set drew to an end, I feared my pockets would be the new home of a handful of bedbugs or other random creepy-crawlers. I'm pleased to inform you that this did not take place either. In fact, I've yet to hear of any danger or infestation occurring at this venue other than that of musicians, artists and students gathering to enjoy good music.The unfortunate disregard for tasteful decor is actually part of Le Cagibi's unassuming charm. Even now that I am familiar with the place and enjoy its food quite regularly, I'll admit to secretly plotting the disappearance of several of the offensively hideous and useless knickknacks that have lined the built-in bookshelves for years. Oh, how I have fantasized about bumping one into my napkin to later dispose of, or accidentally knocking one off its ridiculous threshold to the ground to meet the bottom of my shoe. This would surely be some sort of good Samaritan gesture on my part, but alas, I managed to suppress these urges over the years. I learned to accept theses eyesores for what they are: the small cost of getting to sit in my special '70s chair while devouring some of the most delectable homemade baked goods.
As it turns out, affordable and addictively delicious food is this place's secret to staying in business. This dive makes everything from breakfast to devilishly tasty desserts, and also honourably caters to the fair-trade and organic food enthusiasts. This "oasis for ardent vegetarians," as *Tourism Montreal put it, offers endless choices for vegans and vegetarians that are scrumptious enough to convert even the most serious meat-eaters. They even have a selection of alcoholic beverages, all of which must be accompanied by some semblance of food due to licensing limitations. You may need a few minutes to decide whether you're craving one of their original and wholesome chilies, smoothies or sandwiches. These can all be nibbled on while listening to local talent perform in the next room or abusing their complimentary Wi-Fi between sips of tea.
Though it is not uncommon to spot yesterday's food on today's fork, and it's painfully clear that the unappealing and crusty decor are here to stay, Le Cagibi has a lot to offer. Should you some day stumble across this shabby venue, by all means, take a chance. Swallow your pride and ignore your discomfort just long enough to step inside, sit upon the flea market furniture, and let this place win over your taste buds with its undeniable charm.
Le Cagibi
café ● bouffe ● musique ● art
5490 St. Laurent Boulevard
* http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/What-To-Do/Nightlife/le-cagibi
Do you need a cup of coffee to wake you up every morning? For most Canadians, the answer would be "yes", but for the Chinese, the answer would be "we need tea". Most Chinese believe that coffee is as important for Canadians as tea is for Chinese. And even though I am Chinese, my answer to this question has changed. When I wake up in the morning, on my way to school, I usually buy a cup of Moka at Second Cup. Coffee is a habit that has taken over my life and I am addicted to Second Cup. It gives me an unprecedented experience, one which is so different from China and tea.
Before I landed in Canada, one of my Canadian friends told me that "when you arrive in Montreal, don't forget to try Second Cup". The chance to try this drink happened before landing. My first impression of "Second cup" came from the coffee served on the flight to Canada. After the first taste, I fell in love. It tasted so different from the coffees offered in China, and it left a lingering fragrance in my mouth. And indeed, on the first day I went to school, I found a second opportunity to try the Second Cup next to the building where I had my first class, at the corner of Guy and St-Catherine Street.
]]> I can still remember the smell of coffee when I first walked inside. There were so many people waiting for their order. Finally it was my turn. Even though there were lots of choices, due to my limited English and knowledge of coffee, I just ordered a latte. I was nervous because most of the coffees on the list were unfamiliar to me. However, latte has a short and simple name, so it became my first and only choice. After I had ordered Latte for several weeks, a familiar waiter introduced me Moka and Caramel Macchiato. At that time, one thought crossed my mind "thanks god, finally, I can say goodbye to Latte!"In fact, coffee is sold in China more often in a bistro or
restaurant. Back when I lived there, there were not many professional coffee
shops in China and the taste of coffee was not authentic. You can't imagine;
the last time I went to a café in China I was drinking coffee and my friend was
eating dumplings next to me. And the taste is so nondescript, and for sure,
coffee and dumplings are not a match.
The environment is always comfortable at the Second Cup. I can even enjoy the traditional tea with my friends. The funny thing is that
we always gossip when we sit around surrounded by foreigners, because no one
will know what we say. It is so safe, I believe?
When coffee replaced tea's position in my life, I have to say the Second Cup became a major part of my life. Nowadays, there are many coffee brands open in China, but not the Second Cup. I really look forward to when it opens in China, so I can introduce my friends to Canadian's true coffee culture, the Second Cup.
Coffee cup (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
Image source: Flickr
Quote from the movie, Les 400 Coups:
English Teacher: Where is the father?
Rene: Ze fazer...
English Teacher: No. The father.
Rene: Ze fazer.
English Teacher: No, the tip of the tongue between the teeth. As if you had a lisp. Father.
Rene: Fazer.
English Teacher: No.
Rene: But I can't, sir. Not everybody has a tongue like yours.
Rene certainly doesn't have the tongue to pronounce 'Father' correctly like a majority of Montrealers, but most Montrealers do have the palate to enjoy the ever-growing number of restaurants that keep sprouting up like mushrooms. New chefs have Montrealers making reservations to try their signature dish or their take on familiar plates. Interior decorators have their work cut out to come up with something new, something refreshing and something attractive. Because so many restaurants close before even any plates are broken or the new Florence Solid Black Oak floorboards have had the chance to lose their stain, the decorators will often adapt the existing décor with simple ideas to save costs and to reopen as quickly as possible. Most Montrealers know the previous names of many familiar restaurant locales that have reopened under new names or names that can be adapted from existing name signs.
Still, it must be getting harder to come up with names that appeal and also distinguish the cuisine, but owners and chefs have become very imaginative and have pushed the ravioli, per say, to new heights, such as Les Enfants Terribles or Les 400 Coups, which are French movies. Other restaurants also happen to have movie names or close derivatives that just happen to also be a movie, and even more restaurant names that have something to do with movies.
]]>Midnight Express versus Midnight at L'Express
In 1979 two lovers of theatre, food and of each other, had a dream to open a Parisian bistro in Montreal. What an idea. What a dream! Dreams do come true and L'Express opened its doors in 1980 to an immediate success and to this day still a popular restaurant for long time patrons and first timers alike.
Ten years earlier, in Istanbul, two lovers also had a dream but took a different path. Midnight Express tells the true story of a bad idea and a second chance at life and love.
Vinny Gambini versus Vinnie Gambini's
Vinny certainly didn't know what he was getting himself into when he decided to represent the "yutes" but when Vinnie decided to go straight and open a restaurant the offer was too good to refuse.
...for the Birds
The battle of the birds!
Titanic Struggle
Which one will not sink below the depths?
Terrible Children
400 Blows
Oh Romeo! Romeo!
Juni or Juno
While in high school, Costa began working part-time at Moishes. The rich history and culture of Moishes, the famous steakhouse located on St. Laurent, has made it a Montreal staple. There, Costa worked as a side order cook and mostly as a bus boy. "Moishes, for me was an academy. It taught me all the basic steps of service. When you're wearing a tuxedo to bus tables, that's when you know it's serious." While working at Moishes, Costa also began working at Restaurant Le Blanc, as bar back.
After Moishes, Costa continued to work the Main as a bartender for two years. He then acquired his first job as a waiter, at Mythos. "Mythos, by the way, is by far where I made the most money." It is no surprise that the motivated waiter was making excellent tips at the reputable Greek restaurant. Of course this didn't stop Costa from pushing himself to do more. "For a while I did Mythos until closing and then drove to Chateguay for the breakfast shift." While going to school and working at Mythos, Costa was also working for his friend who owned a Chez Cora in Chateguay.
The next step was ownership. Costa's first partnership was Quoi de n'oeuf, a breakfast restaurant in St. Eustache. Busboy, side order cook, bar back, waiter, management, ownership - Costa had acquired and developed the business knowledge and service skills that would allow him to continue to move forward. After the partners of Quoi de n'oeuf went their separate ways, Costa continued to work in several restaurants and hotels, before making his way to Fabergé.
Costa began brainstorming with his friend Devin, who worked with him at Mythos for a short while. Devin, his brother Chaz and Costa would soon become the three pillars of the successful project, Fabergé. For the first time, Costa would be creating his own menu; both a challenging and exciting task. The original Faberge menu had clients and critics raving; from Clin d'Oeil to Chatelaine to Nightlife Magazine, everyone was talking eggs and fluffy pancakes. Costa's menu was a mash up of ideas from his previous breakfast restaurant and the dishes that were most liked by clients during his previous experiences, all with his own personal spin. However, despite the crazy amount of hours that he has spent in the kitchen at Fabergé, he much more prefers working the front of the house. "Working in the kitchen is so much more hazardous, the fumes alone are enough to make someone go crazy. There's a lot more stress that comes with working in the kitchen as well."
As we're sitting in Fabergé, Costa looks around and takes himself back to the first time he saw the space. "Devin found this location. We weren't sure if it was worth all the work, it was completely empty, we had to gut the building and do it all from scratch." When I asked what role the neighbourhood played in choosing the space for a brunch spot, Costa discussed that the booming district of the Mile End was a definite interest from the start. The men worked with designers Howie Dewitt and Philip Legris, who are well known in Montreal and whose work was sure to be appreciated by the more "artsy neighborhood." However, when conceptualizing Fabergé, Costa says, "the most important thing was to create a space where a woman can walk in by herself and feel comfortable." They also wanted it to be a place that would cater to the young families in the area. Even more, an alcohol permit allowed them to offer morning cocktails and even host private parties. It almost seems impossible for a single space to be able to successfully pull off all these different functions. Is it a breakfast restaurant? A lounge? A party place? A family place? Well, oddly enough the answer really is all of the above.
This shouldn't be very shocking since Costa is a very "all of the above" kind of person. "I don't like to keep all my eggs in one basket, I like to keep busy and keep challenging myself." It isn't unusual to find him waiting tables on the Main during the busy summer nights. "You could put me anywhere and I know how to serve, it'll take me a couple of minutes to adjust and feel the place out, but I can serve without knowing the menu or anything," says the Fabergé co-owner. It is difficult to think he would ever see himself in another industry, but I ask anyways. He casually says, "the restaurant business for me isn't like a job, it's a way to make money while doing something I enjoy."
Costa's ability to balance the creative and sociable aspects that come with the restaurant industry with the necessary business element allows him to remain motivated and focused. He has big dreams, and admits he is far from where he wants his life to be but still "closer than I was before." His dream is to not have to work past his thirties. He'd like to own a couple of businesses and have them run successfully. "My ideal situation is to be able to one day, when I retire, be able to walk into one of my restaurants, sit down, enjoy a good meal without anyone knowing who I am, and just sit back and watch it function."
In a city like Montreal where the restaurant industry is so closely linked with the nightlife and party culture, it is relatively rare to meet someone like Costa who speaks with knowledge beyond his years. Even as a teenager, he always worked with a business focus. He has continuously learned from the industry and will undoubtedly continue to contribute to it.
]]>Shakespeare's Petruchio left Verona en route to Padua, Italy to meet his Shrew; "I come to wive it wealthily in Padua", he declared. He left Verona on an empty purse and an empty stomach confident Padua would fill both. Padua would certainly have a lot to offer Petruchio but can it match Verona, a city famous for certain indiscrete elopers and pizza topped with mushrooms and Prosciutto crudo?
Image source: Flickr.The place was empty except for Sergio behind the counter decked out in a red apron. He was quick to explain the cone shaped concept of the KonoPizza. It came about when the founder R. Boscolo, had the brilliant idea of creating a pizza that can be eaten while walking without having tomato sauce turn your white shirt into red and also to avoid "pizza palate", burning the roof of your mouth. I was curious, hungry and sold; I asked Sergio if he could make me a "Verona" pizza; after he stopped laughing I chose the "Carni", sausage and bacon. It was smaller than I expected especially for the price but would it pass the "walk" test? I thanked Sergio, who as soon as the glass door closed behind me could be heard guffawing.
The KonoPizza held like an ice cream cone, easily passed the "walk" test but what about taste? It tasted like pizza, yes, in a cone. It was good but gone in less than five bites, give or take. It certainly is not enough for a meal and having only two hands, a cone in each would certainly have looked "foreign." I almost turned back for seconds but feared Sergio would fall over laughing seeing me walk back in. Verona pizza in Padua, indeed.
Back in Montreal I had completely forgotten about Padua when one morning to my surprise my phone told me about a KonoPizza Groupon right here in Montreal on Ste-Catherine near Guy. 2 for $6! How could I resist. I ordered one voucher wanting to compare the taste and size. On a cold January evening I made my way to the store with my son, who tagged along to see what all the fuss was about having heard about it through friends. The store layout was very similar to Sergio's back in Padua, a fast food counter with stools and a lean counter along the wall. The restaurant was empty and we were told they were about to close for the evening because of lack of business. I asked about the Groupon deal and was told that it was very popular. I ordered two "Carni's", the same as in Padua. Knowing what to expect I watched my son's reaction to see his first impression. "That's it? Kind of small. No? It's good you got the 2 for $6 because no way would I spend 6 bucks for this." I said yeah, but you can walk with it and like roasted chestnuts it will keep your hand warm. He answered that it was so small that your hand wouldn't have the time to get cold. He was right; five bites give or take, but it was good and tasted like pizza in a kone.
It has been disputed that Katharina, the Shrew, really was not tamed at the end kissing Petruchio's feet even after he abused and starved her. I am not sure about the abuse part but if she was served KonoPizza she most likely wasn't tamed. Petruchio should have brought Katharina back to Verona for a pizza with mushrooms and Prosciutto crudo.
KonoPizza
1446 Ste-Catherine West
Montreal, Quebec
Tel: (514) 544-5066
note: the title is a play on words - Che Kono Facciamo - Che coso Facciamo, which translates into "What are we doing?" Don't be confused. Eat Pizza!
Fabergé, defined as a breakfast restaurant and lounge, first opened its door during the Summer of 2010, at 25, Fairmount W. It is the success project of brothers Devin and Chaz DeSousa and their friend Costa Darsaklis, three men in their mid to late twenties. Located in the vibrant heart of the Mile End, Fabergé is as refined and modest as the inhabitants of its neighborhood. A mural of the city's landmarks, designed by local artist Howie Dewitt, runs along the walls and ceiling, exemplifying Montreal's unique ability to be trendy in keeping with an underground vibe. As I sit and sip my cappuccino on a Friday morning, Bugs Bunny is featured on the several television screens and the Black Keys is playing in the background; the restaurant is buzzing with style.
]]> Unlike the more pretentious or pricey brunch spots in the Plateau, Fabergé's menu is original yet classic, and always reasonably priced. My friends love Avenue on Mont Royal, but I always leave disappointed. The food is good there, but the service is impersonal and rushed, not the greatest of vibes when you're spending $30 on breakfast. The staff at Fabergé, instead, is friendly and professional, no matter how busy the restaurant is. Moreover, the reasonable prices allow me to spoil myself to a blood orange mimosa once in a while! I have no doubt that Faberge has found permanent residency on Fairmount Street; it is the perfect destination for a quick coffee, a healthy breakfast after hitting the gym, or a celebratory brunch with champagne and friends. Sure to satisfy everyone's taste buds, the selection ranges from buttermilk pancakes to build-it-yourself omelettes to classic breakfast wraps. For the famished and daring there are Fabergé's signature dishes, including Eggs-in-a-Nest, the Fabergé Delight and the Mediterranean Eggs Benedict. The fruit is market-fresh and everything is made from scratch. No matter how much I've stuffed my face, I always leave Fabergé smiling and feeling good.Stylish and inviting, delicious and affordable, Fabergé is quickly becoming the most talked about brunch spot in the Mile End. A must visit for both locals and tourists, I have no doubt that the Fabergé experience will live up to the hype.
www.restofaberge.com
hor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian explorer, set sail from South America to prove that it was possible to have navigated to Polynesia in pre-Columbian times in a raft. The raft made out of tree trunks tied together with hemp rope carried six men and only materials existing or available at the time. Heyerdahl did bring a radio and maps but brushed it off when questioned if this tainted his claim that the trip was at all possible before Columbus set sail in 1492. He merely pointed out that the 1947 trip's main goal was to prove the raft itself could cross the Pacific.
It has long been contested that it was the sea-faring Polynesians who in actual fact crossed the Pacific bringing Tiki to South America. Stone carvings from both lands have fascinated archeologists and explorers for centuries. Easter Island's statues were compared to similar ones at Lake Titicaca in Peru and chicken bones from Samoa were found in Chile dating as far back as the 1300's.
Today, archeologists don't have to dig too deep to discover the origins of Tiki culture in North America in the 20th century. Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian-themed restaurant first opened in the United States during the Interwar period. The decor included palm trees, bamboo furniture, flaming torches and carved idols. Tiki culture boomed after World War II when soldiers brought back authentic artifacts from the South Pacific. Tiki restaurant chains soon followed with Trader Vic leading the way opening restaurants across three continents.
The menu varied from restaurant to restaurant with Polynesian to Cantonese cuisines with Polynesian named dishes such as Tonga Tabu Pork and Hen Aku Aku. The restaurant bartenders out did themselves naming and concocting drinks. The Mai Tai, Zombie and the Taal refreshed patrons then as they still do now. The Tiki culture reinvented itself affecting home decor, architecture, art and even Elvis. This cultural phenomenon eventually made its way north of the border into Canada.
In 1960, Joseph Crane, a restaurateur and American actor, was granted the right from Heyerdahl to use the name Kon-Tiki and opened a chain of restaurants. Crane partnered with Sheraton Hotels to have them located in their hotels. The first one opened in Montreal followed by Chicago, Cleveland, Portland, Honolulu and Boston.
The awning arch could be seen from Ste Catherine St looking north on Peel Street. It stuck out over the sidewalk in more ways than one. It seemed out of place next to the main door of the Sheraton Hotel with its fake bamboo covering straw and Hawaiian and Polynesian tribal symbols. The eight-foot Tiki warriors with spears guarding both sides of the massive double doors dwarfed the doorman decked in a green uniform with coat tails and navy cap. The foyer entrance held back the anticipation of what was behind the rice and red bark walls and Hawaiian music did its best to cover up the sound of running water. The waterfall in the middle of the dining room flowed across from the bar that was made to look like an ancient cave. The Tamaa and Luau Rooms had Samoan and Hawaiian themes respectfully, with spears, odd shaped lamps, and birdcages hanging from the ceiling. Canoes hung in the Long Hut with Shark's jaws and tropical fish on the walls.
Kon-Tiki restaurant has been called the most unusual and also the most exotic restaurant of Montreal. The cocktails certainly proved to be exotic served in moulds of ice, others in coconuts, and glasses held with both hands. The swizzle sticks and plastic umbrellas became nostalgic souvenirs and today are searched for by serious collectors.
Kon-Tiki Chicken, slice breast chicken with Virginia ham and imported mushrooms went for $3.00. Caponette Tiki Tiki, stuffed with water chestnuts, lotus nuts, minced meat and exotic spices went for $4.25. The menu had something for everyone including Ham and Eggs Hawaiian served with pineapple and banana.
In the 70's the spears were removed from the door-guarding Tiki's and a circular Kon-Tiki sign was added above the hut roof. Inside, nothing changed except for the clientele, which became younger and a night out at the Kon-Tiki was looked upon more like a fad than an extravaganza. High school grads reserved a year in advance to be able to slip in with fake ids and drink Mai Tai's all night and have their picture taken, not forgetting to take home the plastic umbrellas.
The Kon-Tiki shut down in 1986 when the Mount Royal Sheraton closed its doors. The auction that followed netted less than $100,000 on merchandise valued at over a million. The furniture and décor lived on in other local restaurants. Today, you can still be greeted by Tiki warriors at the Jardin Tiki, sit in the same chairs and still hear the waterfall with the canoes hanging from the ceiling. The menu has changed and they don't serve Kon-Tiki Daiquiris but Tiki culture has found a way to survive in Montreal.
Thor Heyerdahl passed away in 2002 and legends have it that he dined at Kon-Tiki at least once having a Meaai Meluna Lui followed by a Mai Tai leaving with a swizzle stick in his pocket and a plastic umbrella in his lapel.
Thor Heyerdahl's raft is displayd at the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo.
Sources:
http://web.mac.com/jtbcmac/MaiTai/KonTiki.html
www. tikicentral.com
http://www.arkivatropika.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?item_id=156
http://www.montrealmirror.com/2005/102005/kristian.html
http://www.luxuriamusic.com/blog/johnt/polynesian-pop-culture-in-the-great-white-north
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edge_and_corner_wear/5561408876/in/pool-348359@N21/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_Museum
With a Living Social voucher in hand for a
three-course dinner for two, my dining partner and I headed out on a cool
Tuesday evening. We had a feeling something was up when the latest version of
"front-door bouncer" unclipped the maroon velvet rope and greeted us with
cigarette smoke and a blank stare, probably wishing he were the DJ on a "getting
colder by the puff" December night.
The red-haired hostess blended perfectly into the
"red everything" décor. I had a feeling that as the night went on it would get
even redder. Besides what seemed to be a couple of office Christmas parties,
the restaurant was empty and the thumping music was on autopilot.
The Living Social menu had a limited choice so we
decided to spring for meatballs as an entree, which were recommended by Yelp
and Urbanspoon food critics. They were right on; they were absolutely delicious
with a "as good as it gets" red sauce, sprinkled with eggplant caviar and
covered with ricotta cheese. We could have had three servings and it would have
been worth the displacement all on their own. Chef Giancarlo Martino must have
watched his mom attentively on Sunday mornings because as good as the meatballs
were the plate of gnocchi that followed was just as good. Not sticky or munched
up in a dough ball, with the meatballs, they made a perfect pair.
Unfortunately, the pictures I took don't do the dishes justice. The lights were
too low and too red.
The crème brûlée that
followed was a bit of a disappointment not showing anything new and tasting, as
crème brûlée should taste, nothing more and nothing less. This didn't leave us
with a bad taste on the evening but the price of the tasteless coffee certainly
did.
Service wise, we had no
complaint except maybe they should have the waitress take some weight training
classes after having a hell of a time trying to open the wine bottle, which I
might add was our third choice on an elaborate "just for show" list. The blue
plaid shirt busboys running around like a broken football play were maybe a
little too fast and obsequious standing and waiting too close to our table.
As we got ready to leave the
DJ made his way to the booth and the lights got lower as the restaurant was now
almost full. The red-haired hostess was too busy to get our coats, which gave
us ample time to be in the maître D 's way and the regular patrons. We
certainly would have stayed to watch the parade of "too big for life" posers and "not short enough" skirts but after
all it was a Tuesday night in December sur le Main de St. Laurent.
Chow for now. Antonio B
Price: $20 to $45 (alcohol
not include)
Cuisine: Italian, Grill,
and Fusion
Metro: St. Laurent, 24 Bus
Wood35
350 blvd. St Laurent
Montreal, QC
H2X 2V1
www.wood35.ca
Co-owner, Arhoma Bakery
Ariane Beaumont, originally from the Eastern Townships, is co-owner of Arhoma Bakery. A fresh new bakery/coffee shop situated deep in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. It is located in an area certainly not renowned to foodies or to most Montréalais. Just east of Pie IX and below Sherbrooke St, Arhoma sits in Place Simon-Valois, a concrete park in a new condo development. It recently has doubled in size splitting into a bakery and coffee shop. In front, green tables and chairs invite you to sit down for a coffee, croissant or just people watch. This is where I sat down with a somewhat exhausted Ariane on a warm, sunny November afternoon. Her hair and jeans white with flour welcoming the chance to sit, with a smile of content that wanted to yell out loud, "I am fine right here." Unfortunately, Jerome Couture, her partner and baker, could not join us.
AFB: Tell me about the bakery's name, Arhoma.
Ariane: Arhoma is a play on words. This area is called HOchelaga-MAisonneuve and we liked the word Aroma and decided to combine the two by adding an H. So, Arhoma.
AFB: Do customers ask you about the name?
Ariane: Less and less, but yes at the beginning everyone was wondering how to pronounce it and not many understood the name. Most thought it had to do with a play on "arrondissement" and not the actual name of the arrondissement, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
AFB: Why did you choose this area of the city?
Ariane: We decided to buy a condo in the area and realized there was no bakery, well at least not the way we thought a bakery should be. Jerome is a baker, having worked for Premiere Moisson and we wanted our own business. We wouldn't have start a bakery without one of us having the experience and knowledge.
AFB: So, I gather you are not a baker?
Ariane: (Laughter) No, not at all. I was in commercial decorating and design, so I am responsible for the bakery's layout and nothing to do with the production side. There is no doubt since we opened I had to learn almost all different facets of the business except making the actual bread. We wouldn't last very long if I started baking. I leave that part to Jerome. (laughter)
AFB: Speaking of decorating, there is obviously a lot of green. Would this have to do with strictly a color preference or are you trying to show you are environmentally friendly?
Ariane: We are definitely concerned about the environment and do the most we can.cow.jpg
AFB: What is it that you do to show or be environmentally friendly?
Ariane: Well, we do more than just show we are conscious of our surroundings. Even before we had the business it was the way we approached our every day lives. We always tried to buy local products and now here at the bakery we work at being sustainable by doing the same thing. Also, it is more interesting to deal with local suppliers for us and our customers be it a cheese manufacturer or knowing that the wheat used to make our flour is grown not far from here. It's fun to be able to associate with our suppliers face to face instead of having to deal by email or phone. Also, to be able to have local references, it's good for the growth of Quebec. It's the way businesses should be run and for us it's the way we will continue to do business. We wanted a business with as much as possible Quebec products, but not just any Quebec products. We want good products from good Quebec companies that have the same values as we do. It is one thing to encourage Quebec companies but we want to encourage Quebec companies that also work well.
AFB: Do customers ask about the ingredients you use or where the product is made?
Ariane: Yes, often we tell them that our wheat comes from Meunerie Milanaise, wheat that is more and more known and used. It is also being sold now in groceries. An organic wheat for us is important because our base product is bread and it shows we have an ecological conscious. Not only that but it tastes good. We can be as sustainable as we want but if we can't offer a good product it defeats the purpose.
AFB: The pistachios are green. Are they used because they are green or...
Ariane: (Laughter) No, not at all. I was brought up to always look at things from a different angle. My father was a sculptor and taught me to always find a different way to do things. To be different instead of copy and if you have to copy, copy with a flair. Here at the bakery we want to be recognised on how we do things no matter if they're almond croissants, that everybody does or our pistachio croissants. They're over a dozens nuts we can use why use one that everybody is using. It is so conventional. It's like the bakeries are going through the motions instead of standing out. Let's experiment, push ourselves. We think it's important to push ourselves all the time. I wouldn't have this business if I have to stagnate and not have fun looking for new products.
AFB: Is there an ingredient besides organic flour that you use or would like to use in all your products? An ingredient that you love.
Ariane: Maple Syrup. It is a typically Quebecois product. It is also a base ingredient because it is sugar. I use it as much as possible on almost everything. On pastries, cappuccino's and even frozen yogurts in the summer. My partner is from La Beauce and he was brought up drinking maple syrup, so yes, maple syrup. It is not an original product but one we love to include in almost everything.
AFB: Would there be a type of bread you don't do but would love to bake?
Ariane: My partner having worked at Premiere Moisson for so long, we loved to eat their Raisin, Honey and Hazelnut Sourdough. We would wrestle with the question on how are we going to live without our sourdough bread. Everybody makes the bread and we didn't want to be like everybody else. So we replaced the honey with maple syrup and the raisins with cranberries, which are grown here in Quebec. Growing up I used to have "Toast aux bleu" every morning. My partner still reminds me on how I would come down the stairs with a slice of toasted sourdough with blue cheese. Just thinking about it gives me the urge to have one. (laughter) Changing ingredients has certainly given us the opportunity to come up with different recipes which have been received quite well. Customers would want to meet Jerome to let him know how much they liked the breads, but he doesn't feel like he's invented something or that he's a creator as some patrons would tell him. It's really not complicated to change the ingredients, to add color by using pistachios or to mix cranberries in our breads.
AFB: Well, my next question was going to be what is your favourite thing to eat but I think you already answered it.
Ariane: (laughter) "Toast au bleu?" Yes. The cheese side of the bakery comes from the idea that cheese and bread go hand in hand. Cheese is and can be eaten without bread but with difficulty, and the bread well, it's the cheese's best friend. It's number one accomplice, that's for sure.
pistachios.jpg
AFB: You seem to be very tuned in with social media...
Ariane: It's not us really. One of our customers is the one who created a page on Facebook.. He came in one day and told us how much he love our breads and told us he would put up a page to spread the word. Those were his words by the way, not ours. We're not really good with computers per say but I do follow what is said about us, be it on Twitter or Facebook. I also like to find out what everybody else is doing be it new recipes from here in Quebec or abroad. Also Marie-Claude Lortie's blog's are read weekly. We also like to go to new bakery openings to take the time to look and more importantly smell what is new. (laughter)
AFB: I have read many favourable reviews about Arhoma, but I also read some that were the complete opposite. When you see such reviews, first of all do you read reviews and how do you react be it positive or negative?
Ariane: It is important. I follow what is said on a weekly basis. We see who is following us, who is adding us and what they are saying about us. We try to react positively to negative reviews and try to improve on what is said but there are certainly a lot of positives reviews which encourages us but it is rare someone comes to see us here in person. I mean it would be hard for me to go over to an establishment and tell them face to face how horrible they are but with social media it's easy to criticize.
AFB: What would be your biggest daily challenge?
Ariane: This being not only our first bakery but also our first business the biggest challenge right now is growth. We now have 40 employees and when we started we had no one. We also double in size doubling our square footage. We had a very small production run and now well we have grown quite a bit. So, it is very difficult to manage such fast growth and to hold on and keep control especially with human resources. It has become a juggling act trying to keep things in perspective. All of a sudden we need a punch clock and the employees that have been with us from the beginning, who used to write their hours worked on a piece of paper, feel like we don't trust them anymore. It felt like a crisis at the time. Everybody felt like family and now it has become a business and it's tough on the oldest employees. We used to be friends and now we are looked upon as bosses.
AFB: Do you have a growth strategy for the next year?
Ariane: Yes, actually we are opening a second bakery at the corner of Papineau and Ontario.
AFB: All this growth must have taken it's toll on your social life or do you still have time to go out?
Ariane: Since we opened Arhoma everything has changed and still changing as we speak. No we haven't really had the time to go out, and yes we certainly miss it. Actually, we are never home and haven't watch TV in such a long time that I don't even remember how to turn it on. (laughter) If we do go out it is mostly to our customer's restaurants or new openings.
AFB: Do you think you have a made a difference in the area?
Ariane: Yes. I think we did and do. We had one customer who told us that when she was trying to sell her condo she suggested that the potential buyer come by and visit our bakery. It will give them an idea of what is happening in the area. A lot of people who have a negative view of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve are surprised by what they find now when they come down Ontario Street.
AFB: One last question, if I may, "Bread and it's Accomplices" Besides the obvious connection to cheese would it mean anything else?
Ariane: No, not really, but you know bread doesn't really need cheese or any partner in crime. It can be eaten all by itself and it's so good (loud laughter).
AFB: Ariane, I want to thank you very much for having taken the time to talk to me.
Ariane: It's been my pleasure.
Image below: FourSquare
15 Place Simon-Valois
Montreal, QC
H1W-0A6
514 526-4662
www.arhoma.ca
010.JPG
]]>Image source: Flickr Montée de Lait
Slowly
ailing from the fog, hovering over the St-Lawrence river, a boat could be seen,
at first distant and calm modeling its shape revealing to be imposing and
grandiose in all its might, this boat made of woods with sails engulfed with
hopeful winds softly calling for a new world and life, was carrying in its
storage the culture that would become the proud and unique Quebecois way of
life. This boat not only carried a culture but culinary items from the
homeland, France. Fast forward this picturesque scene and sit at the Banquise
restaurant on the St Laurent Blvd. with a poutine to master and conquer, you
will notice that food has definitely a nature of its own in this beautiful
province. The French refuse to identify the hybrid Canadian-European varieties,
much like a bastard child out of wedlock. Whereas French food has evolved from
a sophisticated, rich and refined cuisine that can be considered as snobbish,
so heavy with various protocols and etiquette to the point of losing your
appetite.
When comparing Quebecois to French food, we should understand that food in this case has two altered meanings for these territories. In the French traditions, cuisine is cherished and affiliated with different regions each carrying its different amounts of sunlight and richness of soil. Properly divided, we can recognize a dish's flavour by its use of herbs, spices and meats. To add, dishes are arranged in a way that would make impressionist painters blush with envy. We can recognize ounces of colors, vibrant contrasts, subtle touches of artistry, conveying the recipient of dish to a magical journey of history and masterful storytelling through the palate. In deep contrast with France's artistry and regional traits, the Quebecois cuisine is more practical.
As the clock turns to 2:45, the bars
and clubs on Crescent Street begin to close their doors to late night party
animals. Around the corner, Boustan and Amir, two Lebanese eateries are beginning
to turn their ovens on high in anticipation to the exodus of hungry bar hoppers
alike. With only about 200 feet separating the two it seems that a decision
must be made between which one to dine. While Boustan has great ambiance and
superior food quality, the Amir franchises offer consistent food combos with a
greater variety of food items to choose from.
From Monday to Sunday, from opening to closing time, you will not get a table without reservations; but you can squeeze in at the bar, between Martin, the eccentric owner and a likely French couple, and enjoy a delicious appetizer of "cochonailles" along with an expensive but carefully chosen glass of red wine. Surely, it is the beginning of a long night at Le Pied de Cochon, one of Montreal's few traditional restaurants. Indeed, authentic Quebecois restaurants are rare and incredibly expensive in Montreal. Because of the high price of local products, fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy, less and less restaurant owners dare to serve traditional Quebecois meals.
If you ever had the chance to live in Quebec province, you must have heard of the Saint-Hubert restaurant. Saint-Hubert is a French Canadian based franchised restaurant, which was named after the street of st- Hubert in Montréal. After being founded in the 1950s, the first st-Hubert restaurant launched a BBQ rotisserie for customers to enjoy succulent roast chicken, fries, Cole slaw, with a lightly seasoned sauce. Soon, the rotisserie was to become a legend. Ten years later, they've built two more branches. The founder Helene and René Leger developed the first chain of restaurants in Quebec in the1970s where each chain store offered free delivery of foods. This has made st-Hubert restaurant the first free delivery franchised restaurant in Canada.
After sixty years running the business, Saint- Hubert now has become one of the biggest franchising restaurants in Canada. Probably you may want to know what the secret recipe for their maintaining success is; their customers will definitely tell you that it must be their amazing Rotisserie chicken. This lip-smacking rotisserie chicken is always fabulous and the portions are large and tasty. The meat has been well cooked and literally falls off the bone, it tastes juicy, moist and well-seasoned. The skin is crispy and nicely browned; in fact, a lot of people like the tastes of the skin the most. The full plate includes a half bun, gravy, coleslaw and a side dish for you to choose from including, fries, mashed potatoes, baked potato, rice pilaf, salad and steamed vegetables. Although these accompanying sides aren't anything special, collectively they complement the chicken in an unpretentious way. Besides the chicken, you can also get soup and desert or coffee at a reasonable price. In addition to all the items mentioned before, what really makes rotisserie chicken special is that it is covered with honey sauce while being roasted; this is done to make the chicken tastes sweeter and more delicious in order to cater to the typical French taste. If you want to try a real French-style grilled chicken, you definitely shouldn't miss Saint-Hubert.
For tourists, it might be strange to see a little yellow car with the Saint-Hubert logo lit up at night and being driven around Montreal; but indeed it is Saint-Hubert's delivery car which has become one of its symbols. The distinct feature that makes Saint-Hubert a legend franchised restaurant is their free delivery service. Widely known by people from Québec, Saint-Hubert offers the best service of food delivery for almost 40 years. Once you place an order, you will definitely hear the doorbell ring within 40 minutes and the delivery guy will hand you the well-packaged food with a big smile on his face. This has become the most notorious symbol of Saint-Hubert restaurant for so long.
Both Saint-Hubert's food and service represents the typical French Canadian styles that are diversified, friendly and honest. Maybe you've never been to st-hubert Street in Montréal, but you should definitely go and try one of the Saint-Hubert restaurants to taste their classic French Canadian BBQ chicken.
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