Les 400 Coups

One of the places in Montreal that I've been most keen to visit is Les 400 Coups in the Old Port area.  Fellow blogger reports of meals there promised a good evening, many claiming this to be the home of the best desserts in the city.  So, I booked Sarah and I a table there for Friday night.

Admittedly a little tipsy when we arrived, we couldn't resist a couple of kir royales to get us started, props for the use of a local cassis equivalent.   The food began with some bread, we were later served a second lot.  Nice salty butter, lot to be deduced about a place by the quality of their bread and their generosity with it.

We asked for the recommended dishes and mostly went for the waiter's suggestions.  My starter was the oyster and leeks ($20).  Dishes are described by their key ingredients, keeping things simple. I like that in a menu.

 

Like my recent meal at Story in London, the theme is delicate and pretty presentation.  The oysters, free of their shells, and served cold (the whole dish was cold actually) and sprinkled with hazelnuts, also present were slices of apple and balsam fir which google tells me is a tree.  Ha.  Must have been used in the sauce.  I was surprised that it was all cold but it was fresh and flavours were clean. 

Sarah's starter was probably the more successful of the 2, the boudin blanc ($15) with kohlrabi, tarragon and raspberry.  I went out on my own and selected the pork main course, the waiter suggesting the fish dishes are their most popular.

I was really glad I did this actually, the suckling pig ($30) from a local farm was my favourite dish of the night.  Served with cherries, radish, celeriac puree and gale jus (I don't know what this means but it was nice, bit more of it wouldn't have gone amiss) the pork was served in fillet and croquette form.  There was some kale dotted on there too.  Very good.

Sarah's artic char ($27) would have been my second choice served with rye, fennel, honey mushrooms and sea buckthorn.  So far so good, but not wow.

We'd gone with the waiter's recommended white, glass each, to accompany the mains.  Another Chardonnay blend, they like those here.  To accompany the desserts we had a glass each of Macvin du Jura, Domaine de la Renardiere ($14).  It was dark, fruity and rich, almost like a sherry.  We had a couple of glasses each.  

I have to confess, I was disappointed with dessert.  I had super high hopes, which is always setting myself up for disappointment and I ordered badly.   I was blindsided by the mention of pistachio which was actually barely discernible.  I ordered the kalingo dark chocolate and cocoa meringue ($10).

The green bits were tarragon heavy and fresh tasting, the rhubarb sorbet was lovely, but I don't like fruit and chocolate in combination, idiot!  Sarah's Lemon cream ($10) with almonds, honey, ginger foam and lemon sorbet was more up my street.

I do really like their style though, the vibe in the room is nice, there's a long bar running down one side with the kitchen at the rear.  I would definitely come back.  I still haven't had any cheese in a restaurant here yet, madness!  Keen to try some local ones.  Service was also lovely, very knowledgeable.  Best meal I've had here so far, we paid about $170/£90 each.

Les 400 Coups
400 Notre Dame Est
Old Montreal
8.5/10



p.s we had a front window table and there were loads of cats and dogs lurking about outside the place, at one point we engaged in a lengthy stare out with one of the cats, we won. 

Le Local

It was my colleague Julien's birthday and I so wanted to help him arrange his birthday dinner, without one single motive other than to make sure he had a good night.  Honestly.  I didn't intend to highjack the evening and drag a bunch of my new colleagues along to a restaurant that I wanted to visit, not at all.  But, as luck would have it, somewhere I suggested was selected and off we went to Le Local for dinner and cocktails.  What are the chances?!

I started things off with a gin martini, a very good way to judge the quality of a place, it was fine, not Zetter standard but ok.  What was great were the 3 bottles of Cháteauneuf Du Pape we shared.

My starter was right up my street, and I really struggled to pick between their signature dish (below) and their chef's starter of the day which was scallops.  I've decided the way to approach eating in Montreal these first couple of months, is to ask the Canadians what I should be eating.  Usually I pretty much know what to order before I even set foot in a place and am afraid to receive bad advise, here I'm a bit lost, despite doing a lot of research but I am giving people the benefit of the doubt.

 

So I ignored the scallop suggestion and went for the panko crumbed egg with golden beets, bacon and goatscheese ($13).  I have a thing about runny eggs so this was pretty much bang on, you can't see the bacon, but it was that thick smokey American style bacon that's crunchy and brilliant.  Ooh the menu also cited truffle oil as a component, but I had trouble discerning any.

 

My main was pretty gross to be honest.  It's maple syrup season, and I think the sugar in the air went to my head, because I ordered the braised beef with Jack Daniels maple sauce and butternut squash puree ($26).  The whole thing was waaaaay to sweet, the pickled apple wasn't even close to cutting through the sugaryness, I couldn't finish it.  Oh and I hate Jack Daniels, #lostit

 

We all shared the chef's treats board ($9) which is more like petit fours than pudding but there were some nice things on there, the burnt marshmallow and the blondie were my faves.  They were stingy with the bread, founcing around with a big basket of it and tonging (not tonguing) out a paltry little slice per person.  At Holder it's pretty much all you can eat, more of that please people.

This wasn't a particularly memorable meal, but I've already returned for lunch, they do a good set menu.  Salad as a starter is a thing on set lunch menus it seems, which always seems like a bit of a cop out to me.  Their soups are nice though.  It's almost Terrasse season and they have a nice outside area once it's warm, this is a vital selling point when there is snow on the ground for half the year.

Le Local
700 Rue William
Old Montreal
6/10



p.s tartare is a huge deal here, literally everywhere, on every menu in several forms.  I'm avoiding it because, for some reason, I find this extremely annoying.

L'Orignal

I helped a friend move house last weekend and after drinking a lot of champagne to celebrate, we head to a nearby restaurant (local also to the office which handy, should I wish to return).  We went to L'Orignal, moose in French, happily it was on my list of must visit restaurants.

It seemed weirdly quiet for a Friday, something I put down to the bank hols but in actual fact it was because the Habs were playing, that's Montreal's hockey team, they're in the play offs, I feel so Canadian right now, it's actually very exciting, and the Montreal Canadiens are smashing it.  Yay.  Anyway, food. 

I asked what I should try and was told the smoked duck ($17) is the one.  So I did as I was told and was fairly happy with the meat itself, though the skin could have been a little crispier.  The cold accompaniments were a bit lazy in my opinion, a salad, some beans on top of the meat, some mustard seeds and pickles, not much skill anywhere besides the meat.  Lovely duck though. 

I was much happier about the following 2 courses, the lamb shank with broccoli and parpadelle ($33) was virtually faultless, I would have liked more pasta, but I really ought to eat less carbs, so really they've done me a favour.  

For dessert we shared the deconstructed tiramisu, I gave it my usual "urgh - I don't even want dessert" but this really impressed.  Crunchy coffee soaked biscuits, coffee granita and floral topped mascarpone, it looked and tasted the part.  I do hate the fonceness of a deconstructed dessert but this was genuinely a treat.  I don't suppose I should be surprised.

They have a rather nice bar area too.  The whole place feels kind of wood cabiny and cosy, the menu is heavily meaty and it all just works.  I'll be back.  One minor gripe, I told the waiter I didn't like Chardonnay, and he gave us a chardonnay blend, I'm actually allergic to Chardonnay (I get all sniffley) but he felt bad and I should have said.  I lived to tell the tale and drank more Chardonnay on Saturday.  Virtually a convert.

L'Orignal
479 Rue St-Alexis
Old Montreal
8/10



p.s. I've not decided what to do with the blog name yet, might change it, after my London trip in June.  Stay with me.

January Round Up

January should be a quiet month really, but everything has kicked off for me.  Work is crazy, I need to find a new place to live in an exciting new city and I have so much still to see of London and my friends and family before I go.  I've been trying to eat myself out of the clutches of the January blues.

Rita's
Starting with Rita's.  Art and I were meant to go here in December and I had to cancel because of work.  Before that, I'd intended to go to their former restaurant in Stoke Newington, but never did.  Highlights of the meal were the chilli mac & cheese (£4.50), really excellent, and the mega stinky fried cheese (munster, £4.50) served with celeriac and chutney.  Special mention to the bacon brittle, so addictive. 

Not so good things about it were that we had to wait about 20 mins for a pre booked table drinking frozen 'ritas that weren't properly frozen.  Oh and when we were seated, we were downstairs in the corner next to the loos.  More good than bad though and best thing of all is that absolutely everything, except the mac & cheese was laden with coriander. Cheap, fun and great for large groups of people, I imagine.

The Ape & Bird
I'm trying to get my fill of Sunday roasts before I leave the UK in March.  I booked last minute for Russell Norman's latest venture, The Ape & Bird, and we turned up just after noon and literally had the run of the place.  It was a really rainy day (will there ever be any others?) and it was Chinese New Year but literally, it was empty the whole time we were there.  This makes me sad because the roast was great.  Duck with kale, roast potatoes, amazing roasted onions, gravy and more gravy in a little jug.  It was dreamy.  So was the cauliflower cheese side.  Not cheap, at around £17 but absolutely worth the spend.

Check On Roast @ Dead Doll's House
My friend Molly invited me along to a chicken Sunday, one of the Check On Roast events.  I'd never been to the Hoxton Square venue before but it's a lovely place, the sun even came out for some roof terrace japes at one point.  Very decent roast chicken too.  There are plenty more events coming up, beef and pork Sunday's are also running and tickets are still available, it's really good value at £25 for 4 courses and it was a brilliant atmosphere.

Kimchinary @ Catch
Kerb regular Hanna, of Kimchinary fame, was kind enough to invite me along to the launch night of her pop up at Catch Bar in Shoreditch.  I've loved Hanna's work since the rice pudding days and am so pleased that the rest of London are now fans of her Korean tacos.  She's brilliant, you should go, you won't even have to queue!  My shock favourites on the night were the veggie tacos and you absolutely must try to Dukbokki, it comes with nduja now, even better.  I'm planning a revisit next week.  Tacos are around £6.50 for 2.

I'm genuinely not one for blowing my own trumpet, but I am proud to say that I appear in the February issue of Olive magazine which hit shelves earlier this month, with my recommendations for best value London restaurants in which to spend £10, £20 and £30.  Franco Manca, Koya Bar and Brasserie Zedel.

I've had a few of my old favourites this month too, beginning with one of my Olive recommendations, the Ile Flottante shared with Bel at Brasserie Zedel.

MeatMarket's chicken wings, a London classic, reminds me I must have monkey fingers before I go!

Not a favourite but I tried Honest's Comte, bacon ketchup and smoked onion ring special burger (£12), better than it looks here but I struggled to detect the comte, big shame.

January '14 also marked my inaugural poutine experience at Little Social, where it happened to be on the specials menu.  Hopefully plenty more where that came from in Montreal.  For those who don't know, it's Quebec's answer to the kebab.  I'm not yet convinced as this one featured not only the usual chips, gravy and curds but also jalapenos and sausage.  I promise to stick with it. 

Rita's
175 mare St
Hackney
E8
8/10



The Ape & Bird
142 Shaftesbiry Avenue
Covent Garden
WC2H
7.5/10


Check On @ Dead Dolls House
35 Hoxton Square
N1
7/10

Kimchinary @ Catch
22 Kingsland Road
Shoreditch
E2

I dined as a guest of Kimchinary.