Montreal Musings
It's been eight years and we're thrilled to be back in Quebec.
Montreal memories come flooding back to us. How can we forget eating our first poutine, numerous meals at Au Pied de Cochon over the years, bagels (which, while not our favorite, are still unique) and maple. So much maple.
We also remember the super cold weather and how it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the city’s people during our month-long December visit in 2017. Temperatures that month plunged at night to -20°f / -28°c and stayed there for three weeks. It was so cold that we could barely walk one block without feeling like our faces might fall off our heads.
Yet still, despite the extreme cold, restaurants like uber-classic L’Express were filled with people ready to eat - packing every table during the week like it was a Saturday night in May.
The food in Quebec takes on hearty flavors with culinary traditions that mix the Americas with France with distinctive influences from Italy and Portugal, Germany and Asia. Just imagine a place where you can sample raw milk cheeses, excellent baguettes and croissants along with quality Mexican food and you get the point.
We’ve been yearning to return to Montreal and its food set. So it was a no-brainer to add extra days to our business trip to Quebec City and the province’s Eastern townships. We clearly had some research, i.e. eating, to do.
When we landed in Quebec City ten days ago, even the French tacos (no relation to real tacos) hit differently. We first encountered French tacos in Toulouse a couple years ago and they were a good, late night curiosity. But the Quebecois version was filled with more merguez sausage than we thought was ever possible in France. It makes sense - Quebecois food, unlike the cuisine of their cousins across the Atlantic, is super hearty. A dish can often feed a group of 2 to 10 people. We’re not joking - this is the land of poutine and jugs of maple syrup after all.
Lobster rolls are also a thing here. But, unlike New England, food stands like Chez Mag pair sandwiches bursting with lobster meat and dressings with mounds of fries topped with a beefy gravy interspersed with squeaky cheese curds. It’s a unique convergence of cultures, finished with a light Gallic flair, that we fully support.
We’re now in Montreal, a city with a culture that’s reminiscient of Paris but less restrained. If you imagine Paris without its current height limits and a more modern landscape, you get the visual picture. After eight years away, we were pleased to find the food to be as good as it’s ever been and maybe even better. Lately, with the recent arrival of Michelin inspectors, the city has become more star obsessed which isn’t necessarily a good thing. (To us, Montreal didn’t need Michelin’s seal of approval. But, considering the long history of French blood running through the population’s veins, we get why the city wanted it.)
There’s an undeniable spirit to the food here from the innovative yet exciting bistro Mon Lapin to the outrageous donuts at Bernie Beigne. And you can eat plenty of raw milk cheese here too. Additionally, while alcohol can bust your wallet compared to European prices, exciting things are happening at Quebec’s breweries, cideries and wineries. Note that if you do have the money, you can also enjoy a huge range of international wines at most of the city’s good restaurants if that’s how you roll.
Montreal is less than 400 miles from NYC but the cultural angles hit differently here. The landscape is concentrated in a friendly, highly walkable urban center with an excellent metro system that runs from early morning to 1am. It’s the city of free love and Leonard Cohen, of spriraling outdoor entranceways and great indie music that oozes from the speakers at hipster cafes which seem to exist everywhere.
Life moves at a quick pace here - faster than Europe but not at NYC’s lightning speed. It’s a city where you can sit and enjoy a coffee with friends or a good book. Admittedly, unlike our current Portuguese home, the winter weather presents challenges. But, despite that one issue, we’ll keep returning to Montreal as often as we can.
Check back soon as we’ll be updating our Montreal guides with new and exciting entries. We’ll also be sharing tips on exploring other parts of the province including Quebec City.
Dish of the Week
In honor of Montreal, we’re sharing our Maple Bacon recipe. It’s ideal for brunch whether you entertaining a group of friends or simply like bacon.
Deal of the Week
We never travel without travel insurance. It provides us with peace of mind as well as protection from unexpected emergencies.
Heymondo’s summer sale is ending on June 29th. Use our affiliate link to save 15% for any future tips. Note, the discount goes down to 5% after the 29th.
Links We’re Liking
Here’s an intriguing look at the origin and use of the popular ice cream topping known as ‘jimmies’ - or are they ‘sprinkles?’ | Philly Inquirer (gifted)
Can a Michelin star save a restaurant? Restaurants surely benefit from the recognition but the guide’s effect on businesses is not always clear. | NY Times (gifted)
These places were already food cities and never really needed Food & Wine to anoint them as such. But it’s always interesting to examine great food cultures around the world.| Food & Wine
Until next week,
Daryl & Mindi