Tuck Shop

If any kind of farm land had an illegitimate child, it would be Tuck Shop. This place is unreasonably fresh and not to mention, totally local! Pretty much lost in the up and coming neighborhood of Saint-Henri, Montreal's Tuck Shop certainly does not go unnoticed.

Theres no better way to describe Tuck Shop's cuisine than to simply pair together whats in season right now (harmoniously, of course) From fish to meat to homemade pasta, this place will surely find something to fit your mood.

The menu is constantly changing so what we had might not even be on the menu anymore but I will still try describing what we ate to taunt you a little... As appetizers, One of us had the crispy pork belly which was absolutely fabulous, The snow crab and avocado salad was very summery and super tasty and lastly we had the beef tartar that came with matchsticks fires and a mushroom aioli which was ridiculous! As mains, most of us were intrigued by the fish which was seared perfectly with the crispy outside and tender inside, never overcooked. Some had the sea bass which was served Mediterranean style with feta black olives etc, I had the tilapia with gnocchi and we also tried the hanger steak with chimichurri. The thing about these dishes, although executed perfectly, is that they seem so simple but the moment you taste everything, the complexity of the ingredient pairing to get to the final product is astonishing. I can say hands down freshest restaurant in MTL, if this isn't farm-to-table, I dont know what is! The quickest and simplest way to get the menu is through their twitter account (@TuckShopMTL) where they update their menu daily!

In terms of prices, the appetizers range from 6$ to 18$ and the mains from 23$ to 30$

The decor is pretty simple, everything looks very new with an ambiance of fun people, the restaurant is pretty small so a reservation is important.


Tuck Shop Mtl

4662 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest Montreal, QC H4C 1S6, Canada (514) 439-7432

Olive + Gourmando

Undeniably the Old-Port's hotspot for quick breakfast and lunches. For on-the-go or for sit-down-sipping-coffee, if you are looking for fun & homemade deliciousness Olive + Gourmando is exactly where you need to be!

Off the chain croissants, brioches, muffins and scones for tiny prices! They update their recipes every once in a while to please the faithful clientele. Their twitter account is probably the easiest way to get the news, you can follow them @chezolive 

Sandwich wise, the ''Cuban", a hot panini served between the homemade panini bread filled with Shank, braised pork, homemade mayonnaise (chipotle pepper, pickles, lime and cilantro) and gruyere cheese. (yours for 9.95$). For cold paninis, the "Truite Fumée"Smoked trout with capers, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and cream cheese with herbs. (also 9.95$)

Service is quick and nice but can get hectic during the lunch rush because this place gets REALLY busy.

I cannot stress enough how much this place is a must try!

351 Rue Saint Paul Ouest
Montreal Qc H2Y-2A7,
(514) 350-1083

Business hours:

Tuesday-Saturday 8:00am – 6:00pm

visit their website!

http://oliveetgourmando.com/

Kaizen Sushi Bar

Best sushi in montreal is probably an understatement. It is quite easy to spot this restaurant on the street because of the bright green roof, but the architecture is definitely not the only thing Kaizen stands out for. The interior decor is enticing with tons of big imposing art pieces and some more delicate all tied in with the same idea of more modern art.

The staff is what made the experience for us (or at least a great part of it). Extremely attentive and very insightful. We found that the best way to go about ordering sushi was to ask our waiter what he recommended and he pretty much custom made us a menu with 4 different services of sushis, sashimis and makis that were all more delicious than the next. The waiter will talk to you about your preferences and the types of fishes you and your party enjoys the most and will create something special for you. In this case, our waiter was absolutely spot on with every dish as we finished every single one of them down to the last roll.

Depending on the arrivals, you might end up with different types of fish but if you get the chance to try the ''Butterfish'' try not to cry of overwhelming deliciousness, I have NEVER had raw fish taste this good. We also really wanted to try a roll with foie gras so we were served and crab roll with a tiny piece of foie gras on top and woah was that ever delightful. Fresh and refined is what defines the Kaizen Sushi Bar's kitchen.

Happy Dinning :)

For more info/ reservations / takeout, visit:
www.70sushi.com

4075, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest,
Westmount, QCH3Z 3J8514.70 SUSHI (78744) 

Lawrence

So typically English, this brunch will literally transport you to Whales. Cute and very small, Lawrence does not take any reservations for the Brunch hours for any group smaller than 6 people so it's really first come first serve. Extremely local and very hipster, Lawrence is the perfect brunch & coffee place.

Although a tad disorganized, the staff is extremely friendly and insightful, no hesitation to point out what they enjoy best on the menu and guide our morning experience. One thing I found interesting is that instead of having the good yet pretty standard freshly squeezed orange juice, Lawrence offers fresh Apple juice to anyone interested!

Typical english dishes are served fresh such as bubble and squeak, scones and crumpets. I decided to get the eggs Royale which are eggs benedict with smoked arctic char...out of this world delicious! So simple but you just wish the plate would never end. Their dishes are so perfectly executed with always the freshest ingredients. A detail that I can appreciate are the cute little coffees with foam art which is kinda cool if you are into that stuff cause personally I've tried to make a pretty leaf with my cappuccino countless times but its pretty damn hard!

The simplicity of the menu is what really got me hooked on Lawrence, they do not need extensive descriptions of their dishes because they really speak for themselves. I will definitely go back for the dinner setting.

For more info or reservations:

Call : 514-503-1070
or visit them online @ http://lawrencerestaurant.com
5201 Blvd St-Laurent, Montreal

La Salle à Manger

The sound of the epitome of classic rock blasting through your subliminal mind, home made and local everything, chalkboard walls and hipster-esque lighting, if La Salle à Manger does not steal your heart (and stomach), I don't know what does!

Sitting on the very corner of Mont-Royal and Chambord is La salle à Manger. Simplistic but eye catching decor, the giant communal table is definitely the center piece of the floor plan. With many smaller tables surrounding it, at first glance this restaurant may seem like a big cafeteria but with the intricate details of the bar and the cute lighting fixtures, it gives for a nice look and a bright interior.

The service is anything but pretentious. Well informed, mostly masculine staff are extremely outgoing and clearly passionate about their products. Any question is answered professionally and clearly. The staff is very knowledgeable and because of the ever changing menu, this dining experience will be forever renewed.

So all the entrées are served on wonderful wooden chopping boards with great attention to detail. Every dish is well thought out and divinely put together. Depending on the season and the arrivals, the menu will definitely vary. The menu online is quite religiously updated so checking it before heading down would be a good idea. We tried the deer carpaccio served overtop a garlic mayo and fried shallots which was absolutely succulent, the salmon gravlax with the potato salad was equally as good. The highly recommended ''smoked plate'' was good to share and try a bit of everything.

The main courses came by and after the entrées we all felt that the portions were a bit big but hey! its better than not having enough! Deer steak was fantastic, and the sweet potato ravioli was absolutely delicious.

Deserts were impossible to say no to! All and all this experience was very personalized, I mean this in the way that the menu is extremely varied and there is something for every one! The entrées are probably a bit pricier ranging from 15 to 26 $ and the main courses go between 23 and 28$.

On the must go list as well as the NEED TO GO BACK list!

Happy dining!

for more info visit: http://lasalleamanger.ca/

Address: 1302 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montréal, QC, H2J 1Y5

Phone: 514-522-0777

Le Cartet

For takeout or sit down, everyone needs a bit of Le Cartet in their lazy Sunday routine. With communal wooden tables, high ceilings and local art hung on the walls, Le Cartet gives out the impression of a higher class community center. Meals are prepared fresh daily and stored in fridges alongside many local products. Kind of like a very refined super market.

The brunch menu is very genuine and delicious. You will find options like; the ''Tosta Mixta'' which is a grilles cheese with eggs, ham, brie and onion, of portuguese inspiration. Or for something more traditional; try ''Le brunch des cantons'' which includes ham, sausages, bacon, roasted potatoes, eggs, beans...the whole Québécois shebang. Something I found really clever on the menu was that with some items, they inserted the price of the meal plus if you were to have a mimosa on the side, cause let's face it, it's never too early for a little party!

The service was careful and attentive and the coffees were simply delicious. Le Cartet is authentic and I will definitely be going back!

Reasonably priced, the brunch (which is only offered on Saturdays and Sundays) range from 6,95$ to 21,95$ (including mimosa ;) )

Where?
106 Rue McGill, Montréal
Québec, H2Y 2E5

Call
514-871-8887

for any further information, visit:
http://lecartet.com/

Taverne Gaspar

I'll have to admit that Taverne Gaspar caught me off guard! Gaspar offers your favorite pub food but remixed to gastronomy level. Fabulous! This place might as well have been called Laurence's Tavern because it really has my name all over it. When I'm thinking GREAT food, nice place, good crowd and sweet atmosphere I'm thinking Taverne Gaspar 100%! Right on De la Commune the restaurant shares a space with L'Auberge du vieux port. Recognizable with the beer bottle opener as their logo, nothing says tavern quite like this.

The old school look of this restaurant is very charming, the stone walls and wooden beams give it that authentic feel. The dining room is versatile in the way that it can easily accommodate larger groups as well as romantic party of twos.

The shy but effective service was quite nice but a tad rushed. We went on a Tuesday and we were suprised at how packed it was, ( I have to say it was during ''Happening Gourmand 2012'') either way, the place was full.

Every good Tavern knows that a good drink is necessary to partner a good meal. Our waitress insisted on the cucumber Tom Collins and although gin is not my favorite drink of choice, it was far from a disappointment. It was refreshing and went perfectly with the beet and goat cheese salad I had ordered as an appetizer.

In terms of originality, the choice of appetizer was not quite astonishing but delicious nonetheless. The bone-marrow onion soup was delicious. I mean, how could one go wrong when pairing bone-marrow with onion soup! (Or bone-marrow with anything for that matter!)

Without any hesitation, I had the Tavern Burger with manchego cheese accompanied with home made thick onion rings, chipotle mayo and home made coleslaw... help me spell D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! The menu also includes Fish and Chips, Jim Bean BBQ ribs and the french classic: mussels and fries. (Just to name a few). All between 16$ and 35$ everyone will find their match!

Lastly, deserts. Where to even start with this? I had the brownie, but woah, this was NOT what you would expect from a brownie. It was the lightest, smoothest chocolate cake ever. Im not very desert but this was something else!

sooooooooo what are you waiting for?

Taverne Gaspar
89 rue de la Commune est
Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1J1

Phone: 514-392-1649

make sure to visit :www.tavernegaspar.com