One of my favourite movie scenes is the famous phone-call scene from “Taken.” It’s when Liam Neeson is talking the hostage takers of his stupid daughter (who literally asked for her ass to be kidnapped) and said, “I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.” These words stood out to me the first time I saw this movie, not because they were riveting or thought-provoking, but replace “kill” with “eat” and it’s exactly what I think about brunch. One of the most colourful neighbourhoods in Montreal is Plateau Mont-Royal, and that’s where you’ll find some of Montreal’s best brunch spots.
I was the guest of Chef Daniel Boulud at Maison Boulud located in the Ritz Carlton Hotel for lunch. He was in town creating the fall/winter menu and had invited four guests to join him to discover some of the new dishes. First of all, when a Michelin star chef invites you for lunch there are a few things that go through your mind, 1) Is this a joke? 2) Are they going to serve gluten-free, vegan items? 3) Did I shower today?
I made my way downtown after clarifying the checklist that the invite was in fact not a joke, I did shower and thankfully the menu was not hippie-friendly. We were graciously received by Chef Boulud and Miason Boulud’s Executve Chef Ricardo Berlotino in the beautiful veranda at the property that overlooked the garden and duck pond behind the restaurant for a preview of their new menu.
Sometimes I’m fancy, and by “fancy” I mean shower regularly. Other times when I’m fancy it often involves food whether I’m cooking it or eating it. Using terms and phrases like like “vol au vent”, “brunoise” “translucent” and “holy shit that’s hot” will definitely make you feel like you know what you’re talking about and give the impression to your dinner guests that you’re a variable Daniel Boulud and know what you’re doing in the kitchen. One of my go to recipes when I’m feeling fancy is vol au vent. A really simple mixture of meat and vegetables with a cream sauce in a warm, flakey pastry shell, this dish is great for a dinner party to impress your friends and loved ones where you have to break out your cloth napkins… or a dinner with your family.