Do you think you can handle spicy foods? That’s cute, because no, no you can’t. I’ve bragged about it in the past that I can eat spicy foods. When given the chance and am able to choose the level of spiciness in a dish, I’ll forego “very spicy” and ask for “ETHNIC SPICY”. I once went to an Indian spot in Cote des Neiges and the waiter asked me how spicy I wanted my food. I told him to make it as spicy as he would eat it. He asked me THREE TIMES if I was sure, and I told him THREE TIMES that I was. I regretted it 20 seconds after I took my first bite. This was the first time I made this mistake. The second time I made the mistake of ordering ultra super spicy, was at the newly opened all you can eat Chinese hot pot spot in Ville Saint-Laurent, Première Fondue.
Recently I’ve been asked, “where should I go for brunch?” I am far from the foremost brunch authority. It just so happens that I’ve been covering a lot fo brunch places lately. I don’t know why. Probably because I get hungry on Sunday mornings. People get hungry, it happens. Wikipedia defines brunch as: Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch eaten usually during the late morning to early afternoon, generally served from 11am up to 3pm. You know what I call this? LUNCH. Brunch has slowly become a categorization of an eating experience than actual meal. It usually includes cobwebs and lingering effects of alcohol from the night before quelled by a boozy daytime cocktail and something covered in hollandaise sauce. That being said, where are you going to eat this weekend? I recently checked out Foiegwa in Saint-Henri for brunch.
The Plateau is undoubtedly one of the city’s most colorful neighborhoods. Vintage shops, cute cafes, and restaurants specializing in any kind of cuisine you can image… except for Korean. For the longest time, the Plateau had no love for bi bim bap, pajeon or japchae. Why? Who knows. But recently, a little spot called Hoya on Mont Royal and the corner of Henri-Julien just helped the Plateau diversify its eatery options and turning up the gochujang heat while doing so.
I’m on the never-ending quest to find the epitome of comfort food. Dishes and meals that not only put a smile on your face but also evoke childhood memories and transport you back to a place and time where “mortgage” and “income tax” were strange words you heard your parents say. I grew up with juicy dumplings, chewy noodles in flavorful broths and smoked meat sandwiches. I’m sure my comfort foods differ from your creamy mac and cheese, slow-cooked smokey chili or fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Although our definitions are different, we can all agree that the warm fuzzies are the same when it comes to seeking familiar dishes and foods for comfort. I recently hit up this new local neighborhood spot Paradis BBQ located in the plateau for “comfort food”.
Remember the last time you were at the Asian market picking up your pickled mustard greens, pork trotters, salted fish and bottle of lye and saw stacks on stacks of aluminium tins with old Asian aunties huddled around them making deals and trading back and forth like they were gambling plaques from Macau? That coveted aluminium tins house one of the season’s most illustrious treats – Moon cakes! But what are they and why do we eat them at this time of year?
It’s becoming easier and easier to find a decent brunch spot in Montreal. Whether it’s a place that specifically specializes in breakfast seven days a week or restaurants opening their doors early on a Sunday offering up their version of boozey brunches with bottomless cups of coffee offering help to nurse any regretful Saturday night decisions. Luckily I don’t really need coercing of any hangover out of my body but I often do need brunch in me. I recently visited Elda in the Mile-End to see what kinds of delicious dishes they were serving up for brunch.
What’s your favorite a quick bite or snack? I would LOVE to say pizza, but a decent slice spot is hard to find that’s open late that isn’t a chain or a rando corner shop that recycles their slices to cover up the fact that they never have customers but deliver, however just not pizza. I will always go out of my way for a great falafel sandwich. I’ve recently rediscovered a spot I once frequented but kind of dropped off my radar and I don’t know why. That being said, I think I may have eaten the best falafel sandwich in Montreal at Falafel St. Jacques.
Yes! You read that right! Imagine eating copious amounts of fried chicken to your heart’s delight. I’m not too ashamed to admit I’ve zoned out before during meetings thinking about impossibly crunchy battered Korean fried chicken, and then having someone nudge me back to reality to tell me that there is drool pooling on my desk. Time to put on your stretchy pants because Restaurant Mon Ami – home to Montreal’s best Korean fried chicken, now has a location that serves all you can eat fried chicken… only it’s also one of the best all you can eat Korean barbecue restaurants in the city. What? Let me explain.
I read somewhere that if on weekends you brunch harder than you party… then, YOU OLD. Hi there! I’m Jason, but you can call me old. Brunching and partying is pretty similar if you think about it. You make an effort to get somewhere early to avoid a lineup (but end up lining up anyways) and instead of bottle service and pounding shots to ease the pain of school, you’re hoping the shitty drip coffee comes with free refills and that you can get out in time to run your errands before the afternoon rush at Provigo. I recently hit up Butterblume in the Mile-End and brunched harder than my CEGEP self at Jet Club in the middle of mid-terms.
I love food, and appreciate all kinds. From a very young age, I’ve been taught to try everything at least once, not for the proverbial reason, “you never know, you might like it”, but for the very simple reason of, “eat what you’re given or you don’t eat at all.” This plus the fact of growing up in a Asian household (eating things that were literally worlds apart than my caucasian friends) helped me develop an undiscriminating palate which later developed into a love for experimenting and exploring various tastes and flavors of cuisines from around the world. This week I stop for Afghan food at L’Afghan Grillade.