Oh my God there is some truly amazing dining to be had in Montreal!
A recent visit to Montreal with some SERIOUS foodie friends yielded some of the best meals in recent memory. To be clear, we were in town to indulge gastronomically, and that we did. Rest assured, we also explored downtown Montreal on foot between these indulgences.
First things first. I was unable to secure a reservation at the restaurant I MOST wanted to try -- Vin Mon Lapin (http://vinmonlapin.com/). It's supposed to be all that, and I am hopeful my next visit will include a meal there. If any of you have dined there, please let me know how it was and whether I should keep it at the top of my list. Merci.
As we had all been to Old Montreal before, we decided to stay downtown, which is far less touristy, and feels more like a typical city than the charming yet touristy old part of the city. Our hotel (Sofitel) was lovely and was just below Mount Royal Park, very close to McGill University, and near to some really good shopping (St. Catherine Street). Walking up the hill to the park and down the other side to a lake was a good antidote to some of the calories consumed. And the hotel bar, with its nice cocktails (and mocktails) and oysters on the half shell got us properly primed for our two dinner adventures.
Our first amazing meal was at an unassuming and informal restaurant called Restaurant Ô Thym (https://www.othym.com/en). It is a BYOB restaurant, which is not all that unusual in Montreal. As we didn't know in advance what we'd be eating, we brought some bubbly (because, doh, it goes with everything!). What we ended up eating was most of the menu (comprised of small plates, with the expectation of about 3-4 plates per person). Each dish was shockingly delicious, and, don't worry, the wait staff speaks English (and the menu is in English on the website). The water buffalo cheese and heirloom tomato dish, as well as the lobster and mushroom tart were my favorites, but every single thing was utterly delicious. Feast your eyes on these beautiful bites...
I'm honestly still not sure how we managed to stay awake and upright enough for after-dinner cocktails. But, it was a lovely evening, and we went to the top of the Royal Bank of Canada Building to a rooftop bar called Les Enfants Terribles (https://www.jesuisunenfantterrible.com/place-ville-marie/), rubbing elbows with the hip and young of Montreal; making us feel downright ancient. The next day, after The Walk, we went to see an immersive Van Gogh art installation which was an interesting way to spend time in downtown Montreal, as was walking through McGill University and downtown in general.
So, the next dinner... I know, I know, you don't really think of Montreal for Syrian food; but I'm here to tell you that you really should. Restaurant Damas (https://www.damas.ca/) is sublime. And the best way to experience it is with one of their tasting menus. (I did say it's a splurge restaurant, remember?). Go hungry and leave stuffed but happy. And, if you just *can't* finish something, know that you can take it to go (we are still snacking on the stuffed olives). The menu is accessible via a QR code, and the descriptions really don't do the dishes justice. My personal favorites were
the pastirma & quail egg starter (pastirma is a spiced beef, but nothing like pastrami, fyi) -- the quail egg was perfectly cooked and the play of flavors and textures were out of this world
the fattoush salad -- I have had this salad elsewhere, but this one was one of my dreams and I almost ordered extra just to bring home (but it wouldn't fit in the hotel fridge)
Here's some eye candy from our meal:
After Damas, there was no way we were going anywhere but to relax and try to convince our bodies to forgive us for the over-indulgence. Keep in mind that there are wine pairings (2 tiers) and an impressive list of cocktails. Oy!
Before leaving town, we wanted to check out a local market ( Jean Talon Market) and I can't believe I'm going to say this, but the maple offerings in Montreal may be more impressive than those in Vermont. I did not see evidence of any creemees, but the soft maple sugar candies and tiny cones filled with maple cream and toffee are pretty impressive, and while they are likely sold elsewhere, I saw them at the market. I also saw beautiful produce, meats, cheese, and the typical market fare. That said, this market is NOT one to go to if you are hungry and looking for great prepared items -- there were virtually none. If you are getting supplies for cooking, this is a great place to go; if you are hungry, not so much.
Please know that I will absolutely be sharing "regular" Montreal eating and dining treats (you know, Poutine, Montreal bagels, smoked meats, etc) in a future post. I hope this one comes in handy for that special meal for foodies, though. Until the next time I head back up to Montreal, you can find me nibbling on rabbit food.
Happy eating!
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