Dining

Poutine ! Poutine!

 Resurrecting the reverie of Paul Revere this  foodie’ call to arms is reverberating throughout Quebec this week as we celebrate Annual Poutine Week. This star of Quebecois cuisine, originated in the late 1950’s  and was delegated  to the ignominious confines of country food shacks, diners and many greasy spoons….No more! Since its birth it has […]

Dining

It’s The Wine, Stupid!

 A Food Lover’s Guide to Wine Tasting                                                              Having spent over 40 years in the restaurant and catering business I have a strong aversion to ‘pretense’ in any form and have always thought of wine tastings a bit through this filter. I am a self confessed neophyte when it comes to wines and have never […]

Dining

WELLINGTON

When it comes to choosing a restaurant I’m sure I’m as guilty as most. We tend to stick with the tried and true areas of our city often being seduced  on more than one occasion by the ‘trendy’  (Mile End, Le Plateau. Old Montreal, Griffintown etc). We are hesitant to wander too far afield which […]

Dining

TUCK SHOP

  I am starting  to realize that when one has been involved with food and food service as long as I have, both in catering,  in the restaurant business and more recently eating out in as many restaurants as I do one can become a bit cynical and approach food with a slightly jaded eye. […]

Dining

NORA GRAY

  Wikipedia describes Italian Cuisine as follows: Italian cuisine is characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only four to eight ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation.

Dining

PICK THAI

Thailand is one of those destinations that should definitely be at the top of everyone’s Bucket List. It’s a kingdom filled with mystery, beauty and some of the best damn food to be found anywhere. It is a land where its king is revered and any slight off color comment about him can land you […]

Dining

LE PEGASE

BYOB’s are, I believe, unique to Quebec and Montreal definitely has its fair share offering a wide selection of cuisines. Their obvious attraction is that they allow us  to cut down on the size of our bill and let us splurge on that special bottle of wine we’ve been eyeing and longing to try without […]

Dining

JELLYFISH

Choosing a name for a restaurant is an important an integral part of any game plan when opening such a business. With some exceptions, most restaurants decide on a one word identity, whether it be the first or last name of the chef owner or a name that is just way out in left field […]

Dining

EMILIANO’S

I need to start this review with a slight empathetic caveat. Having been totally immersed in the restaurant business for many years I know only too well how challenging it is to prepare and put out food with a full house of diners that continues to refill over the evening, especially when  operating out of […]