By Tracey Hill for Curtains Up
“Wear warm, comfortable walking shoes” messaged Dishcrawl’s effervescent coordinator, Jenny King. Not knowing what I was in for (weather and distance-wise), I donned my warmest orthopedic mukluks (on the off-chance we would attempt to re-create Sebastian Cabot’s famed expedition over the Northeast Passage).
Alas, all this fretting about appropriate footwear was for naught. The four restaurants on our crawl were within two blocks of one another, crediting Jenny with extra points for tactical routing.
No one is informed as to the identity of the restaurants until they arrive at the doorstep of each location -not even the press, so let’s get one thing clear; ‘Top Secret’ is the first rule of dishcrawling.
Our first layover was at the newly-established (December 2012) Toro Toro, a Spanish Tapas tavern quaintly nestled on the corner of Notre Dame and Saint-Jean. I’m always encouraged by cooks who have a stake in their establishment, as is the case with chef Tommy Matteau who opened Toro Toro (with partner Samir El) after having traveled to Spain, where he fell deeply in lust with traditional Spanish cuisine.
We were offered three ‘Pinchero’ appetizers, beautifully arranged on a wooden slab and all very distinctive and enchanting; The first was shrimp with shaved fennel, paprika and cumin, then we had warm dates stuffed with ham, almond (texture!!!), red wine vinegar and paprika, and finally a lovely apple cider-braized chorizo with roasted pepper and aioli. Nice start, Dishcrawl.
Next we hopped over to L’Assommoir (also on Notre Dame), where we had a sample platter of crunchy plantain chips, flatbread, olives, hummus, and a fresh tomato salsa. It wasn’t the food that caught my attention (as yummy as it was), but the mind-boggling drinks menu featuring over 300 cocktails!
Our adorable and knowledgeable server, Jimmy suggested the ‘Divine Intervention’; a concoction of Hendrick’s Gin, Limoncello, cucumber, sour cranberry and champagne. And what a suggestion it was…all at once sweet, sour, fizzy, sharp and mellow with the faintest trace of cucumber at the finish. I’d have to say that it stands up brilliantly to the timeless and chic ‘Plaza Cocktail’ at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Shouting “Onward my ducklings!” Jenny led her obedient row of hungry troops to the third stop, which was a main course sampler at the enduring (25 years) Casa de Mateo, just two blocks away.
The over-sized plate was embellished with 5 sauces, ‘Pollo Rienno’ (stuffed chicken), enchiladas, quesadillas and a hearty guacamole. This is Mexican food at it’s freshest and most refined. The lime Margarita was ample and tart, faring well with the competing flavours of the dish.
(Photo by Andy Gryn)
Lastly, we went full circle to grab some sweetness at L’Orignal (‘the moose’) located below street-level on Saint Alexis, south of Notre Dame. Stylish and cozy, L’Orignal specializes in local ingredients, a nice assortment of oysters, wild game and fantabulously creative desserts. We savoured a lemon poppy-seed tartelette, a s’more style chocolate terrine, and a decadent whiskey-macadamia honey cake. Each one was well crafted and a beguiling finishing touch to a foot-loose and fun evening.
(Photo by Andy Gryn)
Another unspoken rule at a Dishcrawl is to mingle. Trying to seat myself with as many different ‘crawlers’ as possible, my biggest surprise of the evening was not the excellent choice of restaurants, but the fabulous, smart, funny group of participants. Coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds, professions and origins, the people I met had one common bond; they (without a trace of smug conceit) labeled themselves ‘foodies’.
Many of them went solo, some in small groups, and between locations, they congregated in the streets to reveal their mutual regard for gastronomy. At one stop, I was seated with Anthony and Flavio; two witty, enthusiastic food connoisseurs who are making it their mission to try 60 different Montreal eateries before the end of 2013. Now that’s passion!
(Photo by Andy Gryn)
The entire evening costs $60 (cocktails not included), and it’s not just a meal out, it’s an experience. There are 2 or 3 upcoming (top-secret) crawls this March, and reservations can be made online at; http://www.dishcrawl.com/montreal/
Dishcrawl also makes a great gift for that hard-to-shop-for someone who happens to love food and socializing.
Many thanks to our talented, friendly and patient photographer Andy Gryn, as well as a big high-five to Dishcrawl queen, Jenny King.
Sounds great!!