Nice hotels and nice restaurants usually tend to go hand-in-hand with each other. The Lowes Vogue Hotel hosts a classic French bistro (La Société Bistro), and is open for all four meals (brunch included ).
After a five hour drive, there was nothing more a family wanted than to eat a good meal. But a) we arrived at 11:30, and b) it was a Tuesday night. Nothing was opened, or everything was just about to close. But we called the hotel and they opened the kitchen for us.
FOOD: First we ordered a Croque-monsieur, which, oddly enough, was not that impressive. They served it on a small plate, (ninety percent of it was filled with fries), and it was hard to cut the Croque-monsieur. It tasted bitter, and it was hard as a rock. It was also cold.
For a heavier entree, we ordered a lobster thermidor. The dish was presented elegantly: an open-faced half lobster whose sides were perfectly symmetrical to each other, filled with creamy lobster meat and topped with herbs. The dish was rich and flavorful, and the herbs were a nice garnish. The texture of the lobster was soft, but not too creamy.
SERVICE: Our server was attentive and polite. However, it did take a while for the food to arrive.
AMBIANCE:
This restaurant is very sleek, with marble floors, teal walls and champagne decorations. It was as if we were dining at a bistro in Paris!
If you’re looking for a high scale, amazing restaurant near the heart of Montreal, than you can’t miss toque. The service was amazing and the food was too. The ambiance was like the cherry on top, which tied everything together. Toque is contemporary in their food and ambiance.
Recommendations:
Appetizers:
When you go to Toque you MUST try the rabbits leg for an appetizer. It is served with sliced radish and pickled squash, carrots and cucumber. It sits over a glaze, which gives the lamb a kick and brings the dish together. The lamb is tender and there is an abundant amount of it so it will fill you up just enough to get you ready for the main course. Another appetizer that is great for lunch is the parsnip soup. It was creamy yet at the same time light. There is not much to say about it. The simplicity lets it shine. Another light lunch appetizer is the chicken liver mouse. It comes with popcorn on the plate along with mixed greens and a little bit of sweet jelly. It wasn’t to my liking but other people on the table who tried it liked it.
Main course:
For a main course at toque when you go for lunch, you have to try the venison. It looked so good three people on our table had it. The venison wasn’t too gamey which was good. It was served with cauliflower purée, edible flowers, mushrooms and an amazing glaze. The glaze and all the components on the plate really shined and went well together. The flowers and purée cut out the very strong gaminess of the venison and the mushrooms tied everything together, which made an amazing dish. Another dish you try for lunch is the lamb parmentier. It is kind of like a “fancy version of shepherds pie”. It was just DELICIOUS
DESERT:
For desert we had the maple moose. On top was a maple carmalized cookie like dessert, and under a breath taking moose. The moose was so soft and smoothe and the cookie gave it a nice crunch.
In a neighborhood with not much to do, here’s a reason to go. Bouillon Bilk is a high scale restaurant in not such a great area in Montreal. The food is great along with the service. The simplicity of the ambiance really let’s the food shine, with a minimalistic decor.
It’s located at 1595 Boulevard Saint-Laurent and you can reach it at (514) 845-1595
Recommendations:
APPETIZERS:
For the one of the appetizers at Bouillon Bilk they have a DAILY SOUP. We went there on a Wednesday for lunch and the soup was zucchini. The soup was creamy and heavy, with just the right amount of soup. Served on the side of the bowl are slices of pear, blue cheese and grilled zucchini. They are meant to be mixed with the soup to in-hence the flavor. Another another appetizer you should try is the DEER TARTARE. It was just the way tartare should be. The deer was strong but the cracker made it taste just right. It was chewy and brought serenity to the mouth. It tasted sort of like steak tartare but gamey. When you go there you should definitely try it. Another appetizer you should try the SMOKED SALMON. Smoke salmon was amazingly amazing. It was no ordinary smoke salmon that you spread on your bagel, this was Scottish smoked salmon. It was served with papers which enhances the flavor, which created delicious smoke salmon it was. Another appetizer you should try is the SALAD. It was dressed in a beautiful mayonnaise like dressing. In it was pears shredded carrots cabbage and grapes along with other assorted greens. It might’ve been the best salad in Montreal because of the dressing.
MAIN COURSE:
A must try at Bouillon Bilk are the BRAISED PORK CHEEKS. The cheeks were so tender they fell apart on your fork. They lay under clams and chorizo sausage. All of the other components on the plate made everything come together into one big delicious dish. Another main course you should try is the BEEF. The beef was served with mashed potatoes and melted cheese on top. If you try that for lunch make sure to have a late dinner, because it was very heavy. There was an abundant amount of cheese and mashed potatoes with mixed with the beef like bread-and-butter. The beef was cooked to a perfect medium, the most popular way. Another main course we tried is the DORE FISH. It was a little fishy, but otherwise it was good. It was served with a carrot pure and a tossed salad.
ATTIRE: You should wear something semi formal, but a tuxedo isn’t necessary. Jeans and a nice sweater are fine, and if you’re on a business meeting it’s the perfect place for you!
Don’t you just wish that you can hop on a plane and take off to the beautiful country of France? It’s so hard sometimes with school or work or taking care of the kids, and you know you deserve a break once in a while. Just head up North to wonderful city of Montreal! Montreal is full of places to see, things to do and my favorite, restaurants to eat at. Montreal is one of my favorite places to go and you can never go wrong with some classic french food. Now I know what you’re thinking. WHERE DO I EAT?!?! Well, let us help you with that. There’s this one restaurant that stands out in my mind: Maison Boulud.
This restaurant is so amazing I just had to come here twice. Maison Boulud opened about 18 months ago, by non other than Chef Daniel Boulud! Daniel Boulud was mostly well known around 1993 in the south of France, where he originated. He has opened about 14 other restaurants some in NY, Miami, Palm Beach, Singapore, Beijing and around the same time as Maison Boulud, he opened one in Toronto. “He is a very passionate man, very humble and great to work with” quotes Sommelier at Maison Boulud. Daniel Boulud has also received 3 missional stars.
Maison Boulud is connected to the Ritz Carlton on 1228 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal.
You can reach it at (514) 842-4224
When you arrive, you get treated to a nice BUTTERNUT SQUASH CROQUET. It’s filled with fresh butternut squash and a rich cheese, and a light cauliflower puree on a bed of rice. It was light and delicate and I could still taste the flavor even after I ate it.
For the gluten free guests, you will have a nice GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN SOUP. It’s savory sweet with just a touch of cream added, and it’s balances well with everything.
APPETIZERS: For appetizers, try the BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP. It comes with chestnut potatoes, butternut squash Gnocchi and nutmeg with sage. Just by looking at it you can see it scream flavor! The Gnocchi has a smooth texture and the squash just slips out of the pasta. The nutmeg and sage give it a nice edge to it, making it more unique than simple. If you’re saving your stomach for the main courses or you’re just not that hungry, then there is nothing wrong with going with a salad, but of course it’s a French restaurant so you’re bound to get an elegant one like the BEET SALAD. It is served with baby beets, fresh goat cheese and pistachio with a sherry vinegar dressing, with micro greens. The sweetness of the beet complimented well with the saltiness of the goat cheese and the tanginess of the dressing made every bite well balanced. If you’re in a mood for fresh seafood go for the SARDINES. They are flown in from Portugal every Tuesday and Wednesday, which we were lucky to try. It was lined with grape and shaved radish. It was crispy, crunchy with no metallic taste unlike the usual sardines.
MAIN COURSES:
If you’re a pasta fan like I am, then have the EGG YOKE RAVIOLI. It comes with Bufala Ricotta cheese, black truffles and chanterelle mushrooms. When you first bite into it, you get a warm mouthful of ricotta with pieces of walnuts. You finally get to the center where the egg yoke breaks and coats your ravioli, making it a genuine gastronomic dish. If you want a nice fish for dinner, then have the SALMON. It is candied with olive oil served with creamy cauliflower, Romanesco and Capers and Lemon. The salmon was heavy with a nice light touch with the cauliflower. If you want a heavy meat dish, then I suggest the VENISON. It’s a red deer venison with a brown butter squash and berry juice. It’s topped with fresh juniper and Lardo. The meat was so tender and cooked to a perfect medium, and it’s juices just burst with flavor.
DESSERT: At Maison Boulud we had a chocolate caramel lava cake with 2 different kinds of ice creams. Similar style to the ravioli, the caramel flowed onto our spoon and gave the chocolate a nice delicate touch, complimented by the ice creams which smoothed out our palette.
ATTIRE: Maison Boulud is a very fancy and elegant restaurant, so for the men a nice shirt and some slacks would do. For the women a nice dress is fine with some minor jewelry.
If you want a fancy restaurant in a fancy hotel with a famous chef, then Come on down to the ritz Carlton and try Maison Boulud , the restaurant of world renowned chef Daniel Boulud. This restaurant is located on the lobby level of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. There is inside seating near the fire, or seating on a closed porch, with a view of the duck pond. CHEF: Daniel Boulud is a French born chef, who has know New York City as home since 1982. He is one of Americas leading culinary authorities. Maison Boulud is his first restaurant outside of the US. One more thing to make this restaurant exceedingly distinguished is that he is a three Michelin star chef and owner RECOMMENDATIONS: APPETIZERS: For the appetizer at Maison Boulud you HAVE YO TRY, the chilled corn soup. It is so creamy and seasoned and garnished with king crab and cilantro! It is just divine. The best item for the appetizers, on the menu. Also for the appetizers try the ham, with cantaloupe. The ham is seasoned heavily, but the sweetness from the cantaloupe cuts some of the seasoning from the ham so it’s not strong. The cantaloupe is sliced thin, like the ham so they go well together. In the middle is a spring mix salad, with arugula and grissini. ENTREE: For the entree you definitely have to try their signature burger. It is one of the best burgers in North America. It is probably one of the most high class burgers ever created. On it is a piece of Rillon, which is like pork, morbier cheese, arugula and tomato compote.The burger was a great portion and it was served with a basket of frites (french fries). Also you should try the grilled baby chicken. It is served with kibbeh, dried tomatoes,fingerling potatoes and green beans. The chicken was well cooked being tender and moist. Also try the pan seared salmon. It is served with a variation of carrots and a side of mustard. The sourness from the mustard brough great falvor to the fish. There was a “bubbly foam sauce” that was also on the side. Maison Boulud is not cheap, but its very elegant and a great place to eat. SERVICE:***** FOOD:***** AMBIANCE:***** 1228 Sherbrooke St W Montreal, Qc (514) 842-4224
If you are willing to go to the outskirts of Montreal but still Montreal then you most certainly have to try LEMAC, French cuisine in the French quarter. It was great food and good service. A good day to go there is on a Sunday, because it is a true brunch place. There is inside an outside seating options.
RECCOMENDATIONS APPETIZERS: For the appetizers I would always recommend a nice hearty fish soup. Their fish soup is taken to another level! On the side you can choose to pour in cheese and mustard, into a puree thick soup. The cheese enhances the flavor of the fish and the puree. Also for the appetizer try the tuna tar tar with truffle oil. The truffle oil compliments the tuna, very well! The tuna tar tar was seasoned perfectly and it was served with either salad or potato strings. I would recommend the potato strings. They are very high class, and not greasy like French fries. MAIN COURSES: I would highly recommend the braised short rib. It was very very very tender. It just glided off the bone. It was so juicy and fell apart in your mouth! It was served with a bed of salad and has a barbecue sauce on it. Also for the main course I recommend the duck leg confit, which is also very tender, but not as tender as the short rib. It was perfectly seasoned and juicy! The skin was crispy, and there was basically no fat, besides the skin. It was served with a spring mix and arugula salad, and fingerling potatoes. That was a star dish. Also I recommend the full Cornish hen marinated in a variety of spices. The chicken was juicy, and it was a huge portion, so bring your appetite, if you choose to get this. Also it was very crispy! It was served with a salad and a HUGE amount of french fries underneath it. The whole chicken was butterflied and then it was half roasted, then pan seared to make it crispy!
If your in the mood for breakfast then get the breakfast platter, only served on Sundays (which is the brunch day). On the platter there is sausage, poached eggs, pieces of bacon, and beans cooked duck fat. The baked beans were creamy do to the duck fat and the bacon was nice and crispy, just the way I like it. The sausage was brown which means it was cooked all the way through but not burnt, and it was cooked perfectly! The poached eggs looked amazing and tasted even better than they looked. When you cut them the yolk just flowed out. DESSERT!: For Dessert we got the FRENCH TOAST! It was in the style of bread pudding, and on top was milk jam ice cream! But the Bread Pudding was the biggest bread pudding ive ever seen it was probably 8 inches tall and 10 inches wide! The flavors contrasted well together, and the plate was licked clean! Also for dessert we got the chocolate moose. It was thick and creamy just like it should be!
When you are around and trying all of the great restaurants, for a lunch place you certainly have to stop by L’Academie. It is one of those restaurants The food is modern French, and it is amazing. It is a more casual place, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. It is one of those restaurants that have all of thewindows, facing towards the road. The food, tastes like it is coming out of a four star restaurant. Also the service is good, not great but not bad. Also, why its a great lunch place and not a dinner place is because their food is heavy, and in Montreal you want to have the haviest lunch as possible , because for dinner you want to have something light, because light in their terms, is not so light, so try and find a very light place or dinner. Also it is a bring your own wine restaurant.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
RECOMMENDATIONS Appetizers: For an appetizer you can choose from their huge selection of muscles and fries. They have at least 10 different kinds. From classic to Thai chili, thy have it All, but you always should stick to the classics when it comes to muscles. Stick with the Provencal style with tomatoes and onions, and a salty broth. It brings a taste of France to the table, much like everything in Montreal. For the soup get the cheese and broccoli, it doesn’t sound to appetizing but trust me , you won’t regret if you get it. The soup is so creamy and the cheese compliments the broccoli like cheese and wine do. That was to only appetizer that I tried, but you only need one bowl of that to get you ready for the main course. Main Course: Lets start off with the traditional French dish, Steak Frites. The steak was so juicy and so creamy thanks to the sauce. It was a cognac cream sauce. The sauce was peppery and salty and creamy all at the same time. It coated the steak, and the fries like there was no tomorrow. Also for the main try the pasta with churizzo sausage and mushrooms. The pasta was boiled to perfection and the sausage had a nice sear on it, not burnt but brown, the way i like it! Also try the halibut with assorted vegetables and a green pesto sauce. The halibut was juicy and was so tender it fell apart in your mouth. The sauce balanced it out with the vegetables so it was a little bit of every flavor. L’Academie for me is definitely that casual hotspot that you want to just relax and have a good time in, so if your looking for that kind of place be sure to stop by, next time you are up north.
Also when you are in Montreal, there are only a few very traditional French restaurants, such as Auberge St-Gabriel. Great service and great food! It is a building from the 1600’s with historic stone walls and a giraffe skeletal spine running through the middle of the restaurant. HISTORY:
Abuerge St-Gabriel is the oldest inn/restaurant in North America! It is located not in main town Montreal but in Old Montreal.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Appetizers: For the appetizers if you like Pork, then the charcuterie of the day is the appetizer for you. It is a ball of shredded pork with breadcrumbs, and on the side is a large rectangular crouton with a small mixed salad on top. The pork fell apart in your mouth and the crouton was soft and the salad on it made juicy so it was well balanced. Also for the appetizer you should try the pork croquet. It was stuffed with the pork and very delicate and tender. Instead of a ball, the croquet was a rectangular shape instead.
Main Course: You should try the Diver special, which is sea bass and muscles in a fish cream bubble sauce. It was so succulent and the fish was just very tender and melted in your mouth much like the pork ball. Also you should try the penne with a white cheese sauce, ham chunks, mushrooms basil and a raw egg yolk, to be mixed in with the pasta on the side. It was creamy and very delicious. Also if your a duck fan you MUST TRY the duck, with a balsamic sweet sauce underneath with fresh figs. It was cooked perfectly and in my opinion the best duck I have ever tasted, and the figs balanced it out. Auberge St-Gabriel is definitely a must go hot spot in Montreal, and next time you head up north, just stop by Montreal, to dive into the culinary adventure.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
