I remember trying ChuChai Express in my college years but I didn’t remember much from it except that I wasn’t a fan of their vegan shrimp. I was happy to get another opportunity this year to go back and see what’s new. My friends seem to have become regular and were so excited to order that we followed tradition and ordered a bunch of dishes to share.

To begin with, I decided to order the appetizer that allowed ChuChai’s chef to win an award in 2005. How to resist! The dish was named 5 saveurs, from what I can recall, and definitely brought great flavors together. It was a mix of roasted coconut, lime, cashew and red pepper all resting on a lime leaf. The flavors all blended together so well to create a complex taste in such a light package.

We proceeded with a regular, peanut butter dumplings. Nothing to say except tasty! The next appetizer was a replay of general tao with instead, fried mushrooms in a delicious sweet and sour sauce. It was so delicious that we had two of those!

On to the entrées now! The first plate was shrimps cooked in a coconut milk and curry sauce. All the right flavors were there but I just can’t seem to enjoy fake shrimps no matter where it’s done.

On its right was a delicious and spicy mix of eggplants, tofu and basil. I think it was my favorite dish of the evening and I’m sure anyone disliking eggplants would rethink their opinion after this!

On the bottom left was a duck plate accompanied by tomatoes and cucumbers. My friends made sure that it was on our order and I can now understand. I think the duck was the most fascinating fake meat I had. It was as fat and tender as the real thing and I couldn’t help to go back for more. I would recommend it to anyone if they had to pick only one entrée.

Finally on the bottom right is what I could manage to take in picture only a few seconds after receiving it, beef à l’orange! This one has to go in my favorites too for the great texture ChuChai realized. From our guess, it was marinated and cooked to then be fried. You could get a real bite out of it and it melted perfectly with the flavors.

Now you could imagine that I couldn’t go on to dessert so it will have to wait for another visit!

Conclusion: ChuChai has made it in my favorite Montreal restaurants list and I can’t wait to go back for more. The service was fast and friendly, the wine list was affordable and went well with asian dishes and the food was such a lovely surprise to me that I’d pick this over real meat anytime.

CHUCHAI
ADDRESS: 4088 Saint-Denis
PHONE: 514-843-4194
HOURS: MON-WED 12PM – 3PM / 5PM – 10PM THUR-FRI 11AM – 11PM SAT 12PM – 11PM SUN 12PM – 10PM
ALCOHOL: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: 50$ including drinks

Les Trois Petits Bouchons is a gorgeous wine bar located on Saint-Denis. They specialize in natural wine, meaning that the wine has little or no sulphite added. Not to be mistaken for organic wine.

The wine bar is bigger than expected once inside but it can get a little dark if you get seated in the back. I loved the big wooden tables for groups and I have to mention their charming bathroom!

When it was time to choose a wine, the waiter was more than available to help and suggest new flavors. The taste found in each glass was always satisfying.

The most exciting thing I had to try that night was the 2008 Ciryl Zangs Sparking Cider. Its aroma reminded you of Jerusalem artichoke, its color of sparking rosé wine and it’s flavor of a fresh summer night! I simply loved it and would go for more.

Conclusion: Les Trois Petits Bouchons is definitely a spot to go to and I’m glad it’s located on such a busy street as Saint-Denis for a lovely getaway when around. The service was great and the waiter had a lot of important information to share on each product, which is so much important in wine bars. After all, we go there for discoveries!

LES TROIS PETITS BOUCHONS
ADDRESS: 4669 Saint-Denis
PHONE: 514-285-4444
HOURS: MON-SAT 6PM – 11PM
ALCOHOL: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: N/A
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: Glasses start at $7

Après Le Jour is a French fine dining restaurant and also an apportez votre vin venue. It’s located on Rachel, in the middle of the Plateau. I had never heard of it before but after viewing the menu online, I felt like I couldn’t be deceived with all the classics being offered.

The service started with a vegetable potage made of cauliflower and ginger, from what I can recall. It was good and light but nothing to remember which I find sad. Soups can be amazing and the best moment of a meal but too many restaurants skip that part by making a simple dish that will fill up the menu.

For my appetizer, I went with the rillette and green salad. It was a great dish and I liked the integration of roasted red peppers with the paté.

For my main course, I ordered the braised lamb shank in herbs. It was accompanied by a portion of dauphinoise potatoes and broccoli. Of course, my biggest expectation was the sauce since I was in a French cuisine restaurant but it was a great deception. The sauce was chunky and flavorless.

As for the meat, it was perfectly cooked and so were the vegetables. I was just sad to realize that more than 40% of my piece was made of fat.

For dessert, I went with the Baileys sorbet. The taste wasn’t strong enough and it was a bit too frozen to enjoy it melting in my mouth but overall, it was quite refreshing after the whole meal

Conclusion: Après Le Jour is a little bit overpriced for the quality of the menu. A lot of expectation can be build up and quite not met once it’s time to taste. What really saves the restaurant is the chic decor, the amazing service and the apportez votre vin option. If you wish to try it, I would go with the fish or the veal kidneys which were the most popular dishes throughout the evening.

APRÈS LE JOUR
ADDRESS: 901 Rachel E.
PHONE: 514-527-4141
HOURS: TUES-SUN 5PM
ALCOHOL: BYOW
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: No
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $20-$40 depending on the evening

Café Comme Chez Soi is a pretty little café located on Fairmount in Mile-End. I have lived less than ten minutes away from it for the past 3 years and my friend couldn’t believe I didn’t go yet. It was time to find out this week-end and it was quite the pleasant surprise! The café looks completely different from outside, but once you get in, you realize how pretty and cozy the place is.

The specialty of Café Comme Chez Soi seems to be their burgers and Benedictines but once I saw that the chef was French, I couldn’t resist and I went the salty crepes instead.

I chose the ham, cheese and asparagus crepe and it came witha green salad, breakfast potatoes and fruits. I think the biggest surprise in my plate was the salad that looked like nothing but ended up tasting amazing with their homemade vinaigrette. I think I’d go back just to have a big bowl of salad anytime!

The asparagus may have been a bit too overcooked as I was expecting a crunchy bite and the sauce was a bit too generous but in the end, I really liked everything in my dish. The texture of the crepe was thin and tasty!

Conclusion: Café Comme Chez Soi is another neighborhood gem that needs to be visited. The coffee is delicious, the place is gorgeous (expect maybe for the counter where the cooking is done, which is full of ingredients and packages that do not really mean to be looked at) and the staff is very friendly.

CAFÉ COMME CHEZ SOI
ADDRESS: 107 Fairmount
PHONE: N/A
HOURS: N/A
ALCOHOL: No
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: No
CREDIT CARDS: Cash only
PRICE: $15 for brunch

Photo: Credits to Peggy Faye

Phillips Lounge is located downtown, just a few minutes away from McGill metro station. It is quite easy to forget which neighborhood you are in as soon as you step inside. The interior design gives you an Old Montreal vibe with a touch of Saint-Laurent Boulevard’s energy.

The service is fast and friendly but I can’t say the staff really masters all the cocktails offered on the list. Lots of mistakes were made on drinks that were too sweet, like Mojitos, or had different quantities in exact same glasses like for Cosmopolitans or Martinis.

Also, not a lot of work was put in the presentation of the menu, with cocktails mixed in the appetizer list.

Conclusion: Overall, the ambiance makes up for its defaults. It’s a great place to go grab a drink for 5 à 7 around this location. Make sure to give your credit card as soon as possible if you want to start a bill, they do not accept too many of those once it gets packed.

PHILLIPS LOUNGE
ADDRESS: 1184 Phillips Square
PHONE: (514) 871-1184
HOURS: DAILY 4:00 P.M. – 12:00 A.M.
ALCOHOL: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: No
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: Usually $10 for a cocktail

I remember trying the restaurant six years ago, but I didn’t eat mussels back then so why not go back after all those years and see what’s up.

We showed up pretty early, just a little before the 6pm service. As soon as we got seated, we realized the restaurant was cold as ice. To the point that one had to keep her winter coat on for a while.

To make it up, we realized that all the mussels were unlimited for the evening. This is a promotion offered from Sunday to Wednesday. We all decided to go with that, accompanied by fries and beer to make it complete.

For the first round, we shared the Thai, Indian, Mexican and Sicilian flavors.

The Thai was good but the coconut milk taste faded as it was mixed with too much water. I was hoping for a stronger thick sauce. The Mexican sauce was advertised as spicy, as it comes with chilpotle, but it ended up being way too sweet. The Indian and Sicilian sauces were out favorites. The Indian cari sauce was just wonderful with a great balance between all the ingredients. As for the Sicilian sauce, the extra goat cheese added just made it special and a good idea for a soup.

The fries coming along were a bit over fried but how to resist when you have a great beer along with it.

We ended up being too full for the second round! Good thing to remember if you go on one of those nights, come very hungry to really enjoy the promotion.

Conclusion: The mussels were decent but not amazing – but I haven’t really found THE place yet anyway. I think it’s a good idea to go on unlimited evenings. They actually bring the mussels in the sauce each time you ask for another round so you can try as many flavors as you wish during your meal. The service was very bad, our server didn’t care to come often enough, not even for water. I wonder how the customers are treated when the restaurant is full.

LA MOULERIE
ADDRESS: 1249 Bernard W.
PHONE: (514) 273-8132
HOURS: MON-FRI 11:30 A.M. – 11:00 P.M. / SAT-SUN 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M.
ALCOHOL: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: No
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $22 for unlimited mussels, including fries or salad

Byblos is a lovely restaurant/café specializing in Persian food. It’s a popular venue, located on Laurier E., but it does get quieter in the afternoon. The restaurant is gorgeous with its heavy wooden tables and huge windows to let the sun in as much as possible.

I decided to visit Byblos for brunch, as they are very well known for their delicious omelets. The menu, whether it’s for breakfast or for lunch/dinner is quite affordable and encourages you to mix plates.

The brunch started with yogurt mixed with diced cucumbers and raisins. We also tried what was advertised as a meat roll but ended being a delicious, light and smooth meat loaf. Warm bread, with a mix of sweet bread and pita, was brought to accompany those plates.

We then had feta omelets and tomato omelets. The feta used by Byblos is very special and will remove any dislike you may have for it after eating too many Greek salads with heavy feta. The feta they have is closer to goat cheese and the way it is mixed with eggs gives a rich and creamy result. Delicious to eat with pita bread, and to mix with yogurt!

The tomato omelet is also very good and lighter. The flavors in that simple but great omelet remind me of the exact same dish my father used to make me. Now, they just scored a lot of points!

We also had a bowl of Halym which is basically a mix of porridge, cinnamon and turkey. It may sound weird but it’s actually delicious and very filling.

Finally, the fresh juices of watermelon, bowls of espresso with milk and mint tea were just the perfect addition to our brunch.

Conclusion: A gorgeous and warm restaurant/café to visit while in the neighborhood. The owner, a sweet little Persian lady, is always there to make things roll and the service is friendly. I would recommend it for brunch but also for an afternoon snack with tea, served in the Persian tradition. Expect a little line on week-ends and remember that you have to pay at the counter when ready to leave to make it a lovely experience!

BYBLOS
ADDRESS: 1499 Laurier E.
PHONE: (514) 529-9396
HOURS: TUES-SUN 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M.
ALCOHOL: No
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $10 on brunch time / $20 on lunch and dinner time

A little special for my readers! This is not a review but an experience to share. I was lucky enough to go visit La Face Cachée de la Pomme today to try their Snow Day.

To make it short, La Face Cachée de la Pomme is nice enough to receive people during the whole month of January every year to discover the process into making apple ice wine, visit the installations and taste all the newest products.

As soon as I arrived on site, I realized how much their image was important by looking at their gorgeous and contemporary buildings, interior decoration and newest labeling.

The visit consisted of walking through the apple trees and understanding the process from a to z. It was very interesting to see the two different techniques used by La Face Cachée de la Pomme, and later on, to taste the difference into these processes.

As an extra gift, including some pretty nice deals if you buy on-site, we got to eat delicious ice cider flavored maple taffy on snow!

Definitely an activity to plan next year!

Photo: Credits to Vieux-Port Steakhouse

January has now become part of a tradition that many great cities follow with a food celebration involving restaurants offering quite affordable menus. In Montreal, we call it Happening Gourmand and it is organized by the Antonopoulos group.

I’ve been going to Happening Gourmand since its first year in 2008. I think it’s a great way to try most of the well known Old Montreal restaurants for cheap. It’s on until January 31st.

This past Saturday was my first visit to Vieux-Port Steakhouse. The fact that they offer a great selection of seafood as well as good quality meat made it exciting and a no-brainer choice. Finally, it wasn’t that great.

I decided to start with an apéro with my friend as we weren’t rushed to eat. The first page of the wine list included club drinks such as Sex On The Beach or Pina Colada – which is kind of funny to read in a fancy Old Montreal venue.

As for the menu, most restaurants offer a one-price menu with 2-3 different choices on each course. But the venues started to offer pricier table d’hôte over the years for more choices. Sometimes, for 10$ extra, you might get something quite amazing.

For my appetizer, I went with the mesclun salad. I have no idea what they did with the vinaigrette but it didn’t look quite appealing to the eye – as if it came out of a tube! Overall, it tasted ok.

For the main dish, even if I was in a steakhouse, I couldn’t resist and went to the lobster tail. The plate came with a side of sauteed spinach in garlic and wild rice.

Over the services, I came to realize that Steakhouse really is all about garlic so it’s not a safe choice if going out after. My lobster, which was perfectly cooked, had no much of a taste as it came with a small cup of melted garlic butter to pour on, which I didn’t. The rice was overcooked and spinach were also overcooked.

Finally, I went with the vanilla crème brulée for dessert. It tasted fine but the dish was way too big for a single person. Because of that, the layer of sugar wasn’t deep enough.

Conclusion: Some restaurants in Old Montreal are great both Montrealers and tourists, some others are just great for tourists. Vieux-Port Steakhouse is definitely the kind of restaurant you choose because you’re around. It is way overpriced for what you get and my dinner partner got an undercooked steak which is pretty much the worst mistake to be made in a steakhouse! Still, it’s worth trying if you’ve tried all the other restaurants during Happening Gourmand!

VIEUX-PORT STEAKHOUSE
ADDRESS: 39 St-Paul E.
PHONE: (514) 866-3175
HOURS: MON-THUR 11:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M. / FRI-SAT 11:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M./ SUN 10:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.
ALCOHOL: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: No
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: 22$ table d’hôte during Happening Gourmand

I took a little break on the blog but I sure didn’t stop trying out new places. My new year resolution is definitely bring my camera more often with me to describe my experiences not only with words but with tasty pictures!

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Cheers!

Food and Drinks in Montreal