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Travel Food Guide: 3 Days of Eating in Montreal
Aug 27 2013
Montreal is not only beautiful, it’s also one of the best food cities I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. The people are so nice, and they’re seriously dedicated to good food. My kind of population. Meat, bread and cheese seem to be the general appetite, and I swear, poutine is beyond ubiquitous. You see it advertised in every restaurant window—more than a mainstay, it’s an obsession, and one I was quite happy to take on for the 3 days I was in Montreal.
I didn’t have a bad meal, but there were some heartbreaks: Patisserie Au Kouign Amann, whose version of the buttery pastry is reportedly life changing, was closed for vacation; I was just too freaking full to fit any of La Pretzelleria’s twisted wares in; and I didn’t get to experience the chocolate babka bliss of Cheskie’s Bakery. However, I will go back to avenge my losses.
In the meantime, here’s what I did eat:
Beauty’s Luncheonette:
Beauty’s Luncheonette has been around since 1942, and the Beauty Special is a big reason why. The bagels with lox sandwich is a thing in Montreal, and this one is just about perfect, served on a sweet and sesame seeded St-Viateur’s bagel (more on those later). The restaurant itself is cute, cute, cute, with classic diner ambiance and friendly conversation with the original owner’s son, Larry, who points you to your seat from his perch at the counter. They serve a good cup of coffee, golden, buttery pancakes, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Beauty’s Luncheonette, 93 Mont-Royal West, Montreal, QC H2T 2S5
Au Pied de Cochon:
I fell in love at first sight with Au Pied de Cochon when Cathy Chaplin wrote about it on gas•tron•o•my, and then I saw the Quebec episode of No Reservations. What can I say? The over-the-topness sang my name. Chef Martin Picard’s restaurant is a foie gras fantasy and maybe the best heart attack you’ll ever have—a great big gob of gourmet. The Duck in a Can is a gimmick, of course, but it sure is tasty. They undo the can table side, plopping a pile of duck, foie gras, garlic and cabbage over toast and celery root puree. I guess we didn’t need to get the foie gras poutine, too.
536 Avenue Duluth Est Montreal, QC H2L
MacArthur Park: Langer’s Is Your LA Birthright
Jan 04 2012
If you’re a Los Angeles native, eating at Langer’s is your birthright. If you’re a transplant, it’s still your responsibility. Basically, every Angeleno must visit this since-1947 Jewish delicatessen for two reasons—one, it serves up one of the best food experiences this city has to offer and, two, you need ammunition if some New Yorker tries tell you that all LA delis suck.
Tip: If such a dispute does arise, you should mention that consummate Manhattanite Nora Ephron declared: “The hot pastrami sandwich served at Langer’s Delicatessen in downtown Los Angeles is the finest hot pastrami sandwich in the world.” In the The New Yorker.
So there.
Eat at Home: First BBQ of the Summer
Jul 28 2010
There’s no doubt about it: LA is having the weirdest summer weather in recent history. It’s all anyone can talk about (just check your Facebook if you don’t believe me). So, when we finally got a brilliantly sunny and warm Sunday, we couldn’t resist—we had to throw a barbecue!
I served my own mixed drink creation to get the party started. I’ve named this the Maker’s Peachy Palmer. It’s a mix of Maker’s Mark, peach iced tea, and homemade lemonade. Honey was also involved. Not to brag, but it was pretty delicious. Recipe after the jump.
Along with these veggies, we also grilled some succulent chicken and lamb from Glendale’s Central Grand Market (Map It). This small market has a great selection of meat and a deli case that features some of the dreamiest hummus, labneh (check out my GCM-inspired shallot yogurt post), eggplant dishes and feta varieties around.
