Montreal

[Anonymous]

No hotel recommendations as I'm from there, but for an exceptional meal : La maison publique (amazing cuisine and surprisingly affordable) or Bouillon Bilk (a bit more expensive but so worth it).

(And I have to laugh at the bitter PP criticizing ALL bagels and ALL pizza sauces in Quebec, like Ontarian cuisine is so much better Both are fine, and be sure to try Bagel St-Viateur if you want a quick and tasty snack!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are tourists. Why would they want to avoid the tourist areas? pp is strange.

PP here. I said avoid the overly touristy restaurants. That is almost always good advice when you travel to any city, because any restaurant that depends primarily on tourists will know that the people they are serving won't be coming back regardless of the quality of their food, and that they can charge more for the convenience of not having to put much effort into finding a good restaurant. Montreal has a fantastic food scene that should be part of the experience of the city. Old Montreal is one of the most touristy areas of the city, and most of the restaurants there are mediocre. There are a few exceptions, but more of the good food to be experienced can be found in areas that are just a short walk or subway ride away from the main tourist areas.

I think it is more strange to think that one can experience the authentic cuisine of any country by staying in the tourist areas.

Why do you think people want to experience the authentic cuisine of any country?

And, I mean, let's be clear: Canada isn't known for its cuisine. And Montreal is best known for French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy as well as overly dense bagels.

Montreal has some phenomenal French restaurants. Not all are fancy and even small bistros can be just as satisfying. These are some of the few places in North America where I wouldn't hesitate to try something like steak tartare or a specialty like duck confit or foie gras that could be mediocre or awful at a lesser restaurant or a steakhouse in the US.

[Anonymous]

To be fair, it is probably easier to find excellent Quebecois cuisine in Quebec City or elsewhere. Two of the best poutines I had were from there-- one with a mustard based sauce and topped with rabbit, and the other with foie gras mixed in the gravy. There is good poutine and bad poutine. Then there is smoked meats, tourtieres, various products made with maple syrup, and bagels. But the highlight of Quebecois cuisine, to me, is the local ingredients used with (mainly) French cooking techniques. Charlevoix lamb is great, and the variety of game meats was enough to enjoy a different experience with protein every night of the week.

Montreal is probably better for international cuisine, due to the large influx of people from other countries. Sometimes interesting things arise from the fusion of local ingredients with international cooking styles. I think that is what most of the food tours in Montreal focus on.

[Anonymous]

My beer geek recommendations, if you're at all into beer:

Dieu de Ciel
Vices et Versa

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone. I have so many good suggestions to plan our trip now! I'll report back when we get home

[Anonymous]

Well OP, are you back yet?

Any more restaurant recommendations or neighborhoods to stay in?

TIA

[Anonymous]

Not OP but recently stayed at Le Germain near McGill. Great deal and very nice hotel.

[Anonymous]

Go shopping/wandering at the Jean-Talon market a large (covered) open air market similar to Eastern Market in DC. As of 2012, it was the largest open air market in N. America.

Dinner at L'Express- delicious steak frites and the biggest Ile Flotantte I've ever seen for dessert.