On April 21st at 4:00pm, I was invited, along with Clarah Germain, to discuss the role, interests, and influence that food bloggers share on CJAD 800 AM’s radio segment, the Dinner Rush with the Montreal Gazette’s fine dining critic, Lesley Chesterman.  While we didn’t get to finish all the points our hostess wanted to cover, the discussions were nothing shy of healthy, fun, and interesting. I had a great time doing this, and would love to be back on the air as a guest some other time. A big thank you goes out to CJAD for supplying the audio from the segment. Sorry everyone, I couldn’t remove the ads; just skip through them.

Listen, enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Follow Clarah and Lesley Chesterman on Twitter.

(audio courtesy of and copyright of CJAD 800 AM)

Welcome to the latest installment of Food Guy Montreal’s 10 Questions. This month, we feature the owner and talented chef, Jonathan Cheung of Appetite for Books, Montreal’s best cookbook store. Cookbooks from all ages, times, and chefs line the shelves in this quaint and cozy place. Chef Jonathan hosts cooking classes every week from his open kitchen in the back of the store. The catch: each cooking class features recipes from one of the cookbooks he sells, such as  Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes, Momofuku Milk Bar, Alain Ducasse’s Nature, and even knife skills classes to hone the even most able home cook. I’ve known Jonathan for a number of years now, as I used to chat with him while making him a latte or serve him the occasional sandwich from Cavallaro, the Italian specialty store I used to work at around the corner. Thanks Jon for doing this. Here are his answers:

1. What are your 3 all time favorite restaurants in the world? (No particular order)

•   Fore Street, Portland, Maine: There is nothing bad about this place. Fresh everything, local everything, bread is the best I’ve had, wood burning oven and grill. Last time I had this amazing rabbit grilled on a spit over open fire with Fresh raw clams and oysters. Can’t go wrong with that.

•   Vij’s, Vancouver: Vikram is a genius. Flavors are amazingly balanced. Unlike any Indian food you have ever had.

•   This Chicken Restaurant in Tokyo. If you want to see what it’s all about, watch No Reservations Tokyo. The best meal I had when I was there, hands down. And it was really out of the way. Had to transfer to 3 different trains. (Remember this when you read question 6)

2. What would be your last meal?

It would be a combination of a LOT of things. I would want it to be an amalgamation of Hong Kong Style Dim Sum from a place in Vancouver called Sea Harbour and Shanghainese Dim Sum from another place in Vancouver called Shanghai River. Throw in my grandmothers pork Vindaloo, a big bowl of Won Ton Mein with braised brisket from Hon’s Won Ton House in Richmond circa 1997, Oysters and Pearls from The French Laundry, a Poached Egg with Hollandaise whipped by my first Chef Gerhard Pichler, and a TKO from Bouchon Bakery. To wash it down, a Big Rock Traditional and a chilled glass of Viogner.

3. If you were hosting a dinner party, which one guest would you invite? Dead or alive.

By Grandfather Bruce Bayne. I would cook him that Christmas Goose my grandmother would never cook for him.

4. What is your signature dish?

I don’t really have one. Being that I cook so many different types of cuisine, I’m not really known for one in particular. But one of my favorite things to cook is Fried Rice. But I don’t think I’m known for that.

5. What is your favorite junk food?

French Fries and Potato Chips. Not necessarily together.

6. What single food do you or would you go out of your way to have?

I would go out of my way to get anything special from the area I’m in. Example: When I was living in Hong Kong, I would travel 45 minutes one way by subway and then bus just to get this roast goose. You like chinese roast duck? Well imagine if that duck was a goose. 10 times better! And worth the trip.

7. If you could eliminate one food from the world, what would it be and why?

I don’t really see the point in canning common vegetables like peas, corn and carrots or canned fruits. The war is over people.

8. What is your single best childhood food memory.

Going to my Grandmothers house every Sunday with the WHOLE family. I have 12 cousins, so it was pretty nuts/fun. Sort of like a potluck, but my grandmother would always make this Chinese soup with winter melon and pork eaten at the end of the meal. I still make it to this day.

9. Describe the kitchen you grew up in.

It was really simple and bare bones. In my teen years, I was the one that made dinner every night for my siblings and Mom because she would be working until later. So I kind of figured things out on my own. We had some really shitty pots and pans and AMAZINGLY shitty knives. I know this now.

10. What is your go-to comfort food?

Chinese anything.

Bonus: What’s the one ingredient you can’t live without, and why? (excluding salt and pepper)

Butter makes everything taste better

Appetite for Books: 388 Victoria  Westmount, QC H3Z 2N4; (514) 369-2002

For the list of cooking classes available, click here: Appetite for Books Cooking Classes

Follow Appetite for Books on: Twitter and Facebook

(photo credit: acqtaste.com)

I’m writing this post a little more than a week after my meal at the Au Pied de Cochon Cabane a Sucre. At this point, I finally fully digested the meal, and am over the epic food hangover and maple syrup overdose. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

It’s that time of the year again. The snow is melting, the weather is getting warmer, and most importantly, the Quebec maple trees are emitting delicious sap where the most prestigious sugary substance in the world can be found. For those of you who don’t know, maple syrup is my weakness. I can consume anything maple, but it’s gotta be the real stuff. That’s why on December 1st, 2011 at 12:00am on the nose, I sent an email to the APDC Cabane a Sucre hoping to get a reservation. Over the next couple months, I watched the tweets from others announcing they received the call back fr0m the restaurant. I kept asking myself “Where’s mine”? I must have sent the first reservation out of anybody. In fact, they received the maximum capacity’s worth of reservations in the first 12 hours. I would hate to go through all those emails, since this method is the only way to get one. If you call, they won’t answer. Just accept it. When you receive a callback, and “Cabane PDC” shows up in the call display on your phone, you drop everything and respond accordingly. Making sure you know exactly the reservation you want when they call is essential (number of people, time, date). I made a reservation for 15, and we were all hungry men, with a combined weight of over 1 ton. This meal is above any man and his ability to eat. If you need a refresher on what I consumed last year, here you go: Au Pied De Cochon Cabane A Sucre…I’m Still Full

We arrived promptly at 5:30pm on Sunday. The first thing I did was pour a little drizzle of maple syrup on a spoon and taste the sweetness. Ahhhh yes. It makes breathing a little easier. We poured our beer, ordered the tourtière in advance, and watched as our first course arrived. We began with creton, sweetbread, and boudin terrine with a light drizzle of maple mustard, served with sweet buckwheat pancakes, goat cheese, and small salad of fennel and pecans (yes, they have salad…but not that much of it). The terrine was phenomenal. The idea of boudin (blood sausage) and sweetbreads can make a few people squeamish, but the flavor is masked by the fantastic morsels of creton. I put some of the terrine on a little pancake, with a dollop of the goat cheese and some of the salad. What a great combination. The crisp and soft textures and slight acidity from the salad livens of the whole dish. Next, we had maple pickled herring with a maple mayonnaise, and pickled onions. This was just down right delicious. The sweet maple with the salty fish are a match made in heaven. Then we dove into the sturgeon sushi. Fried pieces of sturgeon were placed on sushi rice and nori, then topped with avocado and tomato, then with oreilles de crisse. And if that wasn’t enough, the entire dish was sprinkled with gold leaf for an extra touch of class. From top to bottom, the contrasts in textures, and flavors were brilliant. Who would think to combine fried sturgeon, sushi rice, and orielles de crisse? Martin Picard. That’s who. Finally, the tourtière arrived. The flaky crust, moist meat inside, and the homemade ketchup is classic satisfaction. Believe it or not, that’s the end of round 1.

The second course began with a lobster omelet souffle with mashed potatoes and smoked meat. Lobster and smoked meat? Fantastic! Before I walked in, I saw brisket cooking away on the large red smoker. I’m glad I saw it again, only about an hour or so later in this work of art. This dish was taken to the next level after I drizzled maple syrup on it. It’s traditional to add maple syrup on your eggs at a cabane a sucre, or at least that’s how I did it when I was 7 years old. Next came the heaviest, richest, and one of the most delicious things we ate: a vol-au-vent. A large, hollowed out round of puff pastry, filled with a whole lobe or two of foie gras, béchamel sauce, cheese, then topped with oreilles de crisse and a watercress and apple salad with maple dressing. Yes, another salad, which cut the richness of the foie gras quite well. This was the beginning of the end for me. It was fatty, smooth, creamy, rich, sweet, and wonderful. I saw one of my friends eyes roll back into their head after a bite. I couldn’t wait for what was coming next.

Act 3 began 2o minutes later. Gently, and I think strategically, placed in front of me was a duck body (breast, legs, wings), a large knife sticking out of it, with onion rings placed over the knife as if someone was playing a game of ring-toss, or that horseshoe game. Glistening in a sweet maple glaze, the duck was tender, the skin was nice and crispy, and those onion rings were awesome. A sign of a good onion ring is when you bite into it, and the entire onion doesn’t come out; the bite should go right through, which it did in this case. Bravo. With a little drizzle of more maple syrup, this dish was a real winner. Next, maple glazed pork with crackling skin, dumplings, and a little coleslaw, all doused in a maple sauce. The pork was tender and succulent, and the skin was so crisp I picked it up and ate it like a cracker. Loved the dumplings, and the coleslaw just tasted like sweet delicious maple goodness. Finally, a large le creuset honey-pot appeared with the classic fêves au lard inside. Or at least I thought it was the classic version. Then chef Picard’s genius hit me in the face with an insurmountable amount of duck confit sitting at the bottom awaiting to be discovered. The beans were absolutely ridiculously incredible. Consuming this with fall-off-the-bone duck confit was heavenly. Then, I went for a brisk walk since I forgot what fresh air felt like.

Mere moments after I returned to my seat, a gorgeous maple-vanilla ice cream sundae garnished with la tire (weakness alert!), bits of chocolate-covered maple toffee, and miniature maple and chocolate covered maple foam cones. I could live off la tire, and that maple toffee. After biting off the top of the little  maple cones, is more of the awesome “la tire”. Then we received duck fat-fried pancakes soaking in maple syrup. Just as crazy-good as they were last year. Very happy they came back. After a long deep breath, I inhaled the maple eclairs with maple cotton candy. Light, fluffy, creamy, and sweet, these were simply wonderful, and a lot of fun to eat. My favorite dessert has to go to the maple glazed cinnamon buns. Still warm and soft from the oven the sweet buns with a thick sugary maple glaze took me to a new level of maple heaven. Wave the white flag…I surrender.

A little over a week later, I can remember every bite and every maple sugar crystal consumed. The family style meal is best shared with good friends, which makes this experience that much better. I loved the friendly staff, the cool country air, and everything else about the Au Pied de Cochon Cabane a Sucre. I bought the restaurant’s cookbook, which is really like a miniature encyclopedia. Everything I ate is in there. I swear I would teach a university class about maple syrup, and could use this cookbook as the textbook. The pictures are drool-worthy, the stories and other content are a joy to read, and the pastry chef is a real cutie. The best place to buy it is at Appetite for Books (388 Victoria, Westmount, QC, H3Z 2N4, (514) 369-2002).

December 1st, 2012 already has a gold star next to it so I can return in 2013.

Au Pied de Cochon Cabane a Sucre: 11382 Rang de la Fresnière, Mirabel, QC, J7N 2R9, (450) 258-1732

There’s nothing like a classic diner. The jukeboxes, neon lights, and retro decor can definitely take you back, or at least make you feel like you are being transported in a different era. But the diner scene in Montreal is, well, pretty far off from 50′s-style places reminiscent of Marty McFly’s Back to the Future (part 1) visit. The diners making waves these days are unpretentious, casual, hip, and classic in their own way. Le Gros Jambon (literal translation: The Big Ham) is one of those places.

Nestled in the heart of Old Montreal, and around the corner from their sister restaurant L’Orignal, Le Gros Jambon is exactly what you expect as soon as you walk in. On the license-plate-c0vered front counter sits a number of homemade desserts such as cookies, donuts, muffins, and brownies that look simply divine. Grab a seat at a bar stool across from the open kitchen or against the wall, since there’s no tables, and gaze upon the old school little posters of food ads such as Hershey’s Kisses, Campbell’s Soup, Coca-Cola, Planter’s Peanuts, and many more dating from at least 60 years ago. In between those are other images of female wrestlers, old crooner albums, and I think I saw a framed article of Celine Dion at the beginning of her career. How times have changed.

In order to get a real experience for this awesome place, I couldn’t just go once. So, I went three times, all for lunch. For my first visit, I sat across from the chefs at the bar and I watched them prepare my meal. I chatted with them a little which is always nice since most chefs never get to interact with their customers and gain feedback. A nice change that adds a little more to the diner experience.

I ordered a lobster grilled cheese with french fries and a little cup of coleslaw. I have to point out all the little things that make this so good. The griddle is a flavor vehicle. The bread started out with a thin shmear of butter, then toasted until golden brown. Then the cheese is sprinkled on. After that a little squirt of water is sprayed beside it and a metal dome is placed over the bread to melt the cheese. While all this is going on, the generous chunks of lobster hit the griddle. After about 30 seconds, the dome was lifted from the bread, the lobster carefully placed on the cheese, and the sandwich closed. The perfectly golden brown grilled cheese with lobster was outstanding. Usually seafood and cheese creates a very odd taste, but this was anything but that. It disappeared before I knew it. The fries were nice and crispy, and very well seasoned. The coleslaw was crisp and made the meal refreshing.

The second visit, I went all out and ordered the Coca-Cola burger with a poutine. This wonderful greasy mess came topped with caramelized onions, a small amount of Coca-Cola Mayo (the Coca-Cola is reduced and mixed into the mayo), and deep fried pickles. Deep fried pickles. What a sick, twisted, and phenomenal thing. The pickles are a great addition to the burger, but what makes it really good, is the patty being on the flattop griddle. The meat just caramelizes and develops a crispy brown crust. This is a damn good burger. The poutine was also good. The fries held up to the sauce, and didn’t disintegrate or become soggy. The sauce had a rich and fresh-herb like flavor that went very well with the spices on the fries. The curds were the regular thing.

The final visit consisted of a BDLT, or a bacon, duck, lettuce, and tomato. At first glance, it didn’t look as “special” as the other two, but it packed a ton of flavor. The duck was very moist, good flavor, and was the perfect companion to the thick, salty, and smokey bacon. As boring as white bread normally is, it just works with this sandwich. I enjoyed every bite from beginning to end.

During the week, they are open for breakfast and open late until 11:00pm (including Saturday). On the weekends, you can only get brunch, which from what I’ve heard is also pretty amazing. So there you have it. Le Gros Jambon is a smash hit. The decor is timeless, the food is outstanding, and it’s a lot fun dining on the bar stools. The next stop for me will be brunch, which you can only get on the weekends. I hear the chicken and waffles are to die for.

Le Gros Jambon: 286 Notre Dame West, Montreal, QC H2Y 1T6; (514) 508-3872

Welcome to January’s installment of Food Guy Montreal’s 10 Questions. This month get introduced to one of the best chef’s you may have never heard of: Kris Laing. Chef Kris operates the Mountain Street Kitchen in the Cote-de-Liesse Tennis Club. Don’t be fooled by the obscure location since you can still walk in just to eat, and I recommend you do. The burgers are fantastic, the roast beef sandwich is great (he makes his own), and there’s always specials like succulent ribs. I have to admit I am a little biased since I’ve worked side-by-side with Kris occasionally for the last 3 years for his catering company Cinq A Chef. We’ve cooked everything from chorizo poached shrimp, to beef tataki with harissa creme fraiche, and delicious rack of lamb (see pics below). Many of the cooking techniques I know are because of him. I’m proud to call Kris a friend, and I couldn’t be more excited to feature him this month. Here are Kris’ answers:

1. What are your 3 all time favorite restaurants in the world? (No particular order)

Anise- Montreal
Rosie’s (for their homemade English muffins drowning in butter)- Middlebury Vermont
A small homestyle Yeminite restaurant in Tel Aviv that I forget the name of. Each dish was better than the last.

2. What would be your last meal?

My grandmother’s baked rigatoni with bechamel to start and her peach trifle for dessert. Short ribs as a main.

3. If you were hosting a dinner party, which one guest would you invite? Dead or alive.

My uncle Jeff

4. What is your signature dish?

Cheesecake

5. What is your favorite junk food?

Salt and vinegar chips

6. What single food do you or would you go out of your way to have?

Poutine!

7. If you could eliminate one food from the world, what would it be and why?

Turnips. I don’t like them, they don’t like me. Also baby carrots. Nothing should stay “fresh” that long.

8. Single best childhood food memory.

Dinner at my grandparent’s on Friday nights

9. Describe the kitchen you grew up in.

Meat sauce sandwiches anyone?

10. What is your go-to comfort food?

Burgers

Bonus: 11. Charcoal or Propane, and why?

Charcoal. Better searing capability. Unless you have a great bbq with high btu’s and cast iron grill. Then I’d go with propane.

It’s freezing outside, and staying warm mid January is everyone’s top priority. There’s only so much your winter boots, jacket, gloves, scarves, and tuques can do. We need food that ensures a healthy “winter layer”. In other words, good ol’ comfort food. I came across a relatively new bistro called Restaurant Brut on St. Denis in the Plateau. Judging from the menu outside, it looked pretty attractive and it wasn’t that busy, even though it was a Tuesday night.

Brut opened up around May 2o11. The decor is all wood; from the tables and chairs, to the exterior, the walls and the bar. It’s warm and cozy. The old establishment, “La Faim du Monde”, served vegetarian and vegan food. Brut is the complete opposite. The menu is meat driven; typical rich dark brown sauces, braised meats, and a small, but decent wine list. Just the kind of food I can get in the mood for on a cold night.

We started with French onion soup, and another dish made up of confit tomatoes, bits of proscuitto and little chunks of feta cheese. There were a lot of onions in the bowl of soup, which certainly sweetened it up. The cheese was bubbly and brown, and the crouton dissolved in the broth. It’s as classic as you’ll get in a good french onion soup. The confit tomato dish was good too. I loved the complimentary flavors with the sweet tomatoes and salty prosciutto bits and feta. Even though this appetizer was delicious, it was oily, which turned me off a little. I was a little unsure how to eat it, since it came with only one long crouton, so I assumed that’s how. The crouton was gone halfway through eating the dish, so in comes the fork. No big deal, just would have preferred a little more.

The mains were classic bistro fare. I ordered their special that night, which was a beef ragu with carrots, turnip, and potatoes in a rich dark brown gravy. A real meat & potatoes dish. The beef was tender, vegetables cooked just right, and seasoned nicely. I ate this one right up. The other main was osso bucco (veal shank) with linguine. I was a little disappointed with this one. Usually, osso bucco is supposed to fall right off the bone. It didn’t, and the meat was pretty tough. What a shame since the flavor was really nice. The pasta could have used a some lubricant since it came pretty dry, and didn’t soak up the sauce as much as I would have like it to.  I did get a little marrow from the bone, so that was great. So one hit, and one miss.

The wine here borders on inexpensive to affordable, which is really great. A nice, full-bodied glass of red rounds up this meal nicely. Would I go back? Sure. I’m willing to try this place again. I liked the small, cozy atmosphere, the friendly and helpful staff, and the meal didn’t break the bank. After all, with the bitter winters we have, who wouldn’t want a good meal to warm them up.

Restaurant Brut: 4110 St-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2W 2M3, (514) 419-1068

(Their Facebook page is better than their website: https://www.facebook.com/restobrut)

Photo Courtesy of Andrea Donida (Thanks!)

2011 was a great year, especially in the little-big foodie bubble we live with in Montreal. As I personally look back, I realize I ate a lot. So what better way to close out the year with my favorite bites from 2011. These are in no particular order, because that would be too hard. Here we go:

Tourtiere- Au Pied de Cochon Cabane a Sucre

I visited the APDC Cabane a Sucre for the first time back in March. The experience was marvelous, and boy was there a lot of food. If I could choose one dish from that meal that was above the rest, it would be the tourtiere. This meat pie is succulent, memorable, and classic. It was very hard to share it with 12 people, not in terms of the size of a piece, but because it tasted that good. The juicy meat kept inside the flakiest crust ever went great with their homemade ketchup. I took a frozen one home and made it again about a month later, since that’s when I finally digested everything from that meal.

Bahn Mi Taco- Grumman78

One of the biggest impacts we had in Montreal this summer was the emergence of street food. Grumman78, our city’s only taco truck wowed people in church basements, parking lots, festivals, and on the Lachine Canal. I ate all (that’s right, all) the tacos they made this year. My clear favorite, and one of the best things I ate all year was their Bahn Mi Taco. Sweet, sticky, and savory morsels of flavored pork, nestled in a warm soft-taco shell, topped with pickled red onions and carrots, then garnished with a couple leaves of cilantro. Each bite is heavenly. Earlier in the season, two tacos were enough, but now, 4 hits the spot.

Octopus salad- Osteria Venti

Venti was arguably the breakout restaurant in Montreal this year. Among the many many delicious items on the menu, the octopus salad is one of the best things available. The little pieces of octopus are always deliciously tender with a slight crispiness on the outside. Long slices of fennel and red onion provide a nice contrast in textures, and flavor. Oh, and little capers are the perfect little salty, briny compliment. The octopus salad is a fantastic starter for what is always an incredible meal.

Popcorn shrimp- Icehouse

When news broke that Chef Nick Hodge of Kitchenette was opening a more casual style resto, called Icehouse, the buzz surrounding it was incredible. I ate there a lot this summer. I gorged on delicious tex-mex foods like tacos, po-boys, burritos, and I even drank (way too much) bourbon lemonade.  One of the best things I ate at Icehouse, and is now a staple item every time I eat there is the popcorn shrimp. Little pieces of shrimp are covered in a light batter then fried. As soon as they come out of the fryer, they are immediately lightly dressed with a sauce made of red wine vinegar, honey, and a little bit of their home-made Tabasco. Be warned: they are addictive.

Lobster Grilled Cheese- Le Gros Jambon

A new addition to the Montreal food scene, Le Gros Jambon, offered one of my favorite dishes of the year. This 50’s style diner is creating excellent takes on classic dishes. My favorite: the lobster grilled cheese. Served with deliciously crispy and well-spiced fries and a little cup of crunchy coleslaw, this grilled cheese is pure awesome to the last bite. The chunks of claw are warmed on the griddle, then placed on perfectly melted cheese. The bread is buttered and toasted until lightly brown and crispy. Essentially, this is everything you could want in a grilled cheese, and then some.

Shrimp Burger- Kazu

I have never heard anyone say anything bad about Kazu. Yes, we all know the line is long to get in, but few complain since it’s always worth it. I usually share my dishes with the other people I eat with, however, I DO NOT share my shrimp burger. It’s one of the best things I’ve eaten…ever! The burger is made of ground shrimp, formed into a patty, then grilled until the inside is pink and the outside has a thin film of crispiness. The ordinary lettuce, think slices of tomato and bun for some reason fit so well with this. What makes the shrimp burger what it is, is the sauce. Oh my, the sauce. It was described to me as a Japanese sun-dried tomato and soya sauce mayo. It’s a very good thing they drizzle the plate with it because I would eat it just on it’s own, or maybe drink it with a straw.

Porketta sandwich- DNA, from the Montreal Oysterfest

The Montreal Oysterfest had a lot of food stands from many restaurants. One of my favorites is the porketta sandwich from restaurant DNA. This monstrosity of a sandwich is nothing more than a ridiculously thick slice of tender porketta, garlic mayo on a “bun”, or what I refer to as a small loaf of delicious brioche bread. The entire sandwich was about the size of my head and the taste was fantastic. It’s one of those crazy foods you chow down on that when it’s gone, you wonder where it went. There was no way I could eat this thing alone, so I split it with my good friends, Foodie Date Night. We barely finished it.

Carrot Cake- Laurier Gordon Ramsey

I don’t eat dessert often, but I do have 2 weaknesses: anything maple, and carrot cake. I recently wrote about a Thanksgiving meal at Laurier GR, and described the carrot cake as perfectly moist with fantastic icing. This piece was heavenly. The cream cheese frosting is to die for, and the cake itself is wonderful. I love how there’s a little cup of icing on the side for dipping, or to just eat on it’s own. This is a real winner.

2011 proved to be a phenomenal year for food in Montreal. New restaurants emerged in big ways, street food exploded, old favorites came back with a new life, and some chefs established themselves as the real deal (cough…Venti). I can’t wait for what 2012 will bring. Thank you to all my readers this year. Stay tuned because BIG things are going to happen next year…

Welcome to Food Guy Montreal’s 10 Questions with Daniel Notkin, master oyster aficionado and connoisseur of the sea. Self-proclaimed humble shucker, alcohol tester, and president of the Old Port Fishing Co., Daniel’s presence can be felt in the heart of Old Montreal at the restaurant L’Orignal where he also controls, what else but the seafood. He is also responsible for organizing the Montreal Oysterfest, which was easily one of the best food gatherings of the summer (see some of my pictures below). Thanks Daniel for being of part of this month’s 10 Questions. Here are his answers:

1. What are your 3 all time favorite restaurants in the world? (No particular order)

Whew. Tough one.

1. Joe beef. Rough and tumble and honest. Just some of the best dinners I’ve ever had. Really.

2. Destino’s – sub shop in Gloucester Mass. Not sure if it’s the sea air or the fishermen in for lunch after a rough morning, or my summer childhood … but it’s just my favorite place for a sun. Just a bit of magic in there. Oh, and their motto was “it just don’t get any better” – how can you argue that?

2. What would be your last meal?

Jeez, lighten up! Okay, if you must…

A few perfect oysters. Perfectly roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, whole plumtomatoes, and a bottle of Francois Cotat. Maybe a Pinot noir. Then ice cream.

But that’s today’s thought….

3. If you were hosting a dinner party, which one guest would you invite? Dead or alive.

Maybe Ghandi. When my nature begins to rear its head – and my nature can be very cut to the point. I actually do think how he would intellectually address the problem or individual.

 4. What is your signature dish?

Well. Oysters. But that’s not a dish really. Boiled lobster I’m really pretty good at, then seared tuna with a red and yellow pepper sherry vinegar relish.

5. What is your favorite junk food?

Ice cream. Done and done.

6. What single food do you or would you go out of your way to have?

Tough.

Again.

A new oyster I’ve never had – like when I went to Tomales bay two weeks ago just to have Hog Island oysters right out of the bay. Awesome.

Or that sub shop I mentioned. Heaven.

7. If you could eliminate one food from the world, what would it be and why?

Truffle oil. It’s such a damn cheat it offends me. Most chefs don’t even know there is ZERO truffle in it. It’s all chemicals. Just disgusting in my opinion. Yet I learned some of the top restaurants in the world use it. Blah.

8. Single best childhood food memory.

Making black forest cakes for school bake sales. Always.

9. Describe the kitchen you grew up in.

Three kinds – my family kitchen, small in an apartment, but with mom always making amazing chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting and dad always experimenting; the summer house, lobster dinners, warm breezes, dinners on the back porch, and the grandmothers – one spotless, well crafted, the other classically Jewish.

10. What is your go-to comfort food?

Chocolate peanut m&ms. Almost a perfect food…

Bonus: 11. What is your favorite Montreal Institution?

Food wise? I never really went out for dinners as a kid and went away for most of the teenage and 20′s…but I would say Schwartz’s. That’s just– that’s Montreal. It varies a bit now, but every aspect is a piece of history.

It’s been a little over 2 months since Laurier BBQ officially became Laurier Gordon Ramsay. The buzz surrounding this revived institution was impossible to ignore. While the restaurant was being renovated, there were many people with many stories and memories of the 80+ year old restaurant. “Chef Ramsay better not change my (blank)”! Replace the word blank with mocha cake, carrot cake, rotisserie chicken, gravy, and many other favorites. For me, it was the chicken pot pie I consider as one of the better dishes; comfort food 101. If it changed, I wouldn’t be up in arms about it as long as it’s better than what it was before. But I never understood why so many people were complaining about not changing their favorite dishes. At one point during the renovations, it seemed like many didn’t want the menu to change at all. If they were so loyal to the restaurant, then why was it suffering? It’s not like the customers were rolling in. That’s why Gordon Ramsay came here. He saw potential, and perhaps a big opportunity to get his foot in the Canadian door (maybe his Kitchen Nightmare-ish personal project). Either way, the changes happened, and the place is alive. I couldn’t wait to taste the food.

The hand-picked head Chef Guillermo Russo is not only a Montreal native, but he also grew up in Outremont, so he knows what the locals really like. You could sense it while chatting with him. He just wants to people to have a good time, and enjoy the experience. This visit, I was invited along with 7 other bloggers to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. First of all, the house-made pickles are amazing. Deliciously crunchy, and just enough bite from the vinegar gave it a nice tang. We started with the charcuterie plate composed of 3 Quebec cheeses , mousse de volaille (fowl/chicken) with sasparella, sopressata, proscuitto, and genoa salami. Nibbling on this with a nice red wine was a fun start. I’m a sucker for charcuterie, and this certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s not made in house, but that’s ok since it’s sourced locally. They’re serving this at the bar, so if you’re waiting for your table, have a drink and chow down on this.

The next course included a bunch of salads. The first being a romaine and mixed herb salad with acorn squash, cucumber and butter pecans in a light creamy dressing. Fresh and delicious. The next one was made with spinach and romaine, house-made ricotta (nice!), beets, smoked almonds, and pickled mushrooms. I made a new discovery with this dish: beets and smoked almonds are a match made in heaven. It was clearly my favorite. The last one was a classic chicken salad with mixed greens, walnuts, green apples, small crumbles of blue cheese, and waldorf dressing. Also just as good as the others. They were all dressed very well, and all the ingredients fit well. Nothing overpowered anything, and it was a nice, light start to the meal.

Next we tried the potted beef. Chef Russo explained to us how this dish came to be from the classic British version and how he tried to put a little bit of Montreal in it. “In the UK, they do it with this thing called salt brisket. We can’t find it here, so I first tried it with smoked meat. The texture wasn’t right, so after a few tries with other meats, we settled on short rib which yields the best result. We keep it in brine for 36 hours, then braise it for 3 hours, then pull it and mix it with dijonaise and horseradish.” Quite the process for one dish. The meat is tender, and bursting with flavor. It also has a subtle heat that gets you in your nose a bit. We also munched on the shrimp cocktail served in a beer mug. The shrimp was a little over-dressed in a mayo-based sauce, but they were perfectly cooked, and the lemon added a cool, fresh taste.

Now on to the serious part of the meal. First came creamed spinach, smoked meat mac & cheese, and a classic very American dish, sweet potato pie with marshmallows (I’ll get to that one  soon). The creamed spinach was not as heavy as it looked. It was actually pretty light, and well flavored. The spinach doesn’t get lost and the crème fraiche dollop was a nice touch. The mac & cheese was super cheesy in a good way. The little pieces of smoked meat scattered throughout the dish gave it a great smokey flavor. I would definitely order this one again. Now, in the states, it’s customary to eat a sweet potato pie with marshmallows for Thanksgiving. I’ve heard of it, and seen pictures of it. Those who’ve tried it, swear it’s good and I believe them. The one we had a Laurier Gordon Ramsay’s Thanksgiving feast was amazing. The sweet potato was puréed, and the toasted marshmallows were very light. Yes it was sweet, and yes it was unusual, but wow it tastes good.

We were then treated to the deliciously spiced fries and the poutine with chicken. The fries are very good, and can rival some of the best in the city. The poutine was also excellent. The classic curds make an appearance, the fries don’t get soggy, and the gravy is great. Finally, the original rotisserie chicken made it’s way to our table. Honestly, it’s bbq chicken. It’s moist, and exactly what you want in Montreal rotisserie chicken. It may not necessarily rival Chalet BBQ or Cote-St.-Luc BBQ, but it’s good. The gravy, however, is definitely better than the others. It has a great subtle thyme and black pepper taste that makes for perfect chicken dipping.

Finally, the desserts were just as good as they used to be. I’m not big on desserts, but my one weakness is carrot cake. Laurier’s is incredible. The cake is as moist as you’re going to get and the icing is crazy good. In fact, it’s so good and they know it’s so good, that they even give you a small cup filled with just icing next to it. The lemon meringue pie is also the best one I’ve ever tasted. The fluffy meringue is light as a cloud and the lemon is fantastically not too sweet, and not too tart. Easily, the best lemon meringue I’ve ever tasted. We also tried a new dish, pumpkin cheesecake and maple cookies. Both amazing, and new items on the menu. They’re just trying to keep it seasonal, which is a welcomed edge this restaurant never experienced.

So that’s my meal at the new and much improved Laurier Gordon Ramsay. The dining room is comfortable, and easy going. One thing I found amazing about the place is that the clientele is filled with people of all ages, from couples in their early twenties, to grandparents enjoying a meal together. Like I said before, the chicken is chicken. The real special part of the menu is all the other new additions. The potted beef, elaborate salads, the improved fries and gravy. I’m eager to try the ribs, the burger, the hot chicken sandwich, and of course, the chicken pot pie.

Laurier Gordon Ramsay: 381, Laurier west, Montreal, QC, H2V 2K3 | 514-273-3671

Welcome to Food Guy Montreal’s 10 Questions with Mayssam Samaha, food blogging queen, and probably the only person I know who will literally travel for food, hence her site Will Travel for Food. I’ve known Mayssam since I started blogging, which is almost a couple years already. She certainly doesn’t hide her passion for desserts, and her long lost love, Anthony Bourdain. I’m a fan as well, but not as big as she is. Here are Mayssam’s answers for this month’s 10 Questions:

1. What are your 3 all time favorite restaurants in the world? (No particular order)
Eleven Madison Park, Eleven Madison Park and Eleven Madison Park ?
Ok seriously now, Eleven Madison Park in NYC, La Pineta, this tiny restaurant on a beach in Tuscany and any of the Momofuku restaurants.

2. What would be your last meal?
It would have to involve a lot of food, desserts of all kinds I would think, but also a good spaghetti pomodoro, and a smörgåsbord of my favourite cuisines: Lebanese, Japanese, Indian, Peruvian and Thai dishes.

3. If you were hosting a dinner party, which one guest would you invite? Dead or alive.
Anthony Bourdain, Julia Child or my grandfather.

4. What is your signature dish?
Dessert. Any dessert. I love baking and I always bring dessert when I’m invited.

5. What is your favorite junk food?
Fries and chocolate cake, although I don’t know if the latter could be considered junk per say. Fries definitely but I don’t waste my time (or calorie intake!) on bad fries, they have to be really good.

6. What single food do you or would you go out of your way to have?
I will go out of my way for any delicious food, it’s no coincidence my blog’s named Will Travel for Food!

7. If you could eliminate one food from the world, what would it be and why?
Chocolate with mint in it, especially anything resembling After Eights. I find the combination just horrendous.

8. Single best childhood food memory.
Eating kebbé with a side of cucumbers in yogurt and garlic at my grandparents, licking the batter whenever my mom was baking, eating tiny fried fish at the beach in Lebanon.

9. Describe the kitchen you grew up in.
I grew up in a house filled with cooking and pastry making. My mom is a great pastry maker and baker and I loved spending time in the kitchen watching her when I was a kid. Our house was always filled with the smell of something baking or cooking.

10. What is your go-to comfort food?
Chocolate cake, hmm I sense a recurring theme here ? but yes, I must say that chocolate is very comforting to me, especially in dessert form.

Bonus: 11. Describe your perfect meal.
I know it’s cliché but my perfect meal is one where I am surrounded by people I love. In the end, as much as it is about the delicious food you’re eating, it wouldn’t mean anything if you didn’t have anyone to share it with, would it?