1226 Van Horne Ave. (near Bloomfield); 514-271-7502 Website: leparisbeurre. com; no wheelchair access; reservations are essential; vegetarian-friendly; Parking: Small lot next to the restaurant or street with meters. Price range: $$-$$$
Four years ago, I had one of those dream bistro dinners at Outremont's Le Paris-Beurre. The dream bistro dinner is all about garlicky terrines, lush salads, melting confit, toothsome bavettes, rich profiteroles and silky custard creams. Add some inky French red wines and a charming waiter to the mix and you have the dream bistro dinner. Le Paris-Beurre also has this great out-of-a-Truffaut-film bistro setting and an attractive service staff and crowd of Outremont regulars straight out of central casting.
Montreal's high-end restaurant scene is changing face
Published on Jun 16, 2010
Photo Fred Morin
Joe Beef's take on the traditional Canadian shore lunch
In terms of restaurant rumblings, 2010 has been quiet thus far. Openings have been few and far between, and a handful of our best restaurants have closed, including La Montée, Brontë, and Laval's Derrière les Fagots. But, looking back, 2010 might go down as the year haute cuisine took a beating. Save for a handful of cooks dedicated to white-tablecloth dining, the majority of Montreal chefs are favouring a more casual approach.
The city of Mougins is about 15 minutes north of Cannes on France's famous Côte d'Azur. Known as one of Picasso's former Riviera residences and for its lush golf courses that rank among the most beautiful in Europe, Mougins pales in comparison to its neighbouring towns, like Grasse, famous for its perfume, and St. Paul de Vence, which is one of the most picturesque villages on the planet.
Mougins' claim to fame has long been its restaurants, which at one time made it one of France's most Michelin-starred cities.
At todays' foodie events, you can rub shoulders with your favourite chefs or wine makers
Salle a Manger chef Samuel Pinard at the Domaine du Gros'Noré dinner
The 1973 NFB documentary La Gastronomie is a 23-minute-long film featuring a Club Prosper Montagné banquet at Hôtel La Sapinière in the Laurentians. The 12-course dinner prepared by chef Marcel Kretz was the epitome of French haute cuisine at the time, with fine wines to match. There's not one woman in the tuxedo-sporting crowd, and the average age of the diners hovers around 60. The meal is surprisingly simple, culminating in a dessert of vanilla ice cream with blueberry sauce. But the film still makes for compelling viewing, because these people were the foodies of the '70s.
1251 Gilford St. (corner Brébeuf), 514-658-1839. Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. No wheelchair access. Reservations are essential. Major cards. Not especially vegetarian friendly. Parking easy on surrounding streets. Price range: $$-$$$.
Published on Apr 09, 2010
A service station at Le Quartier Général
Am I ever excited about this week’s restaurant, and if there’s one thing this column needs lately, it’s something to get excited about. After a barrage of lackluster restaurants to review in 2010, I’m happy – no, make that thrilled – to report on a solid newcomer. And on top of that, it’s a bring-your-own-wine establishment. Take note, restaurant-goers, this column’s worth saving.
New video blog Bu sur le Web gives wine-tasting spunk
Photo photo courtesy bu sur le web
Aurélia Filion and a bottle of Macon-Chaintré
A hefty chunk of my savings has gone into my wine budget since Christmas, and for that I blame Aurélia Filion. Pretty, blonde, funny and sharp, Filion is the face of Bu sur le Web (www.busurleweb.com), a French-language video wine blog produced in Montreal that launched Dec. 1 and is drawing hundreds of hits a day.
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