The holidays are approaching so if you’re scrambling for a gift idea, consider surprising your friends with a gift card or gift certificate to a wonderful restaurant. I'll just let you discover some of my favourites at the moment!
Something for the gourmet person in your entourage! I can hear you saying, "It's way too expensive," what with Europea being a Relais & Château restaurant. Know that for $100, you can give the gift of lunch for two at Europea. Note: this gift will likely inspire tears of joy!
Boss & Fils has been located in Verdun since early 2015 and for me it was love at first sight, a great discovery! The dishes are refined and savoury. To start, I recommend the endive salad - northern shrimp, edamame, salmon eggs, green apples, crab mayonnaise and lemon confit – followed by Korean beef short ribs as the main course. A trip to Verdun is a must!
The very experienced chef Michel Ross now works at Wilfrid sur Laurier, a French brasserie-style restaurant that is a definite go-to for brunch or for dinner. In the evenings, you absolutely must taste the potato and caramelized onion croquettes; I would commercialize them if I could!
Chef Michael Forgione has been my favourite Italian chef since our first meeting. By partnering with Stefano Faïta, he takes us on a trip to Italy all while staying in Montreal! The porchetta Del Nonno is a must-have during your visit.
Is it a bar or restaurant? It's both! At Mimi la nuit, Chef Éloi Dion is at the helm, offering us a simple but very tasty bar menu. You can enjoy toast with black pudding, apple, radishes and mussels, or a lobster roll to share. The wine list developed by Sindie Goineau is simply magnificent. A beautiful evening is in sight!
Come winter, offering someone the gift of sunshine sounds like a good idea. Take someone on a small tour of Spain right here in Quebec thanks to brunch or dinner at Le Tapas 24 “snack bar.” Order up a pitcher of sangria and the best papatas bravas, not to mention the Molletes de la casa Madriles, which is a bread stuffed with squid, sriracha, aioli and lemon. Great scenery and a warm environment are guaranteed!
Have you ever been to Japan? No? Me neither, although I would love to go. In Japanese movies, we often see animated and noisy Isakayas (think “Japanese pub or tavern”) and this is exactly what you'll find here. It is imperative to at least try the Sake Bomb. I also highly recommend the chicken skin and okonomiyaki!