St-Georges: Les Pères Nature

So I'm spending the holidays with my parents at St-Georges in the Beauce region of Quebec. It's a small city near the Maine border, with a modest population of 32 000. I think a greasy meal to start the day at the local brunch place is essential for the Christmas spirit, and Les Pères Nature definitely hit the spot!

Les Pères Nature is actually a local grocery store, with a restaurant section off to the side. In the morning, it's hard to find a spot -- you need to scan the place quickly and grab a table before someone else does. The place looks like a mess of people, but don't worry, a waitress will find you soon enough. 

The breakfast menu is extensive, with both small items and full meals. The waitress rushed us to order, as we came in rather late and it was last call for breakfasts and the start of lunchtime. No problem, just aim for the rightmost third of the menu, where the big plates are.

Dad got the Omelette du Père for 9.95$. It's a large omelet with generous amounts of diced ham, onions, and peppers. Also included are potatoes, the traditional Quebec fèves au lard, melon and orange slices, toast, and orange juice. Yes, all that for under 10 bucks! Cora just can't top a price like that. The omelet was tasty and filling, and the potatoes were delightfully crispy on the bottoms. Nothing like a good homemade brunch. 

Mum had the Menu du Père for 9.75$. Essentially, it's a heap of protein with all the sides I mentioned earlier. Two eggs, ham, bacon, and their homemade sausages. The sausages were well-seasoned and don't taste like your typical breakfast wieners at all. Fun to try!

For 6.95$, I had the Croissant du Père. A wonderfully crispy croissant sandwich with egg, cheese, and your choice of bacon or ham (I had bacon), literally dripping with delicious grease. Oh gosh yes. Instead of melons and orange, this came with a couple of tomato slices and lettuce leaves. 

Did we love it? Absolutely. All our meals came with coffee, but we aren't a family of coffee drinkers so we didn't try that. The pricing is fantastic -- we're practically ripping them off! We came out happily stuffed and full of holiday spirit. Mission accomplished. 

10735, 1re Avenue

St-Georges, G5Y 2B8

(418) 227-4444

Buffet Superstar: Sushi Plus

There is no lack of sushi restaurants in Montreal, be it fast food chains, fancy dining restaurants, or all-you-can-eat buffets. I have visited quite a few of the latter, and I have got to say, Sushi Plus is the cream of the crop. Forget Kanda... This is where it's really at.

Located on Beaumont Avenue, Sushi Plus sits in the middle of a strip mall just a short walk from Acadie station. Lunch will cost you 13.99$ on both weekdays and weekends. The selection is vast, but if you want to go for the red menu items, come for dinner; it's 21.99$ for weekdays, and 23.99$ for weekends. If you are a student, bring your I.D. and get a 10% discount!

We came for lunch to celebrate after finishing all our final exams. The decor is simple and zen, casting a lovely vibe over the murmurs of patrons. You'll see plates of maki left and right as you are led to your table, and the urge to scribble on the order slip will probably nearly overwhelm you.

We started off with some sashimi. The options for lunch are salmon and white tuna, but the nigirizushi section makes up for the lack of variety. Their tamago sushi was lovely, the egg was tender and not starchy, and the rice was firm and well-seasoned. 

The maki are more or less typical. Good rice provides a good base for anything in the roll. One good thing about this restaurant is that they tell you the ingredients for each maki on both the menu and the order slip. Some of the rolls may only contain tempura crumbles and one other ingredient. Unless grease in your sushi is your thing, read the menu! I did find that they cut their rolls thick, and the larger maki may be a challenge to eat. Sometimes, I had to manage with two bites instead of one.

Their tempura is fantastic. Light, fluffy, and cripsy, the batter only accentuates the flavour of the main ingredient. Shrimp and sweet potato are my favourites!

Other than sushi, they also offer donburri (rice bowl with toppings) and udon or soba noodle soups. I tried the seafood udon. It was a cute appetizer-sized bowl of broth with a couple of noodles, a sliced fish ball, a few shreds of imitation crab, sliced green onions, and wakame seaweed.

Sushi Plus also offers teppanyaki and teriyaki. Here is my favorite dish on the entire menu: the eggplant teriyaki. We actually had to ask three times before getting our orders of eggplant, but when it came, hallelujah. The edges were crispy and the inside of the eggplant was deliciously tender and juicy, melting in your mouth with the sweet teriyaki sauce. I strongly recommend this! My friend A also recommends the salmon belly teriyaki. I don't eat salmon, but I trust her word!

Usually, the service here is alright, but on this particular day, it was nothing to write home about. The waitress was curt and intimidating, and we had to hold our hands up for someone to take our order slips. We did receive all our food (with the exception of the eggplant, which we had to ask for multiple times). The food, though, was fantastic for the price, and Sushi Plus remains my favourite sushi buffet.

1248 Beaumont Ave,
Montreal, H3P 3E5
(514) 227-3938
Menu: http://www.sushiplus.ca/Images/1.pdf

Bear's Feeling Under the Weather, and Gets Breakfast in Bed.

Lele's New Ball

Sweet Tooth Indulgence: Crème Fraîche Cupcakes

If there is one taste I can never get enough of, it's sweetness. I have all sorts of excuses for it, the main one being how a love for sugar has roots in evolution and as such, is essential to our very survival. I hunger for all things sweet: candy, chocolate, caramelized fruits, you name it. So imagine my delight when last week, I discovered a little cupcake boutique in my very own town!

Crème Fraîche specializes in cupcakes, having 5-6 flavours per day, with a wide selection rotating throughout the week and one additional flavour of the month on weekends. Their prices are 2.75$ per cupcake and 1.25$ per mini-cupcake, with deals if you buy in half-dozens, dozens, etc.

The Mocha didn't quite live up to my expectations. The base is moist and light, made with espresso with a hint of cocoa. However, the frosting did let me down. It had a grainy texture rather than a smooth buttery one, and its overwhelming sweetness was too much for even me to take. The coffee tones also struck me as generic, and not as strong as I'd hoped. Although cream cheese would have muffled the coffee flavour, I would have preferred a creamier frosting than sugar icing. The coffee bean was a nice touch.

I had the Chai before my exam, to satiate pre-test hungers and for a little caffeine kick. For those who aren't aware, masala chai is a type of Indian black tea made with various spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. This particular cupcake had a denser texture, much like a small muffin, and you could see the little specks of tea. The frosting was simple vanilla dusted with... cinnamon? Although tasty, I found this to be lacking in tea flavour. Perhaps a dash of twice-brewed tea or extra spices would do the trick?

Here's Salted Caramel. From a glance, it is identical to the Chocolate, but notice that little trickle of caramel peeking out? Mm... The frosting has the same grainy texture as the previous ones, but this was rich with the taste of decadent fudge. And the cake, oh my. Two bites in, and it becomes sneakily moist, almost mushy, then you are hit with that salty caramel center of chewy gooey goodness and then it's just impossible not to gulp the entire thing down. And then it's gone. Amazing. I would suggest something to add to the look, perhaps a bit of caramel drizzle on top, or a sprinkle of caramel candy shards.

Key Lime Pie was another delightful surprise. The frosting is toasted, and a curious bite revealed that it is marshmallow fluff frosting! For those who cannot eat regular marshmallows, I believe this does not actually contain marshmallows, though it certainly tastes like one. If you peel away the lining paper, you will discover that the very bottom of the cake is lined with cookie crumb crust, like a real key lime pie! The inside of the cake also contains a deliciously tart key lime filling. I think this one is my favourite yet. 

The shopkeeper was kind enough to give me a sample of Banana Nut, which was an elegant combination of banana cake, chocolate frostng, caramel drizzle, and walnuts on top. I'll definitely be back for that one.

I also got some seasonal treats. The speculoos cookies are crisp and crunchy, warming up your month with rich holiday spices, leaving the aftertaste of Christmas lingering long after the cookie is gone. The shortbread cookies are full of buttery goodness and packed with cranberry, white chocolate, and walnut. They are both 2.75$ per pack, and make for excellent stocking stuffers. I also got a free cake pop, which I've yet to try. Can't wait!

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to go again. It is a short walk from the Valois train station, and is on the edge of the charming little Valois Village. I would really like to try some of their more exotic flavours. However, some of their cupcakes would do better with different kinds of frosting; the ole grainy sugar frosting does get on your nerves after a couple of bites.

60A Donegani,
Pointe-Claire, QC
H9R 2V4
http://www.cremefraichecupcakes.com
Crème Fraîche Facebook Page
(514) 505-3222

Fast Food Fancy: Burger Bar Crescent

Ever feel like the typical burger giants like McDonalds and A&W aren't cutting it for you, and you're in the mood for something different, but the same? In Montreal, there are loads of gourmet burger joints for just this purpose. Burger Bar Crescent, one of my favorites, is on the corner of Crescent/Maisonneuve.

The interior of the restaurant has a real casual feel; people munching happily on burgers or sipping drink after drink. We were greeted by a perky and upbeat waitress who handed us our menus and served us water.

The menu, oh my god. So difficult to choose! The entrées page had the usual greasy fries and cheese sticks, but also included multiple varieties of wings and very interesting meal-sized poutines and mac&cheese. The burger section, in all its glory, displayed 16 solid choices, all with fries, slaw or salad on the side with options to upgrade. For quite a while, we simply peered at the ingredients in every burger, imagining the union of exotic and classic flavours in a juicy burger, and mentally screaming, "Hnnnnggggg what do I get!" At least, I was.

M had the Bison Burger for 16.95$. It looks like a mess -- a beautiful mess of butter-sautéed leeks, wild mushrooms, melted Brie cheese, and truffle mayo, adorning the bison patty centerpiece. The meat was manly and flavourful. Really, what else do you expect from bison? According to M, the burger itself lacked a certain kick; perhaps a different sauce would pair better with the ingredients. The coleslaw certainly looked different from other places, and tasted good too, but it's not easy to manage more than a few bites, although that might be because none of us were in the mood for slaw.

JH had the Classic Poutine for 7.95$. It's made with hand-cut fries with the potato skin still attached, and topped with a generous portion of cheese curds and gravy. Although good, it isn't terribly special, and if you're looking for more exotic tastes, try the more complex poutines on their menu.

S got the Baba Burger for 13.95$, topped with grilled red peppers, onions and zucchini, and roasted portabello mushrooms, with babaganoush, garlic mayo, and balsamic reduction. Dare I say girly? The juicy grilled veggies were fantastic with the AAA beef patty, and the babaganoush was certainly a unique touch. The zucchini was S's favourite part; however, she found the patty itself pretty dry. Nevertheless, it was a filling burger and she'd totally order it again!

I had the Wild Shrooms Burger for 16.95$. The juicy beef patty was topped with a bed of arugula so fresh, I'd suspect it were freshly picked from a secret garden if it wasn't frightfully frosty outside. Other topping were caramelized onions and garlic mayo, and of course, the main event: mushrooms! For those who are interested, their mushroom selection changes seasonally, and currently, they are using  a rich mixture of oyster, chikaki, king eryngii (AKA French Horn), beech, and elephant-ear mushrooms. Every bite was flavourful, and the burger was a delight to eat. 

We finished off with a slice of Fried Jack Daniels Pecan Pie, for the special price of 7$ (as opposed to the menu price of 7.95$). It was a surprisingly small portion for the price it came at. First, I'm not quite sure where the fried part went -- it was a regular pie, with a stale crust, no less. The Jack Daniels part also seemed to have been thrown out the window. Rather than using traditional brown sugar, they opted for chocolate filling and chocolate sauce, and although it was an interesting change, the sugar-pie lover in our group was certainly disappointed. Finally, the little scoop of ice creasm, which S identified as heavenly hash (from Nestle?) was too hard.

We had a fantastic time at Burger Bar! I'm already planning what I'm going to get next time I come by, I've got my eye on a couple more I want to try. The desserts aren't impressive, if you ask me, but I really want to try some of their starters, and MORE BURGERS!

1465, rue Crescent,
Montreal, QC, H3G 2B2
(514) 903-5575
http://www.burgerbarcrescent.com/

My First Winter with Chows Begins

We had our first real snow of the season! Lele and Bear have already had a few winters, but this is the first one we'll spend together. I can't wait!

Downtown for Fish: Tokyo Sushi

I've heard all sorts of bad things about Tokyo Sushi, and the online reviews about their ghastly service and money-leeching ways made me just about terrified to ever visit this restaurant. But when you're at downtown Concordia on a double-date, starving for sushi, this place is soooo close, so accessible. So, I thought, what the hell? Let's give them a try.

It didn't start well. It's a small restaurant, and once you enter, there's not much space to stand around. We were ignored for a minute or two, awkwardly blocking the entrance and waiting to be noticed. Eventually, a waiter saw us and directed us to a very cozy little booth for four. He apologized profusely for giving us such a terrible table, but we actually thought it was a terrific spot.

They have these big plastic menus with more or less a gazillion choices, and little slips of paper you write your orders on. Okay. We made some selections and waited for our food.

The first couple of dishes were okay. Nothing spectacular. I would say that their sushi rice was a tad too mushy, but it's nothing too noticeable. The bento grass garnish was a cute touch, not every all-you-can-eat place does that. The tamago, oh god, just don't order it. I know, sushi places just order tamago wholesale, but theirs is just terrible. It was like eating a slice of dry kitchen sponge.

The tempura is not their strong point. Heavy with oil and lacking that signature crisp, the batter was simply too dense. I usually wolf down at least five or eight shrimp tempura in one sitting, but this time, I was done after two. I would like to note that they do offer good variety for tempura: I distinctly remember taro, pumpkin, and various vegetable options. 

The makis were packed with a bit too much rice, and lacking in vegetables and fish. See how much more they could have rolled into them? Having worked at a sushi restaurant before, I notice these things only too well... I did like their mango salmon roll, though, because the mango was perfectly ripe. The mussels were pretty bad, slathered with mayo, with water under the meat. Not appetizing. 

One thing I did enjoy was their beef maki. I didn't get a picture, but the inside of the maki had a thin slice of cooked beef rolled around vegetable (I think it was cucumber). Very chewy, and quite creative! 

I tried a few more dishes after everyone else was full. Garlic mushrooms were okay, but could have used more garlic. Cold tofu is really just cold tofu, they're not being ambiguous in this restaurant. I really liked the beef tataki, which is "beef sashimi", lightly seared on the edges and served in thin slices in a nice sauce. Would order this again.

Naturally, we had ice cream at the end. I thought it was very weird that they served it to us on a plate, and gave us little bowls and spoons. Whatever works. It's the usual mango, green tea, and red bean. I thought it was too icy, would have been better if it was a bit softer (and hence creamier).

The service was fine. Maybe they have changed their policies after all those negative reviews. We didn't have to wait long between orders, and all our food came. My boyfriend even kept track. We did have to flag down a waiter to ask for the drinks menu; it wasn't on the table and they didn't give us one at the beginning, but it may simply be that they don't expect anyone to order drinks. The price is 23.99$ for dinner on a Monday.

It is a regular restaurant with pretty normal food, some bad, some better. Its accessibility is what really sets it off from other sushi joints; it's practically next to the metro station. We came out stuffed and happy. It's not the best, but certainly not a bad place to catch up with friends.

1805, Rue Sainte-Catherine West
Montreal, QC, H3H 1M2

Date Night: Fonduementale

Fondue is one of the romantic (read: girliest) foods I can think of, and Fonduementale is the perfect place for a date, if you don't mind the price. Surrounded by little boutiques and restaurants at the heart of the Plateau, it is a short and enjoyable stroll from Station Mont-Royal.

They open everyday at 5:00 PM, and we were the first couple inside! The decor was warm and inviting, with a chic touch. The paintings, some large, some small, gave a unique look to the small restaurant. We were greeted with courtesy by a waiter in a cool hat, and lead to a table next to the windows.

The restaurant filled up quickly, and the chatter of the patrons rose to a nice rumble just under the jazzy tones of music. Good vibe. We were all ready for our meal. I had purchased a Tuango coupon, 49$ for 119$ worth of food. The menu was pre-decided, and in this case it was a relief, because I would certainly have had a hard time picking which fondues to taste.

We started with the House Salad, a small mix of greens with a deliciously light sesame dressing. It was the perfect appetizer and a great way to set the tone for the meal to come. 

Next, we were presented with the Traditional Swiss fondue. The cheese was heaven to my mouth, creamy and flavourful, but just a tad too salty. Understandable, it was cheese after all. The crusts of the bread also had a nice crisp. Terrific!

After the cheese fondue, we were each given a Mentale potato while we waited for our main course. The menu says it is a baked potato, but this isn't entirely true. The potato innards were scooped out after baking, pureéd and mixed with cheese, then stuffed back in and rebaked. Tasty stuff, and the shell is fun to eat too.

Here is the main course, a Chinese fondue with beef, filet mignon, salmon, shrimp and calamari. This was supposed to be the highlight of the meal, I suppose, but it's nothing to write home about. The broth was bland and uninspiring. The sauces, two mayo-based and one mustard-based were certainly anything but Chinese, and even the soy-based sauce was a bit weird. Although I applaud the addition of salmon, the chunks were so big that you had to leave it in the pot and eat your potato for a while so the inside cooked through. I know that salmon is fine to eat raw, and I trust this establishment in terms of sanitation and safe seafood, but it's not entirely pleasant to bite into a piece of fish that is still cold on the inside. The calamari was rubbery, as expected. I'm not sure why it's included on the menu. On a lighter note, I did thoroughly enjoy the filet mignon and the shrimp.

For dessert, chocolate fondue! I loved the presentation of the dessert plate; sprinkles and powdered sugar are so fun to eat. The chocolate was nice and smooth, but not especially rich if that's what you're looking for. I loved the strawberry sauce that came with the marshmallows, and I got to eat them all because M can't eat marshmallows. Yummy! One thing I noticed was that the pineapple wasn't very fresh, and its portions were small. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable meal. A great spot for a romantic night - I bet this place is fully booked weeks before Valentine's! Just don't expect to leave with a thick wallet.

6325 Rue St-Denis,
Montreal, H2J 2K8
(514) 449-1446

Pretty Sleepy Bear

You have already met Lele, but there is another chow in the house!

Bear is a pretty girl whose main concerns are sleeping and guarding. She is a cautious, watchful guard dog, and likes to sleep right in front of the door, ready to defend the house against any intruders or newspapers that thump on the porch.

A bit groggy... Crazy lady, taking pictures in the middle of the night!

Although she's reserved and shy of strangers, once you get to know her, she is the sweetest little thing. She likes to sleep under my table when I'm working, right next to my feet.

When she goes out, she must first scout both sides of the house, making sure that nothing got inside the backyard while I was away at school. Her fur shines wonderfully in the sun when she runs, and she looks like a chubby fox protecting her home. 

After checking out the perimeters, she will sit or lie down at her favourite spot at the corner of the house. She will stay there for hours on end, enjoying the cool breeze and the sunshine. 

She looks a bit pissed at her brother in this one...

Once she is back home, fed and watered, she is off to the land of Nod once more...