Questions on Montreal restaurants
 

Any good restaurant reviews? A group of 8 women is going to Montreal for the 6th year--we have been to Queue de Cheval, Gibbys, L'Express, Bonaparte, and Area (last year-great!). I have read about Cube, Chez le Mere Michel, and Verses. Any comments on these? Any other recommendations? We are going in early November. Thanks!

My husband has been travelling to Montreal quite a bit for the past year or so and this is what he tells me...

Cafe Ferreira is great for Portuguese style seafood ( and meats - steak, lamb). (pricey but great)

I have been doing my own research and have heard of a great bistro called Brunoise (prix fix, great food and excellent value).

You should check out the websites: Brunoise is www.brunoise.ca and Cafe Ferreira is www.ferreiracafe.com.

Also, in the higher price range: Toque! www.restaurant-toque.com
La Chronique www.lachronique.qc.ca


Hope this helps.

Oh, also good was Milos (Greek style seafood).

Chez La Mere Michel is a wonderful restaurant, and I've been there with both my wives, 30 years apart.

Last time, we were in jeans, having spent the day moving into a new house, but we were warmly welcomed anyway, and dinner was excellent, and the bill went to my wife's employer.

BUT... it really is a pretty formal, refined, restrained, quiet and elegant restaurant, and I think a group of 8 would have more fun in a place that was livlier and less formal, if not less gourmet-friendly or less expensive.

BAK

You all have great taste in restaurants !!
My new favorite is Cavalli, on Peel street,
between de Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke.
I love the food there, it's pricey though and trendy; great atmosphere.
Another one I like a lot is Savannah, on St. Laurent, almost at the corner of Mt Royal-
decor is great and the food also.

For a large group, I think Cafe Ferreira (on Peel) is perfect. We go there every time we are in Montreal, which is usually once a year. It has never failed us :)
Toque is wonderful, but a bit formal and pricey.
For just a good dinner in a bistro right out of Paris, go to Au Petit Extra on rue Ontario..wonderful! they accomodate large groups very well also.
Have a wonderful time!

Another vote for Brunoise - great food, great service - the owner comes round to each table.

the pannacotta dessert is to die for!!

Thank you for your responses! I am going to look into some of these options. Still didn't get any input on Cube or Verses---has anyone out there been to either of these?

My husband ate at Cube a little while back and he decided that it was just so-so. Nice room, very "nouvel cuisine" he said (to him that means too small, too expensive, fancy-looking portions). My vote is with Ferreira - he raves about it as do all of my Montreal friends.

Another vote for TOQUE...pure BLISS!! (Sorry, don't know about CUBE and VERSES, though I remember someone was complaining about the portion sizes in CUBE.)

Bice (owns Cavalli as well), Moishes & Primo & Secondo

Bonjour Patty!
I agree, Bice is great, especially out on the terrace.

Just back from Montreal and enjoyed dinner at the 2 restaurnats that I mentioned above: Cafe Ferreira on Peel between St. Catherine and Maisonneuve, and Brunoise on St. Ander just north of Roy in the Plateau area.

Both were excellent but I thought the service at Ferreira was full of "attitude". Our waiter, while being capable of pouring the wine and re-filling water glasses etc. was a smarmy guy who really didn't help us with our questions. He had a silly smile on his face every time we asked a question and would just nod "yes". Very irritating actually. But the food was outstanding and the room very nice. One word of caution : prices are very high here.

Brunoise was excellent on all accounts. Nice atmosphere, excellent prix fixe meal which was reasonable and fantastic service. I will defintely return here when I am back in Montreal. I cannot say enough good things about this place. (For those of you who go, order the panna cotta dessert. As the wait staff told me "it looks scary but it is delicious". They were correct!)

Also, great lunch spot in Old Montreal at 315 St. Paul Ouest - Olive and Gourmando. Highly recommend this place.

jamie, I too experienced the attitude at ferreira from our waiter; yes their fish is wonderful, it is overpriced and everyone wants to go there; their almond tart for dessert is sinful ( that dessert is my main motivation for going there).

For overpriced wonderful food, I prefer Cavalli- the wait staff is younger and friendlier....

Oh what a shame that you were unhappy with Cafe Ferreira! We have eaten there for years now, and never had a problem with attitudes.
Perhaps that was just a fluke since you have eaten there before.
mitchdesj, where is Cavalli?

For a group of 8, I would recommend the Globe on St Laurent. That is a great area and the restaurant is a lot of fun and pretty trendy.

Cavalli is on Peel, between de Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke, so just north of Ferreira, steps away; you must try it scarlett, next time you come to mtl. the (sometimes) attitude at Ferreira does not deter us, they are polite at all times and the owner makes sure everything goes smoothly. I personally find the tables at Ferreira so crammed together, it's absurd.
Dh and I often just sit at the bar; eat and run.

If we want a leisurely night out with friends in a warm atmosphere, we'd go to Guy and Dodo, less crammed and hectic; we are going tonight as a matter of fact. Sole de douvres and Iles flottantes, here I come...

For a fun night with a bit more music and activity and superb food, we'd go to Cavalli; although it's become such the hot spot to be seen, I never go unless it's tues or wed; becomes kind of crazy from thursday on....

We recently ate at les Halles, a classic french on Crescent, and I had forgotten how pretty and good it is.

Thank you((F))
We are overdue a Montreal visit, I will definitely add Cavalli and Guy and Dodo to the list.
The crowding of tables is always annoying in Ferreira, as it is elsewhere..we always end up at one of the tables for 2 along the wall by the bar, which at least affords us a good view of all the action.
I miss Montreals excellent restaurants~

Guy & Dodo last night; I had the most divine grilled scampi provençale- unsurpassed in their perfection.

I was feeling fat last night so I did not have the floating islands for dessert; I have to wear an evening gown tonight.

mitchdesj - Hi. Just wondering if you have heard of Bu at all - north on St. Laurent.

Also, Scarlett- add Brunoise to your list. It will not disappoint.

jamierin, I have heard of Bu but not gone; I really should expand my horizons, dh and i seem to always go back to the same places !! I definitely will try la Brunoise, that would be on St. Andre, north of Roy ?

I will check out Bu this week; I am going on St.Laurent for furniture shopping so I should be passing by there.