Chez Gauthier – A gem hidding in plain sight

The 411

Hidden in the McGill ghetto Chez Gauthier has been around since the 70’s yet few people would know that it serves up brunch. In fact, while I was at McGill most people living in the ghetto would go to the same spots and likely walk by this place countless times. Little did I know then that there was brunch to be had here, and not only is it a good deal, it is a very enjoyable experience both for food and dining.

(more…)

Enchanteur – An enchanting brunch in Villeray

The 411

Villeray is a part of town that I have been frequenting for many years. In fact, before it became one of the new hip places to live in Montreal, I remember it as a dingy, grey and run down area with a lack of decent places to eat and go out. I was shocked when I went to L’enchanteur and saw an area that had changed; there were some cafes, restaurants, condos, young families etc. It is definitely not the way it used to be. Now I have the chance to check out a spot that will provide brunch and not just a bacon and egg dish but something with a menu that has more than 3 items.

(more…)

The Sparrow – Back from the grave

The 411

If the Sparrow seems familiar to you, then you must remember our previous posting on the Sparrow back in 2009. A little background is in order here because initially, the Sparrow served brunch and it was an English pub style brunch which kind of shook up the city’s brunch scene. The kitchen staff stopped serving brunch and opened their own spot (you can read the full article with more details here). Now time has passed and just recently, the sparrow brought back brunch and this time, it’s with a twist. What makes this visit extra special is that I got to do it with my favourite French language blogger Laure who runs Une Parisienne à Montreal, a great fashion, food and brunch site. If you haven’t checked out her blog yet you should absolutely do so.

(more…)

Cafe Falco – Bento Brunch Experience

The 411

Bento Brunch: ever heard of it? Well to say that we have would be a little bit of lie. In reality, I have heard about some places that started offering it but, as soon as they would start they would close down or cease offering it. The word Bento has its roots in Japanese slang for “convenient”. Bento is associated with a single packed meal, kind of like brown-bagging for lunch but in Japanese-style. I know what you’re thinking and it’s true, one would not normally associate brunch with Japanese cuisine but that’s the beauty of brunch; it has the possibility to change and be adapted by multiple cultures. Bento brunch has recently made its appearance in town and seems to have finally stuck.

(more…)

Araucaria – Mile end day long brunch

The 411

One day we decided to get creative and try out an ethnic brunch. There were variables we had to keep in mind though: it needed to be a place I had not already been to; it had to have an ethnic influence and, it needed to be in or near the plateau-mile end. After some searching, I found Auracia which is a Chilean restaurant. To my surprise, 2 friends decided to come join us and both are Peruvian which prompted the line of never “bring a Peruvian to a Chilean resto”.

(more…)

Le Pois Penché – 1940′s Paris in Montreal

The 411

Fancy brunch; sometimes those words can scare you or take your breath away. Fortunately, in Montreal we have lots of choice when it comes to brunch and there is almost one kind of brunch for every person whether it’s an ethnic inspired brunch, classic brunch, greasy spoon theme or a fancy brunch. Some people may find it odd to take something as straight forward as eggs and bacon and make it fancy. Don’t get me wrong, some brunch places have tried and there have been some successes and failures. So, when I hear about a fancy brunch spot I get worried because of two things: first being having to pay more for a brunch that may disappoint and the second being that the brunch may get all experimental on me. Le Pois penché has been on my list to check out for some time now. It was suggested by my friend’s brother and he knows about tons of spots so I trusted his opinion. Nevertheless, I am always worried when I eat anywhere too close to Crescent street but I was committed to giving Le Pois Penché a fair try.

(more…)

Oxford Cafe – an NDG institution

The 411

Out in NDG is an institution called the Oxford Café. I say institution because it has been around for ages. Lots of people in the area know it well and it had a reputation for a good breakfast years ago. It’s a no-frills diner style spot that does not look like it’s changed since it opened. You come in to get some classic breakfast dishes, have some drip coffee and kick it old school maybe with a newspaper and let your day sink in. So, with this institution around and almost having done every spot in NDG I felt I needed to check it out.

(more…)

Cafe Eldorado – The return to Mt Royal

The 411

On Mount-Royal, there lies a spot I have been passing by for years but have never eaten brunch there. I’m not really sure why. I don’t go eat on Mount Royal as often as I used to since I now explore new areas; although the street is jammed with some decent spots to feed your morning appetite. Eldorado is a place you notice as you walk down Mount Royal, especially in the summer when the street comes alive with terraces and restaurants open up those large front windows.

(more…)

Vino – Hidden Gem of NDG

The 411

My goal to visit every brunch spot in NDG keeps getting delayed because everytime I think I’ve covered them all another place shows up on my radar. Vino is one of those places. In fact, it was submitted by one of our readers who raved about it and after seeing their menu on their site I could see why. Normally places need to get in line before I review them and I usually go to places I found out existed over a year ago. Since I tend to do brunch both Saturday and Sunday, you can imagine how backed up I get. However, just by seeing Vino’s menu for brunch, I was motivated and decided that this place needed to get reviewed sooner than later.

(more…)

Dame Tartine – Classic breakfast joint with a twist

The 411

Dame Tartine is a name I have heard of for some time now as it tends to be a favourite spot for a couple of people I have met and who have contacted me. It’s not in the area I usually review, in fact, it falls between where most of my reviews tend to be so it gets missed whenever I want to review something. But, finally one day, we felt like being adventurous so Dame Tartine came on the radar and off we went.

(more…)