The 411 – The Old Port has, over the years, brought the city a resurgence in good food. Historically known as a tourist trap, it has shaped its own identity among locals who have moved into the area drawn by new restaurants. When one looks back a couple years ago, one would not see that many fine dining spots but now things have changed for the better. There are finally new, hip and unique spots opening up and they offer food you will enjoy. So, when my friend told me that a new place opened up nearby, I was excited.

(more…)

NO LONGER SERVES BRUNCH

La Bêtise – No lies on a solid meal

The 411

VillerayRosemont/petite Patrie is an area that has been expanding recently. It’s an old neighbourhood, which, only as of recently, has started changing – new bars, restaurants popping up, and a slew of condos. With the Jean Talon market nearby and metro access, I’m sure you can understand why people are making the move here. If you had asked me when I started this site years ago what there is to eat for brunch, I would have said almost nothing. But now, it’s a whole new scene. Betise is one of these recent additions to the brunch scene. Situated on St Hubert it, as well as other spots, breathe new life into a previously dying street.

(more…)

Sain Bol – A new favourite spot

The 411

Healthy, market fresh, vegetarian friendly, gluten free options, constantly changing… These are words you would never associate with brunch. In a world of bacon and eggs, healthy tasty options seem to be foreign. Often times, if you want something healthy and tasty, you will need to look really hard among a sea of options which tend to be one or the other : places that are healthy and good for you often do not come off as tasty, while places that come off as tasty tend to not focus on health. Sain Bol, on the other hand, is a gift; a rare gem where chef Frederic Houtin serves up some amazing dishes inspired by market fresh and in-season ingredients.

(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…)

Voro – Fairmount sprouts a brunch option

The 411

Nestled on Fairmount street, you will find a lovely spot called Voro: a café where locals like to come have a coffee, soak up some sun and grab some brunch. Situated on Fairmount (corner Jeanne Mance), Voro is ideally situated for locals who want to duck in and grab a bite. You will find there is a mix of people; families with small children, older people, and people in the 20’s. In fact, the day we were there, there some strollers parked outside. Why they were outside I don’t know, since people had some inside with them – maybe to save space?

(more…)

A Table – Nuevo Latino success yet again

The 411

Last year I had the pleasure of checking out Madre, which is one of the restaurants of Mario Navarette Jr, a chef who does Nuevo latino style of cooking. Madre was a hit and is one of my favourite brunch experiences so, when I heard that he had another place that did brunch by the name of A table, I needed to check it out. Situated on Fleury, in the Ahuntsic area, A Table is not in it the usual spots you would expect a cutting edge restaurant to be. Often we picture the Plateau, Mile End or Old Port but this location choice is quite interesting.

(more…)

Le Hangar – Wellington discovery

The 411

Just recently I had the good fortune of having a twitter conversation with another blogger regarding brunch and so the natural thing to do when chatting with foodie bloggers is to meet over brunch and share experiences. If you haven’t read the works of Miss Courey, she is what can best be described as a food, relationship, and Montreal blogger. Her site is now moving up on my list of local blog reads and you should check it out. The challenge with doing brunch with a foodie blogger is finding a spot that both parties will like and that no one has been to before. I have found that the more I blog, the harder that becomes and to be honest not every place I go to is amazing. I ended up picking a spot I had heard some buzz about and was a recent addition to my list of places to go see. Normally, I’m backed up with places but Le Hangar got a bump since I needed somewhere new with a good reputation.

(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…)

Lawrence – The wait is over

The 411

Lawrence is a new addition to the plateau/Mile end area with an interesting story to tell. It had its roots as being the kitchen staff from The Sparrow which was one of the hottest brunch spots in the city. They came on the scene and turned a whole lot of heads and changed things up. Recently, in late 2010, the Kitchen staff from the Sparrow moved. It was a mutual arrangement since the Sparrow no longer wanted to do brunch and the kitchen staff had made quite a name for itself pumping out some seriously tasty brunches. So, recently they opened Lawrence and started to serve weekend brunch. For those who loved the Sparrow brunch, it’s still here; it just moved a block over. Now we can see what changed, what stayed the same and if it’s 4.5/5 rating still stands up after the move.

(more…)

Hachoir – Funky Brunch on St Denis

No Longer Serves Brunch

The 411

Within the last couple months, Le Hachoir came to Rachel street and replaced the old Cafeo. Almost immediately, foodies started talking. I have some positive chatter on various forums and people I know have definitely had their curiosity peeked. So what better reason to make a trip over? With enough time to reach their stride in terms of service and operation, enough time had passed so a review would be fair.

(more…)