The 411

I find often that many places flirt with the idea of adding brunch to the menu. As you know, I am a huge fan of this since I like the fact that the more places that are offering brunch the more choice we get. It is better for everyone with a morning hankering. Now, my friend let me know that Wienstein & Gavino’s had begun offering a brunch of sorts - well - it’s actually a Frittata menu. Normally I am not a huge omelette fan but, I did want to check this and see how Wienstein and Gavino’s would pull of brunch.

At 1st glance

When you walk into Wienstein’s you see two levels and a huge bar at the bottom. Once you are seated you notice a wood rich room with lots of character. Most people have been to Wienstein’s at least once in their lives so you are likely familiar with this Crescent street landmark.

Food

Now before I dig into the food I will describe exactly what a Frittata is and although being a traditional Italian dish and myself having grown up eating it, I did a little extra research on this. Frankly, when you think of Italian food, brunch it is not the first thing that comes to mind. A frittata is similar to an omelette in the fact that it is egg based and you can add many ingredients in it: cheese, vegetables, and spices. Frittatas, however, tend to be thicker and heartier and in some instances you can find potatoes in them to make them more filling than an omelette. In fact, a frittata has been compared to a quiche by some people but the main thing is that it is not fried but rather it tends to be oven baked giving it a distinctive taste and size. Usually, it can start on the stove top but by the end it will end up in the oven. The thickness is the frittata’s most visible difference from an omelette and as well as the fact that an omelette can fold over but the frittata cannot as it will break and it’s already thick enough. Now that we have our terms straightened out let’s see what we have.

The Fritatas are made with three eggs and come as five choices:

Today we were three people so we got to try out over half of the offerings. We had the Cheese frittata, the Italian Sausage and the Bocconcini. All frittatas came with a side of potatoes and salad. The cheese dish was tasty and the various cheeses all blended in which is good since I find pecorino can be quite pronounced. The Bocconcini had a definite taste of the cooked prosciutto and it was somewhat salty, but prosciutto is a salty meat so it is expected in this case. There was quite a generous amount of prosciutto and I did not really notice the Bocconcini taste. Lastly, the Italian sausage was good. There were chunks of meat and the vegetables worked as I did not find that any particular flavour overpowered the dish.

Service

Our service was good and my coffee was refilled frequently. Our bill came nice and quick and our waitress also asked us for our feedback since it was a new menu addition so I really enjoyed that.

Vegetarian

Two of the items are pure vegetarian and the smoked salmon fritatta can work for those who eat fish. You can also order a normal salad from the lunch menu so , yes vegans, you have choice; although, I would not consider a lunch salad brunch but the choice is there.

Wrap up

Overall I was a touch disappointed by the limitations in the menu and since they did advertise it as only frittata, it’s not as bad as saying they have a full brunch. Although the frittatas were tasty I had issue with the fact that the sides were uninspiring and the frittatas were more like an omelette than a frittata; simply put, the thickness was not present. I really hope they redo their menu and offer some real brunch options at which point I would go back and re-review it.

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Price	$$	$10
Overall		3/5
Wheelchair Access		1/3
Parking	Parking Meter	Medium
BUS	24, 15, 258, 1, 28	Get Directions
Metro	Atwater	7 minute

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The 411

Up on Laurier, Lemeac is a place that has had some solid chatter among foodies for some time. It’s a French bistro on a part of Montreal that I am in love with; the street and restaurants have an air of refinement and reputation for good food. I have seen Lemeac’s reputation for brunch on various foodie sites and have always been curious about it. How would it be, is it all hype, what will the prices be, will it be worth it? All these questions have been swimming in my head for over a year and this time I decided to take the plunge and explore it. Lemeac had something in store for me.

At 1st glance

When you walk up to Lemeac you can tell it’s a nice place: clean with dark wood, courteous staff who greet you right away and frankly the first thing that came to mind was: “oooh lala fancy.” Actually, to be honest it’s not “giant chandelier and over-sized magnums of champagne” fancy but you can tell that this is the kind of place that is not going to serve you the early bird bacon, eggs and beans dish for under $5. I was impressed that they have ramps for wheelchairs and no stairs so, this was a good start for me. I also noticed a section to hang your coats, a large bar, a closed off terrace which can open up in the summer and even a separate dedicated wheelchair accessible washroom. The inside is well lit and quite spacious. The crowd is primarily middle aged and older, but there were some younger people in their 20’s and 30’s.

Food

The menu is somewhat limited with less than ten full items. Although, you do have a couple more options with adding some sides. The prices are quite elevated with the cheapest plate (half plate of fruit and cheese) stating at $8.50 and the most expensive one (poached egg and caviar) at $15.75. Now, don’t let this deter you, since you should know that this is not your little neighborhood greasy spoon; this is fancy brunch and with that comes with a price tag.

We started our meal with baguette bread and an orange avocado jam which had other fruits in it but sadly I do not remember them. What I do remember is that the taste of that jam was out of this world.

As the main course, we chose an omelette ($13.75) which was full of cheese and herbs and came with a side of salad. The omelette was very thick and the taste was delectable. I was very impressed by how good an omelette could be and I would easily say that it was one of the best omelettes I have ever tried. The one negative would be the fact that it had a salad, albeit an ample amount of salad it was still just salad and I would have preferred a side of potatoes or fruit salad. It’s just that I find salad non-brunchy and you may notice that I often complain about salad sides in my reviews.

Next came an egg tartelette dish ($14.75) whic his comprised of an egg on top of a bed of potatoes, strips of pork (lardon) and a choice of either goat cheese or emmenthal cheese. This was quite an impressive dish with taste and presentation being its strongest components. The cheese, lardon and eggs all work together to perform a ballet in your mouth and show your taste buds something truly amazing. The portion size is limited and the price is rather high but wow, does the taste make every bite taste like a million bucks.

I ordered the poached eggs caviar and smoked salmon dish ($15.75) . At first, when I saw there was caviar, I knew this would not be cheap and it would likely be very fancy and I was right about both. The presentation was spectacular with a nice thick smoked salmon slice wrapping the item and the caviar was generously put all over the dish in the sauce. It was served on two blintz’s (small crepes). This dish was exquisite and you should not pass up the chance to try it. With it’s rich and rather filling portion, I made sure to leave a clean plate at the end.

Lastly, we shared the full fresh fruit plate with soft white cheese $14.50. This plate had an excellent choice of fruit with passion fruit as well, which is something you do not find often for brunch. The dish also came with two donuts and a couple of little donut holes that were lightly topped with sugar. The soft cheese is hard to describe since it had a consistency similar to a whipped cream except with a little more resistance. This dish or even the half dish is an excellent accompaniment to some of the other smaller dishes for those who have a large appetite.

Service

Although our waitress was polite, she did take an eternity to get my coffee. In fact, I gave up counting after 15 minutes. Only when the rest of my party showed up and she got them water did my coffee arrive. She redeemed herself by doing an excellent job explaining the dishes especially since the menu is a French bistro menu and has items that even my francophone friends didn’t have a clue as to what they were.

Vegetarian

Almost half of the menu is vegetarian, although the menu is somewhat limited so you get a handful of choices and two of which are fruit plates of different sizes. The fruit plate itself was quite good and you can order some sides to add onto it if you are hungry. As for vegans, even the fruit plates come with dairy as it is almost impossible to go to a bistro and find a vegan option.

Wrap up

Overall, the food here is amazing, fresh, tasty, well presented and it takes brunch to a whole new level. Although all this amazing food comes with a higher than normal price tag for brunch, if you are in the mood for this kind of experience and you don’t mind paying a few dollars more and getting a slightly smaller portion size than you would at normal eggs and bacon spot, then it well worth it. This place is great for a nice gathering of a small group or even for an intimate 2-person rendezvous.

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Price	$$$	$15
Overall		4.5/5
Wheelchair Access		3/3
Parking	Street & Parking Meter	Medium
BUS	51,80,365, 368, 535	Get Directions
Metro	Laurier	11 minutes

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The 411

Few places in the city have a history to go along with their food but having been around since 1920, Chez Nick has both. This 90 year old institution is the child of a Greek immigrant, Nick Alevisatos, who founded Chez Nicks and over the many years his family has run this institution. Chez Nick is in a spot you would not normally associate with brunch. It is located in Westmount, a mainly residential part of Montreal. I have heard of Chez Nick from various friends and decided that one day after my morning run myself and two friends would check it out and see what this place is all about.

At 1st glance

Old school is the best way to describe Chez Nick when you walk in. You can tell that you are walking into a part of history. The place looks like a touch of and old diner while still kept neat, tidy and not dated. There are certain interesting things to see at the short order desk that remind you of a time long ago but it’s not a museum.

Food

The menu is a basic one pages that covers most classic items. There are also some off menu items and a regular lunch menu you can order from that might help you out if you are vegan. The menu is broken down into a couple sections such as: omelets with 9 choices ($8.25-$11.75): one choice of either French toast or pancakes ($7.50) with options on what meat you can add to the side for a little over a dollar extra and a coulis option for $2 extra. There is a classic eggs section with one egg ($4.75) or two ($7.25) and for an extra $2-$3 you can add sausage, bacon, salami or smoked meat. There is also a feature section with 5 options ranging from $9.50 to $10.50, some of these items are healthy choices such as granola fruit and yogourt ($10.25) as well as more classic egg and pancake combos ($11.50); and lastly breakfast sandwiches ($9.95-$10.50). There are also eggs Benedicts which are off the menu and made if the chef has a fresh hollandaise sauce ready that day with choices and prices ranging around $10.95.

We began by having some pancakes which came with 3 sausages all for $8.75 (without the meat it is $8.50) which is an ok price but borders on a little more than what you would pay elsewhere. The taste of the pancakes though made the price seem relevant. They were fluffy yet filling with a golden glow to them and when I say filling I mean really filling; it took me a while to finish them and I was stuffed at the end of it. The plate came only with pancakes and sausage and I would have liked to have some fruit or potatoes included in it even as window dressing, but don’t let this criticism diminish the fact that the pancakes were a hit.

My friend had the Portebello eggs Benedict with a custom addition of ham (10.95). The dish does not usually come with ham but they included it at no extra cost which is quite nice. The eggs came served on nicely toasted English muffins topped with a delectable hollandaise sauce which was made fresh that morning and it was out of this world. Arguably one of the better hollandaise sauces I have had in a while. The ham was also nice and slightly crispened and not like those other rubbery hams that are hard to chew. The dish came with a tomato and lettuce and this is really unnecessary since potatoes or fruit would have been a better option.

Potatoes

Service

Our waitress was really great as she was friendly and helped explain the menu and explained that the eggs Benedict were not on the menu and we had to ask for them separately. This was a big bonus to us since we were craving some. Our coffee refills were also very frequent and our bill arrived just at the right time.

Vegetarian

The menu is very vegetarian friendly and the meat is actually an option on some dishes which allows you the choice as opposed to other places where you are locked into an item and have to hope that they can hold the meat. There is also a lunch menu you can order from that has salads and other vegetarian options which is a nice option; although, those items aren’t really what you would call brunch but if you are vegan then their salad is a legitimate option.

Wrap up

The menu is not huge but covers all the bases and definitely delivers in the taste department. I feel the prices are just a little more than they should be but at the end of the day it is worth it considering each dish did not disappoint. One thing I would suggest is maybe including some fruit and potatoes with the dishes as opposed to lettuce and tomato, as well as offering a larger quantity of potatoes on the side. I was quite satisfied by Chez Nick and could see myself coming back again soon.

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Price	$$	$10
Overall		4/5
Wheelchair Access	NO	0/3
Parking	Street & Parking Meter	Easy
BUS	24,34,138, 356	Get Directions
Metro	Atwater	7 minute

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Hello all you hungry lovebirds. So it’s that time of year again, Valentines day and this year it falls on a Sunday as an added bonus, so now I feel more pressure to find some suggestions for some romantic and unique places to have brunch. Last year I did a review that covered quiet, cozy, hidden and impressive places but this year I feel like going freestyle and seeing what comes to mind. Basically, I don’t feel like being constrained (kind of like a relationship) - ok, ok my one cheap on Valentines day this year, I promise. Now, the hard thing with this review is that people’s tastes are so different and it’s hard to find the perfect fit for each couple and occasion. So, I will throw out some suggestions that I find kind of romantic based on all the different brunch spots I have been to (kind of comparing them to relationships but only the good ones).

Ahh, Café Entretiens, what can I say? You remind me of wonderful mornings spent listening to music with sunlight pouring in and a nice wooden décor. This place sets a great mood thanks to its live jazz and it really starts off your day in the right mood. I have been there since my initial review and the food was not the same but it’s the experience that is worth it.

Yin and Yang is the best way to describe Cantine with its two sides each rather different that the other; the main dining area is dark and makes you feel like you found a nice dark corner to be with that special someone and the café side is so bright and airy you feel like you can fly away and relax for hours as you have a really tasty brunch that has some unique aspects to it.

Crescendo reminds me of an ex with great eyes that was her best feature: not as much the colour, but the warmth. There is something special in Crescendo but its hard to describe - you just feel it, especially on a sunny day. It’s so bright and it’s in an area you would not associate with a good brunch. Their prices are fair and if they still have their $3 Mimosas so order two and get the day started early.

Figaro is like a classy Parisian, in that it doesn’t try to be too fancy, it just is. The décor is straight out of a Paris café but the menu is limited kind of like breakfast in Europe which is very different from North American breakfast. It will likely be full but just go there grab a nice coffee croissant, or even one of their two breakfast specials.

One of my favourite hidden gems is Le Coin G. All the way in the east end, you likely have never heard of it. The menu has a build your own omelette with lots of different choices. The place is rarely full and you can stay there for hours and just talk and enjoy your day. If you want someplace that is really out of the way and personal, consider Le Coin G.

Byblos is for the dark haired ethnic loves in my life. With it’s honest, unique Persian food, well lit interior and overall breathtaking experience, this place will change your view on brunch if you thought ethnic brunch could never exist. This place gets full fast and people stay for a while but if you get in you will love it, especially the tea with brunch.

Le Petit Italien is for my people. Actually, it isn’t, I just felt like saying that. I just think that if you need to pick a place on Bernard you should consider le Petit Italien. It will likely have space and the sweet menu is great. Try the panetone French toast and you will know what I mean. As well, the inside is nice with brick interior and tomato sauce jars along the walls.

Bagels Etc reminds me of some of the funky, off-the-wall people who have come into my life. The décor is great with little details and almost burlesque-like and the food is A-one. I mean, this place has some of the best brunch in the city and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. You can also find some nice dark cozy corners to get close to that special someone. Put bluntly, this place has got brunch soul.

Now comes the “oh wow your so pretty” section. This is a tough one since so many places have done a great job on décor. In fact, I would say most places in the old port offer a great interior and solid food to along with it. It’s tough to pick a best one since many of these spots are all somewhat different in their menu and décor is all nice. I mean you could go to Cartet, Vallier or Holder and be satisfied. You will likely pay a little more than you would elsewhere, and don’t expect to get beans and bacon with two sunny side up eggs but if this is what you want take a look at any of those three.

There are tons of other places you can go to and see what you are in the mood for. You can use my search bar on the top right as well as look at some of the key words in the two columns to the right to see if there is that special place to make day that much more special.

So with that in mind this Montreal Breakfast Review, aka Lone wolf, signing off.

The 411

On the outskirts of NDG bordering Westmount, you will find Mesquite which it can be best described as Southern BBQ with a jazz motif. I am sure you are asking yourself how does one combine down south BBQ and brunch? While both seem to have quite different flavours yet quite tasty in their own way, the idea of them sharing a plate is quite odd. As a result, with this culinary question in my mind, it felt like a good idea to check it out.

At 1st glance

When you walk in you notice a nice wheelchair access ramp on the side, which is much appreciated, although a wheelchair accessible washroom would have been perfect - at least there is the ramp. Once you walk in you notice a nice bar on your right and lots of music paraphernalia: pictures and newspaper clippings with lots of focus on jazz. The inside has a very warm feel to it with dark red earthy colours. There is a main dining room on the side with seating for more than 35 people. The dining area is quite well lit with some large windows overlooking a terrace.

Food

My initial worry was the the southern BBQ cuisine would make for a meat fest which normally is not an issue with me and my stomach but since we went with my vegetarian friend this could have caused an issue. To my surprise there were many vegetarian options. We got started with complimentary cups of coffee, which was quite decent, then we plunged into the menu which offered a variety of classic breakfast options with a twist.

The menu had an eggs section with a choice of one or two eggs ($4.95 and $5.95) in which the dish comes with meat but if you don’t want any you can subtract a dollar from the price. The omelette section has a “make your own” option with choice of ham, spinach, sweet peppers, onion, mushroom, cheddar, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos with prices range from $7.95 for one filling, $8.95 for two, $9.95 for three and $10.95 for four fillings. If you don’t feel the need to build your own you can chose from one of the 7 choices starting at $6.95 and going up to $11.95. My personal favourite, the eggs Benedict section, had ten options ranging from $7.95 and going up to $13.95. They also have a breakfast sandwich section with four options ($8.95 - $11.95). There is a house special section with various options such as BBQ brisket hash ($9.95), BBQ omelette ($9.95), breakfast tacos ($10.95), steak and eggs ($15.95), as well as captain crunch French toast ($9.95). Rounding out the menu were some old classics such as a combined pancake, French toast, crepe and waffle section. Each had the same 4 options ranging form $6.95 and up to $9.95 with an option to flambée them for $3 extra. All the way at the end there is even a yogourt and fresh fruit section for those healthy peoples with 6 options ($5.95-$10.95).

We were a big group so we had the chance to order a couple dishes to get a decent sampling of the menu. My friend started with the vegetarian eggs Benedict ($9.95) which had sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach and tomatoes. It was really tasty and jammed with vegetables and it also came with a side of potatoes and a canetloupe. The hollandaise sauce was quite good and it was just the right amount without being either too skimpy or too much.

My other friend had the Stuffed Peanut Banana Raisin French Toast ($9.95) which is a marriage of peanut butter and bananas. It is quite interesting to look at as you wonder who would order this but when you bite into it, it’s quite good and definitely quite “peanutbuttery”. Normally I am not a peanut butter fan but I did like this dish and I felt that the peanut butter was even a little crunchy but it worked. My friend loved it even more and was stuffed by the end (and she only ate half because she shared the other half with her friend).

Next came the strawberry French toast ($9.95) which was three slices of French toast topped with strawberries. The dish was decent although I felt that the bread could have been soaked a little longer and would have benefited by some more eggy-ness. Maybe by using a different bread than normal white bread they could have made it more fun. For example, a challah bread would have been a nice improvement.

Lastly came my dish which was the Mesquite BBQ Benedict ($12.95) comprised of two eggs with either pork or brisket with BBQ sauce topped with shredded cheddar. This was a very unique dish and was very filling. I have never had that kind of meat on an eggs Benedict and I loved the fact that they got creative and made it work with their southern cuisine style. Often I find many places will keep breakfast generic but this dish proved otherwise.

Potatoes

Now comes a special segment from a fellow reviewer based purely on potatoes, his love for potatoes knows no ends and he has made it a point to try any kind of fries, house fries, poutines or potato like dish in this city so without further ado I present the potato review from Batàta. They offered a nice array of spices but these diced fries were slightly over-fried and seemed to be frozen before being dropped into the oil which made them a little dry at the centre. The side dish portions were good and filling. The fries had an overall good taste. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Service

The service was decent. Our waitress seemed rushed at some points and at other points I could not find her for coffee refills which did not come very frequently. We also had a friend who waited a small eternity for her side of toast.

Vegetarian

For a southern BBQ place there are vegetarian options available in almost every section which is quite welcoming and unique. There are some vegetarian dishes like the vegetarian eggs Benedict which are actually a real attempt to make a dish and not some lazy try to make something vegetarian to fill the menu. They kept the culinary theme and great taste in all the dishes, not to mention a healthier menu option at the end.

Wrap up

I thoroughly enjoyed Mesquite. I felt the menu was very creative and brought a welcomed change to the brunch scene. The prices are very fair considering you are getting a lot of ingredients in your plate and some of them are BBQ dishes. Given a choice between normal eggs Benedict in the $12 zone and BBQ ribs eggs Benedict at the same price, I will go for the creative option. If you are a BBQ lover I strongly suggest you try it out, and even if you are not a BBQ fan I still suggest you check it out just to try something unique in the city.

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Price	$$-$$$	$12
Overall		4/5
Wheelchair Access		1/3
Parking	Street & Parking Meter	Easy
BUS	24,102,138	Get Directions
Metro	Villa Maria	1 minute

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The 411

A recent addition to the West Island, Ben and Florentine is a restaurant with three locations and a half dozen on the way. The West Island is an interesting spot for Brunch because you have a large population and a relatively small amount of breakfast places in relation to that population. So, when Ben and Florentine opened up it added some variety and choice for lots of hungry West Islanders.

At 1st glance

When you walk into Ben and Florentines you notice a nice wide-open concept with ample seating as well as and wheelchair access. There is an abundance of staff and you can kind of see into the cooking area with a somewhat open concept. There are pictures of various dishes lining the walls. You can see that the various plates coming out of the kitchen are done to focus on aesthetics and this helps to make for really nice looking dishes with attention to detail with small additions like topping them with flowers.

Food

The menu is fairly large and offers lots of options to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. You can chose from;

. There are also some early bird specials (before 8:30 Am) from $4.25- $6.25. I did have an issue with some of the dishes being a touch pricey; I mean there were some well priced options but some of the more expensive stuff doesn’t merit the price applied. For example, $13.95 for eggs Benedict is on the high end of downtown prices and you would not expect it from something in the outer areas of town. Although you can find some deals with plates being in the $5-$7 range which is pretty decent. So, I guess it requires you chose your option carefully if you are price conscious.

My friend ordered the cheesecake crepe ($11.95), which is a crepe stuffed with sweet cream cheese, field berries and coulis. The crepe was jammed packed with the cream cheese and was incredibly filling and quite tasty. In fact my friend was unable to finish the whole thing because the dish was so filling. As a bonus they topped the dish with a nice flower, it added some nice window dressing to the dish and yes it was edible

My other friend ordered the butchers choice omelette ($11.95), which is jammed with bacon, ham, sausage and cheddar. The dish came with a side of potatoes and complimentary coffee. The potatoes were quite tasty and nicely spiced. This has to be one of the meatiest omelettes I have ever tried because when I bit into, I could taste the meat whereas most other omelettes have the egg overpower the taste. If you are a meat eater and have always been curious as to what an omelette tastes like (because most big meat eater will not eat omelettes) then you should try this one out.

I ended up ordering the sweet tooth French toast ($10.95). I received a really nice looking French toast topped with strawberries and drizzled with chocolate on three slices of French toast. The dish was topped with a flower and the presentation was very impressive not to mention the taste was quite good as well. It was rather filling and in fact, it was one of the few times I could not finish my plate because I was so full by the end of it (keep in mind that this almost never happens).

Service

Service was mediocre as it took some time for refills and my friend waited a while for her water she asked for and had to ask again since it seemed like our waiter forgot. The dishes did come quickly when ordered but there weren’t too many people at that time so my wait for coffee was extra annoying since I could see tons of staff and lots of empty tables (and me without my coffee).

Vegetarian

Vegetarian options are actually quite plentiful as there are some options for health menu items. However, there is a lack of vegan options but no surprise since few places ever have any.

Wrap up

Overall the main highlights are good size portions, filling food, and tasty and well presented dishes. The negative would be that some items are unnecessarily pricey. It’s nice to see some new choice in the West Island and I hope that it shakes things up and makes other places look at their brunch options to get some tasty competition going on. I think it’s a great place to go with a group, and family the menu options are quite varied meaning there is something for everyone.

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Price	$$	$10-$12
Overall		3.5/5
Wheelchair Access		1/3
Parking	Parking Lot	Easy
BUS	217	Get Directions
Metro	N/A	N/A

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The 411

B&M is well known in NDG as a good place to get some morning food. It has a reputation of having good price and taste, and to be honest NDG does have some decent breakfast/brunch places but it could always use a few more. In my mission to check out all brunch places in each part of the city, B&M seemed like a logical choice. Take caution because there are two B&M locations: one at 5800 Sherbrooke original one at take out/delivery (with seating) and the restaurant 6200 Somerled. We initially went to the Sherbrooke location then 2 weeks later went to the Somerled location. Interestingly, the experience at both places was night and day so this will be an odd review for me. With that said, bear with me as I go over the good and not so good. Needless to say one location is better than the other but which one is it? Only one way to find out: keep reading.

At 1st glance

Both locations look very different; the Sherbrooke location looks more run down and is kind of like a quick order spot with around 20 spots to eat with simple tables and chairs. The Somerled location is much nicer with banquettes and tables and an outside enclosure in the winter. I should note that even though the Somerled location has that nice winter shelter, the cold gets in so try to avoid the tables to the front right when you walk in as they tend to get a nasty breeze. The clientele is pretty much a mixture of locals: lots of families of all ages as well as mix of students and whomever is in the area. Seats tend to fill up quickly at both locations, although the Somerled location has much more capacity and if you see a line then expect 10 minutes until you get seated since turnover at Somerled is decent (it’s not as quick at Shrebrooke but that’s because its so tiny).

Food

Although the menu is pretty much the same, the Somerled location seems to have some items not on the Sherbrooke menu, but more importantly the reality is that the selection is not the same at all. In fact, when we ordered some items (¾ of what we ordered) was not available. It was so frustrating that I wanted to take a marker and start making corrections on the menu (that and a pretty funny typo). For the purpose of selection of what’s on the menu I will use the Somerled menu since the Sherbrooke one gets food stuff from Somerled and is at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to availability. So don’t hate them when your first, second and third choice are not available.

For the menu overview, you can expect a generous egg section with 14 egg dishes ranging from $4.25 to $9.95. Omelette options are plentiful choice of 17 priced between $7.50 to $11.95 with many of them being vegetarian. The eggs Benedict section is respectable with 7 options $11.95-$16.95 and it has A Benedict Steak, which is a sirloin steak with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce on a bagel. It seems quite odd and maybe someone has tried it but I was not in a steak mood nor did I want to drop almost $17 on a morning steak. There are 5 crepe options almost all priced at $10.95 except for the Grand Marnier one which is one dollar more. Pancakes are straightforward with 6 choices ranging from chocolate chip to blueberries, bananas, and mixed fruits ranging from $5.95 for plain pancake to $9.95 for mixed fruit. French toast has 8 options from $5.95-$9.95 and waffles (6 choices) are $5.95-$10.95. They have mix plates with some French toast, waffles and pancakes for a good deal at $7.95-$9.25 and although we did not order any I saw some being served and the size was decent. There is also a healthier option with bagels $1.45-$3.75, 9 types of yogourt $4.25-$7.95 and 2 fruit options with a cup at 4.25 and platter ranging from $6.95 for small and $10.50 for large

Now as you read earlier on in my review, both places gave me quite different experiences, so I will break this down by location

Sherbrooke

The menu is a double-sided laminated sheet that although is broken down in many interesting sections with pancakes, combo dishes and yogourt, the sad reality is that they hardly have any of those options. I asked for yogourt at which point they said they had none of the multiple option. I then asked for a peach pancake and was told they were out of that. My friend asked for a combo plate with a danish and guess what? Yup! they were out of danishes as well. Our waitress’ response was that the other location gets most of the food and their selection is limited. Now, a common sense approach would be to change what you show on the menu if you know you cannot reliably provide it or maybe use a chalkboard or try one of those updateable digital menu boards indicating what is exactly available for that day.

After a couple of disappointments we settled on something to eat. My friend had the deluxe omelette,($11.95) which had smoked salmon, onions and capers. The taste was interesting in that the smoked salmon was present although it was somewhat overpowered by the capers. While I do believe that capers go hand in hand with smoked salmon, I feel they should never overpower it. My other friend had the ham, apple and onion omelette ($8.95). The taste was OK but it really did not do anything out of this world. It came with a side of potatoes that were tasty and there was some fruit that came along with it. Overall, the plate was full which is always nice since omelettes tend to get shafted when it comes to accompaniment. I had the blueberry pancake ($6.75) which came served as 3 giant pancakes of considerable thickness but the sides were crispened which did not really rock my boat. In fact, the taste of the pancake was lacking so much that I needed to use excessive amounts of syrup. To add, the middle of the pancake was actually liquidy, which is odd considering the outside was burnt.

Somerled

The menu is a nice book with a couple of pages and the big plus is that what it lists on the menu is actually available unlike Sherbrooke. My friend had the crepe B&M ($10.95) comprised of two crepes filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, a side of potatoes and some fruit. The fruit was your average selection of orange and watermelon, the potatoes were very tasty and seemed to please all who tried them. The crepe itself was quite tasty and actually filling which is something you don’t actually experience with crepes most of the time. I had a starter of yogourt with Blueberries ($5.95). The size is quite large and there was a generous amount of blueberries that came with it. The only downside was that it was topped with sugar which I felt was not necessary and to be honest when you order something healthy like a yogurt you would expect them to keep it healthy and avoid putting sugar on it. My main course was the Californian eggs Benedict ($13.95) which was an eggs Benedict dish with Asparagus on it. I felt this was a nice touch and was amazed by how perfect the asparagus was done since often it can be tough and a touch bitter, but this dish was not. Overall, it was fresh, tasty and filling and in my books, a real standout. The only downside was that at almost $14 it’s a little pricey for an eggs Benedict dish, and it didn’t even have any smoked salmon which by nature is more expensive.

Service at both places was not amazing. The Sherbrooke waitress was less than amazing and she forgot to refill our coffee for the first half of our meal and to be honest when most of her answers were “we don’t have that on the menu” you can imagine how frustrated we got. The service at the Somerled location was OK and the waiter made a joke about one of us that did not go over too well (nor was it overly funny).

Vegetarian

Vegetarians will find selection here with lots of omelettes and main dishes without meat as well as a nice yogourt section. The fact that the menu has lots of options really helps open selection and ensure you can actually choose stuff (just not at the Sherbrooke location). As for vegans, unfortunately there is very little you can have unless you get the fruit cup/plates but at least they have three different sizes.

Wrap up

Basically avoid the Shrebrooke location at all costs. In fact, if for some reason you are in the area and are too lazy to go to the Somerled one remind yourself its only 1.7km and it is worth the trip. I do strongly suggest to try the Somerled location. The menu is broad without making you feel lost, the vegetarian options are good, and the yogourt options a nice touch. I was also very impressed by the Eggs Benedict. I did feel the eggs Benedict section a little pricey on some dishes but you can get some good deals on pancakes, waffles and French toast.

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Price	$$	$10
Overall		2.5/5
Wheelchair Access	NO	0/3
Parking	Street & Meter	Easy
BUS	103, 102	Get Directions
Metro	Vendome	11 minutes

View Restaurant B & M Somerled in a larger map

Price	$$-$$$	$10-$15
Overall		3.5/5
Wheelchair Access	NO	0/3
Parking	Street & Meter	Easy
BUS	103, 102, 51	Get Directions
Metro	Villa Maria	10 minutes

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Well, Ladies and Gents, it has been a busy and tasty year with many new places that have been reviewed. In fact, we almost did 50 reviews: some were great and some were awful (which I consider those to be my public service announcements/paying for transgressions in a past life). So, in keeping with last years “Best Of 2008″ posting, I feel it is fair to see what 2009 brought us. I kept most of the same categories from last year but felt that adding some new ones would be interesting. As always, if you feel that I have missed a place that you really like feel free to contact me by clicking on the contact tab up top.

Last year when I did best new place I put both a place I went to and a place that had just opened. This year I looked at my list and saw some places that were new to me but had already been in existence, as well as places that had just come on the block. So to be fair and not pull my hair out I decided to break it down into two sections: Best New Place that had opened in 2009 and Best New Place that was already existance but was new to me.

Best New place

Having just opened recently and almost accidentally since the owners intended on making it a bar first, The Sparrow has quickly made a name for itself in the Montreal Brunch community and it already commands a loyal following in such a short time. Everything about this place is refreshing; the food is great; the décor is welcoming and chalked full of detail. The service is friendly and there’s even added cool little nuggets of foodie gossip like the head chef Marc Cohen having worked under Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey. But all gossiping and interior design watching aside, the Sparrow puts out an amazing brunch and if you have not tried it yet, make sure you do so already.

Best New place (already existing)

Now, this is a hard section. I mean I reviewed some great places this year, if I were to make a short list I would say: Le Cartet, Bagels Etc, The Sparrow, Madre, M sur Mason are all tops. Each of these spots is amazing and if you have not checked them out I would suggest that you make some time in 2010 to do so. Some of them have a different culinary style that you may or may not like so read the review beforehand (I loved them all). Now that I’ve stalled and tried to delay my decision, I will have to give the honour to Le Cartet because the food is amazing. It’s a mix of classic breakfast meets refined dinning. The taste is delicious and fresh and the location is refreshing and it constantly delivers a home run every time I go back. I should note that Madre was nipping at its heels but after I tabulated all the pros and cons, Le Cartet squeaked ahead.

Top 4 Best Dishes

Best French Toast

Since last year, I have made it a point to try out more French Toast dishes and have found some great options. When I first started reviewing all it would take was Challah bread french toast to impress me, then I discovered more and more places that did it with Challah bread and later on I discovered places that innovated with corn breads and then Panetone French toast. It is places like these that help improve a dish in which many places just lazily take white bread dipped in eggs batter. It is these innovative places that bring french toast and ultimately brunch to an entire other level. So it is with great satisfaction that I present the top 3 Places for french toast.

1. The Sparrow
2. Madre
3. Petit Italien

Best Pancakes/Crepes

Yes I know pancakes and crepes are different but to be honest I don’t feel like creating 12 food categories and sub sections so I lumped them in one. The goal is to recognize excellence in these somewhat related dishes and to be honest most places offer the same topping for pancakes and crepes.

1. L’avenue
2. McKiernan
3. Cartet

Best Eggs Benedict

This section is hard since I love eggs Benedict so much, but I can safely say that any of these 3 places will guarantee an amazing eggs Benedict.

1. Bagels Etc
2. L’avenue
3. The Sparrow

Best Waffles

Waffles are something I don’t order often, but the times I have I feel there is only one place that stand head and shoulders above all in regards to waffles and that place is Mckiernan.

1. Mckiernan

Top 3 unique places

This year I focused more on the culinary adventure and it seems that the top three share a common thread in that they are all ethnic. I find this is a challenge that few places try and I am pleased that these winners have infused a unique style to brunch to give you a truly unique dining experience.

1. Rumi
2. Byblos
3. Madre

Best Terrace/view

I was so floored by Crescendo that putting others on this list did not seem right. This view can only be appreciated in the summer and what makes it even better is that you can do stuff right after and even take a ferry ride to Nuns Island or go on the bike path. If you want a nice relaxing day in the summer, you must check out Crescendo.

Fullest plate

This years winner was… well, last years winner: Dans La Bouche. Their plates are enormous and if you are a hungry hippo like me then check them out since you will be satisfied.

My pick 2009

This section is reserved to a spot that personally appeals to me, I usually leave it for a place that did not make it into the rankings but I think everyone should check out. This year I chose Madre on Masson Street. Its Latin fusion approach to brunch is both refreshing and delicious and should be a must on everyone’s list.

Best all you can eat

I often find that all-you-can-eat places tend to sacrifice quality; although, I can safely say that this place does not. If you want a good all-you-can brunch place, check out Chateau Vaudreuil.

Best Vegan/Veg

Sadly there are only a handful of truly vegetarian or vegan places that do brunch. I really hope this changes since it is an interesting culinary approach to Brunch and I find that too few mainstream brunch places offer any real vegan options (besides a fruit dish). Of all the places I have been to in Montreal I will have to give it to Aux Vivres

The 411

A recent addition to the Bernard/Park street neighborhood, LaKloche came up on my radar of places that do brunch. The Bernard street area is one of my first loves when it comes to places to eat brunch. As of lately my taste and preferences have taken me to other spots and I didn’t think that there were any new spots worthwhile checking out in that area. So, with news of a new place recently opening I figured that a trip to Bernard street would be in order.

At 1st glance

Now LaKloche is not exactly on Bernard; it’s on Parc street but just steps away from Bernard. You will notice a nice spacious outdoor terrace capable of seating a fair amount of people as well as a quite large and well spaced inside. There is an initial elevated area with large windows that lets in tons of light, then a little deeper into the restaurant you will see banquets along the wall and tables as well as seating at the bar. The walls are adorned with various pictures of famous Montrealers as well as historic events that have taken place here. The place is somewhat wheelchair accessible but getting into the washroom is almost impossible.

Food

The menu covers the basics with a choice of 8 omelettes priced between $6.75 - $9.95; 20 egg dishes from $4.95-$10.45; 4 eggs Benedict options $9.45-$10.75; French toast from $6.95- $8.95; 8 pancakes & Crepes between $6.95- $8.95; as well as 4 yogourt options ranging from $8.95-$10.00. With this much choice all priced under ten dollars, you have the foundation of a decent menu. There are some items that stick out as interesting like the coconut and caramel French toast which was recommended by our waitress but unfortunately they were out of it when I ordered it.

My friend ordered the Ratatouille omelette ($9.95) which is made up of grilled vegetables, tomatoes and parsley. It came with a side of potatoes and a fruit cup. The omelette was OK: nothing out of this world. The side of potatoes and fruit cup were a touch small and could have benefited from portion size upgrade. My friend had a fresh fruit cocktail ($2.95) which is a very good price and it was really fresh and comprised of many different varied fruits; I was quite impressed by it. Coffee was not included in this dish and was priced at $1.75. I felt that this was not necessary it would have been nice to have it included.

I ended up ordering the Chocolate Banana pancake ($9.75) which came served as three large thick pancakes drizzled with melted chocolate sauce and topped with chopped up banana rounds. This dish came with a complimentary coffee but no side orders. The pancakes were very filling and the chocolate and banana was tasty; although, this is not a novel breakfast creation, it was satisfying and more so when I was able to put some syrup on it.

Service

It was our waitress’ first day doing the morning shift and although she seemed a little nervous but she did an excellent and thorough job of explaining the menu items and making helpful suggestion. She was very attentive even after we were served and she checked up on us frequently and the coffee refills kept pouring.

Vegetarian

The menu offers some decent vegetarian options especially with a healthy choice of omelettes, yogourts, egg, French toast and crepe dishes - many of which have no meat in them. While this place is a good spot for vegetarian, vegans, as always, are in a tough spot.

Wrap up

The menu is basic, but plentiful. The portion sizes are fair but could use improvements regarding quantity of sides and throwing in some free coffee. The place is nice and is very well lit which kind of helps get your day started. I do expect them to make changes to the menu and improve it so next time I go here I expect to have a new experience from what I saw this time.

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Price	$$	<$10
Overall		3.5/5
Wheelchair Access		1/3
Parking	Street & Meter	Medium
BUS	80, 365, 535, 368, 160, 46	Get Directions
Metro	Outremont	7 minutes

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