The 411 St. Jacques Street isn’t known for brunch, at least besides the legendary and now defunct Picasso. There really aren’t any brunch spots in the area; a bunch of motels, yes, but not exactly an abundance of great places to eat. So when I heard that a breakfast spot opened there, my first question was: next to which motel? My second question was: is it yummy? So, it turns out that I have driven by this place a few times, and not because I have been frequenting the various motels in the area. I must have been subconsciously led to it on account of the giant egg sign. What can I say; I get drawn to these places.

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The 411 Ham, as a single word can evoke so much passion among food lovers. Growing up I fell in love with prosciutto – its complex flavour, salty nature and ecstasy-invoking abilities. Nothing made me happier than being somewhere where I can indulge and go hog wild on it. Over the years, my preferences have changed, evolved even, but deep down inside I still yearn for taking a perfectly sliced piece and wrapping it around my finger and popping it in my mouth. When I passed by Hambar and saw cured meat hanging in the entrance, I felt like I was in heaven. Then when I found out they offered brunch, curiosity and excitement inspired me to see what was going on.

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The 411 Lasalle and Ville-Émard are part of the city where I don’t have too many brunch options listed. I mean, there are a few spots, but they tend to fall into the greasy spoon category. Not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with greasy spoons, but choice is a nice thing to have. So, ‘by choice’ I mean having some greasy spoons, some fancy spots, and some ethnic spots, you know, some kind of variety. So Byla Byla is an interesting option; it’s a sit down restaurant, so not your usual kind of greasy spoon, while also not an exclusive fancy spot, nor is it 100% ethnic.

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The 411 While Montreal is known for some stand-out restaurants, often there are places that will do a diner service but not be open for brunch. I often wondered how they would approach a brunch menu, and am glad to see Restaurant Les Cavistes has taken up the challenge. Best described as a French bistro placing an importance on wine, I have been following Les Cavistes for years. They even temporarily tried out brunch during the Festival en Lumière and I was quite pleased. So when I heard that they were bringing it back I felt it would be interesting to see how a French bistro handles brunch.

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The 411 For some time now I’ve hear about Maamm Bolduc, the buzz about it has been positive, a breakfast spot where you can get your classic breakfast favourites at a decent price, generous portions and with little or no fuss. These spots are a staple feature of the Montreal brunch scene. Not every spot needs to reinvent breakfast; if you do it well for a fair price and make delicious meals then you have a winner. So now it is time to see if M Bolduc comes into this formula.

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The 411 Foodies…we come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, all with different preferences. Our preferences differ from person to person, but at the end of the day we all love good food. A while ago I contacted a fellow blogger from The Butter Melts out of habbit, whose site I have been following as of recently. We spoke of doing a brunch rendezvous and managed to meet two other bloggers, Gluttoners and the sassy foodophile . Now we have four foodies and need to find a new brunch spot that no one has been to… so, no pressure whatsoever… So, when all else fails I go to my handy list of spots and go over every one and see if it’s foodie enough. Now, the risk of having a foodie brunch is that you may end up with something that resembles lunch, so after some research Le Comptoir made its way to the top of the suggestion pile.

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The 411 The old port has a variety of brunch options, many of which are quite nice. You can find brunch buffets, nice sit down places, some small, and others large. The menus are quite varied and although you will not find many classic style places, you know the eggs and bacon ones simply put, doesn’t really fit. Then comes along the Gros Jambon, which is a lovely little gem in the old port. The menu itself is not a classic bacon and eggs menu, but rather has a twist, it’s kind of like a luncheonette meets small town USA diner with the expected Montreal flair.

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The 411 – For those of you who have been following my reviews, you may know that the Villeray area has been expanding on their brunch selections. I have recently posted a few of the more recent additions to the area. L’institut de sculpture culinaire is a school for fruit carving and presentations. By carving I don’t mean carving a thanksgiving turkey, I mean carving fruits and vegetables; you know those large displays at special events made of fruit? Well this school will teach you that. Besides teaching, they recently opened a restaurant that started to offer a weekend brunch.

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The 411 Just recently I was presented with a scheduling challenge. Find a spot on the South Shore or close to the Jacques Cartier bridge so one of our friends could make it to his appointment after brunch and do so rather quickly. I did not feel like going down to the South Shore, so I had to find something somewhat close to the bridge. Now, I had to dig deep into my brunch map and look at an area I almost never frequent. What I found was Touski Café and Coop. I have no clue how Touski Café Coop came on my list but we were curious, hungry and on a timeline so it was decided.

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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.

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