Hochelaga Maisonneuve, or HOMA for short, is an interesting part of Montreal. Historically a working class neighborhood, it has recently started gentrifying. You will notice new condos popping up and many more cafes and restaurants that are not your usual greasy spoon. Although, HOMA manages to keep some of its working class flavour in its restaurants in the sense that you tend to get larger plates with decent value for what you pay. This is very welcome in a city where the $20 brunch is not that uncommon.

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The 411 The East End has traditionally been an issue for me. Brunch places tend to be only your standard eggs and bacon spot; nothing fancy or healthy just the usual spots with menus that don’t inspire. But now, there is a bright light in the East and that beacon comes from Masson street. Here, you will find new brunch spots popping up that aren’t your everyday standard fare. (more…)

The 411 Outremont is an area we are starting to explore again. Finally, after a few years there are some new places opening up. Recently, someone told me about this new place called Les Influences that offered a solid selection at a great price. Most Outremont brunch spots tend to be on Bernard street so finding something on Van Horne is refreshing since it’s kind of tucked away from all the crowds and line-ups.

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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 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 – 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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Grey Dog – NYC trip part II

The 411

As part of our weekend New York city trip we got to check out some neat little brunch spots. In fact, we made it a point to get up and eat in the morning no matter how little sleep we got from the previous night’s excessive partying. We heard of Grey Dog from one of our friend who had been here before. They swore by it and we needed to check it out to see if it lived up to the hype..

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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”.

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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.

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Eggspression- West Island Brunch all week long

The 411

Once upon a time I had a goal to try out every breakfast/brunch spot in the West Island. I felt I was pretty close then my focus shifted back to downtown Montreal. I had a list of what I reviewed and what needed to be reviewed and I felt I was pretty close to getting it all done. Then my friend organized a get-together at Eggspression just off of St. Johns. I was confused. Could iit be that there was a spot I missed and so close to an area that I am in at least once a week? It turns out that Eggspression has been there for quite some time and my friend was shocked that I did not know about it. With a new spot added to my list, off we went to see what there is.

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