Laika – More than just a bar

The 411

Over time I get emails telling me of people’s favourite places and I make it a point to eventually check them out. Laika was one of those places. I had heard some good stuff from a few people and what I had read online was rather positive as well but for the life of me I could not figure out where this places was, and I have been up and down almost every inch of St Laurent for years without having seen it. It wasn’t until I was reviewing another place in the area that I actually looked across the street and had an “Ah Ha” moment. Now that I knew what it looked like I was even more curious to check it out.

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Chocola – More than just cupcakes

*UPDATE – NO LONGER SERVES BRUNCH*

The 411

With my friend having recently moved to NDG I realized that I had neglected the west end of the city in regards to the various places I have reviewed, so we decided to take a nice sunny Saturday and walk around Monkland village in NDG. The advantage of getting out of you car and exploring is that you can find those little gems you would not find driving around and focusing mainly on finding a parking spot. So with our minds set on a brunch adventure, we walked around looking for something well priced, tasty, different and preferably with a terrace. Then that’s where we found it – kind of like the last cookie in the cookie box when you are really hungry – Cho Cola called out to us.

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Em Cafe where art and food meet

The 411

Situated on Parc Street just south of Bernard, Em Cafe is a place you would likely miss. Yet, when you step in you will see how it is more than an unassuming place and that it manages to serve up a laid back atmosphere where one can sit down and have the hours melt away.

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Mosaik – Your friendly neighborhood spot

The 411

Way up at the tip of the Mile end you will find a local gem called Mosaik. It’s a hit with the locals and seems to have quite a following. The crowd is somewhat mixed with families bringing their kids and a few younger people from the area stopping in for bite and coffee to ease into their day.

At 1st glance

Once you push past the really stubborn front door (which lets in the cold so don’t sit near it) you immediately notice some nice stained glass artwork suspended and a bunch of drawings made by kids suspended under a funky ceiling light. The stained glass is accented by the fact that Mosaik is at a corner of the street and the large windows let in tons of light. The ambiance is very comfortable and laid back; it really has that neighborhood charm. Once you are settled in you feel as if you are in not in any rush and can decompress with no lineup and no pressure to get out and pay your bill.

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Ghetto Superstar

The 411

Going back to it’s inception in 1963, anyone who ever went to McGill University or lived in the McGill ghetto knows about Place Milton. Walk in the McGill ghetto and ask any student – they will not only point you in the right direction but they may even tell you a few stories on how their morning-after hangover recovery was aided by this place. Place Milton is a local legend in the McGill ghetto; its no nonsense menu and fair prices have brought people into its seats for years.

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CLOSED

Shaking the dust off an old classic

The 411

Since 1949 Dusty’s has been serving some filling breakfast food, and although the decor may not have changed much over the last 50 plus years, neither have the prices, making Dusty’s a wallet friendly place to go. The venue can be missed if you don’t know where it is, which is mainly due to the fact that there is no sign. I don’t know if there ever was one to begin with, and if there was, I have no idea where it disappeared to.

At 1st glance

When you first walk up to Dusty’s you can’t help but notice this giant wood acorn; I have no clue why it’s there or what it is supposed to represent but it does the job of acting as a landmark to tell you that you have arrived at your desired destination. The interior has vinyl banquets, drawings on the wall, and a couple short order seats. This adds a certain old school charm to the venue, although the washrooms could do without it.

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A Sherbrooke concept in Laval

The 411

To begin with I should state that Eggsquis is a chain and although I have a no chain rule, I have revised it and will review it fairly. The location that will be reviewed is the one in Laval on 1450 , Blvd. Daniel Johnson. Although it is possible that not all of the 32 locations across Quebec are the same I will only be using this location for review purposes (that and I don’t feel like driving across the province to check them all out).

At 1st glance

The moment you pull into its ample parking lot, you quickly spot Eggsquis among the other shops in the little strip mall. We went at around 1:00 PM and there was a small lineup but it moved quite quickly. The decor is simple, nothing too crazy, and the capacity is quite fair; turn around was pretty good with people coming and going often. I was really concerned about the lineup but in less than 5 minutes we were seated (I should note that we were not a big group and if we were that may have taken a bit longer).

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Breakfast on the go

The 411

Often we find ourselves rushing off to work in the morning without the time to eat a real breakfast. I myself value those extra few minutes of sleep, as opposed to sitting down and spending that time fueling up for the rest of the day, so the concept of a real breakfast on the go seemed like an interesting idea so I went off to see how it worked.

At 1st glance

Once you walk in you notice you are a half floor up from the street level, giving you an excellent vantage point for people watching if you wish to sit down and eat. Both the east and west wall have a mural of a black and white photograph of what De Maisoneuve would look like if there was no wall blocking the view. It’s pretty cool and if you look at the west wall you can see a photoshoped license plate with the resto’s name on it. Wrapcity is in essence both a sit down and a to go concept; they also have digital menu boards at the counter with the menu displayed on 3 LCD’s as well as 3 LCD’s on the east and west side showing TV programs. (more…)

UPDATE Feb 11 2009

Serre Picasso has closed its doors, for more information on this check out a special post on it here.

Kicking it old skool

The 411

All the way in NDG on St Jacques street, surrounded by motels and next to a strip joint, Picasso’s is one place you would never consider walking into; unless you are using one of the other 2 fine establishments previously mentioned, or you are familiar with the legend that is Picasso’s. Any Montrealer at one point or another has heard of Picasso’s with its 24 hours, 7 days a week breakfast for a fair price. It is a veritable landmark where people will come in at all hours to eat and it’s one of the few places in the city where you can eat breakfast at 3 A.M.

At 1st glance

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A refreshing change

The 411

Originally known as the Vaudeville, Della Posta, a self described Sicilian Resto, offers a weekend brunch. Nestled on Bernard, west of Park, the decor takes you back to a relaxed place.

At 1st glance

The location is rather easy to miss as you tend to keep walking until you realize you passed it. Once inside you feel relaxed with the white decor and the lovely bar with an open kitchen on the side. The menu is actually quite short but there are some interesting dishes.

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