NO LONGER SERVES BRUNCH

L’orignal – The Moose is Loose

The 411

L’Orignal is popular restaurant in the old Montreal and on weekends the party goes on right until 3 AM. So, when I found out that in the early Fall they began to offer brunch on Sundays I was curious to see how a supper club would handle brunch especially since I feel that most dinners I have eaten at supper clubs are usually fancy, overpriced and leave me hungry. However, what I found was a pleasant surprise and made my Sunday.

At 1st glance

“Orignal” in French means “moose” and the decor for some reason works with this. From the moment you see the front door you notice a moose shaped metal statuette mounted to it and when you walk in you will find a rich usage of wood in the floor and walls. The walls also keep the original stone look of the building which adds some charm to it. There is plenty of seating and no lineup. In fact, since it is so recent and is situated in the old port its likely you will never have to wait in line unless a lot of people discover it – not to mention the fact that its on a small street randomly placed along Notre Dame street. I wouldn’t have noticed it if it wasn’t for my Google map.

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Le Cartet – a local secret

The 411

Le Cartet is a very interesting place as it is nestled in Old Montreal and it is one of those places that I have heard of only by a few people, and in each instance they all swear by the fact that it will be the best brunch in the city. Now, such as claim needs to be confirmed! So off I went on a lazy Saturday morning and prepared to challenge this claim and see if it lived up to the hype.

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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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Disappointment on Bernard Street

The 411

Situated on Bernard, Enfants Terrible is a relatively new addition to the Bernard Street family, often full with people for dinner and drinks, it has created some buzz with various patrons taking in the ambiance, food and terrace. Now the question is: Can this resto handle brunch?

At 1st glance

You can’t miss this place. There is a large outdoor terrace and the decor is really nice, which the windows do a great job of showcasing. As soon as you walk in, you notice the decor is a nice mix of modern and classic, working well with the metal and wood. There is usually a healthy amount of people and it is highly recommended to make reservations for brunch. (more…)

Want some beer with those eggs?

The 411

Always known as a popular place for late night drinks, Reservoir recently began to add food options and a brunch menu on weekends. You can still order beer with breakfast, something I’ve always wanted to do, but all drinking jokes aside Reservoir serves up some very original plates and is a place you should check out.

At 1st glance

Reservoir has always been a hit for a good pint and a good time, and now that it offers brunch it takes its somewhat laid back feel and applies it to a nice weekend morning. To begin with it is wheelchair accessible with a ramp to get in, and although the slope is steep and the washrooms are not wheelchair accessible, they get points for at least trying which is more than other places do. The decor is nice, not too fancy, but comfortable with classic wood chairs, tables and a big bar with a micro brew behind glass. There are big windows that in the summer open up and let you see and hear what’s happening on Duluth. There is a 2nd floor with an open air terrace, although it was closed when we went. We got there at 11:00 and found a nice spot by the widow, although not even 30 minutes later an increasingly long line started to form, so make sure you don’t show up too late or you are likely to wait.

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Treasure on Masson Street

The 411

On a lovely Sunday morning we went looking for a brunch place on Masson Street in the east end, only to find it closed. Now being an east end local I know that good brunch places are hard to come by so I was worried. We walked around and eventually found Eggstace; the decor was nice, the menu looked good and well priced so we took a chance.

At 1st glance

With its big open patio window on the street side and its big orange sign, your curiosity gets piqued and once you take a look at the menu on the side of the door you can’t help but want to walk in. The decor is modern but nice with attention to detail: the water bubble wall when you walk in, the large single stall washrooms, the large LCD TV’s as well as projection wall at the back all work well. The banquet seats against the wall are large and comfy and you will have to fight over who gets to sit there. (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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Crazy For Brunch

The 411

Situated at the gate of Mont-Royal’s Brunch alley, Les Folies offers all a good introduction into the what is Brunch on Mount-Royal

At 1st glance

With it’s big blue sign and terrace announcing itself to the world you can’t help but walk in and check out Les Folies. Once inside you see an interesting decor and a pretty solid menu. Although referred to by some as the “other L’avenue”, Les Folies does some things to distinguish itself.

Food

The menu is of fair size and offers some tasty options for all. The Mega weighs in at $11.95 with bacon, sausage, ham, 2 crepes, Emmental cheese, bread (really tasty bread) and a fruit juice. The Nordic Eggs Benedict ($12.50) is tasty and comes with 2 eggs and Emmental cheese which is different twist on an old favourite. The crepes Brunch section has 6 interesting options all priced at $10.95; each plate comes with bacon, sausage, ham, potatoes, bread and fruit. There are 8 omelette choices ranging from $8.95 to $10.50. The Santé menu has a fresh fruit plate ($6.95) and a fruit cup ($8.95) which comes with cereal, yogourt and nuts. There are 7 choices for the fruit cocktails ($4.95) and they are so thick your straw stands up on its own. The Tutti Fruti comes with strawberries, mango, raspberries, bananas, cranberry and pineapple. There used to be a banana and chocolate crepe on the brunch menu but they moved it to dessert and although it’s not on the main menu you should ask for it since it’s quite something. (more…)

Where Brazil meets Bernard! (CLOSED DOWN)

The 411

Even after having traveled to Brazil I never really experienced a Brazilian themed breakfast until I stumbled across Senzala on Bernard street. Not to be mistaken with the other Senzala on De la Roché,

At 1st glance

This small gem of a Resto serves up some amazing breakfast dishes with flavours you have never thought of experiencing at breakfast. Although the ambiance does not seem like a fancy polished place and the crowd is a mishmash of locals, après clubbers and older couples… somehow it works. During the summer you can take advantage of the terrace, although the rather eclectic interior should not be missed. Even though it’s a rather small place, it is quite nice and cozy. During the winter time avoid the 2 tables near the door; the one next to the door by the window and the other spot to the immediate left of the door can get a touch cold when the door swings opens and people come in without closing the outside one first. (more…)