When thinking outside the box just isn't enough
The latest Wine & Dine adventure took a bit of a sour turn when we went to Zenya for a night of sushi. There aren’t too many great quality sushi joints in Montreal, and I was thrilled when my old colleagues introduced me to this hidden gem. It’s past the bridge on the second floor of a nondescript building on St Catherine’s (cross street Union). For years, this has been my ‘nice’ sushi go-to place…
At Eduardo’s, you’ll feast on a ginormous plate of pasta for about the same price as a fast food meal. Keeping expectations in check it is a $10 meal after all this is a great choice when you want to have the experience of going out but don’t actually want to pay for eating out.
On my way to the restaurant, which is located just east of St Denis on Duluth, I popped in at the SAQ and picked up an Italian ‘[white] house wine’ did I mention that Eduardo’s is BYOW?
Going out to dinner can be awesome, it can be unremarkable, or in the worst of cases, it can ruin your evening. Many elements determine these things and each of these factors is of course contingent on a million others. So how do you know when a restaurant is good or bad, vs. when a particular experience at said restaurant is good or bad?
The latest Wine and Dine adventure took us to Outremont, to Mai Thai on Bernard (cross street Parc). We had the largest W&D turn out to date with twelve guests. Our large crew seemed to take the restaurant by surprise, despite the fact that we gave them a week’s notice. There was one server and one cook to take care of about twenty patrons that night…
Meat doesn’t get any fresher than at Marché 27, the understated Bar à Tartare on the corner of Prince Arthur and Clark, tucked behind the bustle and hype of St Laurent. Seven friends joined me last Monday for a meat fest, the best way to start the week. Before I gush about the food, I have to mention that the service that night was shockingly slow. I hesitate to write this because I’ve been there a few times and have never had a similar experience…
For this week’s Wine and Dine we went on a Mediterranean escape to Philinos, a Greek joint on Parc unobtrusively located on the main road just north Mount Royal, wedged in a row of duplexes. But what is it they say about judging a book by its cover? Once inside, the decor seemed more bistro meets pub, with dimmed lighting…
I am a self-proclaimed foodie, but I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon: the experience of food is so much better when you are in good company. Perhaps this is why I’m more likely to make a nice meal if I’m cooking for someone else. Perhaps I’m just lazy. In any case, eating with good friends is at the top of my “favourite things” list.
Enter Wine and Dine Montreal.
