SteveW
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Posts posted by SteveW
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I've heard recently that the main Food Network in the US, has also cancelled Iron Chef. Checking just now the Food Network(US) website, they now only air it overnight at 4am once a week.
-Steve
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Any more feedback on this new butcher shop? They have been getting lots of favorable press. Are they 'prime' grade beef?
-Steve
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the whole subject i find really fascinating. i think it's pretty generally acknowledged that the best australian product is the closest you can get to the japanese beef (in the us, it's only available at four restaurants--french laundry and per se, montage down here and craftsteak in vegas).
What happened with Lobel's butcher shop in NYC carrying the best Australian wagyu steaks? Just went on their website to check, & they're now carrying US wagyu(replacing the Australian wagyu). I suspect, they would bring in Japanese Kobe now, with the ban lifted. BTW, there's also Canadian wagyu beef. Anyone here tried Canadian wagyu(I've tried it once & found it very very good, but I haven't tried any other wagyu/kobe beef to compare)?
-Steve
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What really caught my eye yesterday, was Lesley's very very harsh review of L'Orchidee de Chine in the Saturday paper. I've been looking forward to any new reviews of L'Orchidee de Chine by any Montreal restaurant critic and/or Montreal resto guides since I posted this topic on eG. It has been a Chinese restaurant favourite of Montreal restaurant critics for years & years, & presumably some of them do read the eG Montreal section regularly & noticed the L'Orchidee comments by Montreal eG members. Several people have told me privately that L'Orchidee was never any good. It's a very very bad sign, when they practically attract almost no Asians to the restaurant, don't offer chopsticks unless requested. I'm curious to know if they even have their menu in Chinese(& it's not inexpensive to dine there)??
-Steve
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Cocoa Locale is just a few minutes from my place and I tried an olive oil lemon bundt cake last week. It was absolutely delicious.
I don't think it should be considered a "first flight" place in the way Lesley describes what that should be, it's more like a homey traditionnal place that has nailed the basics, with some interesting twists. In short, my favorite kind of place.
The owner is wonderful and very eager to please - she opened up the place for us even though it was supposed to be closed (she was still up preparing for the next day).
It's pretty much al baked goods with no pastry whatsoever: cupcakes (small ones and huge ones), brownies, baked cakes...
I recommend it wholeheartedly, it's sure to please everyone.
I didn't plan to post my comments about Cocoa Locale. I visited Cocoa Locale for the first time earlier tonight, just after 6pm(unfortunately I don't have time to go earlier in the day). It was open, despite being supppose to close at 5pm on Sundays(the owner Reema was there). After I got home, & saw Alex's comments here. I concur with what Alex said. It's homey desserts, that Cocoa Locale owner Reema is making(only saw baked goods, including some cookies). Got about 6 items, & everything I've tried so far(4 things) has been very good(but I haven't tried the brownies that I got yet), but that's just my opinion. Interested in getting more feedback, of any others who have tried Cocoa Locale. As the owner told me(after I relayed to her, some of the negative comments about her bake shop already), she never claimed to be 'top flight' bake shop. And she also described her bakery items as homey.
-Steve
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From what I hear, both smoked meat & pastrami originally came from Romanian origins(who knows they both might of began at same location).
By my recollection, I have never seen any eating establishment in Montreal offer a smoked meat bagel sandwich. However I've seen smoked meat on pizza & pasta dishes(might of also seen smoked meat on poutine).
-Steve
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A friend was asking me not too long ago, where can I find the best corned beef sandwiches in Montreal. I'm clueless. Any suggestions?
-Steve
Snowdon Deli on Decarie corner Isabella has corned beef but I would not be able to comment if it is "the best". I've always enjoyed it more than their smoked meat.
But can you also get a smoked meat & a pastrami sandwich so you can report back to this board your findings?
Poutine, I have the feeling the pastrami sandwich you are talking about, is what they also call their regular smoked meat(a couple of eating establisments in Montreal, also call their regular smoked meat 'pastrami'). I checked very closely their menu of sandwiches, when I tried their corned beef last week, & I didn't see pastrami listed(if I saw it, I would also ordered it). Snowdon Deli carry both regular & old fashioned smoked meat(their old fashioned smoked meat is not actually listed on their menu). I find the Snowdon Deli smoked meat(old fashioned & regular), the best in the city. As I said last week, their corned beef is also very very good.
-Steve
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Carswell, the corned beef that you describe here I've tried before years ago, at someone's home(several times actually). The corned beef that I tried at Snowdon Deli earlier this week was a very different animal(tasted very similiar to their smoked meat, but not their old-fashioned smoked meat). I'm not 100% certain, but I believe Snowdon Deli told me, that their corned beef is pickled & then smoked.
-Steve
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please do list his top picks
His big recomendations include:
Informal:
Bruniose
Bu - "by far Montreal's best and most stylish bar a vin"
Formal:
Area
Le Club Chasse & Peche
Cube
Raza
Toque - "the last meal I ate at Toque was nearly perfect"
Bagels:
Fairmount Bagels
Cheese:
Yannick Fromagerie d'Exception - "Anywhere, one would be grateful for this shop filled with the reassuring rich, biological smell that comes from outstanding cheeses."
Tea:
Camellia Senesis (big kudos)
Other (generally) postive mentions:
Le Jolifou
Au Pied de Cochon (duck breast in a can!?)
Rosalie
Led Caprices de Nicolas
Les Chevres
La Chronique.
Edward Behr does discuss smoked meat a litte and mentions Schwartz only - but does not seem to a big fan of it in general. He feels that Montreal - suprisingly - lacks good bakeries but says that Le Frommentier is the best in the city and L'Amour du Pain as the best outside of the city.
He also discusses the large number of chocolatiers in the city - thumbs up to Les Chocolats de Chloe and Patisserie Gascogne - big thumbs down to Genevieve Grandbois.
I really enjoy this magazine - the writing is opinionated and informed (Montreal's Lesley Chesterman contributes in this issue). Not sure how you get a copy though unless you subscribe.
Haven't checked out the issue yet. From what you say here, it seems that Ed relied on Lesley a lot(some of them exactly mirrors Lesley's opinion). Specifically the comments on smoked meat, bakeries & chocolatiers.
-Steve
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Getting back to the original question!
Corned beef in Montreal is not as commonly ordered and available as smoked meat. Smoked meat is available in almost every local restaurant/deli across Montreal and beyond. South shore Laval, etc.... I cannot even be sure were they sell corned beef. I think The Main might serve it.
I've checked at The Main, they don't carry corned beef.
-Steve
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How come we don't call it corned meat or smoked beef?
Good point.If ya ever down to St.Johns' NFLD try the boiled corned beef with peas
pudding.Can be found in most pubs,but on a cold windy day,its the best comfort food you can never beat!
Another "corned"item" we used to eat in the maritimes was "corned pork necks"
Anyone ever tried that?
Just to add another note to the topic,do you think that Schwartz's smokes their briskets,thus giving it the name Smoked Meat?
Perhaps it was years ago,but I think thay have since changed.Doesn't matter,its good whatever they call it.
According to legend, Montreal smoked meat was created by Ben's Delicatessen in 1908. Not sure if it's totally accurate.
-Steve
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As I said originally, the corned beef at Snowdon Deli is pretty good. I haven't had it anywhere else.
Porkpa
I went to Snowdon Deli yesterday, to try their corned beef. I found it very good. Went to Snowdon Deli many times before, & never noticed they had corned beef(never looked out for it until yesterday). It's not as heavily spiced as their old fashioned smoked meat. Otherwise to me, their corned beef tasted similiar to smoked meat. I asked the Snowdon Deli counter person, what's the difference between smoked meat & corned beef, & he quickly responded corned beef is pickled(instead of dry-cured.
-Steve
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Why eat corned beef when you can have smoked meat?
Because they're not the same thing?
Smoked meat is made by dry-curing brisket with a spice rub that probably includes coriander, pepper, paprika, garlic and salt, after which it is smoked. Corned beef is made by brining brisket, flank or plate in heavily salted (and sometimes sugared) water, after which it is simmered for several hours in fresh water. Smoked meat and cabbage probably wouldn't hack it here and certainly not in New England.
Smoked meat is clearly not the same same as corned beef brisket, but can someone tell me the difference between smoked meat and (smoked) pastrami? The foodf network show on the Stage Deli tells us that the pastrami gets a slow simmering after it reaches the restaurant.
I haven't seen any definitive answer here, or in other threads, about what makes Montreal smoked meat so distinctive.
Traditionally pastrami uses the plate cut, while Montreal smoked meat uses the brisket cut(although some pastrami is made with brisket). Plate & brisket are similiar cuts. Plus the spices are different for pastrami & smoked meat. I have a feeling corned beef could be slightly different in different parts of the world(just a guess).
-Steve
But is there a taste difference? Which is better?
It's a matter of taste which is better. I've heard some people say pastrami is better, while I've heard some other people say smoked meat is better(from the people who have tried the best of both). However many people in Montreal diss pastrami. From what I gather, the difference in taste between pastrami & smoked meat is minimal. They both have Eastern European origins.
-Steve
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Why eat corned beef when you can have smoked meat? The corned beef at Snowdon Deli is pretty good. But, again, why have it when smoked meat is available.
Porkpa
Originally the question didn't come from me(a friend asked me). Until now, I hadn't sought out corned beef in Montreal. Now I'm curious what's available here.
-Steve
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Why eat corned beef when you can have smoked meat?
Because they're not the same thing?
Smoked meat is made by dry-curing brisket with a spice rub that probably includes coriander, pepper, paprika, garlic and salt, after which it is smoked. Corned beef is made by brining brisket, flank or plate in heavily salted (and sometimes sugared) water, after which it is simmered for several hours in fresh water. Smoked meat and cabbage probably wouldn't hack it here and certainly not in New England.
Smoked meat is clearly not the same same as corned beef brisket, but can someone tell me the difference between smoked meat and (smoked) pastrami? The foodf network show on the Stage Deli tells us that the pastrami gets a slow simmering after it reaches the restaurant.
I haven't seen any definitive answer here, or in other threads, about what makes Montreal smoked meat so distinctive.
Traditionally pastrami uses the plate cut, while Montreal smoked meat uses the brisket cut(although some pastrami is made with brisket). Plate & brisket are similiar cuts. Plus the spices are different for pastrami & smoked meat. I have a feeling corned beef could be slightly different in different parts of the world(just a guess).
-Steve
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A friend was asking me not too long ago, where can I find the best corned beef sandwiches in Montreal. I'm clueless. Any suggestions?
-Steve
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Don't want to sound too critical. This topic & your topic that you started on Sunday(March 20), should not be in Montreal section. Both would be more appropriate in the Food Media & News section. Didn't want to say anything earlier, with your movie topic, as I'm not the Montreal forum host.
-Steve
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I don't think Ruth's is any worse than any of the other top restaurants in the city for marking up their wines. It doesn't make it right, but they certainly aren't the only ones doing it.
Marlene, how are the wine markups at Ruth's Chris Toronto compare with Queue de Cheval steakhouse in Montreal(the most criticized Montreal restaurant at eG Montreal, for highest wine markups)? I believe you have eaten at Queue de Cheval several times already.
-Steve
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I just arrived from Vancouver a few hours ago and after a brief rest stop, headed to Smoke Meat Petes in, I think, Ile Perot. I have heard comparisons to Schwartz's and having lived in Montreal for 27 years and been a huge schwartz's fan, was anxious to check it out. The results are in.........fantastic!! Pete used to be a cutter at schwartz and has done himself proud. Very comparable to Schwartz's without the lineup and the fries were first rate. Maybe a local can chime in and give us some background on this spot. Well worth the visit! There is also live music on week ends. Not fancy by any means but we did get our own table
.Pete Varvaro Jr. is son of The Main(opposite Schwartz's) founder/owner Pete Varvaro Sr.. Pete never worked at Schwartz's. His fries won the 'Best Fries in Montreal' contest in the Montreal Gazette 4+ years ago. He first opened Smoked Meat Pete around 1997 at a different much smaller location also in Ile Perot, and moved to his current location in 2000. I like his smoked meat very much. Personally the most important thing, is getting smoked meat with lots of fat(always order it medium-fat). Medium is too lean for me.
-Steve
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When I went by Le Petit Milos close to 3 weeks ago, it was closed then(same sign at the door was posted).
-Steve
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Cafe Olympico reopened at their old location Saturday. Now the whole establishment is non-smoking. They had been operating at a temporary location very close by, following the fire.
-Steve
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the problem with the license is not the lack of paperwork and but the opposition to giving them one, due to their affiliation with the Buena Notte and Globe's (similar owners) which have been known to utilize restaurant alcool licenses for club settings and packing then the place up over capacity.
I have even heard that Glove will be imposed to close down for a full month due to its multiple capacity infractions
.. and also the continuing thing with their group of restaurants(Buena Notte & Globe), being caught earlier for using the Zapper software. It doesn't look good at all for Hotel Godin.
-Steve
New Places
in Ontario: Dining
Posted
She's reviewing this restaurant after it opened for only about 3 weeks!