SteveW

Lesley, if you want to say publicly, are you planning to review Toque! again soon? Nick at Montrealfood, has hinted that you were thinking about this. Starting with Milos around 6-7 weeks ago, you're beginning to review the big Montreal restaurants for a second time. ---------- Steve

ExCentrix, it was recommended by Guru, & the name of the Portuguese establisment is called Ramados, located on Rachel street(just a little east of St-Laurent). ------------- Steve

Lesley, of your 5 visits to Rosalie before writing the review, were all the them, for reviewing purposes? Or were some of them, you went there as a private citizen? From reading most of your fine dining restaurant reviews the past few years, the reviews from you the past two years or so, are based on one visit it seems. For example, your recent review of Ristorante Sapori Pronto, where you were treated very very badly, did you make at least a second visit before the review? It's true that you gave Savannah 2 1/2 stars in the Montreal Gazette review, but you have nothing but praise for this restaurant on eGullet. Sorry Lesley!!, I'm just saying how I see it. ----------- Steve

Elio Pizzeria is located at 351 Bellechasse(corner Drolet). ---------- Steve

chaste, You mentioned MSG in a recent posting. Is their lots of MSG usage by home cooks throughout China? What about in the restaurants of China? How is it mostly utilized? ------------- Steve

Is the roast goose at Bo Ky available year-round? ------------- Steve

Besides these three, who else makes their own smoked meat(at this moment I could only think of Lesters)? ----------- Steve

Elio Pizzeria is still around. They make pizzas in two different styles. The traditonal thick crust Montreal style pizza & thin crust pizzas. And they still sponsor a bicycle race & many other community events. -------------- Steve

I hear you, concerning the importance of steaming the pastrami correctly. What caught my eye, in the Ed Levine write-up on pastrami, was the Ben's Best owner's comment that their deli steams the pastrami for up to 6 hours, before being trimmed & sliced. Now you say here, that there was write-up about Langer's in LA, stating that they steam their pastrami for about twice as long as the average deli. I asked my smoked meat contact yesterday, about the six hour figure, & he told me that it's ridiculous(2-3 hours the best for smoked meat). So proper steaming of pastrami, might need further investigating. -------------- Steve

Per capital, Canada has the biggest concentration of donut shops anywhere in the world. ------------ Steve

Steven your assumption seems to be totally correct. I contacted a trusted Montreal smoked meat authority today, following your postings. He tells me, that for those delis that don't make their own Montreal smoked meat, but claim to have their smoked meat made for them by a commercial meat supplier according to their specs, are all talking bullshit!!! As you stated, each individual deli can't go through enough smoke meat(or pastrami), to make it worthwhile for a commercial supplier to do special batches. ------------- Steve

No Ed Levine didn't state that Ben's Best & Katz's had the same pastrami supplier. Ed couldn't get a straight answer, from the Katz's co-owners who made their pastrami. Ben's Best owner told him, that Empire National makes their pastrami. -------------- Steve

What about in Montreal for smoked meat. Several of the major delis that don't make their own smoked meat, when pressed say their smoked meat is made according to their specs by a smoked meat supplier. Steven, do you suspect all these delis are lying? Steve

Steven, there're not many major Jewish delis left in NYC(less than 10?). Isn't it likely at least one of the major pastrami suppliers, would have a special deal with a major NY deli or two, to make batches of pastrami customized for the deli? ----------- Steve

Montreal-style pizza is the cheese on top of everything. Usually it's the tomato sauce at the bottom, followed by the cheese, then the rest of the toppings. Kenk described it at the beginning of this thread. Where is the Cucina restaurant(it must be somewhere in upper St. Laurent)? Da Pizzataro, are owned by the Le Latini people. ----------- Steve

I'm going to try Como Pizzeria soon. I've certainly heard of them before. I think I went there years ago. Smoking Bear(or anyone else), do you notice regional differences within the Montreal-area of pizza(West Island, South Shore, West End, East End, Laval)? For instance, is the sauce less spicier in the East End of Montreal compared to West End of the city. Is Montreal-style pizza(cheese on top) universal throughout the city or not. ---------- Steve

John in Montreal, many of Montreal smoked meat delis claim to make their own meat, but in reality only 3-4 make their own. Are they lying??? Their contention is that if it is made according to their specs for them, by a commercial smoke meat supplier, then they can call it their own product. I say they're lying. Would you know, for the top NYC delis(as a general rule), if their pastrami is made according to their specs for them, by their commercial meat supplier or it's a straight off the shelf commercial product. ----------------- Steve

I'm looking for any great pizzerias in the East end of Montreal. Anyone find any in that area of town? ----------- Steve

I still haven't seen a response from the people in the know, with the question raised by Steven S following the article, asking if there're plenty of pastrami made from brisket(in addition to plate). Authentic Montreal smoked meat is made from brisket. Ed says that plate is fattier than brisket. Is this definitely true? I think I've heard it was the other way around. Just as a curiosity, what year was the first pastrami sandwich served in NYC(Montreal smoked meat started in 1908)? It's mentioned by Ed, that Katz's opened its doors in 1888(don't know if they served pastrami back in 1888). ---------------- Steve

My comment of great pastrami in Chicago, I was mainly thinking of Manny's. Saveur magazine put them in their latest Saveur 100 list, as having "among the best pastrami anywhere." ----------- Steve

Doesn't Chicago have some great pastrami, at a couple of their deli's? Maybe LA is another place. ----------- Steve

I have a distinct feeling Steven S. will be at Ben's Best very very soon to try their pastrami. Maybe he's there at this moment. -------------- Steve

Has the NY Times(or any of the other major NY dailies) ever done a story about Montreal smoked meat? ------------- Steve

Montreal smoked meat, is not mentioned anywhere in Ed's story(including the side story & audio slide show online). Steven do you really think, he needs to mention Montreal smoked meat in the story(I don't think it's a major omission)? If I did the story I would, but I'm from Montreal. ----------- Steve

Very interesting that writer Ed Levine's favorite pastrami sandwich in his eight week search was Ben's Best. This NYC deli to my knowledge has never been mentioned at eGullet(or anywhere else for that matter) as having a great pastrami sandwich. Katz's is generally acknowledged to having the best. The Katz's co-owners seemed to have lied to Ed, regarding who makes their pastrami. I think Steven Shaw, mentioned here several times the maker of Katz's pastrami(somewhere in upstate NY). Ed mentions it's not only the quality of the meat that makes the difference to get a great pastrami, but also how it is treated after it arrives at the delicatessen. The owner of Ben's Best, says they steam their pastrami for up to 6 six hours before being trimmed & sliced to order. That surprises me. I've heard a figure of around 2-3 hours, at the best smoked meat delis in Montreal. --------- Steve (now I see the Steven Shaw posting, after posting mine)