SteveW

I went to Fresh Cutz today looking their Canadian Kobe beef, but noticed they have closed operations!!!! I went there last year shortly after they opened, when I was told they had Canadian Kobe beef. I've tried their Canadian Kobe beef a couple of times, & found it very very good(the marbling was incredible). Too bad they have closed. -Steve

I think Toronto has supplanted Vancouver for Chinese food in North America(mainly talking about Cantonese cooking). My brother who has lived in Hong Kong, Vancouver, & Toronto, certainly thinks Toronto has better Chinese food than anywhere else in North America. His views are echoed by others. In Hong Kong, because of the very high rents, almost all the top Chinese restaurants are located in hotels. -Steve

Irwin, since our discussion here about Serrano Ham being illegal in Canada, the situation has changed. It's now legal to bring in Serrano Ham from Spain into Canada. I know it's available on a limited basis in Montreal & Toronto(only know of one location in Montreal, & it's a members' only private club restaurant). Still haven't had a confirmation, that Yunnan Ham from China is available in Vancouver. -Steve

Yuki, at Spring Moon in Hong Kong, does that extend to serving fine aged soy sauces? -Steve

Wow! Gary, that's interesting. I've heard very good things about Koi Palace. -Steve

Personally I'm not aware of many Chinese restaurants (I can't think of any), that take serving Chinese tea seriously. Are there much Chinese restaurants that serve high quality tea to their customers(anywhere in the world)? Tea is such an integral part of the diining experience at Chinese restaurants, that they should taking serving tea seriously. -Steve

Cannolis are usually filled with ricotta(that's the Sicilian cannoli version). Alternatively custard or chocolate fillings can be used. Alati pastry shop I know has all three of these fillings available. San Marco has at least ricotto & custard fillings available(they probably have the chocolate filling but I didn't ask). Carswell to make your Montreal cannoli test much more complete, you need to check the cannolis at Alati pastry shop soon to compare with Alati Caserta & San Marco. What you posted here of your taste test between AS & SM cannolis are fascinating. -Steve

Yes, you're quite correct. -Steve

Steven, pleasantly surprised you gave so much praise to Wolfgang's. Any chance you took some pictures? -Steve

Maybe that's because she's friends with many of the chefs, & doesn't dine anonymously. -Steve

There's an article about the Burgerville chain in Wednesday's NY Times. Here's the link to the article http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/28/dining/28TABL.html. The writer mentions their seasonal menus of local ingredients, with things like Walla Walla onion rings, sweet potato fries starting in November, blackberry milkshakes in August, local strawberries in May for their shortcake, cheesecake with Rogue River artisanal blue cheese, Huckleberry milkshakes & so on. Their burgers are Oregon Country Beef from free-range cattle. It all sounds very very interesting in the article, but several people on this thread have expressed negative comments about the food at Burgerville. -Steve

There's an feature in tomorrow's NY Times food section on Wolfgang Zwiener, & his new steakhouse. Here's the link to the article http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/28/dining/2...d=all&position=. -Steve

From my recollection, then brine it first for a certain amount of time(can't remember if they mentioned the length). After brining, the spices are smothered in the meat. Then it's finally smoked. -Steve

I was watching recently the Carnegie Deli episode of the Into the Fire television series. In one segment, they showed the off-site plant where they make their own pastrami & corned beef(for their own restaurant). Could that be the case? It was always my understanding that the Carnegie Deli doesn't make their own pastrami. According to the NY Times Ed Levine article awhile back, there's only one NYC deli still making their own pastrami, & it's not Carnegie Deli. The owner of Carnegie Deli even mentions on the Into the Fire program, that they make their own products, like pastrami & corned beef(they might also make their own strawberry cheesecake at the Carnegie Deli off-site plant). -Steve

You must be talking about chef Kerry Simon. He was a challenger on the ill-fated UPN Iron Chef USA. I've videotaped the Iron Chef America episodes(including the preview show), but haven't watched it yet. -Steve

Been to Non Solo Con Pane Italian bakery in Dorval. Basically on my visits there, I have just tried their cannolis(their speciality), & found them excellent. They make 3 kinds of cannolis(different fillings). Are they any great Lebanese or Greek bakeries/patisseries in Laval from anyone? -Steve

I've got to try Alati then. I heard of Alati before, but I had heard it was the second location of Alati-Caserta with the same owner. Now you tell me, Alati are the original owners of Alati-Caserta. -Steve

The baklawa at Le Petit Milos are excellent, the best I've ever tasted. I think they keep the baklawa next to the cash register area(top of the display case I think). It's the same baklawa that they have at Milos. Le Petit Milos make their own baklawa & they charge a pretty hefty price. -Steve

Schwartz's opening a second location on Crescent was more than a rumour. They seriously considered it, but eventually decided against it. -Steve

Fat Guy did say that Schwartz's was the best of them all, based on his last visit(in June 2002 for his Fat Guy Eats Canada trip). Probably better than Katz's. Previous to that he thought the Snowdon Deli had the best Montreal smoked meat(did not eat at Snowdon Deli on his last visit). -Steve

I'm still waiting for the Schwartz's gang to come to NYC & accept the food writer Steven Shaw challenge from the Fat Guy Eats Canada 2002 thing around 2 years ago. That Steven would conduct a taste test at his apartment between Schwartz's smoked meat vs Katz's pastrami. Maybe it could be done as a eGullet event. -Steve

All newspaper articles that was posted on the wall of the St-Viateur bagel factory, are now back there again(I think they were painting or something along those lines, that caused them to remove the articles for a short period). At least for Schwartz's smoked meat, their recipe is from Romanian origins. -Steve

I just re-read the Montreal Gazette article. Yes, the Schwartz's owner mentions marinating the meat, but I'm almost 100% certain he means it is dry-cured(Schwartz's does it for 10 days). BTW, the Montreal Gazette website is turning into a pay site(as will all the CanWest Global papers eventually). There's a free trial period until the end of May for non-subscribers(current 7-day Gazette subscribers, get the website included with the subscription). Unfortunately, now the Gazette archives on the site, only goes back one week(previously it would go back 2 weeks). As for Schwartz's possibly opening a second location on Crescent, it won't happen. -Steve

I was in the St. Viateur bagel camp for a long time. Then last year, I heard a lengthy discussion about the Fairmount bagel shop on Montreal radio. I went to Fairmount bagel shortly after the radio talk, & I was very impressed with the taste of their sesame bagels. Now I'm not sure which I like better(Fairmount or St. Viateur). Yes, I've noticed that in recent years that some of bagels that I get from St. Viateur are too huge(look more like NYC bagels). -Steve

Wow. La Mer on René-Lévesque East? Two weeks ago Chez Nino at the Jean-Talon Market had real key limes (they made a divine seviche). First time I'd ever seen them north of Manhattan. I'll check out this week both Chez Nino & La Mer regarding real key limes & Meyer lemons respectively. Both of these things was on my list, of food things I couldn't find in Montreal. -Steve