rcianci

More and more, I'm hearing good things about Kitchen Gallerie. Are they an A V V place?

Ditto, snackhappy

I actually fell in love with Au Pied de Cochon about two years before Mr. Bourdain ate there, though it was no surprise to me that he would like it.

Do you know the address? Edit: Never mind. I checked the website. BAZaAR 365 Laurier Avenue West 514-276-6999

Brunoise demise was due to the increase in the last few years of great neighborhood places that offer great food at Brunoise's price point or cheaper. A few of these are mentioned upthread. Plus they opened a second restaurant near the Bell Center. They simply looked at the numbers and closed the less profitable of their two operations.

I agree. You can praise a restaurant for taking risks, but if you judge that restaurant by different standards than other restaurants you've taken the meaning out of the word "risk". A dish that flops is a dish that flops no matter the restaurant's "concept". The customer is just as disappointed.

Good question. I think it would depend on if the dish really did fester. If the staff was sick of banging out the same thing every night and that tiredness somehow manifested itself in the food through shortcuts or inattention or what have you. I've never worked professionally in restaurant kitchen so it's very possible I'm not being realistic here. The only situation I can compare it to is that of an actor in a long running stage play. The challenge would be to keep it fresh and new to oneself in order to give one's audience the same wonderful experience night after night. Of course if ALL of the dishes on the menu are "signature" in the sense of special, then probably none of them are. Then what you have is just a menu that never changes, a kitchen staff that probably isn't trying, and that, I agree, would be boring. Then again, one hears of Asian street vendors who spend their entire lives perfecting and selling a single dish. But that's another topic for probably another board.

I agree that JB and now LH represent a kind of thrilling "high-wire act" recreating their menu as often as they do and should be judged on those merits (if only by the locals who dine there often). But since I'm not a professional eater and not plagued with the very real problem of how to avoid a tired palate, and since I only get to that restaurant with the seared scallops with lemon compote maybe once or twice a year, then I look forward to seeing it on the card when I get there. There's a lot to be said for the beloved signature dish.

I don't know whether to congratulate him for the parts that weren't so great or console him for parts that weren't that bad.

I am officially envious of you rezcook. Low key though it was, I wish I could have been there.

Anyone here go? How was it? What did they serve?

I wouldn't know. I never get invited to those sorts of parties. *sigh*

N.B. The River Cafe in London is one of the best Italian restaurants in the world. Just because the food has an Italian bent does not mean the name has to have "La Trattoria" in the title ... ← At the same time, a name like "Liverpool House" suggests something different than what is actually served. There's no major issue here other than it's kinda funny. Would you think of finding the best Pad Thai at a place called O'Byrnes Pub and Grill? The River Cafe, too, is a fairly generic name that just suggests that there's a river, and a cafe, not a British city. ← Not all that familiar with Liverpudlian cuisine. What exactly would you expect them to serve?

Sorry, but I don't believe you. It's clear to me both from speaking to the staff and from watching them operate from my perch at the bar, that the standards are pretty high at PDC. What you are saying does not jive with my experience. Plus, if you really wanted to send a message to management but not face to face, there are these things called letters. Posting this sort of thing anonymously in a public forum is no different from spreading a rumor. It strikes me as cowardly.

Too bad you didn't say anything. This is something they would want brought to their attention and it's most effectively done by the customer in person. An anonymous posting on an internet forum is nowhere near as effective or as credible.

I second the recommendation of boutique hotels in Old Montreal. A personal favorite is the Hotel Place d'Armes. You may also wish to consider a B&B on the Plateau Mont Royal as that is a very cool neighborhood with lots of great boutiques, restaurants, cafe's and bars. Agree with Thesorus' suggestions of Bu and Trois Petit Bouchons. Let me add to the list Aszu and Le Club Chasse et Pêche in Old Montreal and La Montee de Lait on the Plateau. Also on the Plateau is Au Pied de Cochon which serves up insanely large portions of exceptionally good food in a lively, convivial atmosphere. A good Montreal resource is "The List" on A. J. Kinik's and Michael Marek's blog, ...an endless banquet. The List Pt. 1: A-M The List, Pt. 2: N-Z

Well that really messes it up for the cranberries and stuffing... Prime Rib or beef Wellington is X-mas... ← I could just as easily say Thanksgiving is Turkey, not Frankenbird.

Outstanding pictures! And I must say you and your wife are cute as all get out.

Correction... The list was published in 2007, but is titled "World's Most Expensive Restaurants 2006". However, this list features restaurants serving meals priced from $368 - $62 for a meal for one???? This makes no sense, as Without having the experience of Zagat, I could easily name 10 far more pricey seats around the world. The fact that each restaurant listed also includes a number for reservations, makes me suspect this is more marketing than factual content. Come to think of it, I spent more at Gibson's in Chicago, and Charley Trotters in Vegas on a steak dinner than the Queue. For a steak house, the Queue's prices are in line with the industry. Considering that there is a market for what Mr. M is serving, I believe he successfully created a business to meet a market need. And, it is not geared towards everybody. If you go to the Queue and complain about prices, perhaps you should not have gone to the Queue. As it seems we are quoting old adages perhaps 'if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it' might be fitting. If your perspective is that 'there is a sucker born every minute' then clearly, the whole concept of dining out must be considered as a challenge, as it must pain you to pay more for anything you could prepare for yourself at home at cost. When dining out, you are paying for the experience, this includes everything from the decor and ambiance, to the food, to the feeling you have from the beginning through to the end of the meal. As an example, look at any of the feature restaurants in Vegas, and ask why people flock to these places, when so many other less expensive options exist? Yes, the food may be good, but it is clear from their investment in the restaurant that the ambiance and decor, as well as the location and the celebrity chef name score highly in contributing to the experience. Many years ago at a presentation in the western part of the US, just before a break in the event, a list of benefactors was being announced to the audience listing some very generous sponsors. All were greeted with applause, until they reached Bill Gates, who was heartily booed by the audience. A bit surprised, I asked a number of folks at the event why they would boo Mr. Gates for sponsoring this event. I got a variety of replies, and ultimately and inadvertently formed a large group of folks standing around during the break pondering the reaction. In the end, we, to our own surprise, determined that perhaps the actual reason for the boo's was out of envy than disdain. As with Mr. M and the Queue, love him or hate him, he and his team have built a successful presence in the Montreal restaurant scene. You may not wish to dine there, and it may not be your cup of tea, but respect it for what it is. It is a successful steak house that caters to a client base who appreciates the experience. ← Except that I can afford to eat at the Queue. When I say it's for people with more money than sense, I'm talking about me six years ago and the people I hung with and the people I saw around us while eating there. It seems to me now that we were there to lap up the flattery as much as the food. That the food and wine were not expensive because they were good, but rather we thought they MUST be good, because we were paying so much for them. My tastes and my priorities have changed a lot since then. I care a lot more for the creative side of cooking. I've come to see that in Montreal, there are better, more interesting dining options. So I no longer regard the "experience" the Q offers (a generic luxury steak house experience that, by your own admission, can be had in Vegas, Chicago, and doubtless in hundreds of other places) as good value for money. I don't think anyone here is criticizing Mr. M for the success he enjoys feeding the bellies and the narcissism of the nouveau riche, but rather for his attempts to buy or bully his way into the consideration of people who are serious about food.

Yep. He sat in the same stool with the antlers where Duck Fat's wife sat. I have to agree with Duck Fat that the seats in front of the open kitchen are the best in the house. The night I was there they had this crazy dessert that was like a fresh peach pie with an unusually deep crust. Every time someone would order one, the cook would ladle custard over the peaches, filling the crust to the brim. Then he would cover the custard with sugar and reach over to the stove where these heavy iron disks with wrought iron handles were heating directly on the burners. He'd grab one of these "brands" and touch it directly to the sugar. Huge plumes of smoke would shoot up the vent hood and molten sugar would spit everywhere. Finally he'd set the peach pie creme brulee thing in front of the astonished customer seated at the bar.

For what it's worth, QdC made Forbes list of ten most expensive restaurants in the world for 2007.

Ordered entirely from the specials at APDC last night and had a fantastic meal. Started with a Chantrelle Soup. Now is the season for the local chantrelles. I had come specifically to sample a special they had been running since earlier in the week; toast topped with sauteed chantrelles, seared scallops and a poached egg. Unfortunately they were out of scallops last night. The soup, however, did not disappoint. It was a thick, creamy puree garnished with a generous amount of sauteed chantrelles, crisp pancetta, fresh egg yolk and brown butter. It was fabulous. My main was a massive hunk of swordfish roasted in the wood oven. It was served atop a warm salad of smashed potatoes tossed with flakes of smoked swordfish and peppery green olive oil and the whole garnished with a relish of finely chopped tomatoes, shallots, olives and capers. Damn good. I finished with a warm tart of strawberries and homemade almond paste. This came slathered with a mascarpone cream and topped with tiny, perfect uncooked berries. I thought I had died and went to heaven. But the best part was sitting at the counter and chatting with the friendly talented cooks and watching them do their thing.

At Jean Talon Market: Le marché des saveurs du Québec 280, Place du marché nord 514 271-3811 http://www.lemarchedessaveurs.com/prod_boissons.html Good selection of Ice Ciders, Ice Wines, Hydromels, Craft-Brewed Beers, etc. The Niagara Peninsula Ice Wines, Inniskillin, Peller, etc., I tend to buy at the duty free shop on the way back to the States.

Also, jessejesse, if you do verture out near the Faubourg, check out Cafe Rococo on Lincoln Avenue. It's a small place with zero ambiance, but very good, reasonably priced Hungarian food.

Are they done with the seafood for this year? I notice it's no longer listed on the on-line menu.