Mlle Tatin

Just felt the need to chime in and say that Travis and Monika's new place is called L'Orignal (as in "The Moose"), not L'Original! Have not had dinner, but it's a great spot for late night drinks.

I'm going to be in Boston for a couple of days and am doing some research into gastropubs. Where would anyone suggest I go?

Lost power a few nights ago and wandered over to L'Express, where they informed me they are fully equiped with generators to feed us til 2am through the winter. Very good to know.

I've had the pleasure of eating at G-M twice already since its opening on June 1st. Mayhem? Absolutely. The vibe is incredible, very laid back, no-fuss, Maine crab-shack like... chalkboard menu, with dishes served in the pan, rested on an old paint can top. You get the picture... dirty and delicious. The wine list is short, basic, and very affordable, written on a mini chalkboard. They also make killer bloody ceasars with giant king crab claws stuffed in the glass. yum. The seafood is dynamite. Fresh oysters, crab, shrimp and the like. They make a great lobster roll on toasted sesame bread with onion rings. Also indulged in some tasty mussels, jumbo garlic shrimp, fried oysters, rhubarb pie made by Chuck Hughes' (one of the owners) mom, and a deep fried mars bar. Simple flavors, downright good food. The staff is clearly enjoying themselves, they are young and full of energy. Their good vibes are contageous, as the eclectic room was filled with smiling patrons on both of my visits. 2 weeks into it, and all the reviews I've heard have been raves. It can only get better. Good luck to them!

wow. I honestly had NO idea. strange....

I had the pleasure of eating at Version last night, and I have to mention something that's been ommitted from all descriptions that I have read so far on the restaurant ... It has a gorgeous terrace! It was SO pleasant to dine outdoors (and so surprised!) on a warm summer night... on a secluded terrace with high brick walls covered in green vines, comfortable couches, roomy tables, low light, and delicious food!! I had to be reminded that I was still in Montreal! The inside is nicely decorated... very modern, and occasionally over-the-top. It's sometimes a fine line between ultra-hip and tacky. For the most part, a great design job. The kind of place that makes you say ...ooo that's neat... a lot. The wine list is small, but interesting, with enough Portuguese and Spanish wines to suit any taste, and the wines are much more reasonably priced than at Chez L'Epicier. It just so happened that I went on the night of the Torres Spanish wines tasting, which was intimate, tasteful, and lovely. A table d'hote was offered for $50 including wine pairing. We opted to dive into the full restaurant menu, which seemed more exciting. The food was very well thought-out and brilliantly executed. The fougasette was delicious! What a great touch. We tried the Flight de Sel as our first appetizer, and to fill in blanks in mose1111's description... the salts offered with our dish were Hawaiian black, Hawaiian red, Himalayan, and Fleur de Sel. A great dish... I could have eaten hundreds of those delicious cherry tomatoes in truffle tempura! We also shared, based on our waiter's recommendation, an appetizer of baked dates wrapped in proscuitto and served with some sort of a red pepper and tomato salsa ... I had my reservations about this dish, but it was *sumptous*! Very intriguing mix of flavors, sweet and salty. (Couldn't really see what I was eating because of the very lowly lit terrace, but it sure tasted great!) We then moved onto our main course, a large coldron-shaped pot of shrimp, fresh corriander, cherry tomatoes, and sauteed eggplant, over rice. Simple, fresh, amazing! I couldn't get enough! I was also pleased with the selection of imported Spanish and Portuguese cheeses available, which we couldn't resist sampling at the end of the meal. They also seemed to have a few interesting dessert choices... I'll have to try some next time. The service was quite slow despite how quiet the restaurant seemed. Our waiter was often absent, and when present, very rushed. Regardless, he was very professional, knowledgeable, and pleasant. Of course, there are a few glitches which need smoothing out... with every new service, a new plate and dinner napkin arrive... leaving us with quite the collection at the end of the meal! All in all, a very enjoyable night, especially with the beautiful patio! Total cost for 2: $160 including a bottle of wine, tax, AND tip... but we were pretty modest! I will definitely go back!

mmm... great review. Thanks sf&m. I'll have to make it a point to stop by for some sashimi. FINALLY a place in Montreal that we can maybe rely on for skill and quality in the Japanese department! Is Jun I open 7days/week?

I second that! Oishii has beautiful, beyond fresh sushi... and the white fish carpaccio is to die for! As is the seared black cod! I was there a week ago, and tried the chef of the day's specialty (apparently there is more than one sushi chef at Oishii)... thick squares of salmon sashimi coated in green tea sugar with a drop of yuzu mayo and a thin slice of avocado. Ask about this special little item. It's truly delicious. Oishii is a nice new addition to the mile end/outremont neighborhood.

I attended the Marche Bonsecour tasting, and it was marvelous! I too had zero knowledge of this event until the very last minute. I had the pleasure of meeting Carol Cakebread the night prior to the tasting (a total fluke), and she very nicely invited me to the trade tasting which ran until 4:30 pm. A lovely event, not too big... with 25 Napa wineries showcasing their wines. A lot of them were new to Quebec and hoping to score some interest for importation (among them Peju and Corison). As a result, the actual owners of many wineries were present, and each winery had their best juice on hand to impress. That same night, the tasting was open to the public from 7 to 9pm. I did not attend, nor do i know anyone who did, but I can't fathom a $300 cover fee! I missed the Windsor tasting, but heard it was very blah... did anyone go?

I finally made it to Pullman last week and had reserved for 4 at 8:30pm. Two of us arrived first and were told our table was not yet ready, so we were shown to a little table sticking out of the wall with no chairs around it... Before we knew it, our coats were swooped away by an attractive young woman. To my surprise, the place was packed. All types of people, young, old, dressed up, dressed down, filled the bar and the crooked zigzag tables. In the variety of the clientelle, there was a common denominator... this crowd was classy, modern, and in-the-know. We stood with two glasses of white wine from the small but varied by-the-glass selection by the small table (one Steele chardonnay and one French burgundy, the name escapes me), admiring the glass (literally) chandelier, and the fun decor. Despite our awkward table with no chairs, we felt a great vibe from the place. We quickly recognized many faces, and started chit chatting away. After a while of standing, I was relieved when the host came to announce that our table was ready. We were shown upstairs (the nonsmoking section) to a small table for 2 people. a few feet next to it was another table for 2, but both these tables were nailed to the floor and unmovable. We told our waitress that we were hoping to sit at the same table as our friends, share tapas, chit chat, etc... and that this setup was inadequate. She seemed annoyed, and said she would "see what could be done". We sat for another 10 minutes or so, and our friends arrived. The waitress pointed to a booth in the corner, a very cozy spot, where we all happily moved to. It was 9:15. We sipped our aperos, and then ordered two bottles of a privately imported Italian red at $65. We also ordered tapas. Lots of them. We were hungry. The tapas ranged from good to very good. I can't say anything was particularly exceptional, but then again, I don't think that's the point at Pullman. The food was exactly what it should be... tasty little nibbles to accompany the wine. The deer tartare was probably my favorite. The foie gras was also nice, as was the grilled cheese, the fried cod croquette and the trout won ton. Note: the tapas at Pullman are designed to be a one-bite affair... therefore, seeing as we were somewhat hungry, we had to order a fair amount. We were given warm towels before the meal. A very nice touch. After perhaps a total of 15 very small dishes... we went onto dessert. I was intrigued by their cheese selection, but being the only cheese gal at the table, we opted for some dark chocolate truffles, an ile flottante, and delicious privately imported late-harvest zinfandel. All this followed by some very good espresso. The service? A very nice woman, who was quite busy, as the place was packed, did a fine job. The service in general was a bit slow, but we were in no rush, and enjoyed the relaxed pace. Our waitress was courteous, professional, knowledgeable, and very friendly. When opening the second bottle, she took it upon herself to declare the bottle to be "off", and to retrieve another. All in all, very appropriate. The only real bemol for me was the wine list which I found to be limited for a wine bar. Even though it's largely private imports, it remains very short and rather unexciting. The damage? 4 people: $500. (yikes!) I guess we only live once, yes? Will I go back? Probably for a drink or two, or a small bite to eat. I had a lovely evening. But next time, I will follow the advice of my fellow eGulleters, and make sure I've eaten beforehand. Being hungry can be very expensive at Pullman.

I'm planning on dining at this newish resto next week and was wondering if anyone has had the opportunity to check it out. I've heard good things so far... any reviews?

I have to agree about Three Tomatoes. Definitely skip it. Hemingways, Pitcher Inn, The Garlic, Choices, American Flatbread.... all good recommendations, but all quite a long drive from where you are! I personally dont enjoy knowing that after my two or three or four glasses of wine, I have an hour and a half drive on dark snowy unfamiliar roads ahead of me. Granted, that's part of New England's charm, but let me recommend some closer eateries that I'm sure you'd enjoy. Right in your little town of White River Jct, there is a relatively new Northern Italian restaurant called Como Va. Try it, it might surprise you. It's fairly authentic, with a very cozy atmosphere, and attentive service. Also in your humble village, there is a cafe called Tip Top, open for lunch. Modern decor, great soups, interesting appetizers. Worth a try. Please note that this place has changed their opening hours quite a few times. Inquire about when to go. Close by in the neighboring town of Hanover (5-10 minutes away), there is a lovely, wine-spectator-awarded Italian cafe called Cafe Buon Gustayo, affectionately nicknamed CBG's by the locals. They are open later than the average Vermont restaurant... will accomodate you if you walk in at 9 or 9:30, even later sometimes on weekends... and the owners are unbelievably friendly. If you're into Italian, you'll like it. They make their own breads and pastas, and their love for Italy can be tasted in every bite. Also in Hanover, you'll find as much international flavor as you ever will in these neck of the woods... An Indian place called India Queen, and a thai place called Mai Tai, both adequate, but nothing to rave about. There's also a great little homey breakfast place called Lou's and a cafe/bakery called Dirt Cowboy Cafe. Zin's at the Hanover Inn is overpriced and very blah... always empty and quite cold. A trip to Simon Pierce in Quechee should be on your do-not-miss list. It's quite close to where you are (Highway 91 to 89 N exit 1 onto route 4, 10 min.) It's a beautiful place to go to during the day, with lots to see and a great lunch menu. I find it more appropriate for lunch, as dinners are a bit overpriced and the blown glass and pottery stores are closed, but either way, a nice destination. It's known as one of the Upper Valley's very best restaurants. Also in Quechee, the Parker House, which is a local favorite, and Firestones, which serves good flatbread pizza. There are a few places in Woodstock which are worth checking out. Woodstock is after Quechee on Rte 4, maybe 15 minutes from White River Jct. The Prince and the Pauper is a delightful little restaurant, with very good french-inspired food. The Woodstock Inn offers a great Sunday brunch. And the Jackson House in Woodstock is divine! The chef is a Charlie Trotter veteran. A tasting menu is available. From Woodstock, if you head south on Rte 106, South Woodstock has a lovely country inn (also received a nod from Wine Spectator) called the Kedron Valley Inn, closed tuesdays and wednesdays. It offers very traditional, New England fare, and a classic decor. Check them out at www. kedronvalleyinn.com. And a bit further to the South (Rte 106), there is a GEM of a place called Keeper's, a small, very lovely restaurant with a limited menu, but TERRIFIC food and courteous service. Last time I had the absolute best corn chowder, cajun shrimp quesadillas, and fresh seared halibut in tomato and herb concasse. A longer drive, but worth it. They are open tuesday-saturday. 10 min to the North of Woodstock, on Rte 12, there is a GREAT upscale restaurant called the Barnard Inn. Renowned for their desserts, fish soups, and crispy duck. Worth the drive. Also not too far from you in Plainfield (through W Lebanon, straight for 10 miles and right onto Plainfield road), there is an award winning French restaurant called Home Hill. Stephane is the owner, and his wife the chef. Absolutely delightful, very traditional, beautiful place, reminiscent of an old Parisian restaurant. Expensive. All these recommendations are within 30 minutes of White River. Definitely all worth checking out. It's certainly not NYC, but it's what's available... Do report back to tell of your experiences! Happy eating!