Hi, I’m bethala, and this is my first post. I am going to Montreal this coming Thursday for a long weekend. It will be my first time. I’ll be based in Centre-Ville, near rues Sherbrooke and Peel. With the help of eGullet, the food press (especially the recent issue Gourmet and the Dana Bowen/NY Times article), and Eric Asimov’s blog, I’ve planned the itinerary below. I’ve basically tried to make an itinerary that: 1) incorporates the best of the old and the new and allows me to get an overview of a city I know I will return to several times; 2) allows me to focus on food and wine, without wearing down my boyfriend who is not quite as food-obsessed as I am (basically, this should come off as a thinly veiled foodie trip, rather than a foodie trip); and 3) allows my boyfriend (and me) to drink a lot of good wine and eat a lot of plateaux de fruits de mer, both of which we both love. So, here it is: Thursday (arrival early evening) Pick up a snack at a cheese shop, such as qui lait cru!?! Cocktails at the revolving bar at Delta Centre-Ville. I know, corny, but it’s for the view, people! 9PM Dinner at Joe Beef. Friday Breakfast at Eggspectations in Vieux Montreal. Bateau Mouche ride on AML. post-mouche coffee and pastry at Olive et Gourmando. pick up a picnic lunch at Chez l’Epicier. Shopping, including a stop at one of the two super SAQs, to buy some French wine to take back. 9 PM Dinner at Au Pied de Cochon. Saturday Breakfast at the Eggspectations in Centre-Ville. Walk up Mt. Royal. Lunch at Schwartz’s. Walk around the Plateau, stopping at Les Chocolats de Chloe. Walk around Mile End, stopping at Patisserie de Gascogne, picking up a dessert and/or candy for late night, and perhaps some road food for the drive back on Sunday. Marché Jean-Talon, if there’s time, stopping for a glace at Havre de Glace. 9PM Dinner at L'Express. Might have to switch the Friday and Saturday daytime activities, as it looks like rain til Saturday. Sunday Breakfast at St.-Viateur Bagels (taking some back, too), then back to Brooklyn. So my questions are: 1. How does this plan look, generally? 2. APDC. How’s APDC doing these days? I noticed that it started off getting stellar notices in the earlier threads, but then went down in the summer of ’05. Have things improved after the growing pains slump? Also, if things are good there, should I, or should I not, request a table (or bar seat?) with a view of the kitchen? It seems that some posters got grossed out by the kitchen. 3. Brunoise. Am I a fool for not doing Brunoise on this trip, or can I save it for another time, like in the fall? If I am a fool, which resto do I ditch? 4. Maestro S.V.P. I’ve read about Maestro S.V.P. on a few blogs and in a few books, but I’ve never seen it mentioned on eGullet. I’m curious as to why. Was considering it initially, but now am thinking about it only for a future trip. 5. St.-Viateur Bagels. I’m not really a bagel person, mostly because most bagels are so mediocre. I never participate in NY bagel debates and the like, but everyone makes it seem that you must get a Montreal bagel. Don’t mean to start a bagel debate, but is this true? 6. L’Express. Is L’Express essential? I’d originally planned on Brunoise or Jun I for our last night. It seems that a lot of eGulleters don’t love L’Express, but after reading Asimov’s blog piece on it (I’m an Asimov devotee), I decided it was essential for rounding out the getting a feel for the city part of the trip and that it would probably be reliable at worst. I’d originally planned on Brunoise or Jun I for my last night, Thoughts? 7. Tipping. I tip 20% in NYC. What’s the standard Montreal tip? Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be specific. Montreal is obviously an incredible eating city, and it has been heartbreaking to have to whittle it down to only 3 days’ worth of food. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks! PS please don’t come down on me too hard for the Eggspectations thing. I’m originally a Texan and thus a sucker for big old egg breakfasts.
