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grill-it

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Everything posted by grill-it

  1. I'm not one for conspiracies - so I'll let any coincidences carswell has pointed out remain exactly that: coincidences. Welcome walnuts - the Nelligan is a beautiful hotel, congratulations. As for Modavie - been there twice, the last time was about two years ago. I still remember, 'cause my friends car was stolen that evening. Haven't felt the urge to go back. The lettuce in my salad was nearly wilted, and for a main I had some sort of surf & turf type dish. The steak was good, although a little too salty (I usually find steaks served in restos over-salted, so maybe it's just me ) and the shrimps were slight dry/overcooked. The place was loud & lively (and yes, the girls were pretty) - I don't remember much about the wine list. In all, not too bad - especially for tourists. (Definitely not what I would call 'top', though...)
  2. I've been thinking of going on this Sunset dinner train - apparently it's the same chefs as the Henry Burger, but that doesn't tell me much as I have never been to either... Have anyone tried this out? Any comments - I'm looking for a romantic little trip for myself and my girlfriend - thought it looks pretty nice. From their WebSite
  3. grill-it

    Soto

    100% agree on the pricing - although the high-end dine-in restos (as opposed to the take-outs) like Kaizen Treehouse, and Soto - will always do well IMO.
  4. grill-it

    Soto

    Boo :( . I love their Old Montreal location - I've never been disappointed there. The sushi is always tasty, pleasant service, and often the special entrées are outstanding. (NB - I'm not referring to Soto Express - I've never really enjoyed 'factory' sushi anyway...
  5. Thanks David, I will most certainly take you up on your offer - I appreciate your sincerity, and sense of customer service. I am sure that my experience was more of an anomoly, as everyone I have spoken to has truly enjoyed their visits to your resto. I will not be in town often in the month of June, but perhaps shortly after I will get in touch. BTW, congrats on the upcoming baby! Thanks again, and I look forward to meeting you.
  6. I suppose I will try it again. This time I will set my expectations appropriately, I'll try something other than the veal, and I will not be phased by service that is less-than-perfect. I think I'll be in for a treat - according to the Devoir review this week, the lobster bisque is just amazing. :)
  7. Check out this Symposium thread that includes a discussion on expectations and restaurant experiences. Click here. Thanks Doc, I'll check it out more throroughly when I have some time later this week - but it looks like an interesting thread that has significant relevance here. I enjoyed my meal at Savannah, perhaps because I was expecting an 'interesting' take on different dishes. I was impressed with the service - attentive and detailed. I enjoyed the 'pace' of the meal, and most of all, the food: well-prepared and impecably presented. Regardless, eat2much, I can totally understand how an experience like your would be a turn-off. I guess I was just lucky. :)
  8. I just re-read my last comment, and would just like to clarify: Although I was slightly disappointed with my experience at Rosalie, I went there with the highest expectations - and IMO, that was an error on my part. Given my attitude, it would have been very difficult for me to have left Rosalie entirely content. It WAS a good meal, and we DID have an enjoyable time. If there is one thing that I've learned about dining out, but somehow I can't managed to do it properly - it's to manage my expectations. Often times, my most memorable dining experiences are those that I wasn't anticipation a fabulous meal (ie. expectations weren't very high). Leslie, I don't know how you reviewers do it!
  9. I don't mind at all... It was just over 200$ including 2 glasses of (rather ordinary) wine - we should have ordered a bottle of something more interesting. We also had a couple of after-dinner cocktails. Not including service. Not to disparage Mr. MacMillan, or his restaurant, but for that price, I would suggest Savannah - I preferred my dining experience there. The service was better, as was the meal - although perhaps it's not as 'hip'.
  10. I finally got around to going to Rosalie for dinner this past weekend... and based on the comments on this thread (and rave reviews elsewhere) I was excited, and expecting a truly wonderful meal. We arrived late, and had a seat on their fabulous patio. We waited almost twenty minutes before the waitress came to see us - but we really didn't mind, it was a beautiful night, perfect for al fresco dining. And she was pleasant. Our entrées were well prepared, and nicely presented - although I'm not a fan of the 'kitchy' tableware. Hers: Frisée salad with warm chevre - to her liking. My choice was the salad with blue cheese and walnuts (which had no walnuts) but was tasty just the same. Oh, and we were served our bread and butter after our entrées . I cannot remember what she ordered as a main, (I think it was some sort of fish?) but I chose the veal tenderloin. It was served on a potato puree with tender vegetables. The veggies were perfectly cooked (that is, not too cooked) and the fiddleheads were a pleasant seasonal touch. The veal, although very flavourful, was a little dry for my taste. The portion was enormous though - I was not able to finish my veal. And unfortunately, I had no room left for dessert :( . One final note - the tables on the patio were very cramped (at least where we were sitting). The waitresses kept bumping into the patrons, and the floor manager. So, overall I guess I was a little disappointed, especially considering the tab. I'll go back - but not for a while.
  11. HOORAY! Jean-Philippe the restaurant guy!!!
  12. I second Papaye Verte - very good. And next door too, Vaudeville, i think has a pretty good steak frites for 14$ approx. I have a feeling they're open for brunch on Sundays, but I have never been. On the asian front, has anyone been to Tampopo? It's just off of Mont-Royal, pretty close to Mentana. You sit on cushions on the floor - kind of quaint - food yummy too.
  13. Interesting topic. :) I have travelled through the US and met and dined with many Americans. And there are as many 'American' ways to eat, as there are surfers in California. That being said, one aspect of American eating has always stood out in my mind, as it differs greatly with my own manner of eating and my upbringing. I find that for many Americans, eating a meal is merely an evil necessity; it's required for survival and that's about it. So, many don't take the time to enjoy a meal, nor the company. A meal may take anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes. Conversation? Family? Forget it. As I grew up, I remember dinner time in my family's kitchen. We started late, (except for my mother, of course, who had been busy preparing the meal all day) maybe around eight o'clock, and we ate slowly, took out time between courses, soups & stews, meat & rice dishes, seafood, salads, cheeses etc... by the time we got around to after dinner tea - it was nearly midnight! These days, I don't necessarily have that much time to spend enjoying a meal. But that habit has stayed with me; I prefer to really take my time to enjoy eating, I relish the combination of good food and drink, good company, and good conversation. How Un-American of me!
  14. I lived in NYC for a short while when I was young and foolish ;) Some of the best Indian food I had was a little joint with a funny looking waiter on 2nd avenue. I can't remember the name, and I apologize 'cause there's a ton of Indian food restaurants on 2nd ave, and many of them are really NOT good. Anyway, they served a truly hot & tasty chicken vindaloo, service was always very friendly, and well the decor, well, left something to be desired - but you can't have everything... I admit I am not experienced whatsoever in Indian cuisine, but I certainly do enjoy it, and I'm sure that the best is yet to come!
  15. Oh, and another place I like for lunch is Brodino on St-Viateur, just soups & sandwiches, and quite inexpensive to boot! Although, i haven't been in a while - but they used to have a variety of soups, alternating from time to time. Nice thick fresh bread on the sandwiches as I recall...
  16. There's certainly no shortage of inexpensive food in Montreal! I think I mentioned this place in the Pizza thread, probably 'cause I have been so many times as a student - the Rotisserie Italien on St-Catherine by du Fort. It's a charming little place: service at the counter, cheap Italian house wine, tasty pizza, nice pastas (that are not overcooked) and a really great tomato sauce. A couple can dine with wine and a nice espresson for under 30$. Thumbs up for cheap!
  17. yeah, but your reviews are (almost!!) always on the money! BTW sorry if I'm off topic!
  18. So it's worth the visit? I haven't yet been... Another nice terasse that just pooped into my mind is right up the street from Savannah. It's called Le Lychée and it has a beautiful patio with comfy couches & cushions and such. I've only been for late night drinks once, so I have absolutely no idea what the menu is like. But the decor is quite something - I think they have nearly 40 Roboscans (fancy programmable stage-lighting units) as well as some pretty pojections. I get the feeling they're trying to ride the fence between restaurant and club...has anyone eaten there?
  19. Sounds delicious! I don't live anywhere near Phillie, so I think I'll try a homemade version for lunch. Mmmm, can't wait - thanks for the post!
  20. I wonder if the place that replaced the long-departed 'Le Bouchon' will end up with a nice patio - after all Le Bouchon had a very nice terrasse :) I don't even know what it's called now, but it's the same location (mont-royal & st-laurent)
  21. Isn't it calles 'Figaro' ? I don't know... these charming little places are always a mystery as everyone has a different name for them As for Boris Bistro - yes, how could we forget? I really enjoy having lunch there in the summertime. Ribojoe, have you ever eaten at the Jardin Nelson? I went once a few years ago - and to my embarassment, I took some visiting family. In short: (and I hope I don't offend anyone) we had terrible service, bland food, and the rag that the bus-girl used to clean the table smelled so bad that I fetched some paper towels & soap from the bathroom and cleaned it again myself. It was very unpleasant - and at the end, there was a nice hefty bill to boot (considering what we ordered). Needless to say, I haven't returned.
  22. Thanks for the welcome! :) And just to re-iterate, I am referring to high-end stemwear... I really don't think that the majority of fine-dining establishements spend that much - but some do...
  23. Recently about 700$ CAD at Cube (for 3). Had a wonderful meal, and a wonderful time. I left feeling great - but a great big hole in my pocket. No regrets though, I can only do this once in a blue moon. ;) One comment about spencer's cost breakdown - he mentioned stemwear... I don't think many people realise how expensive this can get. Especially when considering that high-end wines require quality stemwear. Now say a server drops a few crystal glasses, or they break when carelessly washed/dryed - at 50$+ a glass , that can throw a big kink in the bottom line.
  24. Thanks for the welcome Lesley ;) A long adventure it will be - as I just LOVE to eat!
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