Spiro

Anyone eaten here lately? Due to me messing up flight bookings (multiple airlines, flying on points, etc.) we're unexpectedly spending a Sunday evening and the next day in Montreal. Which is fine -- used to live there, visit often. For a change of pace, we're staying in Hotel St Paul, and are intrigued by Vauvert. I've read mostly positive reviews (including from LesleyC), but nothing really recent. So, is this a good way to spend our evening in Montreal? Anywhere close by more highly recommended? We're on our way to France, so this meal doesn't need to be spectacular, just good...

No responses for Saint John yet, so I'll throw one in. (BTW, Saint John is in New Brunswick, not Nova Scotia -- other side of the Bay of Fundy.) I haven't been, but Opera Bistro (http://www.operabistro.com/operabistro/) is getting rave reviews.

Just thought I'd share. Naz is a great guy, and Cohen, of course, is a legend. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/sto...-naz-cater.html

The Fredericton Wine & Food Fest is always a great time, despite their lack of a proper website: http://www.diabetes.ca/section_regional/nb.asp#events The one in Moncton is a much bigger deal: http://www.wineexpo.ca/ Others can be found here: http://www.nbliquor.com/festivals.asp Thanks, chromedome, for all you efforts. I really hope the Maritimes have what it takes to step up in this regard.

We had a restaurant locally who were trying to pass themselves off as an upscale Italian restaurant. For many reasons, they failed miserably. One strong indicator was that the waitstaff always referred to appetisers as "appies" ("appys"?). Very... off-putting.

That sounds simple, delicious and Greek to me! If you really want to put on the dog, give it a side of tzatziki! My most requested recipe is my "mona's meaty minestrone" soup. It's been passed halfway across the country! ← Actually, usually make a walnut/yoghurt sauce. Tangy like tzatziki, but a nice change of pace.

My most-asked-for recipe doesn't have a name, or even a recipe, really. I just marinate some boneless, skinless chicken thighs with garlic, lemon zest and juice, fresh thyme sprigs, and olive oil. Then, throw them on the grill. Simple party-pleaser! If I want to get fancy, I use breast meat cut up and skewered. The family has come to call it "Greek chicken", but I'm not sure how accurate that is...

(Sorry, been a while since i've been online...) I've eaten at Brewbakers quite a few times, and think they're great. I consider them on par with the Palate, both of which are just slightly below the Maverick room, IMHO. In the summer, though, it's hard to beat Brewbaker's rooftop patio! They've got a great wine list and interesting menu choices. Their duck and demiglace pizza is a great lunch.

We ate in the Maverick Room two Sundays ago, and will be there again this Thursday. We did have dessert, and everyone was very impressed. Sorry I don't remember the details, but this is after pre-dinner cocktails, a couple of bottles of wine, and port. I'll probably have more of my wits about me this Thursday, so I'll try to take more notice. BTW, I'm so glad that Crowne Plaza are taking the dining experience seriously. I met the chef at More than Martinis, and he had a really optimistic and receptive attitude. You guys are definitely filling a void in Fredericton's scene, IMO.

Very sad. Although I spent more time on The Main when I lived there, my father always insisted on a trip to Ben's when he'd visit. Even as recently as last spring, he swore Ben's was better than Schwartz's. They definitely had a character that won't be reproduced...

I've yet to give Racine's a fair chance. Went there once, but my wife was too sick to stay (nothing related to the restaurant; she just tries to hide the fact that she has the flu sometimes). We've never had occasion to go back. I do hear that their lunch is good (soup, sandwiches, etc.), but haven't heard anything about their desserts.

A few more, just so people realise there's more around here than just Halifax . The Inn at Bay Fortune in PEI, where Michael Smith filmed his first TV series. We were there this past summer, and the food is fabulous. Caribbean Flavas in Fredericton was recently recognised as the best restaurant in New Brunswick. Definitely the best-done fish around, but beware that they don't serve alcohol. The Palate in Fredericton is just plain good food done right. Sandwiches, soup, salad at lunch, and more upscale dishes at dinner. They know their wine, too. I'm Fredericton-biased, so won't go on about the restaurants here. I'll just say that the situation has dramatically improved in the last few years.

After watching a couple more episodes, I find myselft not caring if I ever see it again. But, if an episode of "Bites" or "Forever Summer" were to come on, I'd definitely watch. And it's not necessarily simply because things seem "staged"; Kylie Kwan's shows are definitely staged, but they're still enjoyable. Maybe I just don't like change...

This series does seem more targetted at the North American audience. I think this is the first time she's given measurements and temperatures in anything other than metric. It also seems that before and after each break, there's an "up next" segment and a "recap" segment. I'm not sure if this addition is based on any kind of market research, but it's definitely a change from previous series which had a much more casual, conversational tone. Haven't seen enough episodes to have an opinion on her menu choices, but they too seem less British than in the past. And, I'm pretty sure you're seeing London when she's out and about. The nature you see is, I assume, her back yard. From what I understand, it's fairly common in London to have a solid row of houses, but in the back is a surprising amount of green space.

I would expect the Beaverbrook to have a couple of lobster dishes, but yeah, most people just get it at the supermarket. You can get it pre-cooked. Lobster seems to be more of an "occasion" food, so you have "lobster feeds" like you'd have "corn boils" or "cookouts". I'm probably being oblivious to what "flavours of the maritimes" would be. If you had a car, I'd point you to a couple of places out in the country for fresh seafood, local wine, etc. Just as Vancouver has a strong Asian community, eastern Canada has a strong Middle Eastern community. So you see things like souvlaki and Lebanese food everywhere. We produce a lot of maple products here, which is why I suggested that. NB is also virtually unique in the consumption of fiddleheads (immature ferns that haven't uncurled yet), but they're a springtime thing and don't keep. We're pretty much into apples, squashes, etc. right now. Moose season is just wrapping up, duck season is underway, and deer season will start shortly. Unfortunately, I can't think of any restaurants that will offer these, but you never know. As a disclaimer, I will say that Fredericton can be finicky, and just because something is a good idea doesn't mean that it will do well here. People are pretty conservative, so anything considered new or different (to them) usually fails a few times before taking off. That seems to be slowly changing, though: I was sure Caribbean Flavas would be closed within a year (glad I was proved wrong!). My point here is that, by and large, we're a meat-and-potatoes society, so good food isn't appreciated. I know I'm generalising, but that's the kind of thing you have to work through to find the real gems in this town.