Cole Tucker

Answer to Jacques Landurie's remarks Posted on Mar 5 2004, 01:54 PM. Dear Mr. Landurie I am glad to see you pop up on EGullet. It seems you visited to post your comments and then just as fast disappeared. You should stick around, I am sure you would learn some new things. I suppose those that alerted you to my last post, will do so once again and you will pop in, take your shot and then disappear just as fast. I would have responded sooner, but I have been traveling and eating at some very very fine restaurants. Did you know that Washington DC has a "Les Halles" Firstly I was led to belive that this sight is for people that truly love food and want to share their experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly. While I have had many a good meal in the past at Les Halles, this wasn't one of them. "The food bill was not $617.00 for 5 persons without wines, taxes but $440.00 for drinks, wine, food and taxes. And this can be proven with the copy of the bill. " I apologize you are right on this matter. I settled accounts that night with my confrere and he asked me for $310. I assumed it was all for the meal, but I found out later that it included some other things. That said it included 2 drinks,1 btl of wine $60. Thats it. "2nd Lie, The waiter (who remembers you) brought you the garlic for your fish soup and you ate it all. By the way, it is not garlic gloves but garlic cloves" I never said he never brought me the garlic cloves, I said I had to fight for them. I asked the waiter for the garlic as I am used to having it served that way and he didnt want to bring me any. After we jostled back and forth the maitre D' motioned for him to bring me the cloves, which he then did. "I am the owner of Les Halles since 1971 and to finish, when it comes to orthograph, you too are a “disaster”.Jacques Landurie" LOL this is so funny I can here you screaming this at the computer as you got someone to type it for you. Mr. Landurie maybe my orthograph is a disaster, but my taste buds and love for food and the hospitality business isn't. A wiseman once said (I don't remember who, my memory must be a disaster) said "When a man has a good argument, he attacks the other man's reason, when his argument is weak, he attacks the man" This is what you have chosen to do. Mr. Landurie after 20 years of having been in the hospitality business I honestly will admit that I have unfortunately not scored 100% all the time. Like all things in life it can happen. We both know the many many things that can happen even when we have the best intentions. Someone such as yourself should do the gentlemanly thing and admit that things do go wrong, even at "Les Halles" I am sure you will continue to serve many a find meal, do great business and have many happy customers, but not me or my friends. At the end of the day it is not the meal that has permanently spoiled me on your restaurant, it is your attitude, the same attitude that I experienced that night. I wish you luck and hope that we will both learn something from this exchange.

Schneiders was a great place for a steak. It has been closed for years. Old man Sam had some problems with the crime probe back in the 70's. Brian Mulroney a lawyer for the commision grilled him hard but never got Sam to admit squat. When Mulroney accussed him of being the biggest loan shark in Montreal, he responed " I am just an nice old man, that likes to lend money to help people out" " You call that a loan shark, I call it a good friend" Sam was always a great host and no he never lent me money!

Beaucher, I am very very careful about where I eat Sushi. I don't trust 98% of places. The place where we ate is highly recommended on this site and in the papers all the time. That is why I was so surprised with our situation. As for Les Halles it truly was a bad meal. I think it had a lot to due with the fact that it was early in the week and the best of the kitchen staff was off. I am pretty spolied and eat out about 4 nights a week and even more so when I am traveling on business. I can almost feel a bad dining experience from the moment I walk in the room.. Good news is I think the spell has broken, I had a great meal last night at La Chronique, simply fantastic.

First Friday night I went to the best sushi restaurants on St-Denis with two friends. It was hoping, busy like crazy. Food was good. The next day I thought I was going to die! Stomach gramps etc etc (I will spare you the details) I also broke out in rash down one side of my arm! I called two friends and they had the exact same thing. The only thing we have in common is that we all ate at that restaurant Friday. I am not saying it was that restaurant, it could be just a coincidence, but... It is Weds and we still feel bad!! Anyways for business I was forced to entertain guests last night. They were staying at the Vogue, so I thought great we will go to Rosalie. Nope the hotel had convinced them to go to "Les Halles" Against all my whining they persisted and dragged me there. The food was $617 for five (Without wine, tax & tip) We didn't even order much food! I was scandalized. Now I don't mind spending the money but when the food is horrible, it makes me want to scream!! It's been years since they lost their touch. I ordered a "fish soup est sa rouille' I am used to having gloves of garlic with it to scrape on the croutons. So when it not come I asked for it, the waiter completely refused to bring me any garlic. And who charges 17.50$ for such a soup. I didn't look at the price before ordering. I will save you the details but all in all is was a disaster. I am now conviced that the food gods are conspiring against me, so I am cooking at home till Saturday, when I prey the spell will break and I will be able to go out and dine again. This last experince has also taught me a valuable experince. Next time I have to entertain guests I will go to Rosalie or Cavalli and ask them to meet me there!! Thereby not letting them choose another bad restaurant. If they ask me If we can meet at another place, I will complain about some imaginary ailment that does not allow me to change restaurants without having horrific flashbacks of bad meals!

It is strange that of all the restaurants in the once mighty Mah empire the only one to succeed has been Le Piment Rouge. It baffles me as the food is quite ghastly and the prices!!!! I can name 10 corner noodle shops where you can get a far superior meal at half the price! I think even the Mahs would agree as their new ventures in Toronto are soup & noodle places.

beaucher & jokhm I was in St.Laurent this evening and upon your suggestions I stopped into Ban Lao Thai. I remember many years ago when this space use to function as a hot dog stand. I have to agree with you both, very simple place, good food & cheap prices. Also you can go to the SAQ next door and buy yourself a bottle of wine, as it is a bring your own wine place. What amazed me is that I was there at 5:30 and there was only one table left till 8:30 p.m. as they had many reservations. The place is very small, probably about 30 seats Nice to see a mom and pop shop doing well. One correction the restaurant is at Decarie & Cote Vertu. Cote Vertu does turn into Sauve once you pass L'Acadie. Thanks guys for the suggestion Ban Lao Thai 930 Decarie (514)747-4805

Kam Fung lost its location of many years on Clark, due to the landlord ending their lease to install China town's first casino. When the chinese community went into an uproar, had a referendum on the issue and petitioned the government, the landlord lost the right to open the casino. With the empty space available, he turned it into "Ruby Rouge" As for Tong Por the 2nd floor is best.

riboflavinjoe; Kamshing always has great food, but personnaly I prefer Cote Des Neiges. The owner is furious that someone on the west island opened a restaurant with the same name. They sued them and now they added NEW, so the signage reads "New Kam Shing" albeit the NEW is very small, almost unreadable. jokhm: I was a HUGE fan of Mon Nan for many years. Probably the best Cantonese Chow Mein in Montreal (They put anise in it) Unfortunately they have changed chefs too many times and have slipped in the past few years. Also the place has become just to dirty for me to stomach. They really need to do some cleanup. My prefered places are as follows: Dim Sum: Ruby Rouge (The old Kam Fung locaton) quality, service and variety. Dim Sum Exotic: Tong Por, better know the menu or at least bring someone that understands the language. Lunch: New Dynasty on Clark/Rene Levesque Dinner: Bejing

Dear Posters, thank you kindly for your great help. I went to Mikado on St-Denis this past Sat and it was fantastic. Food was fresh & great, service fine and all my guests greatly enjoyed it. Far superior than anything I have ever had a Koji. Now I need to find an excuse to go back a.s.a.p.

Dear Folks, I have guests from out of town and would like to take them out for sushi. I don't enjoy Koji Kaizen and when I ask friends about other places seems that no one agrees on the best place! Also unfortunately one of guests does not eat sushi (CAN YOU BELEIVE IT) but she does love chicken teriyaki. Your help would be appreciated. By the way anyone ever tried Sushi Miyako on Amherst, some of my friends are raving about it?

I have been many times to Kaizen and have never been wowed. This past Saturday I went upstairs to TriHouse. I found it better, but once again not the best I have had. At $920 for 8, not including liquor, I expect to be impressed at which I wasn't. Funny enough I met Leonardo Di Caprio at the bar as he was having a cigarette and after talking awhile he asked me if I knew any better places! Anyone ever heard about the owner's run in wth George Clooney?

Unfortunately I LOVE smoked meat. As my appetite for it increased so has my waistline!. Over the last several years I have been a diciple of the church of "Schwartz" I simply belived it's Montreal's only smoked meat. Dunn's, Lester's, Ben's and god forbid Nickel's I am convinced are just a step above the smoked meat that come in little packages that you can buy in the super markets. LAtely I have found Schwartz's quality slipping, often too dry, almost unedible. Tonight after much harrassing from friends I went to the West Island to Abie's. I was THRILLED! The smoked meat, fries, were better than "Schwartz" I haven't had that kind of quality at "Schwartz" in a long time It also has no lineup and air conditioning, lots of elbow room, polite servie and clean! They do need to work on their slaw & pickles. There is lots garlic in their slaw. Anyways if you like smoked meat give it a try, you will be pleased. Abie's 3980 Boul St-Jean D.D.O

ABG you are sort of right, as least on paper the members are the owners. In 1996 the Caisse, effectively took over The Mount Stephen Club by becoming their primary morgage holder. This was not done cause of their love for this montreal insistution, but for business reasons. J.C.S. had a dream of purchasing the parking lot that runs along De Maisoneuve and De La Montagne and back onto the club's parking lot. With the parking lot and club in hand he was to build Montreal's grandest hotel, he claimed it would make the Ritz look like a youth hostel. Mount Stephen would serve as part of this hotel, al la Hemsley Palace, Le Square Philips etc. Those plans fell through when the market turned and the parking lot owner wouldn't lower his price. As soon as the ink dried on the morgage papers CDP seized control of the board of directors, fired the g.m. and since has run the club, not the members.

He often eats at The Mount Stephen Club. He and his clan bought the club with Caisse money, several years ago. He has build quite the private wine cellar for his personal pleasure.