Easter Brunch ?

[Pinoy]

Hello everyone ! This is my first time ! I am looking for a nice place to brunch this coming Sunday. Any suggestions ? Thank you very much.

[Lesley C]

Hi Pinoy, welcome to eGullet

There's a recent thread on brunches where you'll find a long list of options.

[Pinoy]

Oups ! The thread was just a little further down !

I will check out the Vaudeville, Cafe Melies and the Savannah.

Lesley, it seemed you had a great time at La Bastide last week, I will also check it out.

[munchcake]

I don't think Cube was mentioned in the thread below, but we had a great brunch there last Easter. The only problem was that the bartender didn't know how to make a mint julep, but everything else was excellent.

[Pinoy]

I called La Bastide and they have an Easter brunch ! I will also call the Cube.

Thanks everybody !! Happy Easter !!

[Olive Oil King]

I have been to many easter brunches in my life, but the one that always sticks out is du vieux port in the old port and since the seating capacity is like 1000 people, no matter how busy it is especially on easter, you will be seated quickly!

[Pinoy]

Old port !?

I do not consider myself as a tourist in my city !

[Olive Oil King]

Must you be a tourist to visit the old port? I believe the old port is one of montreal's nicest areas! Trendy restaurants, beautiful scenery, amazing place to have a walk with your girlfriend, and my personal favorite cafe/terrase Jardin Nelson.

[Rabbit Angstrom]

Hi all!

Just a few words to report on my Easter brunch... I took my parents to 357C, where this year's theme - unsurprisingly but deliciously... - was chocolate!

The cold buffet was simply perfect: Quebec lamb chops, lobster with a very nice curry mayonnaise, veal roast with a tuna sashimi and anchovies, their famous wild Columbia River salmon lox, Serrano ham with asparagus and parmesan, brandade, etc.

This was followed by an excellent cauliflower soup, with cocoa jelly on a brioche croûton... Very subtle, and very nicely done.

For the main course, I had the langoustines with the best vegetables tempura I had in a long, long time. My dad had the ricotta ravioli with Meyer lemon and mushrooms (can't remember which ones, sorry...). But they really hit it out of the park with my mom's dish: a fantastic pork rib with a mole poblano... Just great!

Of course, a meal at 357C could not possibly be complete without a bit of Bertrand's magic... And he performs it best on the simplest desserts: for instance, I will remember today's chocolate macaroons for as long as I live... They had an almost ethereal quality, but they packed a LOT of punch, sugar-wise and chocolate-wise! A real sleeper of a dessert!

And, needless to say, service was impeccable: discreet, efficient, and friendly...

Now, if I could just muster enough of an appetite to try Bertrand's Easter eggs... Well, there's always tomorrow!

- Stéphane

[ABG]

Just a few words to report on my Easter brunch... I took my parents to 357C, where this year's theme - unsurprisingly but deliciously... - was chocolate!

Was it open to the public or was it a members only event?

[Lesley C]

I don't think it's ever open to the public

[SteveW]

Ask Stephane. This is the second time, you give very very high praise to Le 357C. IYO, could this the best restaurant in Montreal? Is Bertrand's dessert the best in the city? So they have meyer lemons?? They must grow it themselves, or have a special arrangement with a supplier, as to my knowledge it's unavailable in the city. Since this a members' only establishment, I'm not sure if any of the Montreal restaurant critics will ever review this place.

-Steve

[Lesley C]

No, private clubs are off limits.

Also, I hear you can find Meyer lemons at La Mer this week.

[carswell]

I hear you can find Meyer lemons at La Mer this week.

Wow. La Mer on René-Lévesque East? Two weeks ago Chez Nino at the Jean-Talon Market had real key limes (they made a divine seviche). First time I'd ever seen them north of Manhattan.

Edited April 14, 2004 by carswell (log)

[SteveW]

No, private clubs are off limits.

Also, I hear you can find Meyer lemons at La Mer this week.

Although going from memory, both Joanne Kates & Jacob Richler in the past year or so, have reviewed Private club restaurants in Toronto. Of course I don't expect you to review Le 357c anytime soon, for obvious reasons.

-Steve

[SteveW]

I hear you can find Meyer lemons at La Mer this week.

Wow. La Mer on René-Lévesque East? Two weeks ago Chez Nino at the Jean-Talon Market had real key limes (they made a divine seviche). First time I'd ever seen them north of Manhattan.

I'll check out this week both Chez Nino & La Mer regarding real key limes & Meyer lemons respectively. Both of these things was on my list, of food things I couldn't find in Montreal.

-Steve

Edited April 14, 2004 by SteveW (log)

[Rabbit Angstrom]

Ask Stephane. This is the second time, you give very very high praise to Le 357C. IYO, could this the best restaurant in Montreal? Is Bertrand's dessert the best in the city? So they have meyer lemons?? They must grow it themselves, or have a special arrangement with a supplier, as to my knowledge it's unavailable in the city. Since this a members' only establishment, I'm not sure if any of the Montreal restaurant critics will ever review this place.

-Steve

Could this be the best restaurant in Montreal? Hmm. Tough question.

Yes, execution is flawless, and service is impeccable. (I can't comment on their wine list, though, as my health doesn't allow me to drink very much...)

Yes, John Ledwell is inspired, and I believe he has a lot of freedom to create and to use the best ingredients - and I hear that money is no object, so that can't hurt...

And I have already bestowed some well-deserved praise unto Bertrand's desserts elsewhere in this and other threads. I don't know anyone in this area code - or any area code close to the 514 - who works with chocolate better than Bertrand does...

But THE best? Better than Les Chèvres? Ouch. 357C and Les Chèvres are very, very different propositions! Different approach, different clientele... Really, I am torn.

But I do love Stelio's and Patrice's creativity... Les Chèvres is my go-to place in Montréal: it consistently leaves me - and my guests - elated!

(I've been to Anise only once, so I wouldn't venture a full-fledged opinion, but I certainly believe it'd be a very strong contender as well...)

Tell you what: if one of the critics on this board wants to have dinner with me any time soon, I'll take him or her to 357C, so he or she can review it. Just send me an email, and we'll arrange it: stephane.ethier3@sympatico.ca

How does that sound?

- Stéphane

[beaucher]

I know this might appear slightly off-topic but since someone mentionned Meyer lemons, let me say that they are in season in winter and they were easily available for most of january and february and the first 2 weeks in march, like other "exotic" (although grown in California since 1909) citruses - my favorite is cara-cara oranges, hmmm. They go out of season as spring appears. Which is..now. So you'l have to wait until next year. I found them at Louis, and at a couple of other places but they are now gone. But at 2$ a piece, not everyone wanted to buy them.

there are of course, those silly, serious foodies.....