May the Schwartz be with you

Schwartz's
Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen

http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/

3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Montreal, QuebecH2W 1X9Canada

Tel.: (514) 842-4813

Menu: Self described Hebrew Delicatessen

Kid Friendly: Didn't see a kid the whole time I was there, long line=hungry irritable kids

Prices: Very reasonable, for large portions

Atmosphere: Meat, Meat and more meat, festive, loud.

I am finding that a couple days in Montreal has resulted in a lot of eating out and many entries into my blog..

This story is about the World Famous Schwartz's! When Lou and I first got to Montreal, our friend Guy drove us around town showing us all the sites. Schwartz's is one of the places he pointed out. He said it was one of the most popular places to get smoked meat, and there was always a line outside. What is smoked meat, is the first question that came to my mind.

Wikipedia describes smoked meat as follows: Smoked meat is a method of preparing red meat (and fish) which originates in prehistory. Its purpose is to preserve these protein-rich foods, which would otherwise spoil quickly, for long periods. There are two mechanisms for this preservation: dehydration and the antibacterial properties of absorbed smoke.

My definition after seeing and tasting it, smokey cornbeef. Now I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the big meat sandwhich. Deli's that pile on the roast beef, or cornbeef, or pastrami... It just isn't my thing. Give me a sandwhich with equal parts meat and cheese and I will be much happier. I say this because, if you like this sort of thing, you may LOVE Schwartz, so keep that in mind as you read my experience.

When I wrote about the Restaurant Jano Grillades, I mentioned we biked to Schwartz's with the intention of eating there, but when we arrived, we were starving and the line at Scwartz was long, so we ate next door at Jano. Although the line was long at Schwartz's, we did notice they had a take out door. We couldn't come all this way, hear about how great it was, and not try it. We decided after our lunch, we would get a smoked meat sandwich to go.

I did not get to see the Schwartz's restaurant, but I have heard it is part of the experience. Tables supposedly sit multiple parties, and like I said there is always a line out front. In the window of the restaurant there are huge briskets of the smoked meat. Honestly, it looks a little like a food borne illness waiting to happen, but if that was the case, I guess they would have had a lot of law suits by now, and not such a huge line out front. The to go side of the restaurant was basically a long deli case, with a 10-15 person line in front of it consistently. Anything you can order in the restaurant, you can order from the Deli Counter to go. They also sell their special spice rub if you want to try your luck at smoking your own meat. (Interesting)

I walked in the to go side with Lou and was immediately nauseous from the smell. I had to leave. I don't know what it was. It was definitely a smokey smell, a meat smell, but there was something else. It just hit me horribly, and no I am not pregnant. I also worked in a butcher shop for many years, so being around all that meat wasn't the issue. I don't know what it was. Lou ended up in the line by himself at first. I waited outside, but felt terrible that I would miss this experience based on what we had heard, so I decided I could try it again and breath only through my mouth. This time I made it several minutes enough to observe what was being sold, but then decided I had to get out of there again.

Lou opted for the original smoked meat sandwich to go, a bargain at $5.50 Canadian. When he came outside, we found a nearby bench to sit on so he could enjoy his sandwich. (see the pic). Here is Lou's take: If you love pastrami, corned beef, the meat lovers meat sandwich, you will love this sandwich. There wasn't much on the sandwich but bread and meat and for it to have been packed with so much flavor was a true feat. The spices they use will make anyone who likes this type of fare thinking this is the best sandwich they have ever had. He also pointed out, those who don't like this type of sandwich, like me, probably won't be won over no matter what the taste. I have to agree. Even after being overwhelmed by the smell twice, I still felt obligated as a foodie to taste some of the meat. I took a very small piece off of Lou's sandwich and ate it. Sorry smoked meat lovers not my thing.

My final take on Schwartz? It is a meat lovers paradise, but much like many tourist hot spots, it didn't live up to the hype for me. Maybe my expectations were too high. Oh and if you are already very hungry before you get in the Schwartz line, you might want to eat at Jano! Happy eating, and smoked meat people, may the Schwartz be with you.

If it seems to good to be true......

Honey Nut Cheerios!!!!!!!










A few weeks ago my mother forwarded a free offer from my Uncle George. Free Honey Nut Cheerios! I thought the box was small, and then I opened it! I am afraid to open the smaller box . Thanks General Mills!

Narcisse Bistro + Bar a Vin

Narcisse Montreal
http://www.narcissebistro.com/

7 De la Commune st. East

Old Montreal, QC H2y1J1

Menu: Medium to upscale French

Kid Friendly: Get a babysitter

Prices: On the expensive side $75 with no alcohol or dessert! (That's Canadian you figure it out)

Atmosphere: Intimate, Live Jazz, quiet, friendly staff, efficient service

Another restaurant Lou and I visited in Montreal was Narcisse. It is located in the Old Montreal section near the waterfront. It was a little hard to find only because there was scaffolding covering the outside of the building. The entrance was strange as well. To enter Narcisse we had to walk through the connecting hotel. There was an entrance in front which looked like it should be where you enter the restaurant, including a menu board beside the door, but it was blocked by a table. This led me to believe they may open this entrance during warmer months.

The host was very friendly and greeted us immediately. There was Live Jazz the night we were there which created a nice atmosphere to eat in. Lighting was low and intimate.

Narcisse is a French Restaurant, which as I am typing this, makes me think we probably should have ordered some wine, but we went with a bottle of Aqua Panna. We had, had a late night the day before, and wine probably would have knocked me out at the table.

For appetizers we ordered the Millefeuille de tomate et feta. I asked the host what this meant and he said it meant millions of sheets of dough, in this case puff pastry with tomatoes and feta. He said don't take it literally. This was an understatement, see the picture. It probably should have been called Une de tomatoes et feta! Despite the misinterpretation, this was a very good dish. Light and flavorful, it was a good start.

We ordered a second appetizer as well. This is when my friend Kristin will probably gag, but being in a French restaurant, we thought it only appropriate to order the escargot a la provencale. I really had no idea what to expect, I guess I should have from the word "provencale" but I didn't. The escargot came in a dish with a garlic butter sauce they also had a thin layer of cheese on top. I thought the escargot tasted like mushrooms with cheese on top. They had a similar consistency and taste. As my husband has pointed out several times in the past, you can put cheese on anything and make it taste good! This dish proved his theory.

Moving onto dinner Lou opted for the Ravioles farcies aux champignons, or Mushroom stuffed raviolis and I went for the Poisson de Marche, A.K.A. Catch of the day. I think the fish was sea bass, but it was not very memorable, especially not enough to write about. It was a very average dish. The Ravioli's on the other hand were unbelievable. There were about 7 large, round ravioli's which came in a creamy brown mushrooms sauce. The sauce was definitely worthy of being sopped up with bread. The true sign of a great sauce.

We decided to skip dessert at Narcisse that night. Besides being full, there wasn't much of a selection to tempt us. Our experience all together was good, but not outstanding. The tomato appetizer and the ravioli were the show stoppers. Prices were slightly expensive for a slightly above average meal, the jazz was a nice touch.

As we were leaving the restaurant that night, we stopped in the hotel where I scanned a guest book sitting on a lobby table. The first entry I noticed was from Martha's Vineyard, a little touch of home:)

Zaftig's Delicatessen

Zaftigs!!!

335 Harvard St
Brookline, MA 02446-2907

(617) 975-0075

http://www.zaftigs.com/

Menu: New Jewish-style Delicatessen, with a lot of traditional favorites, but new dishes as well, this is not a kosher delicatessen.

Kid Friendly: Kid's menu, Highchairs

Atmosphere: Bustling Family environment

Prices: Average for Boston/Brookline. Expensive for students

Lou and I went to brunch at one of our FAVORITE places this weekend, Zaftig's Delicatessen. Zaftig is a Yiddish term meaning; buxom: (of a female body) healthily plump and vigorous.

After eating all the wonderful food here, any woman will feel like a Zaftig. Zaftig's is what you would call a 'new Jewish'-style delicatessan. They have the traditional offerings like potato pancakes, matzo ball soup, and hot corned beef, but Kosher it is not.

When I was doing some research on line before writing this, I noticed there were A LOT of people who have blogged about the food at Zaftig's. Going there on any weekend for brunch you can see how popular a place it is by the crowd gathered outside waiting for tables. Don't let that crowd discourage you though. The longest we have waited for a table is 15 minutes. There are about 125 seats in the restaurant. This includes a small lunch counter, and the turnover happens fairly quickly. There isn't much room inside for waiting other than a small entrance, so many families wait outside. Recently I noticed, Zaftig's installed a speaker system they can call through their phone to outside, making it easier to call names of people waiting out there.

Lou and I mainly hit up Zaftig's for brunch, but their lunch/dinner menu are just as delicious.

Breakfast is served all day and some of our favorite's on the menu are:

The Banana stuffed French Toast $9.95

In a bourbon-vanilla batter with date butter and berries,

Banana-Walnut Pancakes $8.95

With date butter,(strawberry butter is also available for pancakes) and

San Francisco Joe’s Special $10.95

House made ground turkey hash, mushrooms, onions, spinach and egg, topped with grated asiago

It isn't an inexpensive breakfast but is a delicious breakfast! Parents with kids going to college in Boston, this is a great treat for those weekend visits!

The service at Zaftigs is always efficient and friendly. As long as we remain in Boston, it will be a neighborhood favorite of ours.

Working Up an Appetite for Glaces & Cupcakes, Les Glaceurs

Les Glaceurs
453, Rue Saint-Sulpice
Montreal, QC
http://www.lesglaceurs.ca/

Menu: Cupcakes, and coffee drinks! Also other drinks in a cooler

Kid Friendly: What kid doesn't love a cupcake?

Atmosphere: Colorful, creative, menus and pictures are drawn on chalkboard painted walls

Price: $13 for 2 cupcakes and 2 cappuccinos


While Lou and I were in Montreal this weekend, as I mentioned in my previous post, we were checking out all the restaurants, but we were also checking out a lot of the sites. Our new friend Guy Brisson was nice enough to take us on a whirlwind tour of the city Saturday so we could decide where we wanted to check out more closely on Sunday. What we noticed all around the city were Bixi stands. http://www.bixi.ca/. These are bike terminals located every several blocks. The bikes are like beach cruisers, they've got only 3 gears and they have a small grate upfront with a bungee which allows you to carry small packages, a purse, backpack etc...We decided to be adventurous and try a couple. With$5 you can get a code to unlock a bike, after that, the amount you are charged is by the half hour until you return your bike to another terminal anywhere in the city. We took our bikes for a ride down Rue St. Laurent on our way to Schwartz's smoked meat. Once there, we parked our bikes, had lunch at Jano, and then decided to walk. Our walk took us through a park, we saw a man sleeping by his lunch time wine carafe. We walked through the Latin Quarter of the city, and we even happened upon Henri, Henri, a famous seller of chapeaux's! In the end we had biked about 3 miles and walked about 4, and we had worked up an afternoon appetite. We made it back to our hotel the Place d'Armes, and decided a cappuccino would be a nice treat for the afternoon, that is when we happened upon Les Glaceurs. Montreal's answer to the cupcake craze. Lou and I got caught up in the craze when we happened upon Sweet this summer in Boston. Since then, we have been hitting up cupcake places whenever we happen upon them. Some notables are Kick A$$ cupcakes in Somerville, Ma, and Sprinkles in Beverly Hills. (they claim to have started the craze) At Les Glaceurs, we opted for two red velvet cupcakes with traditional cream cheese frosting, and a cappuccino each. The picture above is right before I dug in. The cappuccino milk was steamed perfectly. It had a bit of sweetness without adding sugar that a properly steamed cup has. The red velvet cupcake the most moist out of all the ones we have tried. I would say it even rivaled Sprinkles.

Jano Montreal, It's all about the sauce!

Restaurant Jano Grillades

http://www.restaurantjano.com/

3883 Boulevard Saint-LaurentMontreal, QC H2W 1X9, Canada

Menu: Portuguese cooking chicken, chorizo, soups salads

Kid Friendly: Does not cater to kids, but has foods the will like, and casual atmosphere.

Atmosphere: Portuguese flavor in a simple atmosphere. Two top tables can easily be reconfigured for large groups. Relaxing environment.

Service: There was one server working the whole restaurant, he was friendly and quick.

Prices: Reasonable prices for delicious food!

Lou and I went to Montreal this weekend, and we took full advantage of checking out the local restaurants. We found Jano on our way to Schwartz's, a famous smoked meat restaurant. We were expecting a line at Schwartz, but is was unusually long, and we were hungry! Next door we saw Jano. Two people were eating in the window. The food on their plates looked amazing, there was no line, it was a no brainer. When we entered Jano, there was a sign that said to seat ourselves. It was written in French, however, so we stood waiting for a little direction. Our server directed us to sit wherever we liked, so we headed into the back. The restaurant had about 50 seats in it, several two tops by the window in front, and then a larger dining area towards the back. The sections were divided by a small sevice bar where our server worked from, behind that was the kitchen, which was in the front of the restaurant with a window to the street. After sitting down we were quickly served a large basket of bread and dish of spanish olives. I dug right in. Jano offers a full wine list, but it was lunch and we opted for water. The menu at Jano is written in Portuguese, French, and English. Since we were drawn in by the food we saw in the window, Lou and I promptly ordered what we saw. I got the 1/2 chicken breast grilled, with Portuguese potatoes. Lou got the potatoes as well with a Chorizo sandwich. I noticed as we were waiting for our food, most tables had 3 condiments on their table. A big plastic bottle of mayo, a big plastic bottle of ketchup, and a mug which I was completely confused about. My meal started off with a garden salad. The ingredients were typical, lettuce, tomatoe, a few onions, but the dressing was unique. It was a vinagrette, but had a flavor to it that was similar to sweet gherkins. Almost like a relish vinagrette. It was a good way to start the meal. When our food came, we were asked if we would like ketchup and mayo for our Portuguese potatoes, to which we replied no. The Potatoes were basically fresh potato chips. There was nothing unique about them but they were very delicious. The best part about the meal though was that mug I mentioned earlier. We too were given a mug which contained Jano's "secret" sauce. The mug was filled and contained a pastry brush to rub the sauce on whatever you desired. When I first tasted it, I thought might be too spicey, but then I couldn't get enough of it. If you look in the picture you can see there were definitely red pepper flakes in it, and the clear liquid is some kind of fat, but the other ingredients were a mystery. I asked the waiter what was in it, and he said it was an 80 year old recipe and he couldn't tell me. He also said it is what makes the food tast so good. I have to agree. My chicken was grilled perfectly, the sauce made it amazing. I found myself even putting some sauce on my potatoes! Lou loved his chorizo. We will definitely be back at Jano when we head to Montreal again.

Food Gawkers Will LOVE This Site

http://foodgawker.com/

I can' t take any credit for finding this site. A friend of mine with her own food blog, www.bostonfoodandwhine.com, posted it on her site a while back. I have been hooked since the first time I visited. Food Gawker is a site which allows foodies to submit links to their own food sites to highlight their recipes. Whenever I have had a busy day, and am feeling uncreative in the dinner department, I go to food gawker to get ideas. When you go to the site there are hundreds of pictures of delectable dishes to choose from. The pictures are always extremely enticing. The main site is in no particular order. If you click on any given picture it will bring you to the site it was posted from where you can most often find the recipe. If you would like to search the site in a more organized fashion, you can click on favorites which will bring you to a site with various categories to choose from. The coolest part about food gawker is anyone can submit pictures, so if you are a closet chef and want to get your culinary expertise out there, or if you are the chef of the family, and want to share your creations, this is a great place to post.

Henrietta's Table

Henrietta's Table URL: http://www.henriettastable.com/

Kid Friendly: We didn't see kids there, and it is pricey for a family, but for a special night out the environment would be kid friendly, and the home cooked meals allow for many choices a kid would like

Menu: Local New England home cooking!

Prices: The Yard Sale is the way to go, 2 courses for $25 or 3 courses for $32. This includes a side which isn't considered a course. We ate soup to nuts, with tip for $82

Atmosphere:Warm, homecooking, friendly, country classy, local farm friendly, Fresh, unique

Lou and I went to Henrietta's Table last night for dinner. I have wanted to eat here since the first time I saw it. Located in the bottom of the Charles Hotel, the atmosphere is unexpected. When you enter Henrietta's table, before you reach the hostess stand there is about a 12x6 foot area which mirrors a small country store. Cook books, cutting boards and a plether of pigs are available for purchase along with fresh fruit, and unique games and gadgets. It sets the tone for the home cooked wholesome meal you are about to be served inside. A description from Henrietta's own website reads,"Henrietta's Table prides itself on 'Fresh from the Farm and Honest to Goodness Home Cooking'." The restaurant is true, through and through to New England cooking. Committed to finding regional ingredients and supporting the local farms, their motto is "Fresh and Honest".

When we first arrived it was about 15 minutes before the restaurant opened for dinner. The hostess invited us to sit at the bar until they were ready to seat us. The hostess did not take our name, nor did she come to get us when the restaurant opened, rather she left it up to us to come back to the host stand and ask to be seated again. This is the only portion of our visit which we thought was poorly executed. The restaurant was not immediately busy when it opened. The hostess could have easily taken our name or walked the 5 feet over the bar to inform us they were ready to seat us. A simple way to make a big impression with service. Since we had the 15 minutes to kill, we decided to sample the hot cider at the bar. The Cider was served perfectly warmed with a cinnamon stick. It is available with Brandy, but we opted for the non-alcoholic version. It was a delicious way to pass the time, and warm up from the brisk walk we had on the way to the restaurant. The bartender also offered us a big bowl of shelled peanuts. Worthy of noting, an interesting beverage on the menu we did not order was Mead. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of honey and yeast, often referred to as honey wine. It is thought to be one of the first alcoholic beverages created. The earliest sign of Mead can be tracked to 7000 B.C. . When I go back to Henrietta's table, I will definitely have to give it a try. After we finished our cider, we went back to the host stand and were sat promptly in a corner booth. Lou and I love the corner booth. It lets us sit close to each other, in a cozy way, but not on the same side of the table which would be just wierd. The waitress approached us with the menus immediately after we sat down. There was the standard drink menu, with wines on one side, specialty drinks on the other. There was a dinner menu which had specials on the back, and THEN there was a CHEESE menu!!!! I had to capitalize cheese because I LOVE IT! and so does Lou. We opted to start with some cheese because seriously how could we pass up cheese? The cheeses had descriptions next to them but being more of a cheese eater than a cheese connoiseur, I decided to ask our server Anna for some suggestions. Her knowledge of the selections was well informed and enthusiastic, so we decided to go with what she recommended and order the Vermont Sheppard, and the Maggies Round. I love everything about the cheese course which was delivered to us. The size of the cheese was perfect, about 2 ounces per wedge. It was served on a long wooden cutting board with the words Made in Vermont burned into the handle, and it was accompanied by cranberry melbas, blueberry preserves, a small bunch of grapes and a handful of dried apricots. The Vermont Sheppard was sharp and flaky, the Maggies round was buttery and mild. It was a perfect start to our meal. After the cheese course I decided to start my meal with the Lobster and Carrot bisque off the specials menu. Lou opted for the Spinach Salad with goat cheese, blueberries, and candied pecans. The soup came in a bowl which was not too big of a portion. There was chive oil swirled around the top. It was a thin bisque, but extremely flavorful and interestingly tasted both like lobster bisque and a carrot soup perfectly blended. Lou's salad was a fairly large portion and was served in a beautiful wooden bowl. The blueberries were a unique twist to popular salad. The vinagrette was lighted drizzled over the greens. For dinner I went with the very traditional Yankee Pot Roast. It came with 4 pieces of tender pot roast served over mashed potatoes with a brown gravy. It was delicious! The meat fell a part and the potatoes were just like homemade. Lou went for the Duck Confit which was served with a Raspberry port wine reduction. It came with both a breast and leg piece. The Duck was also tender and tasty, but a big portion. Lou had a hard time finishing it. When we placed our order, Anna, our server, did a very smart upsell and let us know they were running a $25 special per person. For $25 we got to pick an appetizer and an entree, and since we had already ordered them, it included a side each. We decided on the Brussels Sprouts and the Butternut Squash. All sides are served family style, and there was enough for our meal and to take home. In fact, I just finished them for lunch. For dessert we decided to share the special which was an apple blueberry pie ala mode . The pie was adorable. It came out and was actually a mini pie instead of a slice. The crust was flaky and light, and the topping was a crumble. The ingredients tasted fresh and the filling wasn't too heavy. The service at Henrietta's table was interesting. From what I could tell the server took the order, delivered drinks and desserts, and did periodic check backs. There were separate runners and bussers. We had several different people approach our table to clear dishes, or fill water. It was attentive, but not overbearing. Our server Anna had a great personality. Her enthusiasm for the food was palpable, and her personality was warm and welcoming. The atmosphere is best decribed as having dinner at a friend's Vermont farm house, but you are sitting a 1/2 mile away from from Harvard. For being in the bottom of a hotel, Henrietta's table does a good job creating that cozy environment.

Flour

My first post.

Flour URL: http://www.flourbakery.com/
Menu: Pastries, Sandwiches, Soups Salads
Kid Friendly: Yes High chairs and Kid's menu
Price: Average for the city and neighborhood, dinner is a bit pricey for premade items.
Atmosphere: Hip, artsy, friendly staff, trendy

This is not a new restaurant for me. I have been going there for about a year or so with Lou. My biggest regret about the restaurant is I didn't find it myself, and it is so close! I pride myself in finding good places to eat, but somehow this one slipped by. Flour has two locations one in South Boston on Farnsworth St. and one in the South End on Washington Street. It is owned by Joanne Chang who also owns Myers and Chang, another great place I will have to write about. Flour is first and foremost a bakery. From homemade oreos, to a variety of brioche, to breakfast pizza, to mini tartelettes, to the best stickie buns outside of Philly, their pastries selection is without peer, at least to my knowledge, feel free to prove me wrong. All pastries are made on premises. You can often see the bakers in the back creating new sensations. Flour also bakes their own bread for sandwiches on premise. When I think of Flour I usually think breakfast or lunch. They have a delicious breakfast sandwich which includes a fresh cooked egg, your choice of ham or bacon, greens, a roasted tomato, and some special sauce on a fresh cooked bun. They also offer a daily quiche, the breakfast pizza, which I mentioned earlier, and of course their delicious pastries! For lunch their is a large selection of sandwiches available, daily soups and salads. The Sandwiches are always on fresh baked bread, with unique ingredients like the Roasted Lamb, tomato chutney, and goat cheese, or the curried tuna with apples, golden raisins and carrots, and my husband's favorite, the smoked turkey with Vermont cheddar and cranberry chutney. Every item we've had at Flour is delicious and made with quality ingredients. Flour does offer dinner items as well. The items differ by week and are sent out via a mailing list for those interested. Lou and I have tried their dinners a few times. The food is tasty and comes in good portions, but I find their dinner items to be a bit overpriced for take out items. You can choose to have them heat dinner items up and eat on premise, but for self service, again, they are a bit overpriced. Both Flour locations are usually packed at breakfast and at lunch. The Farnsworth location is larger and has more available seating inside and out while the Washington street location is smaller. Seating is very limited. To be fair, I have only been to Washington street in the winter so do not know if they have outside seating available in the warmer months. The staff at Flour is always friendly and helpful. My impression is they are hip, creative, and concerned with the environment, Flour was just officially green certified. They also seem to be tight knit team, and updates on family and accomplishments are often posted in e-mails and on their website. Flour is definitely a trendy restaurant in many aspects, starting with the name, the creativity in the food they serve, their support of the arts, and their green rating. If Flour falls short in any place it is their operations. The line is managed unconventionally. When it is busy, it is hard to view the pastries before having to order, and they are probably doing themselves a disservice by not by not examining their order flow and making it more efficient and upsell friendly. I don't want to end my first blog entry on a negative. I chose Flour to write about first because it is a favorite of mine, it is close by, I love to bring friends their, I am never dissappointed with what I order, and the staff is really friendly. Come back often for more recommendations!