Cooking à la GiGi

In an effort to switch up our typical Friday night dining out, my girlfriend and I booked ourselves a cooking course experience at a cute little café on Monkland: Café Juicy Lotus. The evening called for Mediterranean cooking and we were more than happy to take the trip. We were fully aware that the little resto catered to more a vegetarian crowd and to be honest, this added to its appeal. Challenging our taste buds to a meat free meal turned out to be a winning effort.

Upon arrival, we felt the warmth of Gigi’s establishment and her methods. The modest café provided us with a cozy homely feel and genuinely welcoming staff. We joined our fellow cooks in an equally quaint kitchen for some serious hands on cookery. The menu for the evening: a parsnip potage topped with cranberries and sliced almonds, a quinoa pomegranate Tabouleh, and finishing off with a hearty Shakshuka paired with homemade black olive sourdough bread. As if this was not enough, we were also treated to lovely cocoa energy balls rolled in coconut shavings to end our meal. Our wonderful host for the evening, Gigi, made the experience incredibly enjoyable with her comical view on life and genuine love of food. I was really impressed by the simplicity in these dishes, and their unbelievably mouth-watering flavours. I am proud to announce that I finally know how to chop my garlic up right. I’ve got to thank my girl Gigi for that!

Xo Dom Appetit!

fresh spices and herbs

parsnip potage with cranberries and almonds



pomegranite quinoa tabouleh and shakshuka

A night out on the town: Garde Manger

Last week I was in dire need of a night out on the town: drinks, appetizers and some fancy plated grub. I have been patiently waiting for four years now to eat at celebrity Chef, Chuck Hughes’ restaurant, Garde Manger. So when we finally managed to get reservations that fit into our schedule I was ecstatic. This is neither a hidden gem, nor is it easy on your wallet, but it is an experience that I believe anyone visiting or living in MTL should take part in. Since our seating was not until 9pm, we made our way to Burgundy Lion on Notre Dame Ouest for a pre-dinner drink. This traditional British pub has the most welcoming vibe to it. The second you walk in you feel like you’ve travelled to an old English establishment but with a modern flare. It is always packed in the bar area giving it an unforgettable ambience and a warmth from the cold fall weather. After a few laughs and drinks it was about that time to travel over to the Old Port for this much anticipated meal.

Upon arriving, I could barely keep my emotions in place to take in the entire scene. Once I managed to suppress my excitement and hunger I was in awe at how quaint the place was. It has a warm open concept and is dimly lit with a clear view to the masteries occurring in the kitchen. The brick walls and library collection at the front dining area are endearing, as is the genuinely kind and very attentive staff. We were seated in the backroom which was a tad more private but still held its own charm. Our dining experience commenced with a large fresh seafood platter which was stacked with oysters, crab legs, princess scallops, and succulent giant shrimps. Get ready to roll up your sleeves when you order this starter because it can get messy, but the results are well worth it. We then moved onto the Iron Chef winning Lobster Poutine, which was everything I dreamed it to be. The gravy perfectly complimented the oh-so-generous lobster chunks that sat pleasantly over squishy curd cheese clumps and seasoned skinny fries. I was ready to explode when my main, Scallops in Carrot Butter with Gnocchi, was presented to me with such beauty that I had to dig in. There is nothing more delicious than oversized pan-seared scallops dipped in sweet carrot butter. The genius behind this can only be awarded to Chef Chuck Hughes, who I commend for a wonderful evening of fine dining and impeccable service. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to try the dessert…I guess a second visit is in order!

Xo Dom Appetit!

Fresh Seafood Platter

Lobster Poutine

Scallops in Carrot Butter with Gnocchi

 

Dom’s Chopping Block: Chez Suzette, Crepes & Fondues

Last weekend was our last shot to check out Igloofest here in Montreal, so my girls and I jumped on making this an opportunity to eat somewhere fabulous as well. Igloofest is an outdoor dancing festival held in Old Port, Montreal. They have many electro DJs spinning their beats while hundreds of bundled up Montrealers and out-of-towners dance the night away in their winter boots. We made sure to be there early, as the line ups build up around 8pm.  After buying our tickets we made our way to one of our favorite fondue restaurants, Chez Suzette on St.Paul Est. in Vieux Montreal, Quebec. Let me start off by warning you now: Fondue is not for everyone. You have to be willing to spend at least 2 hours of your time blabbing with others and cooking your food in a communal pot. It is expected that you may lose your piece of meat, veggies, or bread once or twice in that boiling pot, but that’s part of the fun! So make sure that you surround yourself with people that you can tolerate and clear your schedule, as there is no rushing with raw foods. Upon entering Chez Suzette you will be a tad thrown off with the size of its interior. From the outside it looks like a small modest Creperie, however once you have entered its warm doors, you will notice that this small and modest resto expands to three floors. It adheres to both large dinner parties and to the romantic couple. After reviewing the menu, the girls and I chose to share the Fondue for 2 plus 1. The Fondue for two includes a traditional cheese fondue, oriental fondue with beef, and chicken with an assortment of veggies. Also included was a wonderful chocolate fondue served with seasonal fruits, crepes and marshmallows. The set price is 74.99 for two and any additional person pays half of this price. We placed our orders right away with only one modification (at a small fee); we ordered the sundried tomato and fine herbs cheese fondue rather than the traditional. Nothing tastes better with melted cheeses than the tang of freshly chopped sundried tomatoes and herbs splashed with wine. This cheesy communal pot was served to us with two baskets of bread and chopped apples with grapes. We were scrapping the bottom before we knew it and my jeans were feeling a little snug. My one complaint would be that the bread was a bit dry; I am not a fan of dry stale tasting bread and would have opted for more fruits for dipping. Our empty cheese crusted pot was quickly removed and replaced by an Oriental Fondue accompanied by one plate each of beef and chicken mixtures with fresh veggies and several dipping sauces. I managed to squeeze their secret “sauces” recipe out of one of waitresses and was surprised at how easy these are to make: 1 - plain sour cream, 2 - sour cream with Italian herbs and garlic, 3 - sour cream with curry powder (yellow), 4 - mayo with ketchup, and 5 - spicy chipotle splashed with Tabasco. I must say…everything does taste better with sour cream (sorry to those who are lactose intolerant, you are really missing out!). After an hour of patient cooking, we were ready to explode and regretting having ordered the Fondue for 2 plus 1….until our greedy little eyes caught a glimpse of the chocolate fondue. This dark decadent melted chocolate delight was presented to us surrounded by mounds of fresh strawberries, pineapples, bananas, rolled crepe chunks and marshmallows. I was holding my belly crying as I dipped one fruit after the next in this bitter-sweet mixture. My girls and I finally paid the bills and rolled our chubby buns out of there for a night of snow pant dancing!!!

PS. This restaurant also serves bottles of wine at SAQ prices plus $5! What a steal!

DOM’S CHOPPING BLOCK RATING:

Presentation: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Quality: 3/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5

73 % for the love of cheese fondue!

PRICE: $7-$40

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Sundried Tomato and Herb Cheese Fondue 

Oriental Fondue with Chicken, Beef and Veggies



Dom’s Chopping Block: Marche 27 'A Tar Tar Haven'

Well, finally it’s Friday. This was without a doubt one of my longest, most stressful weeks in memory, but all my headaches were put to rest once I hit my front door and realized what Friday meant: good eats, good drinks and more importantly, great company. I am not going to lie, I have been to Marche 27 (27 Rue Prince-Arthur West, Montreal, 514-287-2725) multiple times (6 to be exact!) and have fallen in love with it over and over again. I am a huge Tar Tar fan and was surprised that I had never noticed this hidden gem right off St.Laurent and Prince Arthur, in the heart of Montreal. It is time that I enlighten you all with this special little cafeteria-style Tar Tar haven. When you walk in to this little joint, it is surprising to see how busy it is as the windows are tinted making it seem like there is no action indoors. Let me tell you this is very deceiving! There are booths lining the left side of the resto and a nice little bar on the right with 4-5 stools, making it a very cozy and intimate environment. The menu is fun because you get the option of choosing your meat/fish and your sauce (mix and match to please your appetite!). My top fave is the Tuna Tar Tar (100 grams) with the Italian dressing which consists of: parmesan, truffle oil, shallots and chives. The earthy taste of the truffle oil and strong flavors of the parmesan cheese compliment the Tuna perfectly, while the shallots allow ones palate to dance with its mild garlic/onion flavor. And, did you know that Truffles are an aphrodisiac? The aroma is sensual enough for anyone to enjoy this meal to the very last bite. I promise you will find yourself wanting to lick the plate clean. This delightful dish is also served with a trusty amount of lightly garlic buttered Crostinis, and if you desire more, the service there is amazing and they are more than willing to provide you with another basket! Don’t worry for you non tar tar eating people; they have options to fill your bellies as well! Top this meal off with a bottle of Chianti and you will be going home with a happy belly and who knows what else ;)

DOM’S CHOPPING BLOCK RATING:

Presentation: 4.5/5

Service: 4/5

Quality: 4/5

Atmosphere: 4.5/5

85 % Hungry Brownie stamp of approval. Seconds? YES PLEASE!

PRICE: $15-$25

              Italian Tuna Tar Tar on Crostini                                Inside View

 

                                             

Dom's Chopping Block: Restaurant Thailande

So, it's been a couple weeks now that my girlfriend Zoe (one of my many fellow foodies) has been begging me to go out for dinner. We had decided to do this cook off thang at my place every two weeks in order to save money and share each other's secrets, but let's be honest...so far we have had one. We had a wonderful Friday full of pumpkin naan bread, asparagus cream steamed muscles, and an amazing sesame spinach salad. The "every second friday" tradition will probably have a better kick off in 2011. In the meantime we rejoiced for Thai at a recommended restaurant from one of my co-workers, Restaurant Thailande (514.271.6733, 88 Bernard Ouest, Mile- End, Montreal).

The Thai experience started off on an extremely snowy day, so the outside of the resto was a blur to us all...but upon entering their warm and welcoming doors, we were overwhelmed by so many smells and flavours. The layout included a section on the left for people who preferred to sit on cushions, and tables with regular chairs on the right side (where we decided to sit for the night). The menu was quite extensive and the options ranged in spices, meats, veggies and sauces. I was excited to try their Kiao Satay (dumplings with peanut sauce) as I'd heard so much about them. Verdict: Yes, they were as delicious as promised. The dumplings were perfect in size, a bit smaller than a walnut shell, soaked in a delightful creamy peanut butter sauce. I was now worked up for my main dish: Kaeng Masman with chicken; which is masman curry with coconut milk, peanuts, potatoes, pineapples and carrots. I also ordered a side of sticky rice. When the waiter arrived with our food, I was overwhelmed with the heavenly smell, but the taste was somewhat dissapointing. I was turned off by the undercooked sticky rice and the abundance of coconut milk in my main dish, which made it too rich. It made the dish too sweet to taste the curry. I ate about half (which is embarassing for me) and packed the rest to go. I chugged back my wine and booted it out of there, Dexter was waiting for me at home!

DOM'S CHOPPING BLOCK RATING: 

Presentation: 3/5
Service: 4/5 (water was consistently filled!! +)
Quality: 3/5

Atmosphere: 3.5/5

OVERALL: 13.5/20

67.5 % CHOPPED! Seconds? NO THANKS!