There’s nothing quite like a limo ride. And there’s only one thing better than a limo pick up and that’s a pick up in a stretch limousine. If you have guessed that our next destination after L.A.’s In N Out Burger was Canada then great work! And if you guessed Montreal then you are absolutely brilliant! The day after our In N Out Burger extravaganza we leave LA airport where we complete our L.A. experience by spotting a celebrity. A makeup less Denise Richards is on the same flight and she arrives with her P.A. and someone from airport security to wheel her bags.
We arrive in Montreal a few hours later and the weather is a balmy 31C. People are bilingual here in Montreal and when you are greeted it is in French or English or both and if you can only speak English that isn’t a problem. TV channels are either in English or some are simply dubbed (and it’s trés strange hearing Brett Michaels speaking French on Rock of Love!).
Our limo driver takes us for a quick tour around Montreal and explains how there is an old Montreal and a New Montreal. Old Montreal is a gorgeous area and very reminiscent of Paris’s Ile St Louis although larger in area. The interesting way to see how each neighbourhood is divided is by looking at their lamp posts as each neighbourhood’s lamp posts are different. And we’re about to cover sixteen of these neighbours today! We arrive at the Hotel Nelligan and our bags are whisked from the back of the limo and we check in. The hotel is named after the French Canadian poet Émile Nelligan and our room is modern with stone and brick, strategically exposed copper piping and luxurious touches with classical music playing as we enter. However there is a lack of tea and coffee making facilities and a pot of tea was $14-ouch! There is an oxygen menu where you can buy personal oxygen for $16.95 per use making the lack of tea and coffee slightly more bizarre. There is a full bottle of Grey Goose vodka in the mini bar as well as, unusually, an Australian wine.
We start off in Old Montreal with our guide Ruby. She shows us the Notre Dame basilica which took 46 years to complete. It looks nice enough from the outside but inside is stunning. And you can tell when you realise that it took forty years to complete the inside but only six to complete the outside. Inside it is full of gold carvings covered in gold leaf and houses the largest pipe organ in Canada.
Most Montreal people get around by the BMW system (Bike, Metro or Walk). They bike either by their own bikes or the bixi system (bike and taxi, get it? 
). Even the Mayor takes dignitaries on a tour of Montreal by bike. Mr NQN tested the Bixi system a couple of times and was slugged with a $100 bill on the credit card (which was obviously some sort of error).
Fairmount Bagels
One thing that I had heard a lot about was the bagels. Montreal has a sizeable Hasidic Jewish and Polish population and over time they have created some uniquely Montreal style bagels. The bagels here are different to New York style bagels in they’re lighter and more aerated. The secret to them is the soft water which makes them hard to duplicate elsewhere. They also use egg and honey in the dough and hand roll the bagel in sesame seeds. There are other varieties like chocolate chip, sun dried tomato and muesli but the sesame bagel is the most popular and is baked around the clock 24 hours a day. Ruby asks for a hot one from the oven. There are no preservatives so they will not last until the next day and freshest is best.
Sesame seed bagel from Fairmount Bagel Bakery
Mmm airiness!
I take a bite into my hot bagel and it’s soft and doughy and very good. Almost like a very soft bread roll that has just come out of the oven mixed with a bagel. I do like my bagels with a filling and I think this would be delicious with some butter or some smoked salmon and lox. Interestingly it reminds us of those puffy dough balls covered in sesame that you get in lieu of dessert at Chinese restaurants.
Schwartz’s
They queue even in hot weather
Our next stop is an exciting one. Smoked meat! I know what you may be thinking, it’s pastrami or prosciutto. No, this smoked meat is entirely different. The best is said to be at Schwartz’s and typically there is a queue outside the door but the heat and humidity is keeping many away. They smoked meat is brisket and it is smoked upstairs and then kept in steamers to help keep in the moistness and heat. It is then hand carved to order. It comes in lean, medium or fatty . Interestingly, when the founder Reuben Schwartz started Schwartz’s 82 years ago he was frugal and didn’t want to use preservatives as they would cost more and eat into his profits so no preservatives were ever used which remains the practice today
Inside Schwartz’s
Sample of medium smoked meat on bread
We try a small slice of bread with the medium smoked meat and it is so unbelievably good I go into food orgasm mode. The meat is so tender and soft and full of gorgeous flavouring with pepper and spices. You can even buy the Schwartz’s herbs at stores. The store is also the subject of a book and a soon to be released musical. Despite the many offers to franchise the store, the owners have never agreed to it.
Frite Alors! for Poutine
“Are you sure you want to try Poutine?” Ruby asks us doubtfully. The weather is stinking hot but I’ve been dying to try poutine since I first heard about it many moons ago. Poutine is a late night kind of food that is often available 24 hour a day. The key to poutine is a light gravy, raw milk cheese curds (which are kept out of the fridge to retain their “squeakiness”) and fresh, crispy hand cut chips. It is also made to order so that the chips are never soggy. Cheese curds can be found at most stores including convenience stores and are sold in small packets as once the packet is opened, then the squeakiness from the cheese can be lost quickly.
The firm cheese curds individually packaged
It is a mild cheese, not quite as squeaky as halloumi and certainly nowhere near as salty. It is also the first cheese that children are given here and can be found in lunchboxes. The best poutine in Montreal is said to be at Le Banquise which are known for their variety which serves 22 varieties including bacon, onions and merguez sausage or ground beef.
However as we are in the area we stop off at Frite Alors which is a chain of poutine shops. We take a seat at the bar and watch as the hand cut chips are cooked in a small batch to keep them fresh. They’re emptied into a metal bowl and the guy behind the bar opens a packet of the raw milk cheese curds from a small packet and places them on top of the chips.
Mmmm lovely poutine…
He then carefully pours the gravy on top of the the curds and chips. The heat from the freshly cooked chips underneath the cheese and the hot gravy on top ensures that the cheese curds melt. We take to it with a fork and the chips are lovely and crispy, the gravy rich although a touch salty and the cheese curds lovely and melted. The key is to wait a few minutes to let them melt and then turn the chips over with your fork to ensure that the cheese curds are dunked under the gravy and chips. Heaven! And whilst this was my first poutine, rest assured this is not my last More poutine porn to come!
La Maison Cakao
What next but dessert of course! We stop at La Maison Cakao that are famous for brownies, chocolates and ice creams. We try a delicious banana caramel filled chocolate which is stuffed with a whole pecan.
Sorry shaky hands, excitement due to chocolate consumption and all that…
La Binerie
This stop was at my friend Gina’s urging. She studied in Montreal at McGill University therefore spending many years in this fair city. We take the Metro a few stops to La Binerie, a place that is famous for their baked beans which are done in lard. I’m not sure what to expect but when I ask the concierge in my admittedly crap French accent and she is unsure until she realises that I am in fact talking about La Binerie. “Ahh yes!” she said “La Binerie, of course!” she says smiling. Mont Royal is a mixed area with all sorts of interesting shops, tattooed people and parents with babies in strollers.
We see it from across the road. It has the appearance of a diner and there’s a menu out the front and an open sign. On the door is a logo of a steaming black pot of beans as they are the main attraction here. An open “Ouvert” neon sign sits in the front window. We take a seat at the bar after being greeted with a hearty “Bonjour!”. The waiter hands us English menus. Prices here are very reasonable with 1/4 of an entire pie costing you $3.75 and dessert of Pudding Chomeur setting you back $2.75. Yes readers, the prices in Montreal are unbelievably reasonable and it’s not just here at these small diners we later learn.
We make our order for a breakfast special and a slice of tourtière which is the Quebcoise version of a meat pie. For good measure we try the Spruce beer which is a non alcoholic beer which we were warned was the Vegemite of Montreal. We watch as our waiter pours it into a beer tankard and are surprised that its actually like a light lemonade in colour. We take a sip expecting…well Vegemite. It’s actually like a cross between ginger beer with a slight herbal aftertaste and nowhere near as bad as we expected and in fact quite nice really. The orange juice tastes freshly squeezed.
Tourtière Meat Pie $3.50
Our plates arrive soon after and I start with the tourtière pie. The filling and recipe varies from family to family and it’s often made with chunks of meat but this is made with mince. It tastes like a hogget mince with some spices like cinnamon. The pastry is very crispy and flakey which I would guess is made with lard rather than butter.
Breakfast Speciality $7.95
Onto the beans though. They come seprarately, ladled from large metal trays in the oven in front of the bar. As a result they are piping hot and sit in a pool of lard. Ok best not think about that. Our waiter tells us proudly that they are made without sugar. They are good beans and a testament to them is the fact that you can buy them in half kilo pots. You can also buy the pates to take away and there’s a steady trade in take away.
The famous fèves au lard
The pancake is more a crepe which is served with bacon, ham and an egg sunny side up and two large slabs of toast with pork rillette in a small plastic cup. I gratefully help myself to the dispender of real, thick maple syrup (it’s good to be able to help yourself to the real stuff!). There’s also molasses on the counter which a friendly fellow diner helps herself to by the tablespoon full. “Good sucre!” she declares happily.
Bilbouquet
For a sweet aversion and purely for research purposes, we stop by Le Bilbouquet, an artisanal ice cream maker where we try a sample of some maple ice cream which is utterly divine.
Les Touilleurs
You know I bought these cupcake wrappers right?
Our last stop is at Les Touilleurs, which is a kitchenware store full of some gorgeously unique items. I buy these adorable cupcake wrappers. They’re also known for their wooden products like chopping boards and have quite a few cool items.
Shopped and eaten out we head back to the hotel where we plan our next poutine assault!
So tell me Dear Reader, what’s one dish from another country that you’ve always wanted to try?
A rather fab spice rack!
NQN travelled and explored Canada as a guest of Tourism Canada
Fairmont Bagels
74 Avenue Fairmount Ouest
Montréal, QC H2T 2M2, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 272-0667
Subway: Station Laurier
Schwartz’s
3895 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Montréal, QC H2W1X9, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 842-4813
Subway: Station Sherbrooke
Frite Alors
3497 Boulevard Saint Laurent, Montréal
Tel: +1 (514) 840-9000
La Maison Cakao
1351-1391 Avenue du Mont Royal Est
Montreal, QC H2J 1Y7, Canada
La Binerie
367 Mont-Royal Avenue East
Montréal, QC H2T 1R1, Canada
(514) 285-9078
Subway: Station Mont-Royal
Bilboquet
1311 Avenue Bernard, Montreal
Tel: +1 (514) 276-0414
Les Touilleurs
152 Avenue Laurier Ouest
Montreal, QC H2T 2N7, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 278-0008
Subway: Station Laurier
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66 Comments | Add your own
I love Montreal but have only really been there in the winter! The neighborhoods are very close together and it’s easy to see most of the city in a day or two. The W Hotel there is my favourite!
oh, it’s too bad you didn’t ask your (Montreal based!) readers for recommendations before your trip! It will be interesting to see where else Tourism Montreal sends you….
I have always wanted to try poutine!!! Especially that famous one with foie gras… what’s not to like? COoking with meat fat is in my sites(and posts) these days be it lard or suet… I have been convinced… great crusts!!!
Wonderful reporting, as always, Lorraine. I am at your elbow wanting a bite of everything (and fun hotel too!).
Wow everything looks so good! That bagel looks really yummy! There are a few dishes I’ve wanted to try for a long time… haggis is one of them!
I’ve always wanted to go to Canada!
Looks absolutely fabulous. The Poutine loooked mad!!!
Wow – awesome post! Bookmarked for my next trip!
oooh I have always wanted to go to Cananda! I have heard about poutine and suspect that Mr BBB would be a huge fan!
That chocolate looks so sweet!
Oh, to go back to Montreal and eat some more poutine… That would be simply divine! I absolutely loved the gravy over my frites, didn’t care as much for the curds: found them to taste a bit bland.
A Montreal-based blogger sent me some poutin-gravy last month, time for me to try it!!
Oh happy days! You just cheered this Canadian girls heart, Lorraine.
Poutine is my absolute favoritest comfort food in the whole wide world. 
What a brilliant trip Lorraine – I used to have a French speaking pen-pal when I was at school from Montreal and have wanted to go there ever since – amazing!
I’m a complete sucker for a good bagel and that one looks amazing! The poutine looks great too…it’s been way too long since I last had some!
What a fantastic trip, Lorraine!
My favourite is the bagels.
SSG xxx
I was drooling to your every word describing the Poutine. Although I think the name Poutine doesn’t do the dish justice (it sounds like a protein shake of something) I could eat it anytime of the day!!
Canada has never been that high on my list of places I wanted to travel to. You have definitely changed my mind.
Oh my goodness I have a book filled with places to eat when I travel to various places- alot of them are in NYC.
It’s just as well I don’t live in Montreal (oh, how I would love that!), I would be the size of a house
Poutine would be my downfall… xxx
OHHH yum I LOVE poutine!! Canada is defo on my to visit list, and poutine is one of the first things I want to eat!!
Sounds like you had fun exploring the city. I hope to make it there one day. I’m still anxious to hear why you went to Montreal. One day I’d like to have tea in London.
It looks so laid back and fun! I’ve never considered Montreal for a holiday – being too obsessed with tropical beaches -but now I’m tempted! I guess that’s what Tourism Canada was after
I’ve always wanted to try traditional things – a baguette w/camembert in France, Pizza in Italy etc etc…
I am Canadian, but we live further west in the prairies. Poutine is an any time snack indulgence all through the country. And the prices you listed are pretty much the same. One thing you need to try from our country is Saskatoon berries. I don’t think there’s any other fruit or berry to compare them to. Hope you return for another poutine fix!!
Oh. Mah. Gawd. The poutine sounds like exactly the thing for 2am or even the 2pm AFTER the 2am. Wow. Everything looks so good and yet so very lardy. Dericious. What would Petunia Wong say about all those carbs? x
I still need convincing with the poutine, but that soked meat wins hands down.
I belive all good bloggers must accept research assignments such as the icecream shop, for the greater good.
Thanks for not backing down.
Holy mother that all looks delicious!! But all those meals weren’t in one day were they???
mmm poutine…
I just don’t know know where to begin! mmmmmmm poutine! Maple syrup icecream.. now you’re talking!!
Can’t wait to see all of your loot! xx
I lived there for five years and loved it! You have to try the St Viateur Bagel, they are the best. Also, the best poutine is supposedly at La Belle Province on Rachel Street. I would also recommend Aux Vivres, Crudessence and Santropol for their amazing vegetarian and creative food!
those bagels look delicious! Do we have any bagels bakery in Sydney?? Now I want bagels for breakfast…
I’m sold. I officially want to fly over to Montreal just for poutine and the squeaky cheese.
Looks like you had a fantastic time there, looking forward to your Canadian post x
I sort of love/hate this post of yours. One I am so, SO glad you got to experience Montreal, and Canada in general as it’s a fabulous, wonderful city/country (although I’m terribly biased, being Canadian
and eat all the typically Canadian things.
On the other hand I’m very jealous as I miss Canada very much and certainly crave things like Montreal Smoked Meat, bagels (the two together is divine), poutine and real maple syrup that isn’t $17 for 250mL. (I think I’m going to sneak a $12/1L bottle in my suitcase next time I go home)
Oh, squeaky cheese! I saw curds once in America and I so regret not buying them, but I thought I’d find them again!
I’ve never been to Canada and this is making me so sad that that’s the case. I can’t *wait* for more poutine porn, even if these posts make me cry because I can’t afford realy maple syrup right now. *sob*
beautiful!
Im currently looking outside my window on this grey and rainy day and all i can think of is poutin…. mmm, poutin porn!!
Oh I wish I could travel with you! You really do it well…with gastronomical style! I’ve always wanted to visit Montreal…looks like you did it before me, although you are all the way in Oceania!
Mmmm poutine! I lived and played in Canada quite a few years ago and this brought back memories!
I hope you get to try perogies (pierogies?) before you leave! I miss them …
My goodness, I think you have singlehandedly put Montreal on my foodie must-visit list with this post! I think it was the brisket shot that did it for me…
As for a dish from another country – well, I learnt my lesson in Scotland, having yearned to try Haggis for years. The one I tried was hideous, and I still can’t get over gnawing on a clearly identifiable valve.
I’ve taken a much more conservative approach from now on – when I next visit England, I will simply be concerned with tracking down a wedge of Stinking Bishop cheese!
Great post. xx Amy
Oh heaven! What is the equivalent of cheese curds in Australia? I hope you’ll try recreating it and let the rest of us in on the secret! I would love to try Japanese food in Japan.
I have to say that although the poutin looks gross, it sound delicious!! Chips and gravy – with cheese!!! How bad could that be? That chocolate with caramel and nuts is saying my name …
The poutine looks so good, what could be better than chips and gravy… chips, cheese and gravy!
Might have to experiment that there and substitute the cheese for baby bocconcini.
Oh, this was just lovely – virtual tourism for those of us who are stuck here in the cold winter! Montreal looks gorgeous. I find it amusing and more than a little ironic that there was so much to see and do in Montreal, but your trip to LA consisted of just a visit to a fast food place. Perhaps very telling about the two different cities?
Sounds wonderful Lorraine! I’ve always wanted to try Rosenkuchen in Switzerland, hopefully I will one day…
I think the smoked meat looks & sounds divine although the poutine is rather appealing. I’m a sucker for melted cheese on anything!
$14 for a pot of tea? That tops even the most expensive place I have ever had tea (for the record, Laduree at $11…). I love poutine – did you know you can get it at Lord of the Fries in Melbourne, but they just use regular cheese, not curds. I still think the best bagels are from Aviv in Melbourne. I bring them back every time we visit. I miss American smoked meats – I loved Katz’s deli and the pastrami reuben sandwich. It’s absolutely killer. Thanks for your overview of Montreal – I hope you managed to get some maple cookies while you were there, they are amazing!
WHAT A TREAT! I felt like I was right there with you…. We definitely need to look into opening a Poutin Place here in Canberra, wouldn’t that be a fabulous late night delight? No more Chicken Gourmet (greasy fast food joint!)
Fabulous Post!
I hope this is only a first instalment and that you did, in fact, get to Au Pied du Cochon. Their skill with foie gras is phenomenal and Poutine a la Foie Gras, what’s not to love?
I visited Montreal in my younger days but wasn’t into food so much then and did the touristy thing instead. Can’t remember trying any of the foods you’ve just mentioned but loved their pure Canadian maple syrup!
I’m with Moya, I’d love to eat Japanese food in Japan.
we visited montreal last year, and had the loveliest time. we absolutely loved the bixi system, and actually used it to get around for most of the trip. fairmont bagels were on the list, but we couldn’t make it. i did try a bagel at a breakfast place though, but in my opinion, NY bagels reign supreme!
I was WAY off with my guess! Montreal looks like a fun place! I’d love to try those “chips”, and all this talk of bagels has me running out the door to get my own…YUM!
I’ve tried La Banquise and frankly I wasn’t impressed. You didn’t miss much in my opinion.
What is really good in Montreal though is La Maison du Macaron. SO GOOD! They have a litchi & tea macaron which is to die for.
I also love Schwartz! Mmmm. Smoked meat. =)…
Great post!Better believe me when I am saying that I am drooling looking at all the food here!
One of my neighbors grew up in Montreal and he introduced me to Poutine. All I can say is that I absolutely do not need another food obsession, but this stuff is amazing! We have a local cheese producer who makes the curds, so I’m going to attempt to make some of my very own….
Those bagels sound much better than the ones down here!
Being a stinky-cheese fanatic, I have always wanted to try Casu Marzu, that delectable lump of spoiled, yet edible, buggy cheese of Sardinia.
the prospect of eating that chocolate bar would leave me shaking too–wowza!
sad news–i’ve never ridden in a limo!
That poutine looks delish! I have always wanted to try a genuine french macaron!
I second the Au Pied.. It’s quintessential Montreal! And the foie gras poutine is the best poutine I’ve ever had. (And I’ve been to La Banquise.)
Also, if you ever get back, try Cafe Neve — excellent cappuccinos and the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten.
Oh wow you really did eat your way through Montreal! I’ve only been to Vancouver and it was a long time ago and only a brief stay. Will one day have to go back there.
To Vancouver and also visit Montreal that is.
oh my my, those were such a discovery, now make me full of envy! lovely captured, thanks dear!
looks like a great trip – would love to visit canada – the maple syrup alone is a great reason to visit and I would be stopping for some maple syrup icecream – though might need to take a bixi afterwards
Oh Lorraine! Just catching up on your posts, and I’ve only just written up my Montreal post myself today! You certainly got lots of must-eat dishes in your trip, it’s so good to read and see them all
I would have suggested St Viateur bagels instead, and La Banquise for poutine for sure, but glad you made it to La Binerie!! And you even made it over to Bilboquet in Outrement, look at you travelling the city like a local
Outrement is so interesting to spend time in on a Friday afternoon, with all the Orthodox Jews getting their shopping done in time for the Shabbat.
So good to read this post
i’m sooo jealous..stretched limo ride, jetting places,delicious gourmet, wow, u r living the life lorraine:-)
So glad you are enjoying your time in Montreal….love love love it there – a favourite getaway for my husband and I!
So funny that you are commenting on how reasonable the prices are because whenever I read your reviews of Australian restaurants I am always a little astounded at how expensive everything is! I lived in Sydney 20 years ago and don’t remember such a difference in prices between Canada and Australia but there seems to be now!
Oh yum! Love reading about your trip, especially the Poutine, and the BMW system! Wish we had something like that here.
How did i miss this post? Probably a good thing as a month doesn’t go by that I don’t have a poutine and/or a montreal smoked meat sandwich craving. Bagel cravings I have daily!!
while I will be back in my fair country in 3 short weeks, I’ll still be a 5 hr flight from some of my fav canadian food. probably a good thing as none of that is ‘diet’ friendly…but oh so good!!!
If you haven’t already been to VAncouver let me know as I can recommend some that city’s yummiest restaurants!! (the list is quite long!)
Off the top of my head, I am at a loss in terms of foods i’d like to try from another country – although to be honest I’d love to try just about anything and everything in Italy.
poutine looks interesting! maybe i shoud visit my sis who is in montreal ^^
Montreal is such a cool city! Spent a lot a time there years ago & loved it.. The food scene is amazing & they really do love their food.The Jewish & Italian areas were my favourite then, but like anything good it just gets better!I will be visiting Montreal in the next 2 weeks & thankyou so much for sharing your eating high points. Looking forward to tucking into a smoked meat sandwich on rye with those famous dill pickles..Montreal here we come!!
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