Faced with the dilemma of having too many spots to share with you and not enough time to write full posts on all of them, I’ve decided on this new format on the blog. From time to time, I will write a “Current Crush” post where I will gather up a few of my latest coups de cœur to share with you. Some of these spots may be new, some a bit more honed but they’re all fantastic and definitely worth a visit. Here’s the October edition.
LA TAMALERA
226 Fairmount West / 438 381 5034
Tuesday to Friday: 11am – 9pm / Saturday: 11am – 7pm / Sunday: 11am – 4pm
La Tamalera’s “haute Mexican street food”
This small – and very colourful – spot for “haute Mexican street food” recently established in the Mile-End may just be the home of the best guacamole and tacos in Montreal. The guacamole is made on the spot when ordered and is fresh as can be, with just ripe avocado and big juicy chunks of onion and tomatoes lending it texture and flavour. The tacos are packed with flavours and classic yet interesting combinations, from the traditional tacos al pastor to all vegetarian choices that will satisfy just as much as their carnivore counterparts. Don’t forget to order a horchata or a hibiscus juice to accompany your meal. What catches the eye first at La Tamalera is not the food but the colourful decor punctuated with a definitive religious undertone (or overtone?) as represented by the many crucifixes used as decoration. It’s quirky and cute and makes for a great conversation starter. Note: La Tamelara serves typical Mexican breakfast items for their week-end brunches.
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MELBOURNE
4615 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Melbourne café’s jaffle sandwich
Opened for a week only, this small café on the main in the heart of the Plateau is owned and operated by Xavier and Gus, two charming Australian ex-pats who have recently dug their roots in Montreal. They both hail from Melbourne, a city famous for its many independent cafés and lack of Starbucks franchises. They come to us with great coffee from a local roaster and a reminder of their hometown in the shape of a sealed grilled cheese sandwich known as the jaffle. This Australian specialty is traditionally used to case in any leftovers in the shape of a sealed sandwich to send the kids to school with. Sit down and linger for a moment, Xavier and Gus are great raconteurs and their accent alone will make you long for a trip down under.
This address has been added to my map of Montreal’s best independent cafés. You can also follow my twitter list of Montreal independent cafés here.
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LE MOINEAU MASQUÉ
912 Rue Marie-Anne East / 514 514 5114
Monday to Friday: 7am – 7pm / Saturday to Sunday: 8:30am – 7pm
Cute new café Le Moineau Masqué (excuse the blurry photo)
This cozy and cute little café just opened on a quiet residential street in the heart of the Plateau. Filled with mismatched colourful wood furniture, this new spot is already packed with regulars. I stopped by on a rainy Sunday afternoon to find it filled with animated conversations. Le moineau masqué’s cute little logo of a masked sparrow is the cutest and the superhero baristas make an excellent latté with 49th Parallel or Café Saint-Henri grounds. They also serve Cookie Stéphanie delicious gluten-free sweet treats and Arhoma pastries. The perfect place to linger inside on a rainy afternoon or on their lovely shaded terrasse when the nice weather makes a comeback.
This address has been added to my map of Montreal’s best independent cafés. You can also follow my twitter list of Montreal independent cafés here.
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HOF KELSTEN
4524 Saint-Laurent
Wednesday to Sunday: 11:30am – 7pm
Hof Kelsten bakery and sandwich shop
Open just a few days ago, in the heart of the plateau, Hof Kelsten is the pride and joy of baker Jeffrey Finkelstein who has been on a quest for the perfect spot for 4 years now. Although you may have never heard of Hof or Jeff, you’ve probably already tasted the bread at one of the 20 or so restaurants the bakery supplies. The large airy and industrial-looking space is now home to some of the best bread in Montreal, including the already famous rye bread with caraway seeds. Hof Kelsten also makes gourmet sandwiches with meat and fish braised, cooked or smoked on site. Although still in its beginning stages, the bakery will eventually be offering some traditional Eastern European breads and pastries.
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MICRO RESTAURANT LA FAMILLE
518 rue Gilford / 514 508 8700
Tuesday to Thursday: 7am – 9:30pm / Friday: 7am – 7pm / Saturday: 9am – 4pm
Micro Resto La Famille
As the name states, this tiny restaurant on Gilford street has now been open for a few months. Its size may be diminutive in size but it packs up big flavours. The kitchen team consists of siblings Jeremy and Maxime Daniel-Six, the former being the cook and the latter the creator of all things sweet. The two other partners in this family affair are private wine importer Cyril Kérébel (of la QV), so there’s never a shortage of great organic and natural wines on hand, and Sophie Duchastel de Montrouge, who takes care of the front of the house and of serving you a great cup of coffee with a side of bonne humeur. Open for lunch, dinner and early evening apéritifs, every dish I sampled there was packed with flavour and unusual combinations that sang and gave praise to local products. Kudos if you are one of the lucky few who manages to snap up one of the handful of stools available. If not, eat standing up or take it to go but do give it a try because it is definitely worth it.
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MAISON CHRISTIAN FAURE
355 Place Royale / 514 608 6455
Daily 8am – 7pm
Maison Christian Faure sweet and savoury goodies
I hesitate to write about Maison Christian Faure because they were my clients for a short period of time. However, before they were my clients, I was planning on writing a full post on this delicious new pastry shop that just opened so here it is. Maison Christian Faure fills the five floors of a beautiful old building in Old Montreal with deliciousness, from the basement kitchen, to the boutique/café of the first floor and the pastry school/venues of the top floors. The man himself, pastry chef Christian Faure, has been awarded one of France’s most prestigious titles of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) and Montreal is very lucky to count him among our purveyors of sweet things. The chef’s philosophy centers around the transfer of knowledge to a younger generation which is why the pastry school, open to professionals and serious amateurs alike, is of utmost importance. The creation of delicious pastries is, of course, also a priority and there’s no lack of sweet or savoury snacks that will keep you coming back for more. My personal favourite is the Paris Brest with praline cream, a classic choux dough filled with a dreamy, silky hazelnut cream that I have become completely addicted to.
