The first 2014 edition of Current Crush is here! Just a quick reminder that these “Current Crush” posts are here so I can share a few of my latest coups de cœur with you. Some of these spots may be new, some a bit more honed but they’re all fantastic and definitely worth a visit. Enjoy this edition and don’t forget to check out the others here!

CARDINAL TEA ROOM
5326 St-Laurent Boulevard / 514 903 2877
Friday to Sunday: 11am – 7pm

I like to say that I only drink tea when I’m cold or when I’m sick but somehow, the idea of having afternoon tea is very appealing to me. Tea at Sparrow’s newly opened Cardinal Tea Room is such an unexpected and pleasant surprise in so many ways! It seems like no one even knew about this spot until the day it suddenly opened a couple of weeks ago. It is an absolute thrill to open the door and be plunged in the Victorian-decorated grand room. The towering crystal chandelier, the lovely crushed velvet antique couches, the vintage accents, the mismatched and dainty plates and tea cups are all part of Cardinal’s instant appeal. The place was packed when I visited on a recent Friday afternoon. The tea selection is limited but well picked and the savoury and sweet bites are all delicious. I highly recommend the egg and watercress sandwich, the cheddar, bacon and thyme muffin and the scones with real clotted cream, a rare thing in Montreal.

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GROG AND MULLED WINE AT FOODLAB’S YURT
1201 St-Laurent Boulevard, 3rd floor / 514 844 2033 ext. 225
Tuesday to Friday: 5pm – 10pm

Ever had grog in a yurt? Go ahead, say it again, isn’t it fun to say “yurt”? The FoodLab Mongolian yurt has taken over their lovely terrasse since this past November. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it is such a great spot to have a drink! The yurt’s interior is colourful and furnished with comfortable seats, furs and all the comforts of home, including a little bar area where the mulled wine and grog are prepared. You can order other drinks in there as well but the smell of those warm, spicy drinks is quite tantalizing. Some very limited food is served in the yurt but fear not because all you have to do is go back inside and sample some of FoodLab’s creative and ever changing cuisine (like the Northern Chinese menu happening right now).

The yurt will be there until the end of winter, most probably mid-March.

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BRUNCH AT H4C PLACE SAINT-HENRI
538 Place Saint-Henri / 514 316 7234
Tuesday to Saturday: 5pm – 11pm / Sunday: 10am – 3pm

I have heard so many positive things about H4C and I hadn’t been yet until a few days ago when I finally made it out there for brunch. The place was packed with foodies and a few industry people, a sure sign that the food at H4C is exceptional. Every positive accolade is well deserved and brunch is fresh, creative and delicious. We started with the brioche, doughnut, jams and chocolate spread, all homemade and all scrumptious. My octopus on mushroom toast with a poached egg was tender and the eggs Benedict with Hollandaise – so common yet so easy to miss – were textbook perfection served with thick cut crispy bacon and sitting atop their toasted English muffin thrones. I cannot wait to go back for dinner soon!

Note: Reservations for Sunday brunch are recommended, this hip place gets filled up pretty quickly.

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CAFÉ CODE BLACK
4095 St-Laurent Boulevard / 514 507 7373

Café Code Black hails from Melbourne, Australia and this is their first location in Montreal. The decor is sharper than most cafés in town with bright accent colours and funky light fixtures adorning the space although I also found it a bit less cozy than I like my cafés to be. However, there are a lot of plugs to tap into and plenty of room to sit, which is not the case with some cafés. If you are looking for a place to work or study on the Plateau, this is a good option. The coffee is good and made with Calgary roasters’ Phil & Sebastian beans. The café also has a lab area in the back where it will be hosting coffee ateliers.

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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L’ARTISAN PIADINERIA
3421 Rue St-Denis / 514 508 1433 AND 1576 Mont-Royal Avenue / 514 508 9598
St-Denis: Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm / Mont-Royal: Monday to Wednesday: 9am – 5pm / Thursday & Friday: 11am – 9pm / Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 5pm

It was this past summer that I visited La Piadineria for the first time. Sitting outside in the sun on Saint-Denis street and biting into the fresh piadina made à la minute was absolutely wonderful. A piadina is a typical Italian street food from Emilia-Romagna. It resembles a thin pizza dough that is stuffed with a variety of cold cuts, veggies and cheese then folded over. La Piadineria is owned and run by Enzo Salvati, a young Italian man who fell in love with a québécoise and – lucky for us! – moved to Montreal. You can watch him make the dough from scratch and cook your piadina while you wait. My favourite toppings from the large variety on hand are creamy stracchino cheese with salty prosciutto and zesty arugula leaves. Buon appetito!