Montreal Restaurant Tips by xedenx

St. Viateur's Bagels: Hard To Sum Up, But Amazing Is A Good Try St. Viateur's Bagels Review

St. Viateur's looks like a mini factory the second you walk in. There's a guy with an impossibly long paddle lined with bagels that he's either putting into a large kiln-like looking oven, or taking out of the oven and dumping them into a big wooden trough. They have a few token varieties such as plain, seseme and poppy seed (the classics!) and if you're lucky like me, they'll be so fresh you can't even pick them up yet because they're so hot from just being baked.

There's no seats in St. Viateur's. It's strictly take-away. But there's a few coolers filled with cream cheeses, smoked salmon and various dips for you to purchase if you simply can't wait unitl you get home, or you don't want to stop by a grocery store. I think the prices were pretty comparible though. We took our bagels to a near-by coffee shop a little further down rue St. Viateur, purchased some coffee and sat on the outdoor patio to eat ours.

It's hard to describe why or how Montreal bagels differ from other bagels. Maybe part of it was the fact that they were so fresh that made them so good. But it just seemed like they were chewier and the texture was better. Sorry, I don't really know how else to put it! Definitely worth the trip to Outremont!

Also, on a side note, if you take Ave Du Parc to get there, it's lined with some incredibly cheap fruit markets. We got some fantastic blackberries and raspberries for less than $1 CAD/quart last summer.

Address: 263 St. Viateur Ouest

Comparison: about average

Directions: Closest metro station is Outremont. Head NE on Ave van Horne, turn right on Ave du Parc, turn left on rue St. Viateur.

Phone: 1-514-276-8044

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Schwartz's: You Have To Do This At Least Once Schwartz's Review

Montreal smoked meat is synonymous with Montreal, so you really can't say you've been to Montreal without trying it! There's a line-up outside Schwartzs pretty much anytime you wanna eat here. But don't worry, there usually isn't that long of a wait. If you're lucky you'll get a seat even if you're not at the front of the line, simply because there's a space available for your group number. So be prepared to share a table with strangers. It's not really a bad thing, considering tourists are usually pretty friendly, and the locals are even friendlier. I can honestly say I've never had an unpleasant table buddy here.

Go with a friend and share a small platter, or a large platter if you're big eaters! It's basically a plate of meat, and you'll get rye bread on the side to make your own sandwiches. You can get 4-5 sandwhiches out of a large platter. You'll be asked if you want lean, medium or fatty meat. Lean's really too dry, and fatty is just cardiac arrest on a plate, so I'd go with medium. You can remove the obviously fatty bits if you're still feeling guilty. They also sell sides like dill pickles, coleslaw and chips for $2 - $3 CAD.

Address: 3895 blvd. St. Laurant

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Nearest metro station is Sherbrooke.

Phone: 1-514-842-4813

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Website: http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/index_eng.html

Carlos & Pepes: Cheapest Meal You'll Ever Have

If you go on a Monday night, you'll get chicken or beef tacos and glasses of beer (not pints!)for $1 CAD each. Service is slow and a little surly though. But I would be stressed out too if I had to serve a bunch of students on a University budget. And that's usually the type of crowd you'll get when you go to $1 Taco Night, so don't say I haven't warned you!

You get really good tortilla chips and salsa after you've ordered and the margaritas are amazing and huge! Amazingly huge. Almost the size of my face. Seriously.

Favorite Dish: Beef tacos are preferred over chicken tacos! They're a little spicier and have less sauce so don't make your taco shells soggy and difficult to pick up.

Address: 1420 rue Peel

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Nearest metro station is Peel, just off Maisonneuve Ouest.

Phone: 1-514-288-3090

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Mexican

Website: http://www.carlosandpepes.com/en/