Interesting eateries

[IluvMTL]

Near the Marriott. Anyone tried it?

 

Miss Prêt à Manger

 

Good to great bet

$$

1104 Bleury St. (near René Lévesque Blvd. W.)

Phone: 514-861-6565

Website: http://www.misspretamanger.com

Licensed: Yes

Credit cards: All major cards

Wheelchair accessible: Three steps up

Vegetarian friendly: Limited

 

Open: Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (earlier on Fridays), closed weekends

 

Price range: Appetizers $3.50, mains $10.50–$15, desserts $2.50–$4.85

 

All around the huge redevelopment that is the Quartier des Spectacles, there are new signs of life this spring. With the relentless construction, some addresses have disappeared, of course, but there’s an emerging crop of small businesses in the area that are like those brave plants that manage to squeeze up through the cracks in the sidewalk.

 

Triangulated between the entertainment district, Chinatown and Old Montreal, tiny Miss Prêt à Manger is almost dwarfed by the scale of the surrounding buildings. Its cheerful window boxes glow in the shadow of the site of the new 42-storey Marriott Hotel going up across the street. Opened eight months ago, it buzzes with customers at lunch hour (so far, daytime meals are the focus, though there’s talk of extending the evening hours).

 

The “Prêt à Manger” aspect refers to ready-made dishes that can be ordered to go, along with gourmet groceries, while the “Miss” aspect refers to Kimberly Lallouz, the bright-eyed owner who is clearly the driving force here. With a background in food and fashion, she provides the personal touches that appeal to local office workers – there’s a sense of neighbourhood in this small, white, tall-ceilinged spot.

 

With an emphasis on local, often organic, market-inspired food, the daily menu offers crowd pleasers – pasta, crab salad, grilled chicken – nothing too challenging, except that most items have a twist, sometimes just a small twist, that demonstrates attention to detail.

 

The butter on the table, for instance, is blended with caramelized onions. The bread basket is close enough to the touchstone baguette, but showcases olive-and-chive, blue-cheese-and-walnut or multi-grain loaves from premium bakery Mamie Clafoutis.

 

Although the list of soups (parmentier or beef and barley), sandwiches and salads on the blackboard doesn’t instantly jump out as original, items are thoughtfully conceived. For example, smoked meat is done as a panino, nicely goldened in the press, with homemade pickle and Dijon mustard, served with a side of chips and an above-standard green salad. Other salads – one with quinoa, cucumber, almonds, squash and dried cherries with plentiful herbs, and another with roasted beet and Quebec goat cheese – are clean, colourful and tasty.

 

Shepherd’s pie is gently repatriated with Moroccan spices and additional vegetables, bringing a hint of cumin to a mixture of organic beef, mushrooms and spinach. The edges of the potato topping are made crunchy in the oven, a nice touch. It’s a comfort food classic, done just a little differently.

 

Risotto with fresh lobster – there’s some salmon in there, too, not really needed – is nicely arranged with furled fennel tops for garnish and shell for colour. The rice was a touch soggy, but we did beg for the last serving – and shiitake mushrooms added texture.

 

There are more reasons to linger over lunch here, including wines by the glass and a roster of homemade desserts: moist and nutty carrot cake with a generous spread of cream cheese icing, a thin lemon square with ultra-concentrated citrus flavours, an apple and pear crumble with some texture left in the fruit.

 

All told, Miss Prêt à Manger is a cute owner-operated spot where homey recipes have travelled enough to keep them interesting. It will suit workaday types downtown, but has enough of a classic bistro feel that it will make tourists in this evolving neighbourhood feel like they’ve discovered somewhere with Montreal spirit.

 

 

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Casual+Dining+Miss+Pr%C3%AAt+Manger/4883791/story.html

[jesseps]

French Connection Montreal

 

4675 St Laurent

Montréal (Québec)

H2T 1N4

 

 

Tél: 514.742.4141

 

This is a fairly new restaurant. It is regional foods, and all the ingredients are from the market, so the menu changes.

 

I just got back from a 5 hour, 10 course meal (some of the portions were full sized).

 

I have to say, the foie gras enjoyable (it was my first time ever having that) and also the veal tongue (probably will be the first and last time I ever have something like that). One thing I have to say, I ate cow cheek, thinking it was brisket.

 

All in all, great food and great atmosphere. I am currently in a food coma (i.e I am stuffed like a duck).

Modifié 31 décembre 2012 par jesseps

[GDS]

Near the Marriott. Anyone tried it?

 

Miss Prêt à Manger

 

Good to great bet

$$

1104 Bleury St. (near René Lévesque Blvd. W.)

Phone: 514-861-6565

Website: http://www.misspretamanger.com

Licensed: Yes

Credit cards: All major cards

Wheelchair accessible: Three steps up

Vegetarian friendly: Limited

 

Open: Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (earlier on Fridays), closed weekends

 

Price range: Appetizers $3.50, mains $10.50–$15, desserts $2.50–$4.85

 

 

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Casual+Dining+Miss+Pr%C3%AAt+Manger/4883791/story.html

 

I work a block away and go for lunch occasionally. The food is great, but it is a very small restaurant. Good for groups of 4 max for early 11:30 or late 1:30 lunch.