Rotisserie Chicken @ Scores Chicken and Ribs, Montreal

Scores is the one restaurant I rarely fail to visit whenever I'm in Montreal. During this day trip to Montreal I paid a visit to their Dorval Location for a quick lunch.

Salad



Chicken Noodle Soup



Chicken Tenders with Fries



1/4 Chicken with Vegetables

The reason why I'm Scores. Their Chicken is always tender and has the right amount of salt. It is really good.


Queen Elizabeth Cake

The only cake that the Queen of England bakes hence the name of the Cake. At Scores it is made with Maple Sugar which gives it a deep caramelized flavor which goes well with the Coconut and Walnuts.


In my opinion Scores' Rotisserie Chicken is better than St. Hubert and destroys Swiss Chalet's Chicken. The other thing I like about Scores is its' all-you-can-eat Soup and Salad Bar. Just add a couple of bucks on to your 1/4 Chicken Meal and the Salad Bar is all yours. My only wish is for Scores to open up a location in Toronto!


Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Price: $ (Approximately USD $15 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 444, avenue Dorval, Montréal, Québec, H9S 3H7
Tel: +1 514 636-6060
Web: www.scores.ca
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Pig's Head @ Au Pied de Cochon

I've always wanted to sample some true Quebecois Food at Au Pied de Cochon but have never gotten a chance to do so till my recent trip to Montreal. The restaurant is always fully booked whenever I visit Montreal but somehow Cindy managed to get a reservation for us that night!




Bread

Our meal started with some sub-par bread.

Bison Tongue

The Bison Tongue was tender and had a nice chewy texture. The flavor of the Tongue was phenomenal went really well with the Mustard Sauce. This was my favorite of the night!


Foie Gras with Caramelized Apples

The chef was definitely generous with their Foie Gras, which was served on top of a Buttered Brioche. The Balsamic Glaze and Apples add a nice Sweet and Deep Flavor to the Foie Gras which was cooked just perfect. The Brioche gave it a nice crunchy texture to the soft Foie Gras


Foie Gras Poutine

An artery clogging but sinfully good Quebec Dish. The fries were a little soggy but was seasoned just right and full of potato flavor. The rich Foie Gras Brown Gravy was so good we could have used as a sauce for anything.


Pig's Head


This was our main course that Laurent and I shared. Our Pig's head came with Baked Clams and Cheesy Mash Potatoes. The Head was really tender but very fat! The only part that contained meat were the cheeks which was good. The Clams were my favorites. It was baked in Salt and was so fresh.


Hunter's Pork Chop

The Pork Chop was very good! It had a nice crust from being Pan Seared and was very tender. The Mushroom Ragout complimented the meaty flavor of the well marbled pork.


Mash Potatoes

The Mash was really good! It was a good combination between creamy potatoes and potatoe puree. The flavor was really good especially with the Olive Oil.


Chocolate Mousse

We were so stuffed there wasn't room for dessert. Cindy however ordered a Chocolate Mousse which we tried. It was good but way too rich for us after our Pig's Head.


After Au Pied de Cochon I can truly say I've had true Quebecois Cuisine. One would probably need to go on a green diet for months after this one meal but it was truly an experience I would never forget especially the Pig's Head.


Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$$$ (Approximately USD $70 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 536 Avenue Duluth Est, Montréal, Québec H2L 1A9, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 281-1114
Web: restaurantaupieddecochon.ca‎
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Seriously Good Steaks @ Gibby's, Montreal

If you're looking to splurge your mullah on a good steak look no further than Gibby's. According to Laurent, Gibby's serves up some serious Steaks and Meat dishes but is an over-priced restaurant that is usually frequented by Tourists due to it's historical charm as it's located inside a 200 year old building in Old Montreal. Locals apparently would only go there during special occasions.

The restaurant sure does look historical with the furniture looking old and tired including their friendly wait staff who looked like they've been with the restaurant since the early 50's.


Pickles, Bread and Bacon Bits



Like many other Montreal Steakhouses we were served some Pickles and Bread. We were also given Bacon Bits which we used as a topping to the really soft and buttery bread.


Salad

The Garlic Dressing was really good on the Salad. It gave it a nice flavor and went really well with the Anchovies and Home Made Croutons.


Palate Cleanser: Lime Sorbet



Giby's Cut Bone-in Rib Eye

One of the best Steaks I've ever had. The Mustard Seed Crust was crispy and the steak had the right amount of Fat and Meat. It was juicy, flavorful, tender and big!


Crepe Jubilee

Basically it's an Ice Cream Filled Crepe. The Crepe was little hard because it was chilled together with the Ice Cream. I found the dessert a little too sweet for but I did enjoy the Cherry and Blueberry Compote which was a little sour to offset the sweetness of the Ice Cream Crepe.


Vanilla Creme Brulee

This was delicious. The Creme Brulee had a really nice eggy texture which I thoroughly enjoyed.


Gibby's Mint Chocolate

We ended our meal with Gibby's Mint Chocolate. I loved the bitterness of the Dark Chocolate.


Overall I would definitely recommend Gibby's to any Rib-Eye lover. It is definitely very expensive but Gibby's Bone-in Rib-Eye is one of the best I've ever had. Not to mention they also serve a very good Creme Brulee!


Food: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately USD $100 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 298 Place d'Youville, Montreal, QC H2Y 2B6, Canada
Tel: +1 514-282-1837 ‎
Web: www.gibbys.com
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Smoke Meat Galore @ Chenoys, Montreal

I'm back in good old Montreal for a day and had to make a stop at another Montreal Smoked Meat joint called Deli Chenoys before heading back to Toronto. This place was recommended by a friend of mine for their creative use of Smoked Meat. They've got it on Sandwiches, Rice, Pastas and even Pizzas! And to top it off diners have the option of having their Smoked Meat cuts Lean, Medium or Fat.




Smoked Meat Platter

I was conned into believing the Platter would be small until it came. There's probably Half a Pound of Medium Smoked Meat on the Platter. It was quite juicy and had a good flavor. However Schwartz in my opinion still has the better Smoked Meat.


Extra Fat Smoked Meat Sandwich

My friend ordered this Caloric and Cholestrol Nuke. The medium Smoked Meat was already very juicy and tender but this literally melts in your mouth. I guess MORE FAT equates to MORE FLAVOR


Fried Dover Sole on Pilaf

Don't ask me why we ordered Fish in a Smoked Meat Joint but we did. The crust was a little dense and the Fish was a little under-seasoned .


My meal at Chenoy's definitely satisfied my craving for Smoked Meat for probably a few months. The food may not be as good as Schwartz. But for the price they sure are pretty generous with their portions!


Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD$20 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 3616, boul Saint-Jean Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC H9G 1X1, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 620-2584
Web: www.chenoys.com‎

Angus Steak @ L'Aurochs

It's been quite a while since I last had Steak with my last being Prime at Le Meridien KL. So when my client in Montreal asked if I would like to try a Montreal Steakhouse I happily agreed.

Our drive led us to a new Mall/Plaza in Brossard where L'Aurochs was located. This is apparently "the place" in the South Shore to have Steaks and the wall of signed celebrity plates at the entrance definitely set my hopes high for a good Steak.





At L'Aurochs, the focus is on Certified Angus Beef (CAB) where only 1.5% of all Angus Beef qualifies as Certified Angus. Looking at the menu the Steaks here are aged at least 35 Days and are seared in a 1800 degrees oven similar to that of Ruth Chris's Steakhouse.


Bread

Our meal began with the usual Bread. The Bread was served Cold and wasn't made in-house


Pan Seared Scallops

The Scallops were delicious! They cooked perfect leaving it a little uncooked in the middle and went well with the Black Pepper and Butter Sauce


Classic Caesar Salad

The Caesar wasn't made in front of us like other more traditional Steak Houses but was quite good.


Surf and Turf Manhattan

My Tenderloin was really well seasoned, meaty and cooked to a perfect Medium. The Scallops were smaller than the appetizer but were equally juicy. The star however was their Twice Baked Potato with Cheese, Spring Onions and Bacon. The potato was whipped and then placed back inside the crispy Potato Skin. It was amazingly delicious!


Chocolate Mousse Cake

The Chocolate Mousse Cake was velvety smooth and oozing with Dark Chocolate Flavor. The Chocolate Crust at the bottom however was a little soggy.


Coffee Creme Brulee

The Creme Brulee was surprisingly light for a Steak House. It had a strong Coffee Flavor which was pretty nice.


Yogurt Muesli

My first time eating Yogurt Muesli as a Dessert. The Yogurt was topped with a layer of orange custard and crispy Muesli. The candied Lemon and Apricot Rind gave it a nice sour contrast. A light and hearty dessert


L'Aurochs was definitely better than Queue De Cheval in Downtown Montreal. My Fillet Mignon and Scallops were perfectly seasoned and cooked. However, the one thing I still crave for is their Baked Potato!


Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4.3/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately CAD $90 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 9395, boulevard Leduc, Brossard, QC J4Y 0A5, Canada
Tel: +1 (450) 445-1031
Web:
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Probably the best Poutine in Montreal @ Restaurant Grégoire

Poutine… Montreal’s most famous culinary mark in Canada that is an artery clogging and caloric A-Bomb dish that is sinfully delicious.

For those that are not familiar with Poutine, it is basically a bowl of hand-cut double fried fries that is topped with locally produced curd cheese and drenched in a rich brown gravy!

This is the ultimate comfort food for most Quebecois especially during winter and is enjoyed throughout Canada and other parts of the world.

Montrealers love this dish so much that there are many restaurants that pay homage to this dish by serving different variations such as Au Pied de Cochon’s upscale version using Foie Gras Gravy.

I’ve read many reviews for the best Poutine with most of them being located right in Montreal City. But Laurent insists he knows “the best” place for it and the funny thing is it’s not in the guidebooks and is located somewhere in Châteauguay.

Following Laurent we finally arrived at Poutine Haven Gregoire and when entering the restaurant we knew he took us to the right place. There was a long lineup that kept forming throughout our time there and we definitely stood out like a sore thumb, as all the patrons were locals.




Gregoire is similar to a Fast Food Restaurant. The food is ordered and picked up at the counter and the menu comprises of not just Poutine but Hotdogs, Burgers, Sandwiches and Salads.






Spruce Beer

Laurent ordered this for us to try. Brewed locally Spruce Beer doesn’t contain any alcohol. It’s a gassy beverage that tasted similar to Shandy but a little sweeter. It was actually a great drink to go with our Poutine.


Delicious Poutine



The Poutine at Gregoire was definitely the best I've had. The Poutine came piping hot with the curd cheese melting slowly melting from the gravy. I loved the curd cheese’s springy texture and how it complemented the equally delicious gravy that was soaked in by the Fries. I was planning to eat a few bites but ended eating half of it. It wasn’t too oily or salty. Gregoire’s Poutine was downright traditional and freaking good!


Hot Dog with Meat Sauce

Zhao Kun’s Hot Dog was also pretty good. The bread was soft and there was a generous amount of their delicious chunky meat sauce


Chicken Sandwich

A simple but delicious sandwich. Real shredded chicken White Meat was used with simple slice of butter head lettuce, Mayo Spread and nicely toasted White Bread.

Overall I am glad I followed Laurent’s advice and went with him to Gregoire. I can see why this is such a popular restaurant for Poutine. Unlike other places that tend to overdress their Poutine, Gregoire focused on the very essence of what a good Poutine should be; really well-fried Home Cut Fries, Springy Curd Cheese and really flavorful gravy. Even their Sandwiches and Hotdogs were simple but yet so good. If anyone has a GPS I would definitely recommend coming here for Poutine.

Food: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Price: $ (Under USD $15 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 258 Rue Saint Joseph, Sainte-Martine, QC, Canada
Tel: +1 (450) 427-2310

Morning Bagels and Fresh Fruits @ St. Viateur Bagel Shop and Jean Talon Market

Besides Smoke Meat, the Jewish Community in Montreal has also left a culinary mark in the form of bagels. Established in 1957, St. Viateur Bagels is one of two shops (the other being Fairmount Bagels) that are considered to be Montreal's best.



Visiting their original location on St.Viateur we were greeted with the smell of Bagels that were being baked. Without any dining area, we ordered three different bagels and ate it in our car.





Sesame Bagel

The only bagel we had that was warm. The texture was really good. It had a nice crisp as you tear it apart and the inside was dense but still maintaining some fluffiness. It had a tinge of sweetness and the sesame flavor was definitely there. I'm no bagel expert but this was definitely really good!


Cinnamon and Raisin Bagel

This was very nice. It wasn't too sweet and had just the right amount of Cinnamon and Raisins that were studded on the bagel. If only it was warm, it would have been superb!


All Dressed Bagel

The all dressed bagel had all the fixings. Sesame, Poppy Seeds, Garlic and other ingredients that I can't make out. It was my least favorite of the three due to its very strong and distinct flavor.


After breakfast we headed up Boul. St Laurent towards Jean Talon Market for some fruits and sight-seeing. The market sold everything from flowers, fruits, vegetables and lots of other meat and vegetable produce.




What surprised Kun and I the most was the Vendor's lay out of their produce. This market is the best looking market I've ever visited! Vegetables were arranged in trays and different formations that made it look so appealing to the eye!





Contact Information:
St. Viateur Bagels
Address: 263 Rue Saint Viateur Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H2V 1Y1, Canada
Tel: +1 (514) 276-8044
Map:

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Jean Talon Market
Address: 7070 Avenue Henri Julien, Montreal, Quebec H2S3A3, Canada
Map:

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