L'Entrecôte Saint-Jean

Paris à Montréal

2022, Peel street, Montreal, Qc, H3A 2W5

Montreal is packed with restaurants serving French cuisine. Bistros line the streets of Old Montreal and we are known for our modern French restaurants serving classics with a twist. But aside from the trendy, fusion restaurants, we also have some more traditional and authentic French restaurants. Par exemple, on Peel right below Sherbrooke lies a true Steak-Frites brasserie serving steaks the way they have always been served in Paris. 

This restaurant is purely for meat-eaters because, well, there is nothing else on the menu. Whether you order it À la Carte or as part of the Table d'Hôte, you will be having steak. If you order the Table D'Hôte you will receive a soup of the day, or tomato juice, a simple walnut salad, strip loin steak in an herbed butter sauce with fries (steak cooked exactly as you request it and fries perfectly crisp and golden), and finally some profiteroles au chocolat. All of this for the very affordable price of $29.95. 

Steak-Frites

For a taste of Paris in its simplest form, head to L'Entrecôte Saint-Jean, grab a seat for two by the window, a bottle of wine, engage in some people watching, and enjoy a perfectly cooked steak-frites in the heart of Montreal. 

Cream of Leak Soup

Walnut Salad

Steak-Frites

Profiterole

Reservations: Reservations are only accepted at lunch.
Date night: 100% yes.
What I wore: Black jeans, turtle neck with leather shoulder detail (Karen Millen), and leather booties.

The damage: $$

Mind, Taste, Love.

Brasserie Central (Thursday Nights)

Oysters and Bubbly

4858 Sherbrooke St W Westmount, QC H3Z1H1

Having been to Brasserie Central before, I knew to set my standards high for their latest addition: Oyster Thursdays. The restaurant has a different feel at night than during the daytime. During the day the light shines in creating a bright and cheerful feel, while at night the space transforms into a quaint and cosy bistro. 

With oysters being ever so popular as of late, it was only fitting for Central to create a night centred around these simple pleasures. If you head to Central on a Thursday night, what can you expect to find? From 5 pm until closing you could order 12 oysters ($24), or half a dozen ($12), a suggested wine paring ($7), or a glass of bubbly ($8). I also highly recommend their Serrano platter served with honey truffle oil and parmesan cheese- so delicious. As for the oysters, they were served beautifully on a bed of ice with a classic mignonette as well as an exotic pineapple and champagne salsa.

Serrano Ham, Parmesan, and Honey Truffle Oil

We had a bit of an appetite and decided to order some other appetizers to go with our charcuterie, oysters, caesar, and wine. We decided upon a crab cake topped with an arugula, fennel, and orange salad, and a wasabi mayo and the octopus "a la plancha" with cherry tomatoes, potatoes, lima beans, capers, and chimichurri. Both hit the spot.

Crab Cake

Octopus "A la Plancha"

Finally, every meal must come to a decadent end, and this one exceeded expectations. We ordered the sticky toffee pudding. To describe this dessert as heavenly would even be an understatement. Just trust me and try it for yourself.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Next time you are looking for a 5 à 7 spot, dinner spot, or just a place to warm up with some bubbly in hand, definitely head to Brasserie Central.

Mind, Taste, Love.

Pullman Bar à Vin

Pullman needs no introduction. In my opinion, this is one of Montreal's top date spots. With a never-ending wine list, knowledgeable servers, and music that is at just the right volume for some good old-fashioned conversation, it is easy to see why Pullman's has been able to hold its own.

The atmosphere is understated and tasteful. Dim lighting and candles create a perfect ambience and the layout of the tables are just right. Order a cheese plate with the perfect wine pairing, or some mini burgers and let the wine do the rest.

In my opinion, Pullman also makes for the perfect GNO. When me and my girls go out, we want to be able to drink AND catch up (the latter is hard to do at other bars where music is loud and the space is crowded).

Cheese Platter

Mini Burgers

Churros

For a tamer night out of delicious tapas, wine, and (yes) conversation, I suggest Pullman Bar à Vin! 

Mind, Taste, Love.