Duc de Lorraine

Oui, Oui, Paris.

5002 Chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, QC H3V 1G6 

If you have ever been to Paris, you know that you could walk into just about any bakery off the street to discover the sweet scent of homemade pastries, buttery croissants, and café au lait. There is nothing better than sipping a coffee, and biting into flaky pastry, while sitting at a tiny round table in a quaint café. Don't book that flight to Paris just yet! We have a delicious, charming, and warm spot just as I described right here in Montreal-  Duc de Lorraine.

This is by no means a new spot. In fact, Duc's doors opened in 1952. Set on Cote-des-Neiges adjacent to Mont-Royal with the picturesque St-Joseph's Oratory in the background, this place has remained a classic for good reason. Walk in to smell the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods and either grab some to go, or take a seat in the naturally-lit dining area. Both the atmosphere and staff are warm and welcoming and you will immediately feel transported to a café in Paris.

We ordered café au laits, some mimosas, and a basket of viennoiseries to start. The pastries were buttery, flaky, and sweet, as they should be. The mimosas were refreshing and they definitely did not skimp on the champagne, and the café au laits were creamy, strong, and just what we needed to start our day.

The sweet start was followed by a savoury onion soup (au gratin) served piping hot and by a (generous) slice of leek quiche. Both were impressive and could have been flown-in directly from France! 

On our way out, we couldn't help but pick out some croissants and fine pastries to take home! There are also an array of beautiful cakes for any occasion. Duc de Lorraine has been around for a long time, and it is time for a new generation to experience its lovely atmosphere, service, and food. To those who have not yet been, it is definitely an experience that needs to be had in our city and I HIGHLY recommend a trip for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or simply to pick up some pastries and desserts to go!

Mind, Taste, Love.

Restaurant Review: Anabel Bar et Vin

Anabel

Your Fall go-to restaurant.

• 361 Bernard Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H2V 1T6

3 words come to mind when thinking about my most recent visit to Anabel Bar et Vin: Quirky, Comforting, and Original.

Quirky: the ambience- turquoise walls, classic black and white floors, and wooden tables. It sounds like a lot of mix & match, but somehow it works creating a cozy and striking restaurant interior. You won't mind sticking around for a while, especially with the perfect playlist they have on in the background.

Restaurant interior (taken from Facebook page)

Comforting: the menu items. I would say Anabel serves modern comfort food. From a lobster french toast to a grilled pork chop with rapini, turnips, and horseradish. You will definitely leave feeling warm & satisfied (especially if you ordered a bottle of wine from their extensive list).

Original: all around. Their menu, presentation, and décor are all pretty refreshing in a restaurant scene where I'm getting used to seeing a lot of the same. They tend to do things a little differently here.

On top of everything, the staff are friendly, the cocktail list is creative, and though the menu is small, you will want to try everything on it! Plus they take a seasonal approach meaning the menu changes with each season based on market-fresh ingredients. I believe this week they are rolling out their Fall menu and I am excited to see what that entails! I would imagine the perfect combo of ingredients to keep us warm here in Montreal.

What we ordered (The menu is changing this week- not sure if any of these will remain, but they were so good that I want to share anyways!):

Drinks

• The London Pact: My personal favourite. Pimms, cucumber, mint, lemon, and some other ingredients I can't remember- but so delicious! A little taste of London.
• The Anabel Julep: Mint, Orangina, bourbon, and some other ingredients- my lesser favourite of the two.

London Pact

Appetizers

• Salmon tartare: Unique and delicious. Marinated cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, lemon oil, french radish, and salmon tartare piled atop prawn crackers and served with a tangy sauce.
• Lobster french toast: Their take on the classic lobster roll. Lobster salad stacked on a thick slice of savoury french toast with a homemade bacon marmalade and homemade potato chips.
• Pan-fried gnocchi: Cozy. Pan-fried gnocchi with pancetta and peas in a crab sauce drizzled with truffle oil.
• Tomato salad: So simple, but sooo good. Market-fresh heirloom tomatoes with coriander and homemade croutons topped with an impressive fried poached egg.

Salmon Tartare

Lobster French Toast

Gnocchi

Tomato Salad

Fried Poached Egg

Main

• Halibut: Warm. Halibut served with clams, mushrooms, and swiss chard in a carrot butter sauce.

Halibut

Dessert

• Fried Oreos: BETTER than any I've had before. Deep-fried oreos served with ice cream and a shot of milk.

Fried Oreo Platter

Fried Oreo

See what I mean!? Charming restaurant, on a charming street. Couldn't imagine a cozier place to spend an autumn Saturday night.

Reservations: Yes.
Date night: Most definitely.
What I wore: leather leggings, buttoned-up denim shirt, chunky necklace under the collar, leather jacket, and booties (Can't believe it's layering season already!).

The damage: $$$

Stay in the know: Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Bonus: $1 oysters on Thursday's. 

Mind, Taste, Love.

Restaurant Review: Tavern on the Square

Tavern on the Square

A Montreal Classic.

1 Westmount Sq Ste C310 Westmount, QC H3Z2P9 Phone: (514) 989-9779

It's one of those nights where you want to go out for dinner, but don't really know what you're in the mood for. You had Sushi last night, and you just can't figure out what you're craving. We've all been there, right?

My go-to restaurant when I'm in one of those moods is Taverne on the Square. A Montreal classic that keeps drawing me in for their seasonal specials and market-fresh ingredients. A meal that will leave you feeling content time and time again. Somehow they know exactly what your stomach was pining for- whether it be a pasta dish, a burger, fish, or meat.

This time around the specials were what caught my attention. They included a lobster spaghetti dish, trout, as well as a veal milanese with a honey and ginger sauce. I ordered both the spaghetti and veal to share and was extremelyyy happy that I did! I wish these were permanently added to the Taverne menu (Please?). The lobster spaghetti was definitely not shy on the lobster and the sauce stood on its own. The veal was packed with flavour and they did not skimp on portion size for either. Since they were specials, they came with a soup (bean and asparagus purée), and salad-  prepare to leave full.

Asparagus and Bean Purée

Veal Milanese

Lobster Spaghetti

Others in my party ordered the trout and were also very pleased with their choice!

Trout Dish

The Taverne is also known for their keen attention-to-detail when it comes to service. The knowledgeable staff are really helpful and you definitely feel taken care of throughout your meal.

During the summer they have a cute terrace with hanging lights that create a beautiful setting for a perfect meal. So come visit this Westmount staple! Whether it be for a drink at the bar, one of their decadent specials, or to dine under the stars. It is sure to become a favourite (if it's not already...)!

Charming Terrace @ Night

Mind, Taste, Love.

Reservations: Yes.
Date night: Summer nights on the terrace- what could be more romantic?
Attire: Westmount chic.

The damage: $$$

Bonus: Terrace & Parking validation for the Westmount Square parking lot.