I fell in love in with French cuisine while visiting Montreal.  A city in which bread and butter (very rich butter) was a staple of each meal.  What I find funny is that I ate less food while in Montreal...must be all of the richness that filled me up



Chez Queux
Chez Queux was our first real meal in Montreal and it turned out to be my favorite meal of our trip.  The restaurant has this old red velvet, old Europe feel to it.  We chose to sit in the darker room with stone walls which gave it a more "romantic" feel and also the candle light added to the ambiance.  There was a giant piano in the dining room but with no one playing the evening we were there.

The service was absolutely stupendous (and for those of you that know me...I am very harsh on service).  Nothing could have been done better....absolutely nothing.  Our server was very accomodating and paid extreme attention to detail.

The food was excellent.  The rolls were warm and delicious served with plenty of butter. We had the grilled rack of lamb with herbs, grilled vegetables "a la Provencale" done medium well.  This was the best lamb I have ever had.  It was tender, perfectly seasoned, not fatty, and almost melted in my mouth.  The vegetables that were served with the lamb was asparagus (which was overcooked), carrots, and a small mound of which seemed to be purple mashed taro.  The mashed taro, especially the color, really didn't seem appetizing to me.  For dessert, we had the creme brulee with glazed orange.  The glazed orange really was a nice accent to the creme brulee which left a memorable impression in my mind that this was the best creme brulee I have ever had.

The wine list was plentiful and not terribly priced.  Lots of French wines present.

Overall, I am glad that dinwiddie suggested this restaurant.  It's one of the better dining experiences that I have had.

Food:  BD97
Service:  BD100
Ambiance:  BD95




L'Express
I was looking for "French bistro" and a friend had recommended L'Express.  Thank goodness the cab driver found it because we never would have as there is no sign in front of the restaurant, only "L'Express" tiled in on the front porch.  Reservations are required.

Expecting more of a French bistro setting, this restaurant looked more like a diner, which it probably is as they are opened until 3 am.  The checkered floor kind of threw me off as I expected a fireplace and dim lighting.  Chairs and tables were furniture you would see at a diner, no booths.  They were filming some sort of television interview while we were there.

We had the steak and frites and also the croque monsieur.  The steak was topped with a mushroom butter that I did not particularly care for.  After I took a few bites of the steak, I was very full.  However, the croque monsieur that my daughter had was excellent.  The food here defines unpretentious French bistro.

Service...could have been better.  We sat at the bar.  Water glasses were always empty.

Overall, a must-visit in Montreal.

Food:  BD92
Service:  BD87
Ambiance:  BD85




Schwartz's Deli
I am not a big fan of sandwiches or smoked meat...but I enjoyed my short experience at Schwartz's.

A very casual deli in the heart of Montreal's ethnic neighborhood.  A very small deli that can get very crowded around lunch time.

We split a medium smoked meat sandwich accompanied by fries and a pickle washed down with a Jewish (?) cherry cola.

You can get a steak and other items at this "deli."

This deli is a cash-only establishment.  If paying by American dollars, add an extra 10%.

Food:  BD91
Service:  BD90
Ambiance:  n/a

Schwartz's is an institution in Montreal...

Glad you had a good  trip. How was the travel up to Canada?Â

When you say "travel up to Canada" what do you mean? Weather? Past customs/border patrol?

I couldn't stand the long line to Shwartz Deli and opted for Portugese place next door. It was so good, the sea food, we got back there for dinner.

As a prior resident on Montreal, do you refer to ethic as English or other. Just a joke. Most all deli's have great smoked meat, and best washed down with a Brador.

Glad to hear you had a good trip.