Author: Blair Dohey
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A Major Grey Goose Event Is Coming To Montreal
Get ready to tickle your tastebuds at the 4th annual Grey Goose summer event happening this weekend on the grounds of the Musée des arts contemporain (MAC)! The 2-day, pop-up public market is taking place all day Friday June 29th and Saturday June 30th on the gorgeous terrasse of the MAC and will feature vendors…
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The Secret To Les Pyrénées 15 Year Success
For 15 years Les Pyrénées in Old Montreal has been serving up a modern Montreal take on Catalonian cuisine. To celebrate this very special anniversary, they invited us to experience the restaurant for ourselves. Here’s a few thoughts. While the experience was very positive overall, I think it was the service that impressed me the…
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Risky Choices and an Ambitious Menu
Montreal’s media and blogger circles spend a lot of time eating in restaurants. While a lot of that time is spent running from one cocktail dinatoire to another, every now and then we get to sit down, take a load off and enjoy each bite we are served. Last week we were invited to try…
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Celebrating In Style at Bartizen & Nom Nom Canteen
April is a busy month for birthdays (I guess we know what everyone was up to during those hot weeks in August!! hmmm) and lucky for us Montreal has no shortage of great places to get out and celebrate. For one of my fellow Aries (partner in crime) we decided on a night out at…
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4 Fab Cocktails To Wet Your Lips At Nacarat
No one could have predicted how cool the new bar and restaurant of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel were going to be. The stylish decor of Nacarat and Rosélys speaks for itself (if you haven’t experienced it yet, catch up with my full article here) while the poised crowd are dressed to impress any day…
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Blurring The Lines Between Chocolate And Art
Walking into the Lecavalier Petrone atelier in Pointe-Saint-Charles, the scent of cocoa power is enrapturing – and that’s just the beginning. The awakening of our senses as we enter the quaintly chaotic, brightly lit work space and storefront begins softly with scent and explodes with flavour the second we crack into one of their inventive…
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Taboo: Endless Choice And Uneven Results
There’s always a great deal of excitement generated when a new restaurant opens in Montreal. Curious foodies, bloggers, media, social scene-stealers and nightlife lovers flock to be among the first to try new food, sit in a swanky new space and own the right to say “I found this great new place you have to…
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A Next-Level Night Out In Montreal
Montreal’s Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel was hardly a caterpillar when it was cocooned for about a year during an extensive and spectacular renovation. While the hotel has always been a beacon of high-end quality in hospitality, the renovation was necessary but no one could have guessed that they would gut the entire lobby and…
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What You Need To Know About Les 400 Coups’ New Menu!
For nightlife lovers like myself, hitting the town for a night of great food, awesome drinks and who knows what else can become a costly affair. I rarely get away with a night costing me less than $100 so whenever I get the chance to spend a little less, I’ll take it. During the quieter…
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A Valentine’s Day For Lovers (of Montreal)
Whether you love it, hate it or think it is purely an invention of consumerism, Valentine’s Day is hard to ignore. So why not embrace this wonderful day of love by getting together with your friends, enjoying a little time by yourself or hanging out with your better half. Here are a few recommendations that…
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Ibérica
Early last week, in the midst of yet another glorious snowstorm, a select gang of media, influencers and bloggers gathered downtown for a private tasting at Ibérica, a swanky new high-end Spanish eatery. The exquisitely decorated restaurant sprawls out across a beautiful main floor and ascends to a multi-tiered mezzanine. The modern space is the…
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Where To Watch The Super Bowl In Montreal
Here are two great places to gather with your friends for an afternoon of Super Bowl fun that can easily roll into the late post-win hours! Fitzroy The Fitzroy is a sprawling sports bar on the Plateau that’s perfect for events like the Super Bowl. This year the guys have planned a great menu and…
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Super Bowl 52
The Super Bowl is the Oscars of sports. The event is watched by tens of millions of people around the globe and while we can’t all be in Minneapolis to see Justin the whole event with our own eyes, we all find our own way to get together with friends and have a good time.…
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Le Chop Returns
January has become the official season for saving money in restaurants across the city. On January 2, Le Chop returned for its sixth edition and until the 28th of February we can all enjoy special $25 2-course set menus in select downtown Montreal restaurants. Decca 77, Weinstein & Gavino and Atelier d’Argentine are all participating…
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One Year Later At Bord’Elle
When Bord’Elle opened last year it had us rethinking what a nightclub could be. Reaching into the decadently sordid past of speakeasies, gentlemen’s clubs and high end performance venues of the 1920s and 30s, they reinvented the concept for a more modern, luxury loving hedonist. One year later, Bord’Elle is going strong and late last…
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Cafe Jouney
Montreal’s western downtown sector is a melting pot of international culture. In the area surrounding Concordia University you’ll find everything from Asian food to Mexican cusine peppered along a 4 block strip. While Montreal is no stranger to Lebanese food, our everyday experience is mostly limited to a selection of fast food type places found…
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Happening Gourmand 11
Over the past decade Happening Gourmand has been a saving grace for those of us who emptied our bank accounts over the holidays but still want to hit the town for dinner or brunch in January. For the 11th year in row, the price-cutting food event is back and getting us out of our pyjamas…
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Onward and Upward
While Christmas and the end of the year is a time of quiet reflection and nostalgia, the start of the new year is the perfect time to look to the future with wonder, curiosity and hope. As I sit to write my very first blog post of the year I want to try and outline…
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The Balnea Effect
A couple of weeks ago I attended a vernissage entitled l’effet Balnea or The Balnea Effect. The concept was simple enough – Jimmy Hamelin, a very talented local photographer, went to the Balnea spa in Bromont (Eastern Townships) and photographed people just before they entered the water circuit or had a massage at the spa.…
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Le Blossom Bar
Restaurant openings may not be very representative of an establishments every day grind but they sure are exciting events on their own. Being among the first to experience a new space, taste the new cocktails and try the food is thrilling to say the least. When a chef, a restauranteur and a designer come together…
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Last Call – A Thin Blue Line
A couple of weeks ago the sad news broke that Wunderbar, le Plateau Lounge and E.A.T. would be leaving the W Montreal. The news came out of left field and was a gut punch for many in the industry. For a number of us, these nightlife staples are synonymous with endless stories of great nights…
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Monsieur B
There can be so much ground to cover during food festivals like Montreal à table that it can get overwhelming. Every year I make a list of the all the places I’d like to try (and this year there was 175 to choose from) and although I manage to make the most of the time…
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Christmas X West Elm
The Christmas spirit comes in all forms and getting into that spirit has never been more inspiring. While Christmas is a heavily nostalgic time for many, we continue cultivating that perfect decor by adding something new to our holiday decorations every year. There are also those of us who plan out a different theme every…
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Tsukuyomi Ramen
Nothing warms us up in winter like a piping hot bowl of soup or stew. Seeing the vapour lift off a savoury bowl of herb-infused broth, fresh vegetables, homemade noodles and tender meats is enough to shake off the deepest cold that a Montreal winter can throw at us. There’s no end to the selection…
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Rosetta
Passion, hope and courage are among the driving factors for many who wish to set up shop in Montreal. Rosetta, a fantastic new Italian/French bakery, café and pastry shop on rue Notre-Dame in Saint-Henri is a highlight of the year where the passion to impress customers with quality and service reigns high. They offer exquisitely…
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Toasting 15 Years of Verses
The Antonopoulos Group has had a lot to celebrate lately. The recently revamped Brasserie 701 is more successful than ever and the milestone 10 year anniversary of Méchant Boeuf has proven that their properties can stand the test of time. Last week guests and friends of the group came together to celebrate yet another milestone,…
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The Avengers: Infinity War Trailer is Here
Here’s your first look at next summer’s biggest blockbuster! More to come…
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Parma Café
Downtown Montreal has plenty of options when it comes to grabbing a quick bite but finding a good, quick bite isn’t as easy as you would think. The bulk of our city’s better lunch restaurants lie in areas like Mile-End, the Plateau and Little Burgundy but the number of great lunch places in the downtown…
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Gokudo
The sounds of Montreal echo the loudest on the hidden streets that are tucked away behind the sky scrapers and towers of our city’s busier thoroughfares. On Cathcart Street, just south of Ste-Catherine, the cacophony of high heels hitting the sidewalk, the laughter and chatter of groups going from one place to the next and…
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Christmas At Le Richmond Market
Kick off your Christmas shopping in style at le Marche Italien Le Richmond this weekend! Beginning Saturday, November 18 and running until Sunday the 19th, the Richmond Market in Grilffintown is offering 20% on all product purchases at the market (excluding ready-to-eat, takeout meals), ideas for pitch-perfect Holiday meals as well as samples of the…
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SAISONS X MTL à Table
With MTL à Table 2017 finally underway, you’re no doubt in between meals, taking a break between bites or waiting for your glass to get refilled at one of the 175 restaurants participating this year. I’m looking forward to getting down to business myself but before I do I wanted to share an incredible experience…
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1909 Taverne Moderne
The Montreal Canadiens are synonymous with Montreal. The team is one of the most decorated in the NHL and they have the most loyal fan base you’ll ever see. Every year, at the beginning of hockey season, the city straps on its blue, white and red pride, showing our team that they’ll have our support…
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Le Boucan Brunch
Not all brunches are made the same. Some are dainty feasts that are more mimosa than meal while others are built to handle the toughest of hangovers. Along Masson Street in Rosemont there are a couple of great places to grab brunch and now le Boucan can be counted among them. But be warned, their…
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Test Driving A Lincoln Leads To A Night Out At Pastaga
I’ve been to Pastaga several times over the last few years but rarely for a regular meal. My first visit to the restaurant was when Newfoundland based chef, Todd Pellerin from Mallard Cottage was invited to take over the kitchen for a one-night-only offering of a modern take a few traditional Newfoundland dishes. Since then…
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Discovering Chez l’Épicier
I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a meal prepared by Laurent Godbout, one of Montreal’s favourite chefs. For the last few years I’ve joined my media peers for the launch of his massively successful (and largely inventive) cabane a sucre at La Scena in Old Montreal but, up until now, I’ve never eaten at his…
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Le Pois Penché X Hervé Pochat Baron
Montreal’s le Pois Penché welcomes back guest chef, Hervé Pochat Baron from la Brasserie Lipp in Geneva, Switzerland. Leaving his home base for the weekend to come back to Montreal, chef Pochat Baron will happily set up shop at le Pois Penché this coming weekend and as he has done before, this promises to be a feast…
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Monza
There are dozens of easily recognizable signs that autumn has arrived in Montreal. The street level terrasses have begun disappearing for the season, the bright green leaves of the trees that dot our streets have changed to warm hues of yellow, red and orange and Montrealers everywhere are huddled around screens as hockey season takes…
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MTL à Table 2017
It’s back! The 2017 edition of MTL à Table is just around the corner and this year promised to be bigger than ever. Coinciding with the Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations, this year’s MTL a Table extends a full two weeks will feature 175 restaurants located all over the city. Each of the 175 participating restaurants…
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Dogs Left Outside Alone
Montreal’s busy sidewalks, like any sidewalk in any city around the world, can be clustered and claustrophobic. Trodden by thousands of people moving at various speeds daily and with a mix of annoying bikes, cherry red mobility carts, strollers and more aiming for their space it can be a hazardous place to be. Not for…
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Boss Bottled
A man’s cologne is as personal and subjective as any piece of clothing he owns. When actor Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, Marvel’s Thor, Marvel’s Avengers), the new ambassador for Boss Bottled by Hugo Boss, took on the role of promoting the classic fragrance he did it not just because it comes from a prestigious brand…
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Le Parloir
Le Parloir (parlour in English) Private Cellars recently opened on Guy in Griffintown. The beautiful new space answers the age old question of how do you keep a well stocked wine cellar in a city where the the average square footage of new condos seems to keep shrinking. Aiming to be at times a private…
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Porco
Just a few short weeks ago we were in NDG for a special media sit down dinner at Hopkins. Last week we returned to the bustling Monkland village neighbourhood for the opening of Porco, Hopkins’ sister restaurant. The two can’t be compared but they do share an owner and a desire to offer their clients…
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ACCM RIDE
2017 marks the 30th anniversary of Aids Community Care Montreal (ACCM) and to celebrate this monumental milestone the non-profit organization is inviting you, their supporters and members, to join them in celebrating their success during an evening of art, dancing and more. ACCM is a volunteer-driving, English-language community organization that provides services for those living…
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Screaming Children In Restaurants
Imagine that you haven’t been out to a restaurant in a while. You’re in a relationship where both people work long hours and at the end of the day heating a couple of Hot Pockets or a frozen pizza is all the energy you have to put into cooking. Day after day and week after…
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Sir Edwards
There’s nothing quite like spending a relaxing weekend at home. Getting up early, putting on a pot of coffee and taking your time to soak up each, well-earned, moment of peace that you’ve worked hard for all week. Lazing around, watching TV, in our underwear until you absolutely have to get dressed is part of…
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The Ikanos Brunch
There’s nothing like a good brunch to keep your weekend rolling. Montreal is a city with no shortage of brunches and ranging from simple bacon and eggs to complicated quiche, there’s something for every taste at every hour of the day – at least till three pm. Ikanos is far from simple but the food…
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Escalating Tension
For the most part Montrealers are friendly, law abiding citizens and we have a nifty police force made up of street savvy officers (who have a flair for camo but not much of a sense of humour) to keep us from getting too out of line. But, in a city where we are just trying…
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What To Do This Weekend
Summer may be coming to a close but we are clinging to the last vestiges of a busy season in Montreal like cats to a cashmere sweater. This coming weekend we continue denying that fall is at our doorstep with a couple of big events that will have us heaving a last hurrah for our…
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Canada Montreal Pride
This year’s Pride Festival in Montreal was simply spectacular. Over the course of 10 days people from around the world flocked to our city to celebrate Canada’s leadership in LGBT freedoms and equality for all. This year was extra special with the super sized festival coinciding with Montreal’s 375th celebrations and Canada’s 150th. This year…
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Drag Superstars 2
With 9 regular seasons and 2 All Star seasons already in the can, RuPaul’s Drag Race shows no signs of slowing down (season 10, All Stars 3 and more Untucked were announced this week). To date 113 very talented Drag Queens have sashayed and chantéed down the runway of the main stage on what might be…