Hurf Durf Poutine-eater
July 1, 2012 5:19 PM   Subscribe

In Montreal for a couple of days. Where should I go for smoked meat, and or Poutine? Welcoming other suggestions as well.
posted by yatakaka to Food & Drink (10 answers total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
Your question made me think of this recent Reddit graphic from the Montreal community.

If you know about smoked meat and poutine, you've probably also been told about Schwartz's for the meat and La Banquise for the poutine.

There are other poutine places – Au Pied de Cochon for its famous foie gras poutine, for example, but that strikes me as a mite on the heavy side for hot days like we'll be getting this week. But Schwartz's is the unequalled smoked meat spot.

I am hearing good things about a place called the Dinette Triple Crown (6704 Clark) which does American-style BBQ. If you're there, then you can go around the corner afterwards into Little Italy and have gelato and topnotch coffee.
posted by zadcat at 5:41 PM on July 1, 2012


If the line at Schwartz's is too insane, go to the Main Deli across the road. The smoked meat is [heresy!] just as good. They also do a decent poutine.
posted by scruss at 5:42 PM on July 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Schwartz's is the standard tourist stop for smoked meat. Snowdon Deli is, IMO, just as good.
posted by asterix at 6:11 PM on July 1, 2012


Some prefer the smoked meat at Lester's on Bernard where there is never a line-up and the meat is never dry and stringy.
posted by Jode at 6:27 PM on July 1, 2012


If you tell us more about what you like, or are in search of, maybe we can come up with more diverse suggestions.
posted by zadcat at 6:51 PM on July 1, 2012


Assorted suggestions: Meu Meu for ice cream, Fairmount for bagels (get sesame), Dieu du Ciel for beer (disclaimer: I don't like beer), Aux Vivres for vegan food (disclaimer: I'm not vegan), Fruits Folies for cheap delicious fruit-laden brunch.
posted by ootandaboot at 8:16 PM on July 1, 2012


Nay! For bagels, it's Saint-Viateur (get poppyseed).
posted by zadcat at 8:59 PM on July 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Montreal has so much good food. It's more than smoked meat and poutine. Seriously.

Start with the Portuguese chicken. I stumbled across Rotisserie Romados on my last trip and oh my lord the sauce and spices, liquid crack I tell you, I get the shakes just thinking about it. Also, a half chicken with rice, salad, fries, bun, desert and drinks was 12 bucks, and fed two people.

Also pop over to the Jean-Talon market, go to Les Cochon tout ronds and grab some sausage. Don't ask whats in it, but just eat it and enjoy some the best damn sausage I have ever tried.

That covers the protein, so grab some chocolate at Jullete + Chocolat I would recommend the hot dark chocolate. Its like 12 bucks, but so very very worth it, unsweetened chocolate overload, served in a brandy glass, pure unadulterated hedonism, and a good enough reason to live as any.

Oh, and don't forget the pastries, go to Mamie Clafoutis bakery and grab a Canelé. I don't exactly know what they put in these things, but it has 12 different flavors depending on how long its been in your mouth, including one about 10 seconds after you swallow, all amazing, all interesting. The blue cheese baguette and mon dieu are also fabulous.

After you recover from your impending food coma you might need some caffeine. I would suggest grabbing a cappuccino at Cafe Olympico. All I can say is it tastes like coffee smells, and its amazing.

Damnit, now I miss Montreal.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 9:18 PM on July 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'll second scruss -- the smoked meat at Main is just as good as Schwartz's. As a bonus, you get to look at everyone still waiting in line across the street as you eat yours.

For authentic poutine, find a La Belle Province (they're everywhere). La Banquise is great and all, but it's not the same if the poutine isn't made by a disgruntled middle-aged Greek man who just came in from his smoke break.

My personal favourite coffee spot is Café Myriade near Concordia, but I understand there's been a bit of a coffee boom in the year since I've moved away.

If you have the money and the time, I highly recommend a night at the Pied de Cochon, though the foie gras poutine wasn't to my liking. Everything else was wonderful.
posted by third word on a random page at 1:06 AM on July 2, 2012


Can't highly recommend ChuChai enough - a gem among gems of vegetarian restaurants. Doesn't matter if you're not vegetarian!
(Chuch is next door - the same food, same price, less fancy decor, and BYOB). Just call and make sure they've reopened.
posted by Salamandrous at 5:28 AM on July 2, 2012


« Older ...Bears, oh my?   |   Kamchatka! Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.