OT: Recommendations for Montreal

[Spinner]

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Montreal in September. Old Montreal is on our radar, however we are open to input regarding other areas. As an aside, my wife is fluent in French.

What accommodation, restaurant, bar, market, bike shop, museum, retail store or other destination is among your favorites?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Cheers.

[Brian Cdn]

My hometown...

Previous thread here. Most, I imagine is still current.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showth...light=Montreal

Salut !

[rePhil]

The Marinoni factory is a short drive in Lachinae. I was fortunate to get a great tour.

I know the sightseeing is great but if the weathers is bad there is always the underground city

[PoppaWheelie]

Holy Moly...there's a lot. I'm from Ottawa but long ago moved to SF. My wife and spent a week in Montreal last summer and had a blast. The Canadian dollar made it possible for us to eat like kings and queens...and there are a TON of excellent places to spend your food dollars. The Montreal food scene has really exploded lately...branching way out from the old French standards. It's an oldie, but we had one of our best meals as Chasse et Peche in Old Montreal. Then lots of amazing other eats in the more far-flung neighborhoods. We spent the entire week on foot and metro, which was a really refreshing change.

[ultraman6970]

Chinese food in montreal is excellent!

[schwa86]

Just went with my college age son, who is kind of a foodie and has good friends there. Took advantage of great exchange rate.

We stayed at Hotel 10, very convenient to both Plateau area mentioned throughout the thread, and old city. Smaller boutique style, good breakfast, very nice staff.

We got a spa package for afternoon at spa Scandinave, extremely nice baths/saunas, 2 1 hour massages. Very relaxing.

Best meal was bouillon bilk quite near hotel. We got tasting menu -- fantastic.

Really cool bar on Saint Laurent -- big in Japan bar. It's sort of hard to find - see reviews on web. Must like Japanese whisky and sake based drinks though.

[Dired]

Originally Posted by PoppaWheelie

Chasse et Peche in Old Montreal

^ +1 Great place, through last visited about 7 years ago.

[witcombusa]

Gibby's in old Montreal is my favorite restaurant
http://www.gibbys.com/montreal.php

and if you might enjoy a beer...
http://montrealcraftbeertours.com/

[mgm777]

One of the best vacations my wife and I have experienced...went to Montreal for 4 days, then took the train to Quebec City, stayed at the historic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. Just toured the city, saw the sights, enjoyed the culture and tasted fabulous cuisine. Highly recommend.

[guido]

We had a great meal here:

http://www.lentrecotestjean.com/

The perfect bistro experience.

[cdn_bacon]

Please please please please eat at my all time favorite restaurant.

L'academie (http://www.lacademie.ca/)

these are executive chef culinary students. there is an SAQ (liquor store) downstairs from the one on St. Denis. you can purchase your wine there and bring it to the restaurant. ( no corking fee) I guarantee a good meal.

[waypastfast]

And a ride or walk along the Lachine Canal!

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/qc/c...ine/index.aspx

[echelon_john]

I'll vouch for L'Academie. Good food and vibrant scene.

Also, and I posted this in the other thread: we always stay at Hotel de L'Institut; it's run as part of the provincial hospitality school. ~30 rooms, student-run, terrific breakfast included. It's right on St Denis on top of the Sherbrooke Metro, with parking underneath. We like it because the rooms are very nice, the service is always excellent, the location is REALLY central (and NOT in the old port, which is a plus IMO) and the price is very reasonable.

Other favorites include:
L'Express (as mentioned above)
Inspecteur L'Epingle (great neighborhood bar)
Au Pied de Cochon (crazy rich, over the top food)
The MBAM has a Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition that just opened, as well as an excellent Pompeii exhibition that's been going on for a bit.

Also have to mention: If you're looking for a poutine experience that's not 100% traditional but is absolutely crazy good, try Ma Poule Mouilée—run by a Portuguese family; they make terrific rotisserie chicken which you can get with salad, sides, etc but the real star is poutine with chicken & chorizo. Guaranteed party in your mouth.

Originally Posted by cdn_bacon

Please please please please eat at my all time favorite restaurant.

L'academie (http://www.lacademie.ca/)

these are executive chef culinary students. there is an SAQ (liquor store) downstairs from the one on St. Denis. you can purchase your wine there and bring it to the restaurant. ( no corking fee) I guarantee a good meal.

[torquer]

Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is running on Sunday, Sept. 11 this year.
Start/finish is at the base of Mont Royal park.
This 5-room B&B (a much too modest description) is a five minute stroll away:
http://www.casabianca.ca/
Not Old Montreal, but adjacent neighborhood is nicely diverse, and Montreal is easy to get around in via Bixi.
Reserve early, since they fill up with racing fans for that weekend.

[suzuki]

Overcrowded? Of course. Overhyped? Perhaps. But we have been going to PDC since it opened and try to come back every time we return to Montreal (even with kids now). If their menu brings a grin to your face, gotta go. If you are visiting Old Montreal, Bonaparte is our choice for a more refined dining experience. And if you visit St. Joseph's Oratory, Duc de Lorraine is the place for desserts. Also, Jean Talon Market is totally worth the trip. We usually stop by Qui Lait Crut (for cheese), Premiere Moisson (for bread), Aqua Mare (for fried calamari and oysters), and Havres aux Glaces (for dessert). For fresh produce, take your pick. Oh, and how could I forget Tim Hortons for timatins and maple donuts. No matter the spot, speaking French really does give you a warmer reception. Cheers.