Le Local

740 Rue William
Montreal, H3C 1P1
(514) 397-7737

As I planned my 2nd anniversary dinner, still being in the "impress" stage of the relationship, a lot of thought went into where we would go to eat...to be honest a hell of a lot of thought. There has to be a mix of great food, a great atmosphere, great location and a great wine list too. After searching through countless pages on the web, newspapers and asking "foodies" for their opinions, I came up with my decision of picking Le Local. Le Local is run by the famous chef Louis Francois-Marcotte also from Simple-Chic and the show "Le Gout de Louis" on Canal Vie.

The whole establishment is pure beauty in my eyes, with a hip and trendy feel and a touch of sophistication. There are two different rooms, one more of a lounge area facing the bar and the other more of a diner experience facing the kitchen. The first thing I noticed was the open concept kitchen that I've so many times seen on his TV show, which by the way is excellent.

The food here was not the best, but it was still very enjoyable. From a beef tartar(14) dish to a duck terrine, the appetizers were only decent. On the other hand, the main courses were very good, a venison roasted with beans in maple syrup had a nice sweetness to it and the duck leg confit was delicious also.

I was here just a few weeks ago for dessert and as I remembered them, they were fantastic! The plate of Mignardises(7) with all kinds of different treats was phenomenal. A delicious white chocolate cheese cake with homemade raspberry sorbet was another hit. I truthfully cannot remember what I had the first time but all I can say is that they were really good as you can see in the picture.

In the end, my experience at Le Locale was a very enjoyable one. I recommend this restaurant for a special night out with a special person or even on a Saturday night to stop by and have drinks and dessert. A very pricey night out on the town with a few glasses of wine, and to impress my wonderful girlfriend, this night was one to remember.

Food:8/10

Atmosphere:9.5/10

Service:8.5/10

Location:9/10

Price:8.5/10

Overall:8.5/10

Confusion Restaurant

1637 Rue Saint Denis
Montreal, QC H2X 3K3

(514) 288-2225

 I was recommended this tapas restaurant by a friend a few weeks ago. After being told countless times how great it was, I finally made a reservation to go on a Friday at 8 PM. As I walked in on the main floor, I noticed that the restaurant was empty and I even thought of leaving... A waiter asked us if we had reservations and walked us to the basement where at least a few tables were taken. Let me just say... this place is different, very different. From the fact that there are swings to sit on and that the table faces the wall (with a huge mirror hanging too), this was definitely a completely different atmosphere from what I was used to. Watching myself eat all meal isn't the prettiest thing, so I opted for a side seat. As the night progressed it got busier and busier...Thank god because I HATE empty restaurants.

I was first served by a waiter, who was very polite and did a great job, until he was later replaced by a snobbish french Quebecois who did little to help the night. After placing different orders, I saw tables which arrived much later than us receiving bread and getting the ROYAL treatment, while we awaited bread and water. The soup of the day finally arrived, a mushroom soup(5) that lacked a little bit of flavor and that was a tad too sweet, but still decent. After this dish, the bread arrived (about time), a nice baguette with olive oil. A 30 G. foie gras torchon(14) was the second dish to arrive, a boring piece of torchon on a slice of fig bread. It was tasty but you could taste that nothing was done to the foie gras. And now for something good, a goat cheese crumble with tomatoes and rosemary(10), which went very well with the baguette. A great glass of red wine(12.25) helped relaxed me during this meal.

A well done salmon tartar(12) with wasabi and avocado- although it didn't mix quite properly it was still OK. An average duck Rossini slider topped with foie gras was on the bland side. The burger was missing onions, tomatoes, lettuce something to give it some extra flavor. The same thing happened with the 3 lamb mini sliders(14), but on top of that they were way overcooked. Not juicy, not tender, not anything appetizing. I let the waiter know what I thought of this burger, and he let me know that it was on the hous...Thank you- one good thing about this restaurant at least. For dessert, I ordered a spicy chocolate fondant(10) with a salty ice cream. Alone each item tasted strange but together they worked quite well.

In the end my experience here was mediocre: the waiter wasn't too great, the food wasn't amazing, but the presentation was good and the unique atmosphere added some positive credit. Would I recommend this to anyone? Maybe...To someone only looking for a new place and who really doesn't have any desire for some flavourful food. I've decided for next week, I need to go somewhere good to make up for this, VERY GOOD!

Food: 6.5/10

Atmosphere:8.5/10

Service:6/10

Location:8/10

Price:9/10

Overall:7.5/10

40 Westt Steakhouse

2305 Transcanada Highway
Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5Z5
(514) 428-9378

It has been over a year that I have not been to this establishment. When it first opened, I was excited, very excited to go to the "Queue de Cheval" of the west Island. The building is gigantic, but beautiful in every way, from the moment you enter the doors, until arriving at the seats and even the bathroom, you can smell the richness. I personally like the feeling of being in this restaurant, let's face it, its stunning to look at and before you sit down, you know it's going to be good... and expensive.

For the appetizer, I always go for the steak tartar, I absolutely love the taste of any type of tartar. To me this is meat at it's best, before it's been "tampered" (cooked) with, it is the truest form to enjoy it. I enjoyed this dish that came served on matchstick french fries, it was good but nothing extraordinary.

Of course for the main course I got a steak, who wouldn't.. Well seafood lover's because they have a great selection of seafood also. I've tried the Delmonico(14 oz rib eye), the Cowboy(20 oz rib steak) and the 24 oz Porterhouse. I enjoyed all three but not to a greater extent then making one on my barbecue. The prices of steaks vary from 40 to 50+$, not cheap but not absolutely terrible figuring they are dry aged for 4+ weeks. An asparagus side dish for 12$ with only a few spears was a complete waste of money. The garlic roasted mashed potatoes are delicious as a side dish and so are the french fries.

For dessert I ALWAYS get the delicious chocolate souffle, an exquisite chocolate cake with a melted center and vanilla ice cream to dunk. This is one of my favorite desserts of all time bar none.

After going to 40 Westt five times, I finally decided, it's enough! This is not worth the money one little bit. Yes it's a fantastic atmosphere and the service is very friendly, but the food is not up to par. I do not recommend eating at this steakhouse, but buying a nice rib eye, marinading it and throwing it on the BBQ and voila! A better piece of steak and for less then 15 bucks.

Food:7.5/10
Atmosphere:9.5/10
Service:9/10
Location:7.5/10
Price:7/10
Overall:8/10

A Father's Day Feast!

For father's day this year, I decided to make my dad a BBQ. It was a gorgeous summer day, so all the dishes had to fit this agenda. I made my famous rib eye steak in a 24 hour beer marinade with sweet potato fries and asparagus, for dessert a scrumptious strawberry panna cotta. Here are all the recipes for these dishes, enjoy!

Rib eye steak

Ingredients:

12+ ounces AAA rib eye
1/2 can of Rickard's red beer
1 cup of Heinz ketchup
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
salt and pepper

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Poke holes in the meat on both sides, then place them in a Ziploc bag with the marinade. Let sit for 24+ hours in the fridge to absorb the flavors. 30 minutes prior to cooking, let the meat sit at room temperature. Babecue at 400F for approx 5 min per side for medium. After reaching the appropriate doneness for the steaks, let them relax on a plate with tin foil over top for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato French Fries w/ Basil Salt and Garlic Mayo

Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 tablespoon lemon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato "fries" on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In another small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice, and then combine. Sprinkle with salt when the fries are done and serve with mayo. Enjoy!

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
  
• 1/2 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 tablespoon sugar
• Pinch salt
• Quebec Strawberries
• Whip Cream
  

Preparation:

Place the milk in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over. Let it stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Prepare wine glasses with strawberries at the bottom ,remove panna cotta from the heat and pour into the glasses so that they are 1/2 full. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Serve with strawberries on top of the dish and some whip cream. Enjoy!


This meal overall was great, from the delicious super tender steak to the crispy fries with a very tasty mayonnaise, all the way to the refreshingly summery panna cotta. This feast is not very difficult to make, so beginner's start cooking and have yourself a wonderful meal.

Riccardos Restaurant

4055 SAINT-JEAN BLVD
DOLLARD-DES-ORMEAUX QC
H9G 2R4
514-620-3477

Fine dining is great and all, but some nights it just feels great to relax and stay close to home. A small and cozy restaurant with great food and a wonderful staff with such great prices,what's not to love. Riccardos restaurant situated in a small strip mall on st-jeans is serving up homemade italian cuisine, from his grandmothers recipes. This is a family owned restaurant that fits about 60 people, so reservations are recommended.

I have been to this place countless times and have enjoyed it every single one of them. I cannot go into huge detail into every dish on this menu because all I ever really get is there fantastic gnocchi rose with the veal parmesan(18). The gnocchi is one of the best in the city,a good blend between chewy and moist with a tasteful rose sauce. Another dish I recently tried was manicotti(13), a cheese and spinach filled pasta, another delectable hit! The fried calamari(10) is also a tasty fried dish on the menu. I've also been told that there desserts are great, notably the mille-feuilles(6), but you guys will have to let me know about that one.(Edit) I finally tried the Mille Feuilles and it is delicious, so moist, every piece melts in your mouth. A tasty graham cracker mixture with custard and whipped cream, what's not to love!

The list goes on, from pizza, to sandwiches, to every type of pasta with even more sauces that you can think of, this place is just so great that I would have to recommend it to everyone. This is not just a restaurant for an occasion but a place to eat lunch, supper, monday, tuesday, wednesday.. anytime your in the mood to grab a nice bite to eat at an affordable price.

Food:8.5/10
Atmosphere:8.5/10
Service:8.5/10
Location:7.5/10
Price:10/10
Overall:8.5/10

Recipe of the day!

This is an absolutely delicious chicken dish, that is on the healthy side...Well somewhat!

Stuffed Chicken W/ Prosciutto and Provolone

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Prosciutto
• Provolone cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Olive oil

Preparation:

Cut chicken into thin slices, then pound the meat with a tenderizer. Apply thin layer of olive oil, a pinch of black pepper and salt. Put thin slices of prosciutto,provolone, a little piece of lettuce and a small slice of tomato onto the flat piece of chicken. Roll carefully and apply two toothpicks on each end to hold the roll together. Cook on barbecue, or in the oven.

Such a simple recipe for such a great dish! Enjoy!

Europea Restaurant

1227 Rue de la Montagne
Montreal, QC H3G 1Z2

(514) 398-9229

First off, let me begin by saying, "How have I only gone to this place now"! I used to be an avid 1234 "clubber" and I have never noticed this place, situated right in front. After eating here, I must say that chef Jerome Ferrer is one of my idol's, from the outside of the building to the decor inside, this three level establishment is truly beauty at it's finest. I cannot post pictures from the website here, but please go look at " http://www.europea.ca/" in the "see slideshow" section to be able to understand the extravagance, the beauty...

On with something even better then the looks of this restaurant, the food! There are three different menu's which you can order from, a la carte, menu degustation or the tasting menu. In the end end, how can you refuse 10 courses for 86.50. This is not expensive if you calculate 8.65 per dish, especially at one of the city's finest! What makes this place expensive is the wine pairing for 64.50, which by the end of the night with tip and taxes 200 per person.

Some of the most notable dishes of the night were, an exquisite "Lobster cream Cappuccino with truffles shavings" in a small cup that was beyond words, the top layer cold and frothy all the way down to the warm lobster cream soup. A foie gras cromesqui shaped like a cigar,brought in a cigar box was beautifully presented. The "Fresh ravioli with ricotta mushrooms, porcini emulsion, grilled Portobello, Alba truffle sauce" was another great dish, whith so much flavor, I wanted more. The last dish that really stood out was the "Short ribs of Kobe Beef, crispy galette of roots vegetables" served in a smoked glass which once again the presentation was some of the best out there.

Five dessert courses including some fun cotton candy and a tantalizing assortment of cheeses, we were given in a Chinese takeout box some madelaines to take home and different chocolates. By the end of the night we counted 16 courses, no that is not a typo. 16 courses with all the different amuse bouche that Jerome Ferrer love's enticing his diner's with. Every dish had something different to offer, with new plating, cutlery at every serving, this is a place that will impress.

We finished the night with a guided tour of the restaurant and the kitchen, perhaps next time I will go,I'll take the chef's table, a private section on the basement level watching the "magic Happen". Note to any and everyone, "you must all try this restaurant, to learn about the wonderful world of food".

Food:8.5/10
Atmosphere:10/10
Service:9.5/10
Location:9.5/10
Price:8.5/10
Overall:9/10