Jardin Nelson – Montreal, Quebec
I approached this tourist trap, on the beautiful Jacques Cartier Square in Old Montreal, with some trepidation. But the menu looked decent, they were playing soft, pleasant, live jazz (which I found out they do 7 days a week), and we were hungry, so we popped in for lunch. We need not have feared.
First, I must comment on how I had forgotten the value of live, unobtrusive, pleasant music when enjoying a meal. The two musicians playing were probably not very talented, but they provided a fantastic setting for the large, multi-level patio that this restaurant is sprawled over.
I need not have feared for the quality of the food either: An earthy mushroom and cheddar crepe hit the spot, and another crepe with cheddar, lobster, crabmeat and shrimp was delicious and very generously sized. We were quite satisfied, even if the location/nature of the place still resulted in a “simple” $75 lunch (no wine). Service was slow and spotty—drink refills were extra cost and still hard to come by—but friendly enough.
The atmosphere and food make this place a worthwhile lunch stop.
Recommended.
La Queue de Cheval – Montreal, Quebec
This is the most unabashedly macho steak house you could imagine. It takes a man-size appetite, a man-size disposition, and a man-size wallet, and North America’s largest indoor charcoal grill to eat here. Not surprisingly, about 85% of the clientele on the night we were there was male. The clues are not subtle: you enter the restaurant and on your right is their butcher shop, proudly displaying generous cuts of dead cow that seem to hover around $65/kilo or more. On your left is a cigar bar. In front of you, next to the host stand, a case with assorted helmets signed by their respective users—stars of the NFL, NHL, and Formula One. The masculine piece-de-resistance: at one point during the meal, I found my wife’s jaw wide open and she proceeded to point out a patch on every waiter’s right sleeve. The patch unabashedly depicts in black over white the silhouette of a shapely woman with long hair blowing—and her panties around her ankle. I think in the US they would get sued for that. I wanted to ask what that was about, but for fear of further incensing her I kept my mouth shut.
The hostess on the night we were there was very stressed out and letting everyone, customers and colleagues alike, know about it. We were about thirty minutes late for our reservation and prepared to wait as a result but she found us a table in about ten minutes. The waiter was friendly, quick and professional—the best service we encountered in our three-day visit.
The food? Outstanding. My porterhouse was cooked perfectly and tasted great. It may be the most expensive steak I have ever had, and therein lies the problem. If you price at such a premium, the expectation is one of unforgettable greatness, unparalleled culinary triumph. Outstanding seems to fall short of that. It was good though, and I would order it again. The filet mignon was even better, though still falling short of that elusive “best I’ve ever had” threshold. The sides were not that memorable, as evidenced by the fact that we ordered two and I cannot remember what they were. A crème brulee and a choclate torte ordered for dessert continued the theme of very, very good, but not once-in-a-lifetime great as the hype would suggest.
The wine list basically starts at $100 per bottle (remember the wallet thing?) but features some outstanding choices. In fact, the one thing worthy of superlatives was an inspired choice of wine for the menu: a Hanna Zinfandel that, at $115, was seriously marked up but nonetheless fantastic in every way. I immediately tried to buy some when I got home but found that the winery was out. The one thing that was off the whole night was a cheesy disco/wedding music soundtrack that had nothing to do with the atmosphere, the food, or the clientele.
This place is built for entertaining and feeding wealthy old men and superstar athletes. What’s wrong with living like the rich and famous every once in a while?
Recommended.
Au Pied de Cochon – Montreal, Quebec
Credit my McGill-grad cousin for this outstanding recommendation, which didn’t appear in most guides and recommendations I checked. Nonetheless, I am busting open the secret: this is an awesome place to eat. This may be the best—and most expensive—place I have ever eaten at without a tablecloth. The atmosphere is decidedly casual, with the aforementioned naked tables spaced closely together in a loud, hot, unadorned environment. But the food is black-tie.
Unless you don’t like any kind of seafood, the thing to get is the PDC platter, a huge, expensive array of fresh cooked and raw shellfish, crustaceans, and other sundry fresh catches. On our night there, mine included two types of escargot prepared three different ways, clams (each with its own preparation, from mango salsa to plain and a few in between) mussels (also each with its own do), a sashimi-type mystery mollusk (that was by far my favorite), savory sea urchins in a milky broth, oysters (again each dressed differently and one bare for reference), crawfish, and a few others I either forgot or could not identify. Suffice it to say, the PDC platter was an unparalleled adventure ins seafood sampling and true foodies will rejoice at its boldness and variety, if not its steep price.
I would say forget all the other dishes if the other entrée sampled had not been an out-of-this-world halibut in a creamy sauce with Canadian bacon and a little watercress for dressing. Make no mistake: this is the best halibut I have ever had and easily one of the best five fish dishes I have ever had too. The preparation of the fish itself was nuanced and expert, without being flashy. And the sauce? Well you can’t go wrong with creamy butter and bacon; though I am sure it had many more ingredients than that. It was heavy, but a dish I will never forget..
A powerful St. Joseph appellation red wasn’t the best complement for the order, but it was a find nonetheless, though it was our third choice after the two first selection turned out to be exhausted. Credit the waiter for knowing they were out without even leaving the table to check.. Service was friendly and Montreal-paced, though water refills too long. Because the tables are so small and so closely spaced, waitstaff routinely runs into thinks hanging off the sides of tables. We witnessed a wine accident and a larger multi-dish pileup to the floor at nearby tables. Frankly this place is too pricey for that.
Net-net, this is a special, memorable meal by people who know hoe to satisfy demanding palates.
Highly Recommended.
Version by Laurent Godbout – Montreal
A hip, modern take on quebecoise cuisine by one of Montreal’s celebrity chefs (he has three other restaurants on the same street in Old Montreal, which draws the inevitable crowds of tourists. Of note, even though we were there on a tourist-infested weekend, the crowd was 75% local. I would give the setting on the outside patio a perfect “ten” Architecturally interesting, extremely comfortable, lit just right, and with a pleasant soundtrack, this outdoor area would enhance any meal. The indoor area is sleek, comfortable and modern as well
As it happens, this meal turned out to be pretty good, even without the pleasant surroundings, but not without faults. A scallop appetizer served on a cauliflower puree was delicate but a little bland and served cooler than I would have liked. The warm spinach and chorizo salad, on the other hand, was the hit of the night. Three generous chunks of the best chorizo I have ever had were topped with a mild goat cheese and a fingerling potato piece and accompanied a generous portion of baby spinach in a well prepared balsamic-based vinaigrette.
The main courses were more average than the setting would suggest. A beef rib entrée, served in its own cast-iron sauce pan had the perfect texture and color, but suffered from a too-mild sauce that did not sufficiently enhance the flavor of the meat. That said, I would kill to know the recipe that yields that consistency and appearance. Buried beneath the ribs was a good portion of truffle mashed potatoes that were simply heavenly, though it took a lot of rib eating to realize they were there.
A salmon with an El Bulli style foam sauce and a truffled caviar sounded great and looked even better, but suffered from similar under-seasoning that left us wanting more. The consistency and doneness, however, could not be faulted. It just seemed like a lot dressing to make a salmon taste like, well, salmon. The caviar had a unique, but not necessarily pleasant—taste.
The wine list was heavily French-biased and thus fairly expensive. A Cotaeux de Languedoc red was silky and perfect for our fish/red meat choices but was certainly not inexpensive.
The service was a little off, but a good part of that has to do with American-style expectations of speed and professionalism. Two waiters alternated our table. The first forgot to bring us the wine list and the second took our food order but sprinted away before I could order the wine. A great-looking filet mignon was delivered to my place setting, which was unfortunate because I had not ordered it. It was replaced in about 45 seconds with the correct order, suggesting a simple delivery mishap but one that probably should never happen.
This place serves good food, expertly presented, in a fantastic setting and thus earns my recommendation.
Recommended.
Version by Laurent Godbout – Montreal
Hilton Laval – Montreal, Quebec
About what you would expect for an old suburban business hotel. It was comfortable—the room was absolutely enormous—and clean but in desperate need of renovation. There is no view or nearby attractions, so unless you have business in this strip-mall concentration, there’s really no reason to stay there. We were there for the Grand Prix weekend (a highly recommended experience) because, having booked six months in advance, it was the best available. If you want to be downtown for the race, book 330 days prior to the Formula One weekend date. This hotel did nothing wrong but failed to impress except for exceptionally helpful staff and a pretty good breakfast buffet.
Skip it.
Charlie Palmer – Dallas, TX
Another celebrity chef opens shop in Dallas! Competition is good for the city and good for the foodie so I am all for it. Part of downtown Dallas’ renaissance, this place was packed—oddly enough with an older crowd—late into Friday night.
I never thought I would be recommending a restaurant based on criteria other than the food, but this place has thought out the dining experience so well that it deserves a visit even if the food is just average. The location is chic and the décor fantastic, with huge, slow moving airplane-like propellers providing airflow in the very tall dining room. It has am updated mid-century modern feel, yet is so tasteful in materials and execution that I bet it will look great in one hundred years. Definitely one of the most visually satisfying dining rooms in Dallas.
Service was attentive and professional, executed by a friendly and knowledgeable team. One of the ladies dining with us even complimented the “casting” of the male wait staff. Women staff were non-existent so I could not confirm or deny whether the good taste extends to both genders. The electronic wine list—presented on a tablet PC—alone is worth the visit. I tried hard to take one home with me but I was under the watchful eye of the sommelier who probably suspected my evil intentions from the moment he saw my wide-eyed-kid-on-Christmas-morning reaction to the toy. Better yet, the wine-surfing yielded a fantastic Flor de Pingus Ribera del Duero that was reasonably priced at $104.
Even with such a favorable setting—a perfect canvas on which to create a memorable meal—the food itself failed to impress. The amuse-bouche was an inspired invention—a lobster corn dog with fresh tarragon—it was delicate, indulgent and delicious, and had they kept those coming all night I would have been happier with my meal. Instead, we ordered off the menu, though management should really consider making these a permanent appetizer on the menu. There was a hit in a house-cured salumi plate that had lots of ultra-thinly sliced home-made meats, with the duck prosciutto, calabresa sausage , and pork-cheek the standouts. Quite unimpressive was the scallop appetizer, with the mollusks a little on the chewy side and the sauce not quite powerful enough to make an impression. Perhaps understatement was the goal, but I would have preferred a little more punch to start the meal. Amongst the entrees, the arctic char was the best we tried, done simply but emphasizing the natural taste of one of my favorite fish. They house dry-aged NY sirloin with marrow flan (cleverly served inside a chunk of hollowed out bone) was just OK. It was tender enough and well prepared, but I (and most of my friends) can grill better steaks at home. A monkfish entrée was the loser of the bunch, highlighting neither the taste nor texture of the rare find and generally leaving us unsatisfied…it may have shared a preparation style with the aforementioned scallops. Just average all the way around with the entrees, which were all presented beautifully in keeping with the visual impact of the place.
Side dishes, ordered separately, were well made—buttery fingerling potatoes and mixed root vegetables were tasty and appropriate, but not very generously sized.
If the price had been 20% higher, this place would have earned a “skip it.” But because of its visual richness and attention to the experience, combined with fair prices (for a “value” meal skip the appetizers and sides) for decent food and innovative and effective wine program, I say try it out. Recommended
Hotel Intercontinental Metrocentro – Managua, Nicaragua
You can’t do much better than this in Managua for business travel. The building itself is over thirty years old, but you would never know from seeing it from the outside or inside. All common areas are luxurious and tasteful, and the rooms are well appointed and spacious. I was a big fan of the rain shower in my room. Molton Brown toiletries give a touch of unexpected class. Breakfast on the club floor was excellent—the fruit in particular was so fresh and abundant it made it hard to save room for the other offerings, which were fine. Beware the internet: its $40 USD for a 24 hour connection! The hotel bar is a cool spot, with an attentive and friendly bartender and everything you would expect in terms of variety of libations behind him. The pool is huge and pleasant, but the gym is tiny and under-equipped. The front of the building has a nice view of Lake Nicaragua, if you ignore the mall parking lot directly in front. Recommended.
CAFÉ DI BARTOLO – San Jose, Costa Rica
Long one of my favorite places in San Jose—actually located in a small strip mall in Escazu, di Bartolo offers genuine Italian food expertly prepared. Truth be told, this last visit was the worst, and hopefully not a symbol of imminent decline. That said, even judging this outing, it still deserves a visit.
Octopus Carpaccio was delicious, with a semi-sweet mustard sauce that complemented both the meat and accompanying arugula perfectly. Only complain here was that it was all of four bites before the appetizer became but a fond memory. Much more generous was a prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella appetizer, which must have contained about a half pound of the former and almost a pound of the latter. It was absolutely simple and delicious. The ham was sliced beautifully, and exceptionally lean, while the big thick slices of cheese were as good as any buffalo mozzarella I have ever had. A great appetizer or a lunch by itself.
Main courses were varied. My bucattini alla’ Amatriciana (a variation on carbonara with rosemary and tomato) was just OK. The homemade pasta is always special, but this sauce did not do it justice. Far better, though extraordinarily heavy, was my wife’s Lobster ravioli in a creamy, buttery lobster-tinged sauce. Absolutely delicious and very satisfying. A calabrese pizza was deemed too spicy by some at the table, but I thought it was well done and needed just a little less oil to be a standout,
Dessert proved to be an inspired choice—a flourless chocolate torte with mango sauce was special, and a wild berry crepe was outstanding, including fresh blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and black cherries (they could do better than the cheapo grocery store vanilla ice cream though).
Service was inconsistent. It was no problem to replace our decanted bottle of Chianti after a fly landed in it within 30 seconds of pouring, but the main courses took forever to arrive and our waiter became argumentative over a mistake he made on the dessert order. Unassuming as the place is, the afternoon of this visit the crowd included two former cabinet members, one current cabinet member, a former first lady, and the current President’s two children, as well as a couple of business leaders. The average tourist won’t recognize any of these folks, but as far as people watching goes for this tiny little country, you could hardly expect better.
Prices are high for Costa Rica but won’t shock any Americans or Europeans. Like I said, I have been here some eight previous times and I found the food and the service better than the visit that this posting covers. I hope this was an off day rather than sign of things to come. Recommended.
LA CHOZA DEL BUZO – Managua, Nicaragua
Literally translated “the diver’s shack” is owned and operated by a “colorful” diver with a questionable past. I was told the food was worth it so off we went. The food was, at best, okay. An octopus and potato salad was by far the best appetizer I tried, vastly superior than an insipid grilled octopus and a completely mediocre white fish carpaccio (our waitress was unable or unwilling to identify the fish—and it was not a language issue as Spanish is my first language!). A green salad tasted like it had storebought dressing. My main course, a Spaghetti Bettina with shrimp, zucchini, and clams disappointed: the past was slightly overcooked, as was the shrimp (stiff and tasteless) and contained all of two clams. Be warned that the risottos are not made with Arborio rice or any cream, so they really aren’t risottos at all. One of the better dishes I sampled was some clams in white wine sauce, but I thought they were over-salted. Oddly, the pasta portions are tiny and the rice dishes are huge—enough to feed three people. Service was barely responsive and certainly not friendly, but there were only two fluent Spanish speakers at a table of eleven so that may have contributed—and several people’s orders were brought out early or late, while a couple of them were incorrect altogether. Nobody bothered to pour wine, or offer someone the opportunity to taste it either—it was unceremoniously corked and placed on the table. Skip it.
LA BOHEME – Managua, Nicaragua
Who knew there was such fine dining in Nicaragua? The setting may not be all that impressive—a relatively recently constructed mall with a number of restaurants facing an open courtyard, but the food does not give anything up to fancier or worldlier. Our outdoor table of nine was pleasant enough. Someone decided we were eating Tapas style and sharing–a decision I generally do not endorse because I don’t get to order what I want–and perhaps for the first time in my restaurant-going life, I have to agree it was the right call. A rundown of what I had:
- Shrimp scampi. Simple and done perfectly, with just enough butter, a touch of tarragon and lots of garlic.
- Tenderloin. Fantastic. Tender, not overcooked, and seasoned nicely. Several atthe table called it their favorite.
- Steamed clams. A brilliant, light white wine sauce with herbs. A ton of work to eat, but great nonetheless
- Mussels in white wine sauce. These don’t give anything up to the best in Belgium, except maybe size…but there’s a lot
- Octopus salad. Super-fresh chunks in tasty vinaigrette—striking the perfect balance—not chewy nor soft—they way every octopus ought to be
- Manchego-stuffed squid. Brilliant. The highlight of my meal. Creative and perfectly executed. Certainly heavy, but worth every bite
- Pithaya mousse—the only miss of the meal, this local pink fruit is totally fresh yet manages to taste somewhat packaged and sterile, not unlike cardboard. This dessert did not work for this palette
- Pear and vanilla ice cream crepes. Won’t win any awards, but nothing wrong with this one
- Chocolate torte—a good one for those of you that don’t like floury chocolate deserts. The berry sauce on top was really very good and tasted totally fresh, with blackberry (rather than the usual raspberry) dominating.
So there you go, I liked just about everything, and I tried just about everything. Actually, the menu is huge. Portions are extremely generous, and the prices were better than reasonable for this quality of food. Our two-waiter team, while not necessarily ultra-professional, never skipped a beat, keeping everyone’s wine glass full at all times and responding quickly to any and all requests, kind of an anomaly in these parts. Highly Recommended.
