OT: The Food & Drinks Thread (Part 5)

[angusyoung]

Are you sure about that?

Montreal is the New Food Capital of North America

How to eat your way through the coolest city in the north.

www.townandcountrymag.com

Absolutely positively,100% never been more certain about anything anywhere at anytime. You talking about ol whatshisface being biased and naive right.

As for that article,pretty sure if you look harder you'd be able to find a more recent publication that flatters equally well. Don;t know how they come up with these list anyways. We contrived one a while back with criteria that is actually pertinent,yet still subjective. A more elaborate and expansive way to view things through travelers eyes.
As to Montreal,it never failed that upon returning,all the food seemed bland,flavorless. Once re-acclimatized,seemed fine.

Above I attached a few list to see rank.

 

[angusyoung]

I was visiting my sister in the States and on the way back I noticed it was about 50% less than it would cost me in Canada. Dry brined it for a day and then lit up the charcoal grill. Normally I will just use a gas grill and butter baste my steak at the end cause lighting up the charcoal is a chore and the charcoal used is more expensive than the steak. For this one it was a must.

It was delicious as hell. Probably it was closer to 800g after trimming the fat. You know ribeyes get that big hunk in between the two cuts. It was like 25 American dollars, whereas it's about 50-60 Canadian at Sobeys. I think I may have to venture across the border more often. I don't want to get shot though.

The States have always been cheaper for food,and they got a lot of some pretty darn good places to eat!

easy ignore ^

What's up with that,just being .....you?

 

[Mrb1p]

Absolutely positively,100% never been more certain about anything anywhere at anytime. You talking about ol whatshisface being biased and naive right.

As for that article,pretty sure if you look harder you'd be able to find a more recent publication that flatters equally well. Don;t know how they come up with these list anyways. We contrived one a while back with criteria that is actually pertinent,yet still subjective. A more elaborate and expansive way to view things through travelers eyes.
As to Montreal,it never failed that upon returning,all the food seemed bland,flavorless. Once re-acclimatized,seemed fine.

Above I attached a few list to see rank.

My guess is that you think Montreal is Steamies and poutines ?

Its not the first time you've tried to clash with me on culinary opinions, you may be well traveled, but I don't think its your place here, lol. If there's one thing I know, it's food.

 

[angusyoung]

My guess is that you think Montreal is Steamies and poutines ?

Its not the first time you've tried to clash with me on culinary opinions, you may be well traveled, but I don't think its your place here, lol. If there's one thing I know, it's food.

Not at all! I have/had many friends that owned restaurants/bars of varying levels of cuisine,some in Montreal,some elsewhere on the planet. Some were mere pizza types but some were high-end fine dining establishments and I learned everything there is to know about the business etc. from them and got involved in some of them in more ways than one at times. No offense,but you clash regularly over ,well nothing all that important,but this is where we are,so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ezpz]

Bourdain? Anthony Bourdain? I'd ask him but,and hate to be the one to tell you,but he's passed. And you're putting yourself on the same pedestal? How and why do you feel that your culinary expertise is on the same level as his and superior to everyone else?

These are his fav places,not one mention of Montreal let alone Canada

OT: - The Food & Drinks Thread (Part 5)

So my wife and 3 kids ( 10-16 ) are driving through Montreal, have about 6 hours . Decent family places to eat ? . Where do I get a good Reuben sandwich, and as a bonus, ideas of places to spend a little time ? And no amusement parks etc. Appreciate any ideas. Schwartz, Snowdon Deli, Smoke meat...

forums.hfboards.com

No Canadian city's,how many of these places have you visited? I must be pretty close to 75%
View attachment 739761

Montreal comes in 45th
World’s 50 Best Cities For Foodie Travellers.

1. New York City, United States
2. London, United Kingdom
3. New Delhi, India
4. Frankfurt, Germany
5. Singapore
6. San Francisco, United States
7. Madrid, Spain
8. Paris, France
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Tokyo, Japan
11. Oslo, Norway
12. Bangkok, Thailand
13. Rome, Italy
14. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
15. Amsterdam, Netherlands
16. Stockholm, Sweden
17. Los Angeles, United States
18. Copenhagen, Denmark
19. Munich, Germany
20. Las Vegas, United States
21. San Francisco, United States
22. Mumbai, India
23. Hong Kong
24. Chicago, United States
25. Taipei, Taiwan
26. Bern, Switzerland
27. New Orleans, United States
28. Shanghai, China
29. Venice, Italy
30. Mexico City, Mexico
31. Bali, Indonesia
32. Melbourne, Australia
33. Brussels, Belgium
34. Sydney, Australia
35. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
36. Houston, United States
37. Beijing, China
38. Athens, Greece
39. Cape Town, South Africa
40. Buenos Aires, Argentina
41. Berlin, Germany
42. Kyoto, Japan
43. Chennai, India
44. Vienna, Austria
45. Montreal, Canada
46. Zurich, Switzerland
47. Florence, Italy
48. Hyderabad, India
49. Lisbon, Portugal

I mean Shanghai and Beijing don't even crack the top 5 food cities in China (unless you're talking about getting good foreign food). China has 8 major cuisines and they're all vastly different and each is fantastic in their own way (though I will admit two of them are not for me). They have a lot more depth and variety than somewhere like Italy, France or Spain because they have a variety of landscapes, meats and crops depending on which part of the country you're in.

Not to mention it's the birthplace of all citrus varieties which comprise of most acid used in cooking, the majority of fruits in general, and chicken. The irony is a lot of famous Japanese and Korean dishes are actually just Chinese and in Japan and Korea they consider them Chinese food. This includes ramen and gyoza which are just lamian and jiaozi. The process to make good Beijing Duck for example is way more laborious and skill-dependent than curing meat or cooking a roast chicken. I'd also add that China has a number of cuisines that persisted even after tomatoes, corn and chili peppers were introduced globally, which I can't really say about any European food as they are incredibly pervasive. .

Thinking Italy is the number one cuisine is a very Eurocentric view of the world and likely indicates he grew up eating Italian food and has some nostalgic bias. That is just my opinion though. I think a lot of western people discount authentic Chinese food because they haven't tried it or if they have, they tried a poor version. It's probably the most skill-dependent cuisine in the world. Even the way you hold your wok, the exact temperature you cook at, your fire control, and how you pour ingredients at what angle can vastly influence the flavour of the dish. There's food science behind how they cut each ingredient to bring balance to the dish too. Someone who aced cooking school in France would fail in Sichuan and have to re-learn many skills.

 

[angusyoung]

I mean Shanghai and Beijing don't even crack the top 5 food cities in China (unless you're talking about getting good foreign food). China has 8 major cuisines and they're all vastly different and each is fantastic in their own way (though I will admit two of them are not for me). They have a lot more depth and variety than somewhere like Italy, France or Spain because they have a variety of landscapes, meats and crops depending on which part of the country you're in.

Not to mention it's the birthplace of all citrus varieties which comprise of most acid used in cooking, the majority of fruits in general, and chicken. The irony is a lot of famous Japanese and Korean dishes are actually just Chinese and in Japan and Korea they consider them Chinese food. This includes ramen and gyoza which are just lamian and jiaozi. The process to make good Beijing Duck for example is way more laborious and skill-dependent than curing meat or cooking a roast chicken. I'd also add that China has a number of cuisines that persisted even after tomatoes, corn and chili peppers were introduced globally, which I can't really say about any European food as they are incredibly pervasive. .

Thinking Italy is the number one cuisine is a very Eurocentric view of the world and likely indicates he grew up eating Italian food and has some nostalgic bias. That is just my opinion though. I think a lot of western people discount authentic Chinese food because they haven't tried it or if they have, they tried a poor version. It's probably the most skill-dependent cuisine in the world. Even the way you hold your wok, the exact temperature you cook at, your fire control, and how you pour ingredients at what angle can vastly influence the flavour of the dish. There's food science behind how they cut each ingredient to bring balance to the dish too. Someone who aced cooking school in France would fail in Sichuan and have to re-learn many skills.

Ya,I don't know how they come up with lists. I make some Chinese food ,very occasionally, and it's a mixed bag. Mostly ''western''type Chinese food ,sugar! But occasionally dumplings. It can very very time consuming and probably quicker and easier ordering when possible. Some of these super old countries and their customs and how long it takes to become a master at certain things,crazy! my mrs has a cousin that has his own sushi place in Japan and the amount of time,and boredom I'd say to get to the top is too much for me. Even now if we make sushi etc, she only permits me to do minor tasks.

 

[Mrb1p]

\

Not at all! I have/had many friends that owned restaurants/bars of varying levels of cuisine,some in Montreal,some elsewhere on the planet. Some were mere pizza types but some were high-end fine dining establishments and I learned everything there is to know about the business etc. from them and got involved in some of them in more ways than one at times. No offense,but you clash regularly over ,well nothing all that important,but this is where we are,so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Mere" Pizza types, as if a certain dish couldn't be elevated.

Yeah, Ill take a bow and say we're not of the same level.

 

[Mrb1p]

I mean Shanghai and Beijing don't even crack the top 5 food cities in China (unless you're talking about getting good foreign food). China has 8 major cuisines and they're all vastly different and each is fantastic in their own way (though I will admit two of them are not for me). They have a lot more depth and variety than somewhere like Italy, France or Spain because they have a variety of landscapes, meats and crops depending on which part of the country you're in.

Not to mention it's the birthplace of all citrus varieties which comprise of most acid used in cooking, the majority of fruits in general, and chicken. The irony is a lot of famous Japanese and Korean dishes are actually just Chinese and in Japan and Korea they consider them Chinese food. This includes ramen and gyoza which are just lamian and jiaozi. The process to make good Beijing Duck for example is way more laborious and skill-dependent than curing meat or cooking a roast chicken. I'd also add that China has a number of cuisines that persisted even after tomatoes, corn and chili peppers were introduced globally, which I can't really say about any European food as they are incredibly pervasive. .

Thinking Italy is the number one cuisine is a very Eurocentric view of the world and likely indicates he grew up eating Italian food and has some nostalgic bias. That is just my opinion though. I think a lot of western people discount authentic Chinese food because they haven't tried it or if they have, they tried a poor version. It's probably the most skill-dependent cuisine in the world. Even the way you hold your wok, the exact temperature you cook at, your fire control, and how you pour ingredients at what angle can vastly influence the flavour of the dish. There's food science behind how they cut each ingredient to bring balance to the dish too. Someone who aced cooking school in France would fail in Sichuan and have to re-learn many skills.

Yeah I can safely say Italy doesn't have the best food, nor cuisine. With that said, I didn't talk about cuisine or a monolith separated by drawn lines on a map. Im talking about what a city as to offer when it comes to food, of all genre, all types and cultures.

Ill say that China is a close zero because of the lack of modern immigration waves. Ill say that the united states cities are probably a zero because of the class separation inside the system itself and Ill say it's probably not exotic islands because of the cheer size. I love the food of Hawaii because of its cultural richness, the freshness of the food but overall, the offering is just too small and the quantity lagging. I love the food scene of Denmark but it lacks in variety especially when it comes to quality (Weird thing I know, but grubs and street food vendors and the likes contribute as much to a food scene as Noma would.) Ive never visited the Balkans, but I know a few chefs that I respect dearly that have ventured in europe and asia and thats where they call home culinary wise, which makes sense because of the great number of cultural exchanges coming from everywhere around there.

TL;DR: Nothing beats Montreal in quantity, variety and quality. You can go on literally any "big" street in Montreal and eat at a "michelin" worthy restaurant. The food scene has never been bigger and better in Montreal.

 

[Runner77]

Exactly since when did Emilia-Romagna become the capital of Italian cuisine? Who decided that? In Italy there is no culinary capital, if it existed I think Emilia-Romagna could easily not even be on the podium.

It’s recognized as such by Italians themselves. Traveled there several times and many locals said it. I also frequented restaurants in several other regions of Italy and to me, the restaurants in that region deserved the accolade but I’m not the one who came up with it, it was the locals from several regions.

 

[Runner77]

Absolutely positively,100% never been more certain about anything anywhere at anytime. You talking about ol whatshisface being biased and naive right.

As for that article,pretty sure if you look harder you'd be able to find a more recent publication that flatters equally well. Don;t know how they come up with these list anyways. We contrived one a while back with criteria that is actually pertinent,yet still subjective. A more elaborate and expansive way to view things through travelers eyes.
As to Montreal,it never failed that upon returning,all the food seemed bland,flavorless. Once re-acclimatized,seemed fine.

Above I attached a few list to see rank.

That article is relatively recent. What was particular about it is that the culinary expert was mandated by the magazine to identify the best restaurant city in the US, since he had had longstanding restaurant experience in several cities. However, he was also familiar with Montreal restaurants, and and he assessed that the latter were better even if he was asked initially asked to come up with a US city.

 

[Incubajerks]

It’s recognized as such by Italians themselves. Traveled there several times and many locals said it. I also frequented restaurants in several other regions of Italy and to me, the restaurants in that region deserved the accolade but I’m not the one who came up with it, it was the locals from several regions.

I don't know you you mean by locals, but Sicily, Lazio, Tuscany and Puglia are types of cuisines more varied and complete..Let's be clear, eating in E-R is better than eating in almost any other part of the world, if you love pasta it is a great place, but that applies to all of italy. If i want to eat fish, i don't think of E-R.

 

[Incubajerks]

Ouch i forgot Campania of course.

 

[Runner77]

I don't know you you mean by locals, but Sicily, Lazio, Tuscany and Puglia are types of cuisines more varied and complete..Let's be clear, eating in E-R is better than eating in almost any other part of the world, if you love pasta it is a great place, but that applies to all of italy. If i want to eat fish, i don't think of E-R.

By “locals” I meant the different people I encountered in the different regions I visited. I’ve also lived in Florence for two months and ate out everyday, and took several trips to Bologna and Modena, just loved what I experienced.

I appreciate all that the different regions have to offer and have dined in several of them. I liked how great the food was in a trattoria, some really tasty dishes to be had without having to spend a ton. Italy’s culinary offerings are always appetizing to me but taste is personal, I suppose.

 

[Runner77]

Was never a fan of tofu but bought some on a whim at Costco.

And then I tried this easy recipe and loved it:

Easy Tofu Recipe

This quick and easy tofu recipe is pan-fried, vegan, versatile, flavorful and perfect to used with many tofu dishes when you're in a hurry.

www.sharethespice.com

The key for me was getting the cubes into a crispy state by browning them but not burning them.

They were real tasty on their own, but to ramp it up a notch, I went out and bought the missing ingredients to make this complementary sauce that can be stored in the fridge up to 7 days. Can’t wait to try it:

Easy Peanut Sauce

A smooth, creamy, combination of sweet and savory, gingery, garlicky goodness - this is what you call the perfect peanut sauce recipe!

www.sharethespice.com

 

[Treb]

Was never a fan of tofu but bought some on a whim at Costco.

And then I tried this easy recipe and loved it:

Easy Tofu Recipe

This quick and easy tofu recipe is pan-fried, vegan, versatile, flavorful and perfect to used with many tofu dishes when you're in a hurry.

www.sharethespice.com

The key for me was getting the cubes into a crispy state by browning them but not burning them.

They were real tasty on their own, but to ramp it up a notch, I went out and bought the missing ingredients to make this complementary sauce that can be stored in the fridge up to 7 days. Can’t wait to try it:

Easy Peanut Sauce

A smooth, creamy, combination of sweet and savory, gingery, garlicky goodness - this is what you call the perfect peanut sauce recipe!

www.sharethespice.com

My favorite tofu recipe is mapo tofu.

I normally eat the version with ground meat, but you can do it meatless as well.

 

[Runner77]

My favorite tofu recipe is mapo tofu.

I normally eat the version with ground meat, but you can do it meatless as well.

I looked up the dish and it sounds delicious.

Are there any particular sites that offer the recipe in the way you prep it? I’d like to try the one with meat.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Treb]

I looked up the dish and it sounds delicious.

Are there any particular sites that offer the recipe in the way you prep it? I’d like to try the one with meat.

Thanks in advance.

Definitely not a pro cook, but I've had good experience with recipes from Mapo Tofu Recipe: The Real Deal - The Woks of Life .

You can also go the quick and easy route and buy the sauce pack at pretty much any asian store. Just make sure to pick the one you want since there are Japanese (mabo tofu, less spicy more sweet due to miso/mirin) and Korean (doubanjiang replaced with gochujang+doenjang) variations. All great, but depends if you're more of a Sichuan, Japanese or Korean style of flavors.

Main thing you need careful of is to be gentle when mixing after the tofu is added or you'll get a tofu pudding since silken tofu is quite fragile. To help avoid that, you can also quickly blanch the tofu (obviously not too long or you'll lose the silky texture).

 

[Le Tricolore]

Other than The Keg, does anyone have any recommendations to get good prime rib in Montreal? Been craving it for a bit, and I'd rather just get it at a nice restaurant than make it at home.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

My favorite tofu recipe is mapo tofu.

I normally eat the version with ground meat, but you can do it meatless as well.

I looked up the dish and it sounds delicious.

Are there any particular sites that offer the recipe in the way you prep it? I’d like to try the one with meat.

Thanks in advance.

Ma Po Tofu ("Grandma Po's Tofu", adorable) is bombbb. one of the most famous dishes from one of the most famous gastronomic regions in China, Sichuan.

i lived there for a year teaching English in 2007 and the food made a lasting impression on me

 

[Treb]

Ma Po Tofu ("Grandma Po's Tofu", adorable) is bombbb. one of the most famous dishes from one of the most famous gastronomic regions in China, Sichuan.

i lived there for a year teaching English in 2007 and the food made a lasting impression on me

Chengdu is definitely on the list if I ever go to China.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

Chengdu is definitely on the list if I ever go to China.

i was actually in Xi'an, in the neighboring province of Shaanxi, but the food was completely influenced by Sichuan. i loved it

 

[Runner77]

Chengdu is definitely on the list if I ever go to China.

Any restaurant recommendations that would offer a good quality Chengdu and Mapo Tofu?

 

[Treb]

Any restaurant recommendations that would offer a good quality Chengdu and Mapo Tofu?

I like Cuisine Schezuan and Aunt Dai.

Can't say I've scoured all the Schezuan restaurants of Montreal though, so others might have better recommendations.

 

[DougHarvey]

Definitely not a pro cook, but I've had good experience with recipes from Mapo Tofu Recipe: The Real Deal - The Woks of Life .

You can also go the quick and easy route and buy the sauce pack at pretty much any asian store. Just make sure to pick the one you want since there are Japanese (mabo tofu, less spicy more sweet due to miso/mirin) and Korean (doubanjiang replaced with gochujang+doenjang) variations. All great, but depends if you're more of a Sichuan, Japanese or Korean style of flavors.

Main thing you need careful of is to be gentle when mixing after the tofu is added or you'll get a tofu pudding since silken tofu is quite fragile. To help avoid that, you can also quickly blanch the tofu (obviously not too long or you'll lose the silky texture).

Woks of Life is an awesome website. I have probably cooked about 20-25 recipes off there. You should try the Cantonese Pork Belly.

 

[HuGort]

Some of you health guys ever heard tell of Shilajit? People around here starting trying it. At my age, I should try something