How was it? Exceptional?
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Yup!
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always wondered how that place was. Do they have sides to go w/ the lechon?
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Nope, Pig, pig, pig…
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Pic dump. More words coming later:
Luv2Eat
(not pictured: the wonderful Talay Phuket Fried Rice)
Cabra
This is an Apple Store?!?!?!?! (DTLA)
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The half dozen times I’ve been there’s never more than 2 tables full, but the wife and I tried to go last night and they had run out of broth so it seems like people might be finding this place which is great news.
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Attempted to go to Ramen Ochi last night and a sign outside said it’s closed for the holidays. BLEH (b/c it led us to try to go to Ramen Negi [insane line outside] and then to Terra [which has been relatively unsatisfying and quite expensive the 2 times I have been there]).
Hope Ramen Ochi really is just closed for the holidays and nothing more…
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Try Capri. The sciallatielli there is a great pasta dish.
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Oh, that dish sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the rec.
lol you mirrored our exact footsteps except we ended up at Capri. All the Eataly restaurants seem just a bit too pricey for what they are. We had an astonishingly flavorless bowl of mushroom risotto the other night.
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Another New York report from me.
Claud is still firing on all cylinders. When it opened it was buzzy and hot, and sometimes places like that fizzle and lose spark when opening a second restaurant (Penny), happy to report Claud is not chasing trends but making great food. Mille Fuille with squash and (name forgot) cheese, chicken liver agnolotti, beautiful pork chop and buttered potatoes, perfect chocolate cake all rocked and more.
Unfortunately, Smithereens, a seafood focused spot from a chef I really enjoy didn’t do it for me. Service was kind of cold, high quality fish and ingredients but ultimately lacking in flavor. Had a great buckwheat infused Negroni though. Maybe I’m bitter they ran out of the lauded cider donut dessert for a 7:30 seating?
But the highlight - an amazing dinner at Blanca with the new chef Victoria Blamey. Blanca was one of the restaurants that got me into “fine dining” 8 years ago as a broke New Yorker. It’s transitioned from the old Italian inflected tasting to Victoria’s Chilean influence. So many great ferments, lively flavors despite the winter produce, no luxury ingredients for obligatory reasons, excellent service. Highlights were the crab empanada (with crab guts and other bits), chanterelle and persimmon, chard and white chocolate, tortilla Al rescoldo bread (with chicharon) and the non alc pairing. Pics when I can 
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We went to Dada (Echo Park) for a second time. It’s a good restaurant with a lively atmosphere (two bars?) and better food than you’d expect. I suspect there is a contingent of Eastsider FTCers who would like Dada more than I do.
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Smoked meat sandwich from Lester’s in Montreal.
Meat was very supple. Fries were fantastic. Missed out on the black cherry soda.
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one of my favorite places in Mtl!
Agreed on best fries too. Cream Soda over Black Cherry for me.
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I panic-ordered a root beer. My French is very bad and these are the results.
Any other local favorites?
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Are you in Montreal?
Yes! We’re hitting as many of the spots in the linked threads as possible. Pictures and Profuse thanks to follow.
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L’Express is at the top of my list to return.
Not Joe Beef or Au Pied de Cochon.
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Boustan on Crescent for chicken shwarma- downtown mtl
Beijing in chinatown for ginger scallion lovster
Chalet BBQ-monkland- best rotisserie chicken
l’express- best french bistro- outremont
lemeac- great late night menu specials, outremont, fr bistro
la banquise- poutine- outremont
Arthurs- anazing/ bfast and brunch- lachine canal. if u go, walk in Atwater Market nearby
these are my top favs, let me know if you need any other ideas for other areas!
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