http://www.sitebits.com/canada/quebec/ Quebec en Copyright &copy; 1999-2008 Gromco, Inc. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:18:22 EDT Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EDT info@sitebits.com info@sitebits.com <b><a href="http://www.sitebits.com/canada/montreal/restaurants/mtl-le_cartet.html">Le Cartet</a></b> (106 rue McGill, <a href="http://www.sitebits.com/canada/montreal/districts/old-montreal.html">Old Montreal</a>), a combination of a high-end grocery store (<i>boutique alimentaire</i>) and a café, reopened after winter renovation. Our reviewers will soon be dispatched to sample Le Cartet's brunch. Gromco http://www.sitebits.com/2008/le-cartet-reopens-2008.html Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EDT With few exceptions, I never order anything that I can cook well myself. Thai is one cuisine that I would love to wow guests with. Its distinguishing feature is the use of coconut milk, lemon grass, peanuts and chilli peppers in harmonious constellations for consumption. But sadly, I've never actually done anything about studying it, maybe because I am a regular at Restaurant Thaïlande. Let's face it, we're a lazy species, and if others can do it better, why not go to them? Andrea http://www.sitebits.com/2008/high-on-thai-restaurant-thailande.html Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:40:00 EST There are many restaurants in this town proving their worth by hiring the right chef, PR agency or interior designer, attracting the "in" crowd or serving the most "creative" (sometimes absurdly creative) nouvelle cuisine dishes. <br><br> And then there are restaurants that don't need to prove anything: as long as they stay true to their mission and character, they will be deservedly popular. <br><br> L'Express at 3927 rue St-Denis belongs to the second category. In the 20-odd years that the place existed, it slowly transformed its status from that of a "cool new thing" to that of a Montreal institution... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2008/l-express-way.html Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:25:00 EST I am not exactly a frequent visitor at tea salons - a fact pretty much ensured by the very presence of the Y chromosome in my DNA. </p><p> Yet, since about a year ago, I regularly find myself at a place that ranks suspiciously well on the tea connoisseurs' list of Montreal cafés and restaurants. And what do I order there? Tea. And cookies... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2008/tea-at-nocochi.html Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:15:00 EST I am here to clear up the confusion and defend the merits of Habitat 67... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2007/habitat-67-2007.html Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:20:00 EST My mission for the night: to have a decent terrace meal in the Old Port and enjoy a nice conversation with my dining partner (who happened to be another SiteBits contributor). Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2007/aszu.html Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:05:00 EDT Nota Bene sells an amazing array of imported designer stationery items – mostly of European and Japanese origin. If you're the type who prefers to think with a pen or a pencil in their hands, chances are you're going to love this store... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2007/nota_bene_2007.html Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:02:00 EDT One of my favorites (not only for its nice building, which I really like) is the Atwater Market, situated very close to the Lachine Canal path, making it the perfect stop after a walk or a bike ride. Alban http://www.sitebits.com/2007/marche_atwater.html Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:00:00 EDT Located right in the middle of Plateau Mont Royal, L'Inspecteur Épingle is a bar where a variety of characters congregate to drink affordably priced pints of beer. Fernanda http://www.sitebits.com/2007/l_inspecteur_epingle_raise_your_pint.html Fri, 11 May 2007 21:30:00 EDT Pi Café (Café π) is basically a mixture of coffee shop, workplace, gallery, chess venue and a place for tranquility. Fernanda http://www.sitebits.com/2007/pi_cafe_coffee_tranquility.html Sun, 22 Apr 2007 02:25:00 EDT Somebody on the site mentioned that Le Grand Comptoir is one of the few restaurants in Montreal with friendly, non-pretentious “single person” table service and I would agree with them. What I mean by that is that going there by yourself doesn't necessarily present you with the typical dining-alone nuisances, like having to sit at the counter and thus forgo being able to relax in a chair, or being subjected to attitude from the host(ess) and the server. (After all, you're taking up a whole table and you'll only leave one person's tip!) <br><br> Like I said, Le Grand Comptoir is a fortunate exception to those experiences. You can go there alone at almost any time of day (except the lunch hour: too busy) and find more than a handful of individual tables to choose from... Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2007/alone_at_le_grand_comptoir.html Thu, 15 Feb 2007 23:20:00 EST How many more blockbusters would you be willing to drop 13 bucks for? Personally, I'm done with it. <br><br> However, I love cinema and will be the first one to admit that renting movies is not the same as going to a movie theater. A movie theater gives you the atmosphere, the sound and the focus. In the coziness of your seat, you are "inside" the story unveiling on the screen. For good movies (and I mean <i>guaranteed</i> good movies), you have to go to one of Montreal's <i>répertoire</i> (or repertory) cinemas, the best of which is Cinema du Parc. <br><br> I assumed Cinema du Parc had closed its doors a while ago, which I thought was unfortunate because it had left fewer available alternatives to watch good cinema. However, it recently reopened with a vengeance... Fernanda http://www.sitebits.com/2007/cinema_du_park_winter_07.html Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:00:00 EST “MMMMMM!” was the exclamation of pleasure from a life-long New Yorker when first sampling Montreal bagels. This was high praise indeed. This Long-Islander went on to concede that these bagels even rivaled New York's otherwise unrivaled bagels. Montrealers have known for some time that their bagels were world class. In fact, beyond smoked meat and poutine, perhaps no food characterizes Montreal more than its bagels. Like their smoked meat brethren, Montreal bagels are originally a contribution of the city's sizeable Jewish community. And just as debate might wage between smoked meat at Shwartz's or The Main, a similar competition exists between Montreal's top bagel bakeries, Fairmount and St Viateur... Steve http://www.sitebits.com/2007/fairmount_vs_st_viateur.html Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:10:00 EST I awoke one morning after a night on the town with a desperate craving for a fast, filling, delicious breakfast to indulge my palate and soothe my aching stomach. Fortunately, the decision of where to go was easy: Dusty's, on the corner of du Parc and Mont Royal... Steve http://www.sitebits.com/2006/breakfast_at_dustys.html Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:45:00 EST I've met quite a few people in Montreal, and all of them surprised me with the same statement: "I've never been to La Grande Bibliothèque". Worse, that would happen immediately after I'd answer the most common question, which is: "What have you liked the most in Montreal so far?" La Grande Bibliothèque is definitely one of the top things on my list and when I mention it many people seem surprised... Fernanda http://www.sitebits.com/2006/bibliotheque_not_only_for_geeks.html Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:35:00 EST Café Holt in Montreal serves suprisingly good food and coffee in a stylish atmosphere. Ree http://www.sitebits.com/2006/cafe_holt_montreal.html Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:15:00 EST Le Convivial is a quality restaurant in Westmount, Montreal where Chef Emmanuel Nozati performs his magic daily. Alban http://www.sitebits.com/2006/le_convivial_2006.html Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:10 EDT Traditionally considered to be a classic "outing with the kids," apple picking is fun for really big kids, too (I happen to fall into the second category). The perfect place is only a half hour drive from Montreal, right next to Oka Park (for those of you who are familiar with its pristine beaches). <br><br> Saint Joseph-du-Lac is a town completely devoted to planting, growing, cultivating, juicing, and baking apples. In short, everything to do with apples except picking them - that you have to do yourself... Ree http://www.sitebits.com/2006/saint_joseph_du_lac_the_big_apple.html Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:00:00 EDT L'Entrecôte St. Jean is an establishment that has been there approximately forever, in part because of its prime location in downtown Montreal (the corner of Peel St. and Maisonneuve) and in part because its formula just works. Mix one part indecision, two parts repetition, a dash of hospitality, a slab of steak, a sprinkling of chocolate and a glass of red wine. That simple formula could be a critic's worst nightmare, but that's only because they would be going there with the wrong attitude... Ree http://www.sitebits.com/2006/comfort_food_for_carnivores_entrecote_st_jean.html Mon, 25 Sep 2006 12:10:00 EDT We only discovered this place a couple of months ago and already we've been there three or four times. My personal opinion, as somebody who has lived in Italy for 5 years, is that Vago tries to be faithful to the original taste of Italian cuisine... Alban http://www.sitebits.com/2006/vago_montreal_2006_review.html Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:10:00 EDT Whether you live in Montreal or visiting, La Chronique is a dinner option worth considering... Irazema http://www.sitebits.com/2006/la_chronique_cena.html Thu, 29 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT "Luba Lounge" is gone, and we've been mourning the loss. The next step in our grieving process was to visit <b>Vinyl</b>, which has taken its place on Bleury St. just below Sherbrooke. After a Friday night film fest at Cinema du Parc we decided to check it out.  Alban http://www.sitebits.com/2006/vinyl_bar_2006.html Wed, 31 May 2006 02:30:00 EDT <img ALT="Mutek 2006 logo" class="rightill" src="http://www.sitebits.com/images/2006/mutek-2006.gif"> From May 31st until June 4th, Montrealers and those who find themselves at the 45th parallel will be able to enjoy the annual jamboree of electronic music and "new technologies" called MUTEK. </p><p> This year, the only name I recognize on the program is that of Richie Hawtin (he plays outdoors in Parc Jean-Drapeau on the 4th). That either says something about the festival's inability to attract more headliners or, more likely, it says something about how clueless I've become on the subject of electronic music. Or, possibly, it says both. </p><p> Anyway, you now have less than a week to get to Montreal and catch the groove: <a href="http://www.mutek.ca/" rel="nofollow">www.mutek.ca</a>. Slavito http://www.sitebits.com/2006/mutek-2006.html Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT <img ALT="Entry Island" class="leftill" src="http://www.sitebits.com/images/2006/entry-island-teaser.jpg"> Before going to Entry Island, I thought that the Magdelene Islands were remote. Entry Island is <s>20</s> 9 miles off the coast of the Magdelene Islands, which are in turn many miles away from <span class="correction">Prince Edward Island and</span> Nova Scotia. <br><br> You might be a little vague on Canadian geography (as am I), so allow me to explain more clearly: this place is <i>really</i> far away <span class="correction"> from wherever you are. (unless, dear reader, you are an Islander yourself). </span> Ree http://www.sitebits.com/2006/entry-island-quebec.html Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT <img ALT="Butterflies" class="rightill" src="http://www.sitebits.com/images/2006/butterflies-alban-misha.jpg"> One of my favorite words to learn in any language is butterfly - or papillon, flutur, smetterling, farfalla, mariposa.....the onomatopoeic list goes on. The names are as pretty as the butterflies are, so I was intrigued when I heard that one of the greenhouses at the Botanical Gardens in Montreal becomes home for thousands of butterflies during the early spring. Ree http://www.sitebits.com/2006/the_butterflies_are_back.html Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST