I should seriously discuss with the powers that be at Astral about turning this into some kind of regular paying gig. On Friday I was invited to be on the Tommy Schnurmacher show (guest hosted by James Mennie) so as to discuss hamburgers in Montreal. Somehow extraterrestrials got in the picture as well.
I’ve updated the Montreal Restaurant List. A couple of places have been taken off the “to try” side, some to disappear forever some to make to the “done and worth going back side.” And there have been some additions to the “to try” side as well. I’ve also added a list of “Must Eat” dishes at some iconic restaurants in town.
Remember to print it up double-sided and keep it in your wallet so that you have it with you at all times when it might prove useful – that or download it to your phone. As per usual if you have any comments, suggestions or ideas, please feel free to email me at zeke@zeke.com. And if anyone is interested, the previous versions have been downloaded more than 2,300 times.
The second beercast/podcast on beer/Zekecast on beer, whatever. This time I’m drinking La Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout from the Microbrasserie Charlevoix. Again there isn’t an awful lot about it on the internet.
La Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout (close up of the head)
I bought mine at Epicerie Unique, 4109 Saint Laurent, in Montreal. Some other links you might like are Denis Reid, the artist who designed the label. The Wikipedia definition of Imperial stout. And then I would like to thank Brad Slyde for the background music.
La Vache Folle Imperial Milk Stout (front label)
The Cole’s notes version: It’s a really nice beer, the taste, smell and look do not go together as you would expect. But all of them are good. More designed to be drunk in the woods or wood cabin during the winter, it is nonetheless mighty tasty at the tail end of the summer. Black as night with 9% alcohol by volume, drink it slowly.
It’s been a while. We jump from version 3.01 to 3.04. Numerous changes all over the place, both on the places to try side and on the worthwhile side. On top of that I also did some changes to the formatting. Hopefully, it will make it easier to read. Zeke’s October Montreal Restaurant List.
Remember to print it up double-sided and keep it in your wallet so that you have it with you at all times when it might prove useful – that or download it to your phone. And if anybody is interested the list has been downloaded about 830 times, so far.
Over the weekend I tried a new beer, Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset (so new in fact, that in this day and age, I can’t find a single useful link anywhere for either of them). I ended up recording my thoughts about it. Call it the Zekecast, Zeke’s Montreal Beer Podcast, a beercast or whatever.
In a nutshell, it’s a very reasonable and nice beer made better by it being made locally. Bright yellow, 5% abv, it comes in thin 500ml brown bottles with a label that evokes baseball uniforms. It has strong hay overtones with a nice aftertaste, I also was able to taste and smell at first some celery then a vague citrus scent and flavor (somewhere in between lemon and grapefruit) and a slight hint of something approaching licorice. However the lasting image and memory is of a late summer pasture. It’s much better when drunk extremely cold.
A bottle of Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset
For those who are interested, the players on the Expos who wore the number 7 were Bobby Wine (1969 – 1972), Bob Stinson (1973 – 1974), Tony Bernazard (1979), Ron LeFlore (1980), Hubie Brooks (1985 – 1989), Lou Frazier (1993 – 95), F.P. Santangelo (1996 – 1998), Orlando Merced (1999), Todd Zeile (2003) and Tony Batista (2004). But as I point out Alain McKenna is probably wrong in thinking that there is any link to baseball, as here in Montreal the name will be pronounced “broh-kuhn set.” As the number seven is pronounced “set” in French. So it is much more likely that if there is any sports connection it is to tennis. And it only occurred to me now, that not only did he not write anything substantial about the beer, but what little he did write, he got wrong, implying that it is a Lager, when in fact it is an Ale.
The label for Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset
The label for Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset
A bottle of Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset
A bottle of Broken 7 by La Compagnie de Bière Brisset
Over at GQ, Jessie Cacciola mails in a fluff piece ostensibly an interview with Fred Morin and Dave McMillan on “cool” things in Montreal.
Unfortunately there are some mistakes. 1a. Wilensky’s serves more than a special. 1b. Yes you can get a special without cheese. 2. Someone in their graphics department decided that the Lasalle Rapids and the jetboating are in Old Montreal, when Dave specifically is quoted as saying “They have jet boating in Old Montréal, but you want to go to LaSalle.” 3. It’s Saint Henri, not Saint Henry, just like it’s David McMillan, not David MacMillan.
Then I’m kind of disappointed, they didn’t mention Au Cinquieme Peche for the seal, Bratwurst Colbeh for the brain sandwich, Chez Boris where you can get savory doughnuts, Chez Bouffe for the offal, Brisket’s for the seventeen different types of ground meat you can get as a hamburger, Dad’s Bagels for the 24/7 Indian food, Lawrence for just about anything on their menu, Paul Patates for the spruce beer, Pierrette Patates for the Michigo, Tripoli’s for the octopus and that’s just off the top of my head.
