Netflix: Season 3
Phil Rosenthal visits Montreal, a city in the French-speaking province of Quebec that is renowned for its unique and vibrant culture. Phil tries out the incredibly diverse array of cuisines that the city has to offer, from a new take on the Canadian classic poutine to trying Haitian food which hints of African and French influences. See the episode recap of the list of locations, restaurants, and attractions he visited on the show for the best of what to do in Montreal.
Eats
1. La Boite Aux Huitres at Marche Jean Talon
7070 Henri-Julien Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H2S 3S3
Phil begins his trip at the Jean Talon market, which is a large open-air farmer's market with local produce and food stalls. Phil sits at one of the seafood stalls, La Boite Aux Huitres, to enjoy some fresh oysters on the rocks.
Tasted:
Dam Big Oysters
Sweet Pickles Oysters
Chebooktooks Oysters
2. St. Viateur Bagels
Opened in 1957, St. Viateur serves some of the best bagels that rivals the best shops in New York. The difference in their bagels are that they are all handrolled and are boiled in honey water, before being baked in a wood-burning oven.
Tasted:
Sesame bagel
Sesame bagel with ricotta and figs
3. Ma Poule Mouillee
Literally translating to "my wet chicken," Ma Poule Mouillee specializes in serving Portugese chicken, which is marinated and grilled over charcoal fire. They also serve a proper Quebec poutine, where the fries have to be crispy, the gravy must be brown, and the cheese should squeak.
Tasted:
Portuguese chicken
Poutine with Portuguese chicken and chorizo
4. Park
Phil visits Park, a restaurant run by Chef Antonio Park that is a reflection of his international experiences. Chef Park is Korean, but grew up in South America, studied in Japan and worked in the U.S. Phil tries the amazing and innovative blend of cultures and cuisine.
Tasted:
Lobster and shrimp head miso soup
Toro with ginger emulsion sauce and gochugaru oil
Red snapper sushi with 2-year old fermented Sichuan pepper
Salmon belly torched and brushed with maple syrup soy sauce and basil emulsion
Sea albacore with sauteed shishito pepper
Amberjack with chimichurri
Akami sushi with caviar from Siberia
Sardine sushi
5. Agrikol
Phil gets a taste of Haitian food when he visits Agrikol. The food has a blend of African and French influences and highlights the international melting pot that is Montreal.
Tasted:
Rum sour
Malanga (similar to taro roots) with Pikliz (similar to kimchi)
Plantain with Griot (pork shoulder)
Haitian jerk chicken
6. Montreal Plaza
The restaurant may initially come off with a bit of silliness, with the use of toys and figurines in some of its dishes, but it is completely serious about its food. Serving refined and incredibly creative cuisine, Phil enjoys a 25 course meal.
Tasted:
Oysters
Puree of corn with butter and salt
Trout alla plancha on top of bread
Arctic char with watermelon radish with popcorn powder
Dessert
7. Nacarat
900, René-Lévesque Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4A5
Phil enjoys a drink at the Fairmont Hotel which serves creative and delicious cocktails.
Tasted:
Cocktail
8. Olive et Gourmando
Phil stops by the local bakery for a hefty breakfast. With a large selection of pastries on display, it is also famed for its Cubano sandwich.
Tasted:
Blueberry brioche
Homemade ricotta with local honey
Spicy breakfast egg sandwich
Cubano sandwich
9. Schwartz's
A local institution that always has a line out the door and is partly owned by Celine Dion, Phil visits this deli to try the famous Smoked Meat sandwich. The brisket is marinated for 10 days before being dry cured and then smoked for 8 hours. The difference with this meat compared to pastrami is that it is steamed, rather than boiled to better retain the flavors.
Tasted:
Pickle
Smoked Meat sandwich with mustard
Fries
10. Cabane a Sucre
Right outside Montreal in the middle of a maple tree forest is a restaurant led by Martin Picard that serves extremely creative food for those who like to experiment. Their portions are also amazingly large and left Phil and his dining partner stuffed.
Tasted:
Caviar from saint laurent, eggs and cucumbers
Duck heart tartare with oysters
Roasted Cauliflower with foie gras shavings and cheddar cheese
Bao with mapo tofu and foie gras
Micro octopus on Himalayan salt with melon cantaloupe salad
Calf brain, sweetbread, foie gras
Pig's end with tripes
Maple pie
Activities
1. La Mer Fish Market
1840 Boulevard René-Lévesque E, Montréal, QC H2K 4P1
Phil visits La Mer Fish Market with Chef Antonio Park to buy seafood for their meal later. Chef Park teaches Phil to smell the inside of a salmon's belly and that it should smell like watermelon.
2. Boating on Lachine Canal
Phil goes boating on a swan boat along the Lachine Canal with the family of the lawyer / foodie friend he made on the trip.
3. The "Bed-In"
900 Blvd. Rene Levesque West, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4A5
Phil visits the famous "Bed-In" in May 1969, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono was in bed at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel for 8 days as a non-violent protest against the war.
