Pied de Cochon - when you're in the mood for meat
When it comes to going out and about, it’s all about trying new restaurants and random daytime wanderings. As a lover of fine cuisine and a meat-eater on the prowl for spontaneous adventures, Montreal just might be paradise.
Hailed by some as a ‘carnivore’s fantasy‘ au Pied de Cochon is a Montreal must. I went there last Saturday with a friend, and we were immediately treated with a celebratory glass of Moet & Chandon; the restaurant just so happened to be celebrating its 8th anniversary that night. With a cosy varnished pine interior, an open kitchen, and in-house sommelier, this is the only place that I have ever been where you can order a pig’s head for two and have it served to you on a large platter. For those in the mood for something a little more traditional, they also make a delicious duck breast topped with a mushroom sauce, a lamb shank so tender the meat falls right off the bone, and the menu features an entire section dedicated to foie gras. The only downfall: after consuming approximately 1.7 pounds of meat apiece, we had no room left for dessert!
Fortunately there are many options available for the avid food enthusiast. Pinxto, although a far cry from Vegetarian, caters to those in search of the mini-est morsels that are possible. Served on tiny plates with a menu including such tantalizing items as a ‘tiny half-quail served on a bed of pasta with smoked ham and pine-nuts, ‘poached octopus carpaccio with cava vinegar,’ and ‘strawberry and sweet bell pepper gazpachio,’ this is the sophisticated dining enthusiast’s wet dream, and a great place to take a first date.
Japchae !
Right around the corner from my house just opened up a cute little korean place called Miga. An unassuming little place where you can bring-your-own wine and beer, with most menu items hovering under $10, and a killer plate of japchae, this is a great place to drop by for a quick bite with a book or a friend. In fact, I just had lunch there today on my way to the Montreal Expozine; a week-end long annual fair dedicated to sales of all sorts of underground printed media.
Expozine ~!!! In da basement of a church you will find many mysterious treasures