Images Boréales Galerie

Hubby and I were so enamoured by all the artwork at Images Boréales, a gallery of co-op Inuit art in the old city, that we stopped in for a second time enroute to the airport, and picked up a gorgeous basalt figurine and a few arctic handicrafts. And no, no polar bear skins in our luggage!!

Governor's House: Château Ramezay Museum

We spent our final morning in Montreal at the former governor's residence-- Château Ramezay-- which is now a museum dedicated to the city's history.

Les Touilleurs

I made the requisite pilgrimage to Les Touilleurs-- the temple of cookware for chefs and budding gourmandes in Montreal. I was like a kid in a candy store, but restrained myself admirably and left with a couple of hand-made Québécois maple wood utensils and locally woven linen kitchen towels.

Masala à Poisson du Bengale

At one of the spice stands at Jean Talon market, a Bengali paanch phoron and turmeric mix was included in a medley of international spices (along with Turkish, Cajun, and Provençal) for cooking fish! :)

Produce a-plenty at Jean Talon market.

Marché Jean Talon

We started our last full day in Montreal at the famous Jean Talon farmer's market. It is one of four municipal markets all around the city. There are permanent stalls with fresh seafood, meat, cheese, spices, and baked goods set up along the periphery of the market, and the fruit and vegetable vendors setup under tents in the middle.

Pho Bang New York

Pho and summer rolls for dinner at PHO BANG NEW YORK in Montreal's Chinatown; which incidentally is over-run with Vietnamese noodle houses*. Why the name?--No reason other than the owner thought it just sounded cool!

New York or Montreal, the oxtail broth was perfectly scented with star anise, white pepper, lemongrass, coriander, and mint.

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* We scoped out just four-- Pho Cali, Pho X.O., Pho Bac, and Pho Bang New York-- and ultimately followed our noses into Pho Bang.

Tea time; not quite...

This afternoon, we stopped for hot chocolate at the delightful Suite 88 Chocolatier on Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest.

Montreal Chinatown

Joe Beef

We just finished an epic meal at JOE BEEF. 

Apologies for the fuzzy photos, but we're in a state of blissful delirium. This is the reservation we planned our entire trip around, and the feast more than exceeded our expectations.

So, in brief, here is dinner:

-- Foie Gras Liverwurst with Gin & Riesling Aspic Jelly

--Deli fish special:  Smoked salmon belly, Smoked mackerel, Caviar, crème fraîche, Quail eggs, Pickled beets & Shallots

--Blood sausage

--Rabbit cassoulet

--Chèvre-Pear-Honey panna cotta

--Apple & Melon sorbet with meringue

Libations:

--2009 Domaine Roy Marc, Gevrey

 Chambertin Vielles Vignes 

--With panna cotta: 2010 Domaine de la Rectorie, Banyuls, Parcé Freres

--With Sorbets: 2009 Chateau Jolys Jurançon, d. Lattrile

What was the most surprising part of the meal? I'd have to say that while the dishes were all bold and blatant, they had a sophisticated subtlety at the same time that was damningly contradictory, and contrarian. Soul-satisfying comfort food on the surface that makes you think about what you're imbibing. Like the creamy, fatty Foie wurst piled on top of the herbal notes of the accompanying rye bread, cleansed with the floral acidity of the gin & Riesling aspic--perfection. The crunchy baked top layer of the cassoulet hiding the earthy layers of rabbit and white beans-- fall in a mouthful. The pillowy-soft panna cotta infused with the spirit of goat cheese without any of it's weight or density--sublime

Need I go on...?!

This was a meal for the ages. Bonne nuit.

Sent from my iPhone

Tea time

We ended the afternoon with tea at Ming Tao Xuan tea salon.

Sent from my iPhone

Notre-Dame Basilica