Tag Archives: food

8 ways to Get Skinny – by eating Eat Out!


OK – I agree – that seems impossible. But you can do it if you really really want to. How do I know – well I  managed to lose 30 pounds in 6 months following Weight Watchers with complete devotion – and I eat out almost every single night. That was in 2002 – so not only did I lose the weight – I’ve kept it off for 11 years – visiting my local Weight Watcher’s every single month. But this isn’t about Weight Watchers – it’s about my tricks of the trade, so to speak, and these I gladly share.

1) Plan, Plan, Plan. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to get a look at a menu – if you’re searching the internet you can find the menu’s for most restaurants on-line. And even if they don’t help you out by offering clearly labeled low-fat/low-calorie options – the safe bet is to go for Fish and Salad avoiding like the plague any sauces or sweet dessert. Just make sure there is a fish option (preferably grilled – not fried and  not baked) before you agree to go.

2) Have a No-No list. My No-No’s (I love this stuff – so saying no is hard) – Anything fried, Anything breaded, Any salad dressing, No mixed drinks (super fattening), No sodas except straight up soda water. One glass of wine preferably with seltzer water – tops. Notice what is not on my no-no list. I can have a bite of dessert, I can enjoy baked potatoes, and I love beef.

3) Have a Yes-Yes list and put Vegetables on the top. Veggies are always a better idea than potatoes, bread or rice, and most restaurants will cheerfully double up the veggies instead of putting on the potatoes. Your diet is bound to be better with more veggies – and your waist will thank you too. Other Yes-Yes foods – plain baked potatoes with Mustard, Salads with no salad dressing, Grilled fish, quesadilla, lasagna, edamame at Japanese restaurants. Butter is neither a Yes-Yes, nor a No-No. But Mustard is a lot better – and definitely on the Yes-Yes list.

4) Drink Water or Tea – Lots and lots of water and tea. Why? It keeps your hands busy (and out of the bread basket), and it tells your body that water is plentiful. That’s critical to weight loss because if your body decides that water isn’t going to be easy to get – your body will hold on to water like mad. You’ll get bloated, and weigh more. So drink up – as long as there’s no sugar involved of course.

5) Leave food on your plate. The more the merrier. Clearing a plate is definitely not for losers! And one bite is all you need to feel you’ve tried the dish. All bites afterwards aren’t totally necessary. A similar idea I read elsewhere – ask for that carry out container as soon as you sit down, and put 1/2 your meal in it before you start to eat. Out of sight – Out of mind. Plus less cooking for tomorrow. (I actually can’t do this – it feels gross. So I take a knife and drawn line down the middle. Then I try not to eat past the line.)

6) Don’t go out hungry. Really bad idea. You can’t stop eating if you are starving – so it’s a lot easier to have a low-calorie snack before you leave for dinner. Cuts down on how much you will order, how much you will eat – and how much you will pay. Good idea no matter what. My preferred snack – low-fat microwave popcorn at 3:30. Works like a charm.

7) Turn back the bread basket. One of the handy things about eating out in Europe is that they charge you for the bread – so it’s quite clear that not having the bread unless it is seriously special is a waist and pocket friendly idea. Here in North America we love our bread baskets – and it shows. So just say No!

8) Pick at dessert. You really don’t need or want that whole piece of whatever – so take one bite and STOP. My husband jokes that often my dessert is an extra fork. I love just getting one taste of his dessert – I feel privileged, and I cut the calories. If you are lucky and eating out with a friend who isn’t as controlled about their food – they will eat the rest. If not – try ordering a ‘finish’ that is lower in fat and calories – fruit cups are great for example. But I’d rather get a single Biscotti and a low fat cappuccino. Half the Biscotti can come home for Breakfast – and I have a very special ‘finish’ to my delicious dinner.

Just remember – Nothing tastes as good as Skinny and Energetic Feels.

Azuma – so authentically Japanese – it hurts!


I love going to the theatre at the Bain St. Michel – but it’s not my favorite location. Why? Because it’s a long walk from the nearest metro stop. Not the best reason to get upset about a location – but older lady – icy streets – long walk… You get the pictures.

But despite that issue – I’m often going to the Bain St. Michel – and thus I have tried lots of the restaurants within easy striking distance of the Bain – and by that I mean the least walking possible. One of my favorites is the Azuma.

I’ve been there often enough to be greeted – if not by name – then by favorite table and the acknowledgement that I’m going to the Theatre. And the recognition is not surprising – the Azuma is very clearly ‘in the family’. The sushi chef stands proudly behind his counter – and the waitress, hostess, and assistant cook (all rolled into one smiling young lady) is clearly a relative (I’m betting wife – but I’ve never gotten up the courage to ask). As far as I can tell – that’s it for employees – Just the two of them – running the restaurant, making and serving the food, and doing the dishes. It’s so Japanese, so traditional, so ‘family’ – it hurts!

They always bring us a pot of tea (free) and a tiny appetizer of beans with peanut sauce (free). Since we’re budget dinners – my friend and I order 2 or 3 different sushi dishes to keep to our under $15 including tip budget – eat and run to the waitress’ cheery good-bye.

Cozy space - but so nicely located if you are heading to the Bain St. Michele

Cozy space – but so nicely located if you are heading to the Bain St. Michele

Particularly good is their version of the Kamikaze roll, and I’m a fan of their spicy tuna as well. But they make the short list because of their location – and the friendly demeanor. It doesn’t hurt that the seats are comfy, the room warm and cozy – and not overly noisy. The bathroom is nice and clean as well – never underestimate the importance of a clean bathroom on St. Laurent.

Bottom line – going to the Bain St. Michel for a play? Want to eat for under $15 per person. The Azuma has you covered.

Azuma on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Azuma on Foodio54

Does ‘All you can Eat’ save you money? Probably not!


On the west island is “La Perle” – a Chinese and Thai emporium of food that features – indeed even insists on – an ‘All You Can Eat’ menu. We were 6 people – and we were there for dinner – and did the math.

If the all you can eat price is – say $30 – per person – than for 6 you’d be looking at $180. But for $180 you can probably order everything on the menu – at least as much as you could possibly eat. So we opted to just choose and pay for our favorites – and the bill was only $120 for 6. Including the taxes and tip. So clearly – unless you really need to consume copious and unreasonable quantities – avoid the all you can eat experience.

About the dinner itself. Unlike some reviewers – we didn’t have an issue with service. They didn’t ignore us – they did bring us the water we asked for – and the various dishes we ordered arrived promptly.

Quality, on the other hand, greatly varied. I thought the Eggplant and Garlic dish was excellent – and I admit to loving the General Tao Chicken – in all it’s overly fried goodness. Less awesome was the Crispy Duck. While much less salty than the version served at the Tong Sing – the presentation was a uniform light brown – no crispy skin to speak of. Flavor good, Lack of skin – bad. We also had the Dumplings in Peanut Sauce. I loved them – but other’s in my group were less enthused since the sauce was clearly lacking in ‘kick’. If you label a dish spicy – it ought to be spicy, right?

Overall – not my favorite Chinese & Thai place – but if you are stuck on the West Island – it’s a nice option. The parking is good, the location not bad, and if you steer away from the ‘All You Can Eat’ menu – the price is quite reasonable.

Check out their website for their menu, opening hours, and address:

http://www.laperlerestaurant.ca/en/home.html

La Perle Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Cocagne goes Sugaring Off


One of these days I’m going to have to try Cocagne for dinner – I was pretty impressed with what the chef put together at a recent brunch during the Festival of Lights – and isn’t that the point of the Festival – to get people out of their comfy hang-outs – and into new and perhaps exciting places like Cocagne?

The advertised meal was the chef’s rap on Sugaring Off – so he started with the traditional meal (check out my blog on the Festin de Compagne) and went from there. There were pickled beets – sliced so thin it was a challenge to get them off the plate – and instead of deep fried Oreilles de Crisse – the chef offered Prosciutto style ham slices sitting on a maple glaze. The omelette – while not the glorious fluffy concoction I had up north – was interestingly seasoned.

Portions were ample – so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that he didn’t go far enough – neither the feast of a Cabin a Sucre – nor the extremely elegance of a complete departure from the offerings of a Cabin. Instead it was pleasant, the company was nice  – overall – I didn’t get blown away.

This was clearly not the winner in the battle for my heart – the lack of the inspired group of musicians was enough to put me off. And there was no jug of maple to pour as required – instead there was a tiny metal bowl partly filled for the table to share. Just doesn’t say – Sugar – to me. And there was no Tire of course. But even though I can’t say that Chef Alexandre Loiseau won my heart with his maple based creations – he did intrigue me. I’ll definitely go back some day soon for dinner – just to put his pedal to the metal so to speak.

Bistro Cocagne on Urbanspoon

Searching for dinner near Tohu? Zone D’Asie might work out


As I’ve mentioned before – Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants tend to the basic no-frills, and thus inexpensive side – and when you get out of downtown and are looking for places to eat on the cheap – finding a place like Zone D’Asie is always a good plan.

Dinner for 4 – with left-overs – was just $54 – A bargain $13.50 per person. Since that came with a pleasant smile and a very interesting video of a song and dance show – well, it made for a pleasant, if not extremely elaborate experience.

We wanted something near Tohu – and since Zone D’Asie is about 1 minute away by car, it clearly fit the bill. The menu was the standard offerings – nothing that fancy. Fresh Spring rolls or Deep Fat Fried Imperial Rolls, the standard soups in large bowls with lots of noodles, and deep bowls of rice with bits of pork, chicken or fish on top. Flavors were nice – the cold coffee looked lovely, and the service was pleasant. Comparing Zone D’Asie with Chez NGA – the location is more remote, the portion size a tad larger, but the ability to add extra veggies out weighs any cost savings. So Chez NGA wins.

I would go again if I was looking for speedy near the Tohu – but I wouldn’t rate the Zone as top-notch Vietnamese. Good – but not Extraordinary.

Crispy Duck at Tong Sing – Salty but so good


If you are looking for cheap eats – China Town in Montreal has been my go to location for years. I generally get recommendations as to which restaurant to try from the parking lot attendants – and have rarely been guided wrong.

One of my favorite places – which has undergone the traditional many name changes – is currently called the Tong Sing. I kinda preferred the original name – Great Wall of China – but I think it failed the ‘french’ test. In any case – the Tong Sing offers Dim Sum every day during the day – which I have enjoyed often in the past and will review here the next time I go. But this time – I went for dinner.

First – finding the Tong Sing. It’s not located in the main drag of China Town – it’s at the far end of Gauchetiere really near the Chinese Hospital. The physical address is 43 Le Gauchetiere. And it’s up the stairs – there’s another restaurant on the lower level – called the Mon-Nan. They share not only the physical space, but also the credit card machines. According to our waiter – the kitchens are separate, but what do I know for sure. In any case – at dinner – the Tong Sing caters more to Orientals than to Occidentals – something I always look for in picking a Chinese Restaurant. And it’s often a lot less crowded, another benefit of walking up the flight of stairs.

My friend and I are budget eaters – and our max is $30 for 2, and of course the Tong Sing fit the bill. We had 2 entries – the extremely delicious if a bit salty Crispy Duck and a less yummy hot-pot with beef and eggplant. That dish definitely needed more texture (it was soft, soft, and more soft), plus a bit more seasoning. But the Duck was why we were there – and it was completely delicious. Crispy Skin, tender meat, and a nice portion size. What more can you ask.

We mistakenly ordered 2 servings of steamed rice – one would have more than enough for the two of us. Tea and Dessert are free – unlimited refills of tea, and 2 fortune cookies and some orange slices when they present the bill. Perfect.

So – Dinner for 2 for under $30 including taxes and tip – nice service, enough left overs to make a decent size take-home for tomorrow’s lunch – and finished in time to enjoy Nuit Blanche. Such a good deal.

Tong Sing on Urbanspoon

Best Sugaring-Off Spot Ever!


Quebec Sugaring Off

Primitive Wood-Curving showing an old fashioned Sugaring Off

I’ve done sugaring off many many times – and my absolute favorite place is Festin de Campagne & La Cidrerie du Petit Saint-Joseph.

First – an explanation for my non-Quebec Followers. Sugaring Off is a Spring Time ritual here in Quebec. The sap starts to run up and down (up during the day – down at night when it gets cold) in the Maple Trees. People with Maple Stands tap the trees (literally a tap goes into the tree – and when the sap goes up and down – it also flows out the tap either into a bucket (very old-fashioned) or into blue tubes that have a bit of suction in them), gather the sap, boil it down for days – and bingo – Maple Syrup.

Given that 75% or more of the world’s Maple Syrup is produced here in Quebec – you can imagine the vast numbers of trees, taps, and blue hose involved. It’s quite the sight. But that’s not Sugaring Off. As part of the taping, gathering, and boiling tradition – there’s an eating tradition – and that’s Sugaring Off.

Festin de Campagne – despite the fancy name – is one of the traditional cabins snuggled right in a Maple Stand. It’s used only for about a month a year – small, cozy, clearly built by the family, and lacking in any pretension. There’s no petting zoo, no buffet line, no polish. But there is an awesome group of performers – La Famille Laporte – who are completely irresistible – music that you absolutely must dance to. And the food – ah, it’s really about the food.

The meal starts with everyone sitting down on long family style tables – pre-laden with jars of homemade pickles, pickled beets, Coleslaw, and homemade Ketchup. There’s a quart jar of maple syrup per group of 6 – a bottle of fresh milk, and a jug of water. Quickly you get served your choice of vegetable or pea soup – my entire family opted for the pea soup – homemade (like everything else) – with pieces of lard floating among the peas. I added maple syrup – it was delicious.

Next comes the pate – maple syrup infused of course, with fresh bread.

Now the best part – the omelet, ham slices, baked beans, boiled potatoes and my personal – I wait all year to eat these – Grillades de lard or more familiarly called – Oreilles de crisse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oreilles_de_crisse). Deep fried pieces of pork jowls – amazingly delicious – and eaten with more maple syrup of course. A quick word about the omelet – I’ve had flat omelets, I’ve had puffy omelets, I’ve had omelets cooked by celebrated chefs, I’ve had omelets made at home – but this omelet is the best I’ve ever eaten. Maybe you can blame the maple syrup – but it’s the puffiest, softest, pillow of an omelet made from eggs you can imagine came from chickens running around on the farm next door.  I’m serious – this is one great omelet.

Did I tell you this is all ‘eat all you want’? I meant to mention that. Want 2nd, want thirds – no problems!

Dessert is a choice of Pudding Chômeur (it’s sweet), Apple Crumble (it’s sweet), or Pancakes (guess what – you add more maple syrup to them too!). You can have one of each if you’d like – or do like my Grand-daughter – just focus on the pancakes!

Then – there’s the Tire. And the dancing. I’m a fan of both – so first I dance to the wonderful music of ‘La Famille Laporte’ till my feet hurt, then I go outside where they are pouring hot maple syrup onto Snow. You stick a Popsicle stick in the rapidly cooling syrup, and twist to make your own lollipop. I had 4. I didn’t count how many my grand-daughters enjoyed – but I know they went down the line more than I did. These ‘lollipops’ are sweet, soft, crunchy, a little warm, a little cold – and completely irresistible.

Eventually you either ride the tractor drawn wagon back to your car – or walk. In our case – we walked slowly – making snow angels as we found our way back to our car – and eventually back to Montreal.

Interesting is trying La Festin de Campagne? You can reach them by phone at 450-623-0687, or try this link:

http://www.domainedupetitstjoseph.ca/#!cabane-a-sucre

It’s no more than a 45 minute drive North West of Montreal – and for a place so ‘back-woods’, relatively easy to find. Be sure to say hello to Simard Paquette for me – she’s the hostess who makes up for her lack of height with a huge smile, and a warm welcome. Can’t miss her!

Vietnamese Soup in a Great Location


Soup at NGA

Chicken Soup with Veggies

$15.32 for dinner including taxes and tip – not bad, eh? And delicious too. How can you go wrong at that price point?

Restaurant Chez NGA is perfectly located – just across St. Catherine from Plaza Alexi-Nihon. So if you don’t want fast food – and aren’t a fan of chains, and are looking for a reasonable price point on your way to the Theatre at Dawson – Chez NGA has you covered.

Proudly displayed as you walk in is their one and only award – One of the top 10 casual restaurants of 2009. Since this was now 4 years ago – you have to wonder why no newer review has made the wall, since the food is really good, the portions ample, and the service extremely pleasant. And the place is still clearly family owned and operated – with the father behind the cash, the kids doing the serving, and I’m guessing Mom or Uncle or both in the kitchen.

Negatives – the extra $3 for veggies, the $3 surcharge to open your BYOB, the lack of a dinner ‘deal’, and no table cloths. The positives – nice portion sizes, no fuss service, plenty of water offered, and everything looked great. We arrived early – and watched the restaurant fill up with diners clearly there to enjoy the food. Best thing – they don’t pressure you to leave when you are done –  so you can score a window seat on St. Catherine – and stay warm till it’s time to hit the theatre.

Chez NGA on Urbanspoon

La Sirene de la Mer – Love the Octopus!


La Sirene de la Mer on Jean Talon West in the Outremont area has been the go-to option for my family for years. So imagine my surprise to discover that it’s not on Jean Talon. It’s officially on Dresden Ave. Who knew?

http://www.sirenedelamer.com/

But GPS location aside – La Sirene has always been one of my families favorite dining destinations. I adore the Fatoush salad (for those who don’t know – it’s a pretty standard salad with freshly fried pita chips. Just delicious), and we always get the Octopus – and have never been sorry.

Last night (2/28/2013) we took my daughter’s visiting British boyfriend there for a quick dinner before the theatre – and discovered two complete new (to us anyway) dishes. Sometimes you just have to branch out.

In addition to our staples – we ordered the Friture de Sirene – quickly fired thin slices of Eggplant and Zucchini served with yogurt – and deep-fried Scorpion Fish. Oh my – were both totally yummy. The ‘chips’ were piled high – definitely only extremely lightly battered before they were fried – and so delightfully crisp that the entire order disappeared before we finished eating the pickled turnips. Oh were they good.

The deep-fried Scorpion Fish was a fabulous discovery. I don’t think I’d even have thought to taste it without the British curiosity of my daughter’s friend. The meat was white, in big easy to eat chunks, and the fried fish itself was both crunchy and tender. It was served with an entire pita bread that had been similarly fried – oh man was this a dish to savor. There’s not a lot of ‘meat’ to a Scorpion Fish – so it really about cool presentation and a bit of fiddling, but it was fun.

Complaints – well – service got distracted as the restaurant filled – and we ended up having to wave madly to get our check, and I dearly wish they’d offer seconds of the pickled turnips – and I wish that the Fava beans came with the main courses and weren’t an expensive add-on, but this is being pretty picky. It was a good value, a fun and delicious meal, and we got to really chat up the new boyfriend. It just doesn’t get much better than all that.

La Sirene de la Mer on Urbanspoon

6 Tips to getting the best from the Montreal Festival of Lights


There are literally dozens of gourmet experience offerings during the 10 days of the Montreal en Lumiere festival – and picking and choosing which meal to enjoy (and spend your hard-earned dollars on) is not a simple job. So many choices – so few evenings, such limited funds.

So – to help you out – here are the Montreal Madame’s quick guide to making great choices:

1) Old age isn’t good for a chef. Don’t pick a meal where the ‘guest’ chef has a huge reputation, and has been doing this a long time. Why not? Because in my experience, these chef’s have little left to prove – and a lot to lose if they take risks. So you can bet the meal will be on the safe side of dreary – with an expensive price tag to boot. Better bets are elsewhere.

2) Up and Coming means Exciting. A young chef who has just gotten a serious award is probably still trying to prove he’s worth it. And those meals can be some of the most fun. Just bring an open mind – molecular cuisine is huge – and not to everyone’s taste.

3) Never pick a meal that goes on for more than 2 days. Why not? Because in my experience, the chef shows up for the first day – trains the team – and then leaves. You end up eating a meal cooked by quickly trained newbies – and pay the celebrity chef price. That’s no fun.

4) More courses – more better. Meals with lots of courses tend to be a better deal. You’ll get smaller portions of course, but the odds that something will be spectacular increases when the chef has to do more work. Logically it seems the opposite should be true – but experience has shown that making the kitchen sweat a bit is the best way to get the best experience.

5) Don’t let price keep you away. Ok – seriously expensive meals may not be in your budget, but don’t toss away meals in the $50 to $80 bracket. They are often the best ‘bargains’ – a great restaurant, a hardworking kitchen team, and a fun approach.

6) Don’t be discouraged by the lack of description. Sometimes the chefs don’t even know what they are going to be doing until they arrive in the city. In fact – if the description mentions a specific course – unless you are seriously interested in trying that course – steer clear of that offering. It means that there’s not going to be a lot of creativity happening – and tried and true, while safe – can be boring.

If you have other ideas – comment away – these are just some of the clues I’ll use when picking where to spend my money – you may well have ideas that are even better.