It’s been 11 years since I was last in Montreal. On that first trip, we hit all the top wish listed, most touted spots. Several of them made iconic by Bourdain’s No Reservations episode. Joe Beef, Pied de Cochon, Le Filet, and Saint-Viateur Bagel.
This time, I was back with a group of guys. Between paintball, helicopter rides, and go kart racing, it wasn’t exactly a food focused itinerary, but we still managed to eat and drink surprisingly well. Here are a few of the spots we hit:
Moretti (Griffintown)
I was excited to try Moretti in Griffintown, especially with a big group on a Friday night. The space had the right kind of buzz, high energy, and not shy about turning the volume up as the evening progressed. By the end of our meal, the DJ was already getting into a nightclub groove, and the crowd was fully feeling it. Perfect for our group, definitely not a romantic date night spot.
We ordered a range of dishes to share. Most of the pastas were good but not life changing. The lobster spaghetti stood out. The presentation alone was worth it, with a whole claw draped over black squid ink pasta, cherry tomatoes, and a silky shellfish sauce that actually delivered. The pizzas had that charred, blistered crust I love, with enough crunch to hold up to the toppings.
We drank a 2021 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico, which held up well with the food and brought a little Tuscan flair to the table.
Le Lotus Bleu
After a late night out, I always crave a big bowl of pho to bring me back to life. Pair it with a café sữa đá and I’m good to go. For lunch the next day, we headed into Chinatown and found our way to Le Lotus Bleu, an unassuming spot known for its hand pulled noodles.
Right as we walked in, two women were behind the counter, pulling and stretching noodles by hand before dropping them into a large pot of stock. The smells alone were enough to wake you up. We ordered pork dumplings, soup dumplings, and lamb noodle soup. Everything hit, but the lamb noodle soup stole the show. Rich broth, chewy fresh noodles, greens, and shaved slices of lamb all topped with a generous spoonful of house chili oil. Washed it down with a cold bottle of Tsingtao and felt fully reset for the day.
Paintball was next, but I’ll spare you the details, this is a food and booze Substack after all.
Restaurant Grinder
After the paintball shenanigans (and if you’re judging me about that, look it was raining, and twelve guys aren’t heading to a museum), we cleaned up and went to Grinder. As the name suggests, this place leans heavy on the beef. It’s a sleek, modern steakhouse with a bit of a nightlife edge thats similar to Moretti in energy, with a DJ spinning by the time we were halfway through our first drinks.
We started with fried calamari, crisp and well seasoned. The main event was a large grilled tomahawk steak to share, perfectly cooked and served simply with a few sauces on the side. Rich, salty, crusted well. The potatoes aligot were smooth, cheesy, and satisfying in that no frills French comfort food kind of way. No need to get fancy with sides when the beef’s this good.
For wine, we leaned into lighter French reds: Côte de Brouilly and Régnié from the crus in Beaujolais. Both were juicy, chillable, and exactly what we wanted with steak before continuing the night out. No heavy alcohol wine needed.
La Diable – Microbrasserie de Mont-Tremblant
The next day we took helicopters up to Mont-Tremblant. This being a holiday weekend, we didn’t have the 3 hours each way to spare by car. After a lively go kart battle, we were ready for a late lunch. The local microbrewery La Diable was bustling with customers and understandably skeptical of a group of 12 showing up. It took some gentle pleading to get a table, but once seated, we were glad they said yes.
Located right in the heart of the Mont-Tremblant pedestrian village, La Diable has been serving craft beers since 1995. They brew everything on site and offer a rotating selection of ales and lagers. I tried three: the Blizzard wheat beer, the La Diable red Irish ale, and their stout. The wheat beer and Irish ale stood out with their depth and flavor. The stout lacked punch and was fairly muted.
I also ordered my first Canadian Caesar cocktail, their version of a Bloody Mary, made with Clamato juice. Much better than expected and something I’d order again. Food wise, the poutine was a highlight with crispy fries, warm cheese curds, and rich gravy that was gone in seconds. I ordered a sausage duo served over braised cabbage, a combo I’ve come to love from meals in Alsace. Between the hearty food and rustic mountain pub vibe, I could see myself back here in winter après ski with a pint in hand.
Bar Bisou Bisou
Pre dinner drinks were at Bar Bisou Bisou, an underground cocktail bar in the busy Old Montreal area. This cocktail spot had everything on the menu I love. I was bummed we only just discovered it.
From an impressive vermouth list to tinned fish options, to a solid offering of sherry, and some well made house cocktails, I was blown away. The vibe was chill, and the staff was extremely knowledgeable (you have to be with that kind of list).
We ordered a few drinks and shared them. Some interesting ingredients used in the cocktails included sumac (a spice common in fattoush salad), Greek yogurt, and almonds. A place I need to come back to.
Estiatorio Milos
Our final meal at Milos was a different vibe than the rest of the trip. This restaurant was beautiful and gave you seaside Santorini feels with all the white walls and clay pottery everywhere. They have several locations around the world which is usually not my thing, but I love Greek food and wine, so why not.
Since our group was 12, we had to do more of a preset menu. I started with a white Negroni, which was well made. We also ordered bottles of fresh, easy drinking Greek whites (Assyrtiko) and reds (Agiorgitiko) for the table.
We had oysters, fried zucchini (which was a standout), octopus, grilled eggplant and peppers, and lobster with spaghetti, another standout. The thick baklava was also incredible. This was definitely a date night spot, a little commercial, but the service was top tier, which made it. The team was all over us making sure we had everything we needed.
Stay tuned, my next newsletter drops at the beginning of the month.