The Cheese Stands Alone!

While in Montreal recently, as per the last post, we were on a bit of a food odyssey, determined to fulfill some of our outstanding hunts for certain dishes/flavours. After having stuffed ourselves on some delicious pizzas at Il Focolaio (recommended!) we headed back to the hotel and started to watch the Leafs (presented without further comment) and after putting on comfortable pants, decided that it was the time to stalk some poutine. Coats back on, out of the hotel we walked… and walked… and walked… who on earth knew it would be so damn hard to find obvious poutine in downtown Montreal????

I’m not sure if I am exaggerating, but I believe we had gone up and down each street over the course of half an hour with no luck.  Ready to give up, I said let’s go down this last street and if nothing, we go back empty handed.  Lo and behold, turned the corner and there was one of the new-ish Smoke’s Poutineries, a recognizable beacon that was also on our list to try (after first seeing it on Eat St.)  Our intention was to have a more local experience, but we had lost the will to continue searching, and here was a chance to cross another place off the list.  In we went.

The long list of choices on the menu was mesmerizing and tough to narrow down, but we settled on the double pulled pork (that’s pork and smoked bacon) and a traditional.  The service was very friendly and fast, the portions were big, no skimping and the prices were reasonable.  Off we set, back to the hotel, with our heavy and aromatic cargo.

We opened the containers, looked delicious! Took requisite pictures of course, then proceeded to dig in, sampling bits of both flavours.  Annnnd, welllll, it was okay… after all it is fries, gravy, cheese, pork! But it wasn’t wow.  We agreed the fries maybe had too much skin still on them, a little too hard, and that’s what we ultimately pegged as the problem. Thumbs up though for the squeeky curds! We polished off the toppings and left the rest, then fell into an immediate food coma.  Couldn’t even finish the little glasses of wine we had poured, but the $3.50 hotel fridge Perriers were very welcome before the blackness set in. 

Now cut to the next day, where after some shawarma and garlic potatoes, we made a very long trek to Moe’s Diner on Lambert for a different kind of poutine experience, as recommended by resident Montreal kiddo. Moe’s is the ultimate hole in the wall and not for the clean obsessed or germaphobes. We ordered one poutine and after a brief wait, we received a paper bag with the old school metal takeout container with the cardboard lid. Perfect!

It was time to set off for home.  The poutine beckoning from the back seat.  At the first stop for gas etc. about 45 mins or so into the trip, the pull to devour was too strong to resist.  Container ripped open and forks in hand, we ate the soft, squishy, gooey contents and felt the satisfaction of the craving that had not been squelched the night before. What Moe’s lacked in appearance in every way (except the container of course) it made up for in the taste that we were looking for in a poutine.  Moe’s was the clear winner! Even the kiddo was scarfing at an unusual rate of speed.  Now you know: the cheese stands alone at Smokes, so you’re gonna want some Moe!

K&L 😀

Smoke’s

Moe’s!

May the Schwartz be with you!

We recently made an excursion to Montreal to see L’s other kiddo in his natural habitat (since he always heads our way. Well, at least since I’ve known him!) and naturally in the course of a visit, one must eat, so we decided to hit up a legend in the smoked meat world: Schwartz’s! (when in Montreal, eat Montreal smoked meat… it’s a no brainer, though hometown Montrealer and vegetarian kid had never partaken before, and decided it was time to take the plunge and try a bit. That’s the power of the Schwartz!) We made our way there on a Saturday just before noon and stood behind a few people outside (it was a beautiful day… finally!) waiting to get in.  I was kind of surprised, as this place is the place to visit. Where were the masses I expected to see??? Is this place not all it’s cracked up to be?

So about 10 minutes later at the most we were led into the very small and very full restaurant, sporting decor that would support the claim of 80 years in business. Plain, not modern, but clean, and gets the job done of serving people well, and fast. As our table had 6 seats (most did) another couple was tagged onto the end, unexpected, but that’s how it works there, they fill every last seat and it isn’t designed for the leisurely or those who need their “space”.  Server arrived with pad, pen and waited for someone to say something! My mouth opened, but I didn’t know what to order, I just knew there were terms for what to get and I had forgotten what they were.  During the awkward pause he asked us if it was our first time. YES!!!! So he explained that you order a sandwich lean, medium or fatty and that medium was most popular.  You also had to have the black cherry soda (kiddos did, we had our usual soda soda haha) and of course had to have the fresh cut fries… and he told us we were getting a pickle… and a coleslaw! It was funny to be told what we were ordering, but that’s part of the pageantry I think.

Food arrived fairly quickly and looked delicious (FYI there is no spicy mustard, just mustard. What would you want to screw it up with spicy mustard for, which I wanted to, but now understand why they don’t carry it.)  Now I have had lots of pastrami and smoked meat sandwiches in my day, but truly nothing compares to this meat.  It was rich and flavourful and, well, greasy isn’t the word, but it has a fatty taste (a good one!) that makes you instantly realize that the stuff you’ve eaten your entire life is now going to taste like crap! And what needs to be said about fresh cut fries, they are a wonderful treat as always and attempting to fool yourself into thinking you will just split an order is really just a big unnecessary lie that will only last until the plate is approximately half empty. One more order please. Pickle: top notch. Coleslaw: good, but was not the star of their menu.

Devouring took very little time, and we left feeling happy to have made it to another food adventure on our list, full of deliciousness…. AND GRATEFUL WE SHOWED UP WHEN WE DID! Now there were the masses I was expecting to see, waiting outside, saying with their eyes: hey, another table just opened up! Only 45 more minutes to wait now! The early superfoodie catches the smoked meat!

K&L 😀