In 1992 Vicky Arghiriu and Ihab Kolta were a newly married couple working for competing companies, Bell Mobility and Rogers. That did not sit well with their superiors and they were let go. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Family members encouraged them to start their own business. So, when they learned that a small restaurant called Deli Connaisseur at Alexis Nihon Plaza was for sale they took the leap into an entirely new venture.
MTLàTABLE will present exceptional dining experiences in over 100 restaurants showcasing the city’s culinary diversity and talent.
The event, which returns to its original format, offers diners the choice of 3- or 4-course table d’hôte dinner menus at fixed prices of $35, $45, $55, or $75. Foodies can take advantage of this culinary feast to discover new eateries or simply reconnect with their favourite restaurants. From classic to creative dishes, gourmets are in for a treat with the wide range of cuisines featured on the menus. Now that the highly anticipated list of 114 participating restaurants has been revealed, you can go to mtlatable.com and start booking your next culinary experiences!
“Montréal is home to a treasure trove of talented chefs, and we’ve been saying this from the beginning: the city has everything it takes to become North America’s culinary capital,” says Yves Lalumière, President and CEO, Tourisme Montréal “ For Tourisme Montréal, organizing an event that showcases the variety and quality of Montréal’s restaurants made perfect sense. And it gives visitors an excellent opportunity to discover the city and its iconic tables. MTLàTABLE is being celebrated in over 15 neighbourhoods.”
Dishing up terroir products and diversity
This year’s participating restaurants will shine the spotlight on the richness and diversity of Québec products. Divided into four price categories, the restaurants will dazzle your palate with one-of-a-kind table d’hôte menus. Vegan menus will be offered too! Simply choose a filter on the MTLàTABLE website to locate vegan restaurants.
$35 menus
You can choose from 14 of Montréal’s most iconic restaurants, including Bevo, Bistro Ste-Cath, Brasseurs de Montréal, Taverne Gaspar, La Classe, Saint-Houblon (Saint-Denis, Côte-des-Neiges and Little Italy), Kali Bistro, Estaminet, Mercato Comunale, Pullman winebar, Tsukuyomi Ramen Bishop and Venice MTL (Old Montréal).
$45 menus
Discovery awaits at these 38 restaurants: Aux quartiers belle gueule, Babacool, Bar MajesThé, Bar Minéral, Bar Waverly, Bistrot la Fabrique, Café Le Petit Flore, Caribou gourmand, Cerise Café Buvette, Chez Devi, Coba Sushi, Darna Bistroquet, Galaxie Brasserie, Il Bazzali, Jacopo, Kwizinn, La Cale Pub Zéro Déchet, Le Richmond, Le Rose-Marie, Virunga, Restaurant Cabotins, Les Enfants Terribles (Cantine), Madre sur Fleury, Méchant Boeuf Bar et Brasserie, Moleskine, NELLI Café + Vin nature, Osco! Brasserie Provençale, Osteria MKT, Pincette Lobster Bar, Plein Sud, Bivouac, Rose des Sables, Mignon, Rose Ross, Taza Flores, Vieux- Port Steakhouse, Restaurant Rita and Roseline.
$55 menus
This category offers a choice of 45 restaurants: Aldea MTL, Alexandre et fils, Bagatelle Bistro, Bonaparte, Brasserie 701, Brasserie Bernard, Brasserie Milton, Chez Victoire, Fiorella, Fiorellino (Laurier, Notre- Dame), Gaston, Greasy Spoon, Ibérica, IBERICOS Taverne à Tapas, Joséphine, Kitchen Galerie, Kyo Bar Japonais, La Bêtise (Saint-Hubert and Verdun), Le Boulevardier, Magnolia, Le Valois, Les Canailles, Les Cavistes Bar à vin, Les Enfants Terribles (Bernard and Île-des-Soeurs), Maggie Oakes, Meson, Modavie, Monème, Monsieur B, Pastaga, Restaurant ChuChai, Restaurant de l’ITHQ, Restaurant gaZette, Restaurant H3, La Raclette, Le Square, Restaurant Tbsp, Saiko Bistrot Izakaya, Santos, Tapeo Bar à Tapas, Trattoria Gio, Vandale par le Speakeasy.
$75 menus
Choose from among these 17 restaurants: Chez Delmo, Chez Lévêque, Deville Dinerbar, Ikanos, Labo Culinaire Foodlab, L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel, Lawrence, Les Enfants Terribles (Place Ville-Marie), Lloyd, Loam, Perles et Paddock, Ratafia, Renoir, Restaurant Beau Mont, Restaurant Jérôme Ferrer, Restaurant Kamuy and Seasalt & Ceviche Bar.
MTLàTABLE is an initiative by Tourisme Montréal that invites people to celebrate Montréal’s gourmet dining scene. From November 3 to 13, the 10th edition of this gourmet get-together showcases delicious prix fixe menus at $35, $45, $55, and $75. To learn more about MTLàTABLE, visit https://mtlatable.mtl.org/en.MTLàTABLE would like to thank its Grand Partner the National Bank, its major partner Les Vins du Rioja as well as the Association Restauration Québec.
You can share your gourmet discoveries and experiences with the hashtag #MTLaTABLE @mtlatable. See complete programming and book a table at www.mtlatable.com
La Molisana is renowned for its fine Italian cuisine. This includes homemade pasta, veal, seafood and authentic pizza baked in their splendid wood oven. 40 years later the restaurant thrives.
Next spring, Restaurant Calzone will celebrate 25 years of successful operations in Kirkland. This is a family-run business, with Tony Spinelli, his son Mike and son-in-law Shayne Fuller at the helm.
Caroline Huard, aka Loounie, spokesperson for FVM 2022
For its 9th edition, Montreal Vegan Festival returns to the Palais des Congrès. On Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th, 2022, the festival for all food lovers will be back in downtown Montreal. For two days, foodies from all walks of life are invited to experience the vegan lifestyle and discover vegan cuisine. There will be kiosks, cooking demonstrations and conferences in both French and English – and everyone is welcome.
Seasoned vegans, novices, or those who are simply curious to find out more, will be invited to reflect on the social and environmental impact of the food they eat. This year, Afro-veganism sports nutrition and animal rights issues will be in the spotlight. The mission of the Montreal Vegan Festival is to inspire people and accompany them on their journey towards a cruelty-free world!
Loounie: special guest and official spokesperson of the festival!
Caroline Huard, aka Loounie, is the face of the 2022 edition of the festival!
A popular figure in the vegan food scene, Loounie is a self-taught culinary creator. Passionate about food, this former health professional first made a name for herself through her blog Loounie cuisine. She is best known for inventing magic tofu, a favourite of vegans and omnivores alike! Caroline may be something of a strange bird in the Quebec media landscape (her surname, Huard, is French for loon after all), but she has definitely found her niche. Since publishing two cookbooks with KO Editions, in 2019 and 2021, this activist for conscientious eating – yet who distances herself from toxic diet culture – has taken the media by storm! She is a frequent participant in the TV show Moi j’mange on Télé Québec and is a columnist for Radio Canada’s Mordu platform, for which she also records the podcast À plat ventre. The festival is delighted to have this committed foodie on board as an ambassador.
Montreal Vegan Festival, presented by Sham!
The Little Italy and Plateau Mont-Royal restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine has chosen the festival to present its new range of ready-to-eat foods! Festivalgoers will be the first to try these deliciously prepared dishes, concocted by Sham!
Veganism: not just a diet, a way of life
For a number of years now, veganism has been growing in popularity. More and more people are rallying to the cause, helping to protect our planet and the animals that inhabit it. Although food and health are always at the heart of the discourse, people join the movement for all kinds of reasons. The Montreal Vegan Festival is a gathering place, bringing together members of the community around ethical, social and ecological issues. It is also a place where newcomers are welcome, and where they can learn about and, above all, enjoy the festival!
Brand new!
There are some fantastic new features in store for visitors this year. Always more committed than ever, the festival is now zero waste! In the 2022 edition, all materials, plates and utensils will be compostable.
In an effort to support local businesses, the festival is launching its dining discount card! After two challenging years, the festival is committed to helping local restaurant owners. For $5, the card will entitle its holder to exclusive discounts at a selection of Montreal-based vegan restaurants for a period of 15 days. This is a great opportunity to try new dishes and discover new places while encouraging the local economy! Experts and enthusiasts will share their knowledge with the public in 45-minute sessions. Our French and English guest speakers will answer questions from the audience to initiate a public debate.
What is Afro-Veganism?
Afro-veganism is a movement that draws connections between the fight against racism and the oppression of animals, while revalorizing ingredients from Afro-Caribbean cultures. Joe G. Thomas is the founder of Black Vegans of Toronto and Atiba Farm in Ontario. He holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from Cornell University and is the author of the book Let Food Be Your Medicine Today: Live Healthy and Strong on Plant-Based Whole Foods. He has been promoting plant-based living and food self-sufficiency among Afro-descendant communities in Canada for thirty years. During the conference, he will give us a firsthand account of over 40 years of a plant-based lifestyle and the growth and development of Afro-Veganism in Canada.
Jimmy Videle (EN)
Veganic Growing, Homesteading and Farming
Jimmy and his wife Mélanie founded the gardens of La Ferme de l’Aube in Boileau. Since 2014, they have been growing flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits without the use of any pesticides or animal fertilizers. In Jimmy’s presentation, he will take us on a voyage of discovery through dedication, ingenuity, research and science and show what is not only possible but necessary, for gardeners and farmers, in settings from urban backyards to the rural farmyard, for all floral and faunal beings to thrive on our collective planet.
Chloé Surprenant (FR)
What Rights for Farm Animals?
Chloé Surprenant is a Montreal-based criminal lawyer and animal rights specialist. She became involved in animal rights activism during her studies. She is specifically interested in the protection of animals exploited on farms under Canadian law. Her talk will focus on the status of animals under Canadian law and what limits, if any, are placed on farmers who exploit these animals.
Myriam Bahaffou (FR)
What Does Vegan Ecofeminism Tell Us About Antispeciesism?
Myriam Bahaffou is a doctoral student in feminist studies and philosophy. She is interested in interspecies connections from an ecofeminist and decolonial perspective, and advocates in various ecofeminist spaces and collectives for an intersectional understanding of climate justice issues. She signed the entry “Écoféminisme radical” in Feu! Abécédaire des féminismes présents, coordinated by Elsa Dorlin, and will publish Des paillettes sur le compost : écoféminismes au quotidien at Passager Clandestin in October 2022. In her talk, she will revisit the vegan ecofeminist positions theorized in the 1980s, to draw veganism that is rooted in the reality of the most marginalized groups, far from the paradigm of “inclusivity.”
Sébastien Moro (FR)
The Brains of the Farm: Intelligence and Emotions of Farm Animals
Science popularizer Sébastien Moro is the co-author of the comic book Les cerveaux de la ferme published in 2021 by La Plage. He will be presenting the work as part of a discussion on animal intelligence and emotions. While we are used to observing the behaviours of pets, farm animals are rarely the focus of human attention. This illustrated scientific essay uses humour to dispel the widespread misconception that these animals are not as intelligent or sensitive as their domestic cousins. The author invites us to discover the incredible emotional intelligence and complex social relationships of farm animals.
PROGRAM 2022
COOKING DEMOS
Vegan chefs are highly talented and they will have the opportunity to prove it at the Montreal Vegan Festival. Come discover mouth-watering recipes that you can reproduce at home to dazzle your friends and family!
Sara Girard (FR)
My Everyday Cooking
A vegan for nine years and an accomplished mother, Sara Girard shares her simple and delicious recipes on her blog Ma cuisine de tous les jours. She is also the author of the book One pot végane, published by Broquet. Eating healthy couldn’t be easier with Sara!
Angèle (FR)
Creamy Chick Pea Salad and Almond Cake
Angèle created the Instagram page @Veganmontreal in 2016, with the aim of sharing her growing passion for plant-based cuisine. Being also a lawyer and new mother, Angèle focuses on recipes that are accessible to everyone: easy, nutritious and delicious! Come and meet her on October 8 at the Palais des congrès to find out more.
Xavier Desharnais & Nicolas Leduc-Savard (FR)
Battle of the Chefs
Xavier, an athlete, and Nicolas, a sports nutritionist, go back a long way. They are the co-authors of the cookbook Recettes véganes pour gens actifs and the creators of the blog Gourmand Gourmand. Passionate about sports and cooking, they help their readers improve their physical performance—and satisfy their taste buds! During the festival, the two friends will turn into competitors as they battle it out in a culinary challenge, all in the spirit of good sportsmanship!
Caroline Huard alias Loounie (FR)
Shredded Mushroom Tacos
The festival spokesperson will show us how to prepare one of her delicious original recipes.
Evy Mendes (EN)
Cantine Toca Toca
This self-employed and self-taught chef revisits the West African cuisine of her childhood. At the wheel of her food truck, Evy shares comforting plant-based dishes that highlight her West African heritage.
Vegâteau (EN)
Gâteau au chocolat
Marc-Olivier and Jermy are the owners of Vegâteau, a dessert shop located on the Plateau Mont-Royal, where they serve their exquisite sweet creations. In addition to being vegan and gluten-free, all their baked goods are made with sustainable ingredients. The couple’s mission is simple: to make the world a better place, one scrumptious treat at a time!
Blandino is a neighbourhood Italian-inspired seasonal brasserie using fresh market produce with local inspiration. This staple Midtown restaurant is named and pays homage to Carmelo Blandino.
I dropped by the new Wellington Bagel Sandwicherie recently. Chef Derek Curzi and his team offer the best gourmet sandwiches on the block, such as mouthwatering porchetta, Montreal smoked meat, the famous Wellington beef, crispy chicken cutlet, tender juicy chicken parmigiana, their iconic Chicago all-beef hot dog, freshly baked in-house pastries and always hot out of the oven bagels.
“Copper Branch is the largest vegan restaurant brand in the world, and we are happy to welcome it into the Foodtastic Family,” said Peter Mammas, President, and CEO of Foodtastic. “We look forward to working with all our new franchisees and emerging through this pandemic with a revitalized leader in the plant-powered restaurant space. This acquisition is consistent with our strategy of acquiring quality Canadian brands with growth potential.”
I do not know how many times in the past year I drove by the sign on Jean Talon, just past Decarie, pointing potential customers into the parking lot and then the entrance of Resto Broskis. From there I went to the website and followed them on Facebook. Then finally, towards the end of June, I made an executive decision to go for lunch.
Restaurants Canada has just released a special COVID-19 edition of its Raise the Bar report calling on Quebec to show more initiative on liquor pricing.
The grades are in: For the fourth time since 2015, Restaurants Canada has given each province a report card on how industry-friendly their liquor policy landscape is for bars and restaurants.
In this year’s Raise the Bar report, Quebec dropped nearly a full grade, from a B-minus to a C, mainly due to the province’s lack of progress on liquor pricing for licensees. While most other jurisdictions have either introduced or expanded discounted licensee pricing policies in the wake of COVID-19, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) has so far failed to throw this critically needed lifeline to bars and restaurants.
“The ongoing pandemic continues to represent the greatest crisis that Quebec’s foodservice and hospitality industry has ever endured,” said Olivier Bourbeau, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Federal and Quebec. “Competitive disadvantages compared to government-run liquor stores are only making matters worse. We are hopeful that our continued engagement with the provincial government will lead to better conditions for bar and restaurant operators on their road to recovery.”
Here’s how Quebec’s performance record on Restaurants Canada’s Raise the Bar report compares with the rest of the provinces:
How can Quebec raise the bar?
Restaurants Canada is continuing to work with the Quebec government to improve the liquor policy landscape for bars and restaurants. Here’s how the province can increase its grade by the next Raise the Bar report:
Make wholesale pricing available to all liquor licensees, for all types of beverage alcohol products.
Continue to cut red tape for licensed establishments.
Maintain the wage differential for tipped workers.
Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing the potential of Canada’s diverse and dynamic food service industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Before the COVID-19 crisis, Quebec’s nearly $18 billion restaurant industry was the province’s third-largest source of private sector jobs, typically employing more than 270,000 people. Quebec’s bars and restaurants are now struggling to recover nearly $10 billion in lost revenue in the wake of the pandemic.
The restaurant offers fine and inventive cuisine. Critically acclaimed celebrity Chefs Olivier Perret and Clément Tilly perform their culinary magic with their innovative menus and ultra-chic settings. It is no wonder that Le Renoir Restaurant has received two “Toques” in Montreal’s first edition of the prestigious French gastronomy guide
Gault & Millau and the best grade out of all hotel restaurants in Montreal.
Little Caesars Chicago Style Pizza
The home of Canada’s HOT-N-READY pizza, Little Caesars, is offering a pizza that is so loaded with toppings, that even the toppings have toppings. The mouth-watering, Chicago Style Pizza is a unique medium pizza with a thick “Chicago-style” crust, fully loaded with layers of toppings, starting at $12.99. It is the first of its kind in the country from an international quick-service pizza restaurant.
“We’re excited for Canadians to experience the depth, no pun intended, of flavour in this new Chicago-inspired pizza,” says Jessica Foust. Director, Little Caesars Global R&D. “Embracing the slow cooked flavour and deep dish style crust Chicago is known for, this pizza is perfectly layered with Little Caesars house-made pizza sauce, 100% Canadian cheeses, pepperoni, Italian sausage, green peppers, onions and even more cheese. This irresistible crowd-pleasing pizza is so fully loaded that the toppings have toppings and we finish each pizza with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and oregano.”
Little Caesars Chicago Style Pizza is available across the country starting at $12.99 for a limited time only at participating restaurants. Delivery fees apply for all online orders. Additional fees may apply for certain online orders. For more information, please visit www.littlecaesars.ca.
TasteMontreal and Burnbrae Farms are partnering with 30 beloved Montreal restaurants to launch the premiere Montréal,Délici-œufs!, an eggstravaganza celebrating the versatile egg as an ingredient, taking a starring role in different dishes through June 3, 2022.
Montréal,Délici-œufs! is encouraging diners to reconnect with local favourites and discover new egg-centric eateries. Each restaurant is featuring its own creative dish celebrating the humble egg in any form, from cocktails to desserts, as a topping on pizzas, pasta and ramen bowls.
For every Montréal,Délici-œufs!dish sold, Burnbrae Farms will donate a hard-boiled egg to Breakfast Club of Canada to help feed local children and youth in need.
To sweeten the deal, each participating restaurant will give away a free dinner for two throughout the event on TasteMontréal’sInstagram. Montrealers will crown a winner by voting for their favourite on the TasteMontréalwebsite (https://tastemontreal.ca/delici-oeuf) and be entered to win a grand prize.
Personally, there is nothing I like better than going to a restaurant for breakfast. This gave me an excuse to return to Greenspot at 3041 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, Quebec H4C 1N9. A Montreal institution, Greenspot opened in the Saint-Henri neighbourhood in 1947. A relic in time, the restaurant remains adorned in its original decor, from the vinyl booths to tabletop jukeboxes. Here you can find hot dogs, poutine, smoked meat, burgers and much more. But it is the heaping breakfast plates that draw me.
For Montréal, Délici-œuf, Greenspot is showcasing The Deluxe Plate. For $12.45 you get two eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, crepes, pork ‘n’ beans, toast, sweet potatoes, fruits and tea or coffee. Let me say, for one person it was impossible to even finish. Ready in minutes, it was absolutely delicious. Thanks to Zoe and her staff for being so welcoming.
So now I will go down the list and see which other egg-speriences I can dream up.
TasteMontréal is a hungry team on a mission to capture the most drool-worthy content in the city. With a finger always on the pulse, they’re two steps ahead of the trends. Discovering new spots before anyone else has gotten word of them is their goal and stumbling upon unknown hole-in-the-walls is even better. Burnbrae Farms is a sixth-generation family-owned and operated company that has been producing eggs for almost 80 years. With egg grading, breaking, and farming operations in five provinces across Canada, it has been privately owned and operated by the Hudson family since it was founded in 1891. To learn more, visit www.burnbraefarms.com
As for the Breakfast Club of Canada, it provides much more than breakfast. Its approach is based on commitment, self-esteem and capacity development using an optimal formula adapted to local needs. Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 490,000 children and youth in 3,183 programs across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter , and LinkedIn.
The first Billy K’s in Quebec opened on Boulevard de Gare in Vaudreuil in March. That has since been followed by a May debut on Lacordaire in St. Leonard. Laval is slated to join the group by the end of the year. A few years back Bountis was in Cornwall to open a new Mr. Puffs when he came across a spot called Billy K’s, specializing in burgers, wraps and other comfort food. It turned out the owner was looking to sell. He and his sister Fotini and partners Melih Batri and John Sanoudakis decided to purchase the brand.
