Gary,

I'm pleased to hear that! Have you any other favorites in Montreal? I'm new here, and your advice would be much appreciated!

Geo

Mike G wrote: Thus Le Lan, which I have yet to meet a real person who really likes

I've been to Le Lan twice and loved it both times. Fantastic meals. Haven't been in a while though. I'll have to make a point to get back to this most worthy restaurant soon.

P.S. I am a real person even!

Do note that Mike G wrote that over a year ago, in response to things like this thread:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1215

which say some positive things but do not suggest that it seems like one of the top restaurants in town at that point.

jesteinf wrote:The key is that it's a list of best NEW restaurants. Based on my meal at Custom House in February, I would have to say it is one of the best NEW restaurants.

Is it in the top 10 overall in the city? No. Top 20? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.

The foi grois brulee I had last night was the best dish I have eaten this year. I think the accolades are well desreved.

Geo wrote:I'm pleased to hear that! Have you any other favorites in Montreal?

Geo,

My Montreal info is hopelessly out of date, but the taste memory of Schwartz remains vivid.

Au Pied de Cochon, which was just featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, seemed incredible. The chef pummeled Bourdain with course after course of foie gras, each one looking better than the next.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary,

Amazing! My famous Eating Buddy from Sonoma is due in tomorrow. We've got reservations tomorrow night at Le Roi de la Plateau, probably the best down home Portuguese in this town; Friday night, 19h30, we're due at Au Pied du Cochon! So, again on the same wavelength.

Separated at birth? Hmmm.

Geo
PS. But mine is a Black Diamond. : ^)
PPS. Schwartz', nicely enough, is less-attended on a Sunday evening. So we're off for that.

Geo wrote:PS. But mine is a Black Diamond. : ^)

Geo,

I have a New Braunfels Bandera, kissing cousin to the Black Diamond. In addition to WSM's of course

Le Roi de la Plateau and Au Pied du Cochon, nice one-two punch followed by the knock out in Schwartz's. I really do which Chicago had, at least one, Portuguese restaurant.

Enjoy,
Gary

I was at Au Pied de Cochon in September, and it really is a fantastic place. I think you'll love it.

I ate there two years ago, long before I knew we'd be moving to Montreal. So this will be a wonderful reprise. I'll make a full report, maybe even take a few pix if I can. Yummmm!


Geo

If there was a thread about the 2007 edition of this perennial, I don't remember it. But it was mentioned today in the La Casa de Isaac thread so why not roll up the barrel for a little fish-shooting for 2008.

1) Other than Isaac and Uncommon Ground (which I had coffee at once, nothing else), the three I've been to so far disappointed. Shikago-- I had a great dessert, vanilla-ginger ice cream and some cake thing or something, but paid $9 or something for a $2 spring roll from Tank, and had a pineappley too-sweet Asian fusion dish that could have come from a food court. The Gage-- I think I wrote about that somewhere when I praised Bacalao by comparison. Powerhouse-- biggest decor disappointment of the year, sounds like it's going to be a cool 19th-meets-21st century mad scientist space, turns out to be tastefully uninteresting little box-rooms you might find in any nice hotel. The food was kind of like that too.

2) That Anteprima makes the list for middling neighborhood Italian, but not Riccardo Trattoria for exceptional neighborhood Italian, is madness.

3) Room 21 made my eyes hurt, just to look at the picture of its whorehouse decor. Suddenly Mercat a la Planxa looks sedate.

4) Sentence that seems like it should have disqualified the restaurant: "The handmade pastas disappointed across the board." (A Mano, Bin 36's "Italian restaurant" sibling).

5) First one gone: Fahrenheit in St. Charles (hey, maybe you shouldn't name your restaurant for a hip restaurant of a few years ago that's also gone; trust me, do not open Okno or Scylla in St. Charles).

6) Most inexplicable descriptions: "An erstwhile strip club" and "ridiculously overdecorated" for Anteprima's cutesy weekend-in-Saugatuck funkiness, especially coming a page after Room 21 and a shot of the Hotel Overlook feel at Brasserie Ruhlmann.

Anyone else?

Shouldn't this thread, which is about restaurants and a media outlet be moved to either Eating Out or Other Culinary Chat? I'm not sure which is most appropriate, but it's not about Shopping and Cooking.

It went here under the definition that existed in 2006 (food media was lumped in here). Someone else will have to move it. Any other comments?

Mike G wrote:2) That Anteprima makes the list for middling neighborhood Italian, but not Riccardo Trattoria for exceptional neighborhood Italian, is madness.

Mike-

Why don't you tell us how you really feel?

I'll say this: Riccardo Trattoria has been opened too long to be considered "new." My one meal there over a year ago was middling, at best. It was also swamped, the kitchen seemed overwhelmed and the FOH was a disaster.

And I'll say this: It seemed like they were reaching to come up with 20 restaurants. It wasn't a good year for new openings. Was there anything you thought should have been on the list but wasn't (besides Riccardo Trattoria )?

I don't remember if Mercat was on the list or if it was too new, but that has been the only restaurant in that price point that I've been to in over two years that I really enjoyed.

I'm not sure when it opened, but since it's not on any of the lists (I checked back to '06), it didn't make it whenever it would have qualified.

My one meal at Riccardo was very fine, Michael described it in ways here that rendered additional comment superfluous. (However, I'd just like to say that the Kuma's Burger rocks, and that Hot Doug-- what a character.) You might argue that one meal there (and two at Anteprima) is not enough to judge, but I think I got a pretty good feel for the level both were content to operate at.

It's not that Anteprima is grossly unworthy, it's a decent enough neighborhood place (and apparently it does pasta better than at least one other place on the list), but it's not all that authentic and well, maybe they felt like they needed to represent Andersonville...

P.S. Just saw your additional note, yes, I think Mercat is too new for them, but I too would rank it among the best high-end joints I've been to in the last few years, certainly ahead of any place on this year's list I've been to. No, I don't know of any particularly exceptional new place that didn't make the list, but if that were the case and I was making the list, that's where I'd have started filling it out with really good lower-end places, not more so-so high end places. As it was, they not only hit 20, but 21.

One thing that the Chicago Magazine got right, was in a companion piece about tacos in Chicago which named Taqueria El Asadero as having the best carne asada taco in town. I agree.

MM

jesteinf wrote:The key is that it's a list of best NEW restaurants. Based on my meal at Custom House in February, I would have to say it is one of the best NEW restaurants.

Is it in the top 10 overall in the city? No. Top 20? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.

What defines NEW? Hasn't Custom House been around for two years now? I went for my birthday in Jan '07 and it had been around a few months already then...

blipsman wrote:

jesteinf wrote:The key is that it's a list of best NEW restaurants. Based on my meal at Custom House in February, I would have to say it is one of the best NEW restaurants.

Is it in the top 10 overall in the city? No. Top 20? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.

What defines NEW? Hasn't Custom House been around for two years now? I went for my birthday in Jan '07 and it had been around a few months already then...

You are correct. You're quoting something I wrote almost exactly 2 years ago.

trpt2345 wrote:One thing that the Chicago Magazine got right, was in a companion piece about tacos in Chicago which named Taqueria El Asadero as having the best carne asada taco in town. I agree.

It's nice to see Taqueria El Asadero get some media attention. As much as I love their carne asada, it's the al pastor that keeps me coming back. Man, I love that place.

"5) First one gone: Fahrenheit in St. Charles (hey, maybe you shouldn't name your restaurant for a hip restaurant of a few years ago that's also gone; trust me, do not open Okno or Scylla in St. Charles). "


I think an interesting research project would be to trace back all the picks for best new restaurants over the last 10 years or so, and see how many lasted over 1 or 2 years. My sense is that getting in Chicago Mag for this issue is the kiss of death for the majority.

trpt2345 wrote:One thing that the Chicago Magazine got right, was in a companion piece about tacos in Chicago which named Taqueria El Asadero as having the best carne asada taco in town. I agree.

MM

What else is on their list? That's what I'm curious about.

El Asadero is the place on Montrose, kitty corner from the library, right?

nr706 wrote:Anyone want to try my haggis wontons?

Actually. . .yes!

This group looks like LTH's West Coast affiliate, no? Get your reservations now for 2009!

Vancouver road trip anyone?

Josephine wrote:

nr706 wrote:Anyone want to try my haggis wontons?

Actually. . .yes!

This group looks like LTH's West Coast affiliate, no? Get your reservations now for 2009!

Vancouver road trip anyone?

Is this David Hammond's emaciated brother on bagpipes?

Mike G wrote:I think Mercat is too new for them

Didn't Sixteen, which is on their list, open after Mercat a la Planxa, which isn't?

You could be right. I guess we'll know when they review Mercat.

For posterity's sake, here is the list from the past few years of Chicago's Trendiest...er I mean Best New Restaurants.

2005

Le Lan, Green Zebra, Les Deux Autres, De Cero, Indie Cafe, Kaze Sushi, Miramar Bistro, Prairie Grass Café, Scylla, Vie, HotChocolate, Osteria Via Stato, Tsuki, Trio Atelier, X/O

2006

Alinea, Di Pescara, Parlor, Butter, Cuatro, Carnivale, Meiji, Fultons on the River, Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Pub, Michael, Schwa, Pancho Viti's Mexican Cantina, Sola, Mizu, Emilios Sunflower Bistro, Copper Blue, Custom House, Blue Water Grill, May Street Market, Block 44, Sushi Ai, Francesca's Forno, Saltaus, Landmark, La Casa Del Gordo, Il Mulino NY

2007

Aigre Doux, Blu Coral, Chalkboard, Chiyo, DeLaCosta, Erba, Ginger Asian Bistro, Habana Libre, Koda, Marigold, Mulan, Niche, Osteria Di Tramonto, Sage Grille, Sam & Harry's, Sequel, Sol de Mexico, Tay Do, Tepatulco, Tramonto's Steak & Seafood, Xel-Há

2008

A Mano, Anteprima, Brasserie Ruhlmann Steakhouse, Cafe 103, The Gage, Old Town Brasserie, Otom , Powerhouse, Room 21, Sepia, Shikago, Sixteen, Table Fifty-Two, Takashi, Tallulah, Uncommon Ground

Although it is funny to see that there's always at least one place that dies almost instantaneously (been to Block 44 yet? How's Xel-Ha doing?), looking at the list, I wouldn't say that the places on it have died off any faster than the average restaurant, most likely.

stewed coot wrote:"5) First one gone: Fahrenheit in St. Charles (hey, maybe you shouldn't name your restaurant for a hip restaurant of a few years ago that's also gone; trust me, do not open Okno or Scylla in St. Charles). "


I think an interesting research project would be to trace back all the picks for best new restaurants over the last 10 years or so, and see how many lasted over 1 or 2 years. My sense is that getting in Chicago Mag for this issue is the kiss of death for the majority.

Fahrenheit just opened in November, almost too short of a run to give it a go. We drove by yesterday and there was a banner that said "Open for lunch" but a sign on the door that said "Closed". My local paper reported today that the Management company that leased the space to Fahrenheit didn't even know that they closed.

It's interesting to note that in the above posts, no mention is made of one of my favorite restaurants, La Casa de Isaac. It was one of the restauants mentioned in the article cited. CdI was a recent winner of the LtHForum GNR award. The CM article covers the 21 (not 20 this thread indicates) of the "Best New Restaurants for 2008." CdI is mentioned as "the new darling of the North Shore."

I've personally viewed the CM restaurant reviews with considerable skepticism. Most recently, the LTHForum participants provide greater insight than any other resource.

Here's one classic incident relating to CM I recalled from years ago. Louis Szathmary's Bakery Restaurant was one of the best in its day. They opened in 1963 and my wife and I started going there regularly in 1965. I'd entertain clients there often and arranged for special business dinners in their private room. Not only was the food wonderful, but Louis was part of the experience. We got to know Louis and his wife, Sada, quite well.

One year he told me that the main restaurant critic for CM asked Louis if he would consider co-authoring a cookbook. Louis' policy was not to co-author with anyone and he explained that to the CM critic. The Bakery had been reviewed and praised extensively in CM. Guess what? Shortly after the co-authorship turndown, The Bakery was dropped in future issues! Nothing in the restaurant had changed and fortunately Louis had built the business to where he didn't need the CM any longer.

For completeness, one of the above posts for 2008 is missing Fahrenheit, La Casa de Isaac, Maijen, Reel Club and Zak's Place. That makes 21 restaurants from the May 2008 issue.

GP Bob