Novelties, events, temporary activities… Each week, the Plaisirs book informs you of gourmet news not to be missed.
Listen, savor
Sound bites, one of the projects of the “I like working downtown” initiative launched by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, offers a unique culinary experience within the Le Central gourmet area, located at the corner from rue Sainte-Catherine and boulevard Saint-Laurent. In collaboration with Montreal art and design studio Daily tous les jours, culinary artist Nicolas Fonseca and designer Guillaume Sasseville, this temporary installation allows workers, alone or in teams, to transform the usual meal into a ” sensory journey”.
Whether you are tempted by a delicious Hawaiian poké from Kamé, the famous three-meat couscous from the Moroccan restaurant Bab Kech, the famous “Breton hot dog” from Chez Milo & Fine or a lobster roll from Gaspésie Camion gourmand for an impression of an extended holiday for dinner, all you have to do is order, sit down at a table with your meal, read the QR code there and put on your headphones. Let’s go, between bites, let yourself be carried away!
The first episode you are not alone, hosted by comedian Martin Perizzolo, available since last March, is particularly interested in the feeling of discomfort that can be felt when eating alone in public. Launched with the arrival of summer, the second episode, Vegetable pornographycarried by the voices of Anne-Marie Cadieux (in French) and Tranna Wintour (in English), of a completely different register and for an informed public, deals with the “unbridled sexuality of nature” while appealing to our five senses.
These interactive episodes offer workers a deserved break so that they can savor the present moment. The third episode, which will soon be launched and whose subject remains a mystery, will feature the voice of performance artist Dana Michel.
30 Sainte-Catherine Street West, Montreal
Holiday tunes by the river
Known for its unifying events and shared workspaces in more than 40 sites scattered throughout the neighborhoods of Montreal, Aire commune officially opened on June 17, The cafeteria in the Old Port of Montreal.
With a menu designed by none other than Erika Lafleur and Antoine Lacroix-Vézina, from the Saison desrains café in Villeray, vacationers and strollers alike go there at brunch time for the Poutine Saison, made up of cheese curds, bacon bits, maple syrup, marinated shallots, a well-balanced Hollandaise sauce and a runny poached egg, or for the delicious chorizo brouillade as well as the Dej Sandwich and its galette hashbrown crispy.
Its large terrace on the edge of the river is ideal for happy hours, outings with friends and family (simple menu for children offered) as well as team meetings. Under a blazing sun, we cool off with a bottomless mimosaseasonal cocktails or, to stay with the summer theme, enjoy a Unibroue Free Season, a light blond beer with notes of tropical fruit and citrus.
2 Commune Street West, Montreal
From Moscow to Mexico
Allowing the taste buds to travel is, in a way, the project of Benjamin Perez, Sylvio Delcous, Sébastien Pirau and Laurence Perez with Les Petits Mtl, which bring together a series of thematic bars in the image of a city or a country. In 2019, their first pilot bar was born, Le Petit Moscow, in the Latin Quarter, a favorite space to enjoy a variety of Moscow mules, a cocktail made with vodka, ginger and lime juice presented in its typical copper cup. In the midst of a pandemic, in 2021, it was the turn of Petit Cuba to see the light of day and offer a refreshing variation of mojitos, emblem of Cuban culture, and a well-stocked menu of rums.
On the ground floor of Petit Cuba, Little Mexico set up shop this summer, and offers margaritas as well as an impressive list of tequilas and mezcals, the traditional Mexican brandy made from different varieties of agave.
Due to the thoughtful proximity of the three establishments, it is only a few steps to be taken to be transported elsewhere. In each place, a selection of sandwiches allows you to eat while sipping a drink in an exotic setting and background music.
The co-owners intend to continue the adventure and are already working on opening other bars. Coming soon, on the menu: Brazil, with Le Petit Rio, and Colombia, with Le Petit Medellín!
Little Moscow: 323 Ontario Street East, Montreal
Le Petit Cuba: 404 Ontario Street East, Montreal
Le Petit Mexico: 1781 Saint-Denis Street, Montreal