There are the well-kept secrets, the obligatory stops and those that are worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that are good to share. For the pleasure of your palates, The duty therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. To start the year and smile at winter, what could be better than good bowls of hot and comforting soup? We have therefore repatriated smoking favorites of all kinds. Ramen, phô, Thai soup, au gratin or velvety: here are 10 that cause happiness and delight with each mouthful.
MONTREAL
butterblume
Imagine a large bowl of slightly tangy squash soup topped with a garnish of pumpkin seeds, herbs, croutons and a drizzle of coconut milk. Beside it, two nice slices of warm and soft homemade bread confirm that lunch will be pleasant. And there’s the butter sprinkled with fleur de sel that winks at you. The music is both soft and rhythmic, the ambient hubbub is warm, you open a novel, and there you have it: for nothing in the world would you want to be anywhere else right now. It’s all that, and more, when you have the soup of the day—meal portion—at Butterblume.
5836 St. Laurent Blvd.
Tsukuyomi
It was the tingling that we observed from the window that made us push the door of Tsukuyomi the first time. And we immediately understood why there was a crowd: the ramen is delicious, the service, fast, the atmosphere, joyful. In the bowl, the not too salty homemade broth accommodates perfectly made noodles, from shaping to cooking. And the ornament of chashu (Japanese braised pork), mushrooms kikurage and the runny egg couldn’t be more delectable. The typical sides of izakayas, such as the karaage (fried chicken) or gyozas (Japanese dumplings), also add a dose of pleasure to share. It’s hot, rich in flavors and textures. Every time, we leave to better come back. Note: vegan ramen is also on the menu.
5207 St. Laurent Blvd.
1242 Bishop Street
At the foot of a pig
We often talk about his foie gras poutine, but the best reason to settle down at the bar of Martin Picard’s restaurant — apart from the chômeur pudding! — is the onion soup au gratin with Gruyère des Grottes. The sweetness of the tenderized onion is enhanced by the raw milk cheese and the saltiness of the garlic sausage. To say it’s delicious would of course be an understatement. A sweetness that is both refined and comforting, to be savored to the very last drop.
536 Duluth Avenue East
Helicopter Cafe
It was a weekday, a little past lunchtime. We had a text to finish, emails to answer and an urge to sit down somewhere. We ended up at Hélico Café, where we savored the soup of the moment: a creamy cabbage soup that still marks our minds months later. Its silky texture and its so just seasoning were revealed by a nice crispy filling. This is probably the soup that we ate the slowest, so much we wanted to stretch the delight! Our verdict? It must be taken as a meal portion! Our advice? Finish the lunch with a kouign-amann, if there are any left…
2009 De La Salle Avenue
Sao Sao
Head to Brossard for a traditional Vietnamese soup. At Sao Sao, not only is the pho memorable, but the entire menu takes the senses on a journey. If we set our sights on Vietnam’s national dish, it’s because it’s done according to the rules: bone-based broth simmered for several hours, rice vermicelli, lemongrass, Vietnamese basil, vegetables, bean sprouts, plus a variety of proteins to choose from, from beef tripe to grilled chicken. It’s generous and comforting, and we couldn’t ask for more! Good to know: the family of Sao Sao is the same as that of Petit Sao, where they prepare decadent bánh mì.
7209 Taschereau Blvd., Suite 106, Brossard
ISLANDS OF MADELEINE
Cap Dauphin’s Fish Shack
An initiative of the Cap Dauphin Fishermen’s Cooperative, which wanted to sell more seafood products from its members, this snack bar, which opened in 2015, quickly became a must. Firstly for the freshness of the ingredients, but also the “generosity-price” ratio, unequaled on the archipelago thanks to the partnership between the coop and the restaurant. Its seafood chowder is bursting with flavor. Sea scallops, northern shrimp, lobster and halibut bathed in a well-seasoned bisque. Let’s add to the whole the view of the quay and the infinity of the sea. Like a feeling of paradise, what.
49 Shore Road, Grosse Ile
QUEBEC
Tora Ya Ramen
We could give it the label of “must-see” as the pleasure of going there is constantly renewed. We have long ago adopted the small counter that allows you to take a look into the kitchen. Unless you have your nose buried in a bowl of miso-kimchi ramen (or the Ômori miso, our second favorite). In any case, we eat in a warm atmosphere where the “ konnichiwa launched to each guest are happily thunderous!
75 St. Joseph Street East
Tonkinese delicacies
Well-kept secret that we would like to pass on to all winds: the soups of Tri Vu, chef co-owner, and his wife, Linda Pham, of Délicatesses tonkinoises. In his small premises in the Faubourg Saint-Jean, he simmers his daily broths to the delight of a host of regulars (and a few tourists looking for addresses popular with residents). the tom yum with chicken, very aromatic thanks to its lemongrass, is one of the stars of the menu, as is the beef pho, enhanced by the typical notes of anise and cinnamon. Don’t fancy soup? Vu also makes a very good pad thai. Otherwise, the walls lined with ingredients of all kinds will make you want to cook something at home.
732 St. John Street
At Temporal
Nestled a stone’s throw from the bustling rue Saint-Jean, Chez Temporel is one of the beloved addresses of residents of Old Quebec. Rumor has it that a certain Chrystine Brouillet blackened many pages on one of the little tables set up near the stone walls. Open since 1974, the café-bistro has never aged a bit, quite the contrary! Its menu, just classic enough, is rich in local products. The steaming onion soup topped with 1608 cheese from the Charlevoix dairy is just like the name of the place: timeless.
25 Couillard Street
Chanhda asian grocery store
This list would not be complete without the oh so delicious Thai soup with red curry and coconut milk from chef Maxime Chanhda-Tremblay. If you can’t always taste the latter on the spot – there is however always another delicious soup of the day – the broth is still on sale to take away! The aromas and warmth of this local specialty in the comfort of home, who says better? Note: there are a few brands of imported potato chips, including Thai Lay’s with truffles, and that too is to die for!
538 Oblate Avenue