The NDG of… Eleonore Lagacé | La Presse

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is the neighborhood where singer and host Éléonore Lagacé grew up, and where she returned to settle a year ago.

“This is my hood »exclaims the one who is in the middle of a summer tour and who is preparing the release of her first album in the fall. Her apartment is located just above the family home. Her grandmother and her sister “Flo”, aka Florence K, respectively occupied it. “My grandmother lived upstairs all our childhood. We would go get an egg from grandma’s or we would watch cartoons at grandma’s,” recalls Éléonore.

What does she like about Notre-Dame-de-Grâce? “It’s a beautiful residential and family neighborhood with lots of great shops, small, refined restaurants and everything is within walking distance,” she says. However, the area and “its charming Monkland Street” remain to be discovered, believes the woman who will return to host the second season of Luka and Leo on Télé-Québec.

His addresses

Milk Cafe

When Éléonore doesn’t have time to make herself lunch, she stops by Melk Café. “They have a little bowl of coconut milk chia pudding with a mango chutney that they make themselves with homemade granola.” Her go-to order? “A dirty “Iced oat milk chai,” she replies enthusiastically. “The place is so comforting and the coffee is just so delicious.”

5612 Monkland Avenue

Visit the Melk Café website

The Famous Cosmo’s

Here it is a dinner miniature in size, the restaurant consists of a counter with only a few seats. “It’s an iconic place in NDG,” says Éléonore. “My dad grew up in the neighbourhood and when he was a teenager, he would go to Cosmo’s.” One of the specialties of the place: the greasy breakfasts – “perfect for the hangover,” she says. And the potatoes are worth the detour, “they’re like half mashed and half chunky and cooked to perfection on the griddle.” “There’s also the Good Morning Burger with egg and bacon in it, I love it.”

5843 Sherbrooke Street West

Visit the Famous Cosmo’s website

Home Zone

It’s at Zone Maison, on avenue de Monkland, that Éléonore heads when she wants to add a decorative element to her apartment. “It’s always fun to linger and look at the beautiful little products and the beautiful decorations.” She particularly takes an eye at the candles that adorn the shop’s displays.

5683 Monkland Avenue

Visit the Zone Maison website

The Master Butcher

“They have mustard flank steak or Asian shrimp with sesame oil and ginger which are so good,” explains the foodie. I also buy beautiful fine products. » Éléonore has seen the delicatessen, which also offers many prepared meals, evolve over the years. “When I was little, I went there with my mother and we had to go down to a small basement where the aisles were very narrow.”

5719 Monkland Avenue

Visit the Master Butcher’s website

Our Lady of Grace Park

“I spent a lot of time there,” explains Éléonore, who calls the place Girouard Park. “I went to Villa Maria in high school and often after school, we would go to the park to chill,” she says. “It’s a meeting place for young people from NDG.” She now goes there to read, but mostly to walk her dog. “We often go to the dog park with Rita, she’s my little three-and-a-half-year-old cocker spaniel.”

3500, Girouard Avenue

Hwang Kum

“This is my favorite Korean restaurant in Montreal. The seafood crepe is a must,” she says. “It’s so fluffy.” and crispy, there’s a good scoop of seafood in it and they have a secret sauce that you put on top.” The meats served on hot plates and the sides offered with the meals, “the kimchi they make themselves, the cucumbers, the bean sprouts, the potatoes,” delight him. “There’s a huge wait because it’s just so delicious, but it’s worth it.”

5908 Sherbrooke Street West