FAVORITE ICE CREAM AND OTHER FROZEN DESSERT PLACES

FAVORITES! ICE CREAM AND FROZEN TREATS (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND SUPPER ON STUPIDLY HOT DAYS)

Oh. My. GODS. Montreal is INSANELY HOT today. I'm taking a quick break to eat mango frozen yogurt right now because, despite being in an air-conditioned room, I am STILL sweating like a stuck pig. At home, I'm putting up the second air conditioner tonight, because I think that's the only way I'm-a-sleepin'. I mean, look how ridiculous it is. Do you see the highlighted part of the Weathernetwork screencap? HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY WARNING!

The highlighting ellipse is so shaky because the sweat on my hands is making it hard to use a mouse... Grrr...

And look what they're trying to bury in the fine print:  "Feels like 44". It'd just be easier to say "100% pain".

Yeah, nice try there - we're not fooled. We KNOW  it's so hot it hurts!

Basically, this is the type of day where I not just voluntarily, but actually actively seek out only salad for lunch. Any other time you catch me doing that, it means that you've come face-to-face with an imposter (in which case, restrain the dude and extract my whereabouts from him). My wits are duller, my movements are sluggish, and no amount of water or seems to slake my thirst. It is the only time of year where I eat ice cream or something similar for supper. Does that make me a bad example for kids? Maybe. But, I. Don't. CARE.

So, with that in mind, let me share with you my favorite frozen dessert places, so that you might suffer a little less in heated silence...

1)Gastronomia Roberto - Gelato/Italian Food/Italian Grocer - Villeray-Saint-Michel

Their website: http://www.gastronomiaroberto.com/

2227 Rue Belanger, Montreal, QC H2G 1C5   Telephone: (514) 374-5653

 

So, on any given hot day, you will find lineups at this place. You will find yourself frustrated as the lucky customers ahead of you walk on out with their gelato in hand, delightedly smiling the whole while. Oh, cruel fate, why were they there before me? But oh Lordy, that wait and frustration will be worth it when you're served (to be fair, it really doesn't take long to be served. It only FEELS like an eternity due to your anticipation). They have about a dozen flavors, and you can easily have them fit three flavors in your serving cup (or you could, you know, just buy pints at a time, like I do. Frequently...). Love 'em all, but I do have an absolute favorite there:  Cantaloup (melone, as it's called in-store)! My GOD the stuff is to kill for on hot days like today!

MRS. AMIGOS – FRENCH FOOD (YES, I KNOW THE NAME IS SPANISH)

MRS. AMIGOS – A FRENCH RESTAURANT WITH A SPANISH NAME OPERATED BY CHINESE FOLKS – QUIRKY BUT DELIGHTFUL!

Mrs. Amigos – French(-ish) food with Chinese touches - Brossard

Bring your own wine

Their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Mrs-Amigos/160118584020156

1200 Rome Boulevard, Brossard, QC J4W 3H3 Telephone: (450) 671-3777
Price Range:  ~$15-$30 per person including one drink, meal, tax, and tip 


 

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So... This place was... different. But in a decidedly very good way.

Approaching the restaurant, the first thing that struck me was the sign. The utterly deceptive sign. It was bright. Colourful. And the sign promised breakfast and meals. 

Mrs. Amigos - restaurant exterior

Given the name, the associations immediately conjured up were Spanish- or Mexican-themed breakfasts and brunches. Which was great! Except – didn't my buddy invite me to a French restaurant...?

Maybe he got his European races mixed up...? Unlikely, right? But hey, anything's possible!

When I get on in there, a bright and shiny and clean restaurant interior awaited me. Sitting down, I was handed a menu by eager waitstaff. And then something else stuck out – the waitstaff was all Chinese, and on display in the back were Chinese pastries. ... Wasn't this place called Mrs. Amigos...?

Curiouser and curiouser. My friend, seeing the skepticism on my face, assured me that the place was great, incongruencies and all.

So, I cracked open the menu and saw largely French fare – mussels in white wine sauce, leg of lamb, and the like. And every now and again, something Chinese-sounding caught my eye. Like dumplings.

Shrugging, I ordered the things that caught my eye: Mussels in white wine sauce to begin, and pork chops as a main dish. My friend got the fried chicken on pasta.

And then, as the food started arriving, I got the first of the excellently pleasant surprises that the place delivered. The mussels smelled fantastic, and was doled out in a huge portion. I checked the menu again: Was all this really only $7.99?!

Heaping helping of hot... mussels (Damn it!The alliteration has been broken!)

Oh HELL YEAH.

FAVORITE JAPANESE RESTAURANTS

FAVORITES! Japanese Food

Update August 7, 2013:  This list has now been split into two separate posts. And more stuff's been added to both lists. Like maps. And more places.

1)Sushi Yasu - Japanese Food - Brossard

Their website:

http://www.sushiyasu.ca/bros.english.htm  

1200 Boul. Rome Local W Brossard, Qc  J4W 3H3 Tel: (450)465-8383

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Bar none, this is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Montreal. It's also one of the rare Japanese places that's owned and operated by Japanese folks. I imagine that this place gets by on word of mouth. Their sign is phenomenally nondescript (I seriously spent 30 minutes looking for this place the first time I went), their website harkens back to the dawn of html coding, and service, while very courteous, can be slow. But you know what? NONE of that matters! Their sushi and Japanese curry is to kill for! Personal recommendation:  Get the battered, deep fried pork chop with Japanese curry, the takoyaki (octopus), and the sliced beef tongue. Go. NOW.