Ariel the Little Mermaid was only one of the many fairytale characters portrayed in the show. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin.
Experience sexier versions of your favourite childhood characters at The Wiggle Room
Classic fairytale stories and themes are explored, with a twist, in the delightfully entertaining Fairytale Burlesque show at The Wiggle Room.
Before the curtain opened, drag king Nat King Pole, the show’s dynamic host, began to rap his own unique version of the song “Gold Digger”: “Yeah, I ain’t sayin’ I’m a muff diver, but I be hangin’ with some pretty ladies.” His rendition was met with raucous laughter from the crowds.
Nat King Pole hosted the show bilingually, easily switching back and forth between English and French. He amused the room in between acts with crotch-grabbing and raunchy jokes.
There were eight acts during the night, all with their own signature flare. The first performer was Madria, a queen who was seducing people with the use of black magic.
Ariel the Little Mermaid was only one of the many fairytale characters portrayed in the show. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin.
Ruby Rhapsody was next as Little Red Riding Hood, clad in a sparkling red cape and dancing around a wolf. Next up, Tranna Wintour, a trans comedian, told us about her visit to New York City, where she performed in some top comedy shows. She told the crowd that, “my milkshake brings all the sexually confused boys to the yard.” She was dressed like a modern-day Cinderella, clad in sunglasses, fur leopard coat, pink skirt and leggings. Her reasons for being home at the stroke of midnight were slightly different than that of the original tale, though: “I have to be home by the stroke of midnight or my beard grows.”
Lulu les Belles Mirettes, burlesque geek artist, made us laugh with her comedic doll routine and awkward expressions.
Audrey Ivory portrayed Ariel from the Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She brushed her red hair with a long fork and stared at a framed photo of her sailor crush. When Nat King Pole showed up dressed as a sailor, she tried to catch his attention multiple times. When he did notice her, he was a little turned off by the fins.. so of course they had to come off.
The next performance started with a woman in a sexy bunny suit running away from the stage. Lavender May appeared soon after as Alice in Wonderland, wearing a skirt with colourful, functional light bulbs. She stumbled upon a mushroom, and then licked it, only to realize that it was a psychedelic mushroom. At this point, the lights went off and Lavender May began to glow in the dark with fluorescent clothes, makeup and nails, showing the audience what Alice would look like if she were on drugs.
After that hallucinogenic episode, Lady Hoops impressed the crowd with her spinning hula hoops number, using up to five hula-hoops at a time.
Nat King Pole was very secretive about what the final performance would be. After some intrigue was created, a woman in a red dress brought holy water and placed it on branches. As she removed her cape, she cleansed herself with it. The crowd was so focused on her that nobody noticed a woman in a black dress advancing to the stage. She removed her pointy hat and grabbed the woman in red, first dancing with her before stripping her. When the woman in red fell to the ground, the other removed her cape and dress, revealing latex pants, and started to cleanse herself with holy water. Reine Rouge and Reine Noire were performing for the first time that night and they did an incredible job.
Overall, Fairytale Burlesque was funny, sexy and even magical. Definitely worth checking out!
For more information on burlesques shows at The Wiggle Room, visit the wiggleroom.ca.
Opposing the measures implemented by provincial and federal governments
Photo by Keith Race
On March 4, people gathered outside Mont-Royal metro at 6:30 p.m. for the protest “Together Against Austerity” (Ensemble contre l’austerité! Harper, Marois, même combat!) organized by the Comité d’action solidaire contre l’austerité (CASA).
According to the Financial Times Lexicon, “Austerity measures refer to official actions taken by the government, during a period of adverse economic conditions, to reduce its budget deficit using a combination of spending cuts or tax rises.”
CASA encouraged people to bring pans, placards and noisemakers, which people did. The protest had about 50 participants.
One of the protestors present, a foreign worker and also a member of the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC), explained that in his home country of Spain, austerity has put a lot of people in debt.
“The facts are that after four years of austerity, there is 27 per cent of children in Spain that are below the line of poverty. This was the 12th economy of the world or so they say, like six or seven years ago.”
“The tax system is for the rich and against the poor.” (Fiscalité pour les riches et contre les pauvres). “The solution would be to not do like Martine Desjardins.” said Justin Arcand, one of the spokesperson of the association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ). Desjardins, the former president of the University Student Federation of Québec (FEUQ) spent months fighting against the tuition increase during the Maple Spring in 2012. However, she has decided to join the Parti Québecois. Arcand does not understand how she fought against tuition increase and now joins a party who is proposing increases.
As the protesters left the metro area to walk on Mont-Royal Avenue, the police declared the march illegal. Police cars surrounded the area. The protest ended shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Mont-Royal Avenue just by De Lorimier Street.
The ASSÉ will be organizing another protest against austerity on April 3 at 2 p.m. at Émilie-Gamelin Park by Berri-Uqam metro.
The Concordia Student Union (CSU) and the co-directors of the VAV gallery present SEXed, an art exhibit on gender. The exhibit is curated by Katrina Caruso, the VP Student Life of the CSU, who is also a Fine Arts student. Caruso contacted the VAV gallery coordinators, Kris Millar and Clinton Glenn, to see if they were interested in doing a show revolving around gender for International Women’s Week. They did not have trouble finding interested artists once they booked the gallery.
Cochon 51 by Shawn Christopher. Artist statement: “Cochon 51 is an exploration of queer expression and a statement about my own personal struggles with ‘masculinity’ and sexual orientation.” Photo by Nicole Yeba
“We didn’t want to focus on like femininity of women, and women for women’s week, we wanted to come and expand that and talk about gender as a larger topic, so [we are] including issues of masculinity and issues of gender and sexuality,” said Caruso.
The art exhibit is part of events that the CSU is hosting for Gender Month in March with other associations. The conference “Feminism for Men” with author and activist Chris Crass was held on March 3 in collaboration with Centre for Gender Advocacy. A panel discussion named “Decriminalization of Prostitution in Canada, Now What?” will be held on March 11 in collaboration with the School of Community and Public Affairs at the Saidye Bronfman Hall.
The exhibit is held at the VAV Gallery in the Fine Arts building until March 8.
La Poutine Week was a week-long festival that ran from Feb. 1 until Feb. 7 where participating restaurants created an original poutine for people to try.
Photo by Nicole Yeba
“We wanted to take a staple dish and bring it up a notch around Quebec and Canada. It sounded delicious and fun,” said Na’eem Adam, co-founder of La Poutine Week.
The second edition went well, with the extension to three cities: Québec city, Ottawa/Gatineau and Toronto. It also garnered ten times more visibility with Adam appearing on numerous television shows and with the buzz created on online media.
Adam and his team are thinking of extending the festival across Canada and eventually into the States.
“We want to make La Poutine Week and Le Burger Week perfect and strong, then we might start with pop-up festivals around things like dessert, pizza, cocktails and maybe even salad.”
Adam and his team tried all the poutines months before the festival to qualify them.
“They were all amazing, but I love it when people do something crazy like Imadake or Chez Boris,” said Adam.
Montreal had 32 restaurants participating this year. There were poutines for every taste from refined poutines to heavier ones. Some highlights include: Régine Café, which offered a breakfast poutine that featured scotch eggs. Fabergé produced an Italian poutine called La Famiglia that consisted of fries, cheese curds, italian sausage, veal meatballs and marinara sauce from Drogheria Fine. Royal Phoenix Bar had a pulled pork with green apple coleslaw poutine and Au Cinquième Péché offered a seal poutine which was made up of gnocchi, cheese curds, seal merguez, brussel sprouts and full-bodied juice. Lola Rosa Park’s poutine Lola was a combination of sweet potato fries with black beans and mushroom sauce.
Other than food, the locale also was a factor in the poutine eating experience. Poutine Centrale is a serious contender to other famous poutine places such as la Banquise and Poutineville. A rustic atmosphere reigns in the Saint-Laurent restaurant. There are large tables and small individual benches made of wood. Large sacks with the Poutine Centrale logo of 50 pounds of potatoes decorate the place. Natural light comes from the front. In the back, you can see graffiti on a wall outside through the doors that lead to a terrace.
Poutine Centrale, with two locations in the city, offered a butter chicken poutine. You can get a small one for $7.99 or a big one for $10.99. The poutine is a mix of French fries, cheese curds, butter chicken, Indian spices and cilantro. The chicken tastes creamy and buttery. The mix with the fries and poutine was interesting. Who knew an Indian poutine could exist? If you are not a fan of spices or Indian food, you will not enjoy this one. A piece of naan on the side would have been an interesting touch. Butter chicken and naan are the best combination.
La Poutine Week was an intense time for poutine lovers. I have tried ten different poutines over a week. I tried one to two per day and reviewed them. You can read my complete reviews on my blog: favetastes.wordpress.com.
Stepping into Laloux, you notice there are two sections. The right section is a more intimate setting with very low lights, almost like a candlelight dinner. The left section, known as Laloux Bar, is noisier with more lighting. But the great part is the $19 table d’hôte menu consisting of an appetizer, a main meal, and a dessert.
Laloux Press photo
The first appetizer was maplewood smoked salmon served with fennel salad, orange peel purée and yuzu foam. It was good but nothing exceptional. The salmon did not taste sweet. The second was a chicken liver mousse served with crab apple purée, honey crisp apple, brioche and maple pecan. It was mind-blowing. Every bite you took revealed a different flavour. A mix of bitterness, saltiness, and sweetness overflowed in your mouth.
The choice of the main meals were between a seared beef tartare served with black garlic, maple, and soy marinated honey mushroom, or a maple glazed quail served with Waldorf salad. However, for an extra $10, you could have a beef flank steak served with oyster mushrooms, green onion, black garlic, and potatoes from M. Decelles covered with shallot sauce. The steak was exquisite both as medium and well-done. The mushrooms and potatoes were a good complement and the shallot sauce added a nice flavour to everything.
The desserts were a choice of maple profiterole served with vanilla ice cream and covered with maple sauce or a maple panna cotta, green apple mousse and granite, and Labrador tea crumble in a small jar. The maple profiteroles were light, creamy and sweet. They were warm and were well complimented with the sauce and ice cream. The maple panna cotta was a special mix, really sweet with some sourness due to the apple mousse while the tea crumble added a different taste.
It was a nice experience with a remarkable choice of meals. For French cuisine, the portions were not too small.
Restaurant Dolcetto & Co
Cuisine Type: Italian
Angela De Cicco
With tons of restaurants participating in Taste MTL, it’s hard to choose from the many savory, mouth-watering menus. Hearing great things about Dolcetto & Co, located in the heart of the old port, I was quick to decide on it. The cozy, quaint and charming ambiance surely pays homage to its name; Dolcetto, meaning “little sweet one” in Italian. An assortment of bread accompanied by olive oil and vinegar were served at the start, getting my taste buds warmed up for the anticipated appetizer: a puff pastry stuffed with maple polenta, pancetta and fontina. It literally melted in my mouth as the soft polenta and crisp pancetta fused together in one bite. The sweetness of the maple polenta and the salty pancetta complemented each other, leaving me satisfied yet ready for the main meal: pizza. My absolute favorite of the night: white pizza with rosemary roasted potatoes, caciocavallo cheese and maple cream. The pizza was cooked to perfection, not too crispy and not too soft. The maple cream gives the pizza that last kick of flavour, making it impeccable. I’m not that much of a dessert person, but I do love chocolate and went with the chocolate and raspberry fondant. The raspberry’s sourness combined in a sweet warm chocolate brownie ended the evening’s meal perfectly. Otis Redding’s “Sitting at the dock of the Bay” playing in the background evoked the nautical themed décor of Dolcetto & Co, making this restaurant one I’ll definitely be going back to. Considering its Old Port location, it’s cheap prices ($5 – $15 per dish) make it affordable for students.
Restaurant Lola Rosa
Cuisine type: Vegetarian
Candice Yee
When searching for a restaurant to try on Taste MTL’s website, I was looking for something reasonable (the $19 three-course meal) and highly acclaimed by Internet food critics. On Yelp, Lola Rosa received four out of five stars, while on Urban Spoon it received a 91% positive response.
Lola Rosa. Photo from Flickr user TMAB2003
Lola Rosa is a cute vegetarian restaurant located in the Mile End neighbourhood. The atmosphere was warm and reminiscent of the cozy fall season. Most of the furniture was made from wood, contrasted with deep orange and crimson red decor. Bookshelves were placed throughout the restaurant, and glass milk jugs were used to serve water.
For appetizers, I ordered the small Rosa salad, and my friend ordered the tomato soup. The Rosa salad was a delightful surprise of various flavours. Goat cheese, beans and freshly sliced fruits and veggies were coated with a light maple balsamic dressing. However, I did not realize the main course was also accompanied by a salad (not as decorative or exciting as the Rosa), so I should have gone with the soup. The soup was made from brown basmati rice. The maple definitely added richness.
I chose a tartlet for my main course. My friend and I swapped half of our meal in order to get a more diverse experience. She ordered the quesadilla. Both dishes were accompanied with a side of salad and brown rice. They acted as fillers, and were a bland addition. Unfortunately, the tartlet tasted like wasabi had been smeared onto it — must’ve been the mustard seeds. I tried to be adventurous and dig into the beets, parsnip, confit shallots and maple Chantilly tartlet. The best part was the crispy tart, with everything else scraped off.
While I found the tartlet too powerful, the quesadilla did not do much for my taste buds. There was no trace of satisfying, melted cheese between the crispy tortillas. It contained sweet potato, jalapeno and avocado, which tasted like a limp mash. The main courses weren’t terrible, but they surely weren’t amazing.
I was most excited about ordering dessert. I ordered the nut and maple tart, and my friend chose the vegan chocolate cake. When I received my dessert, it was a bit awkward at first. There wasn’t any tart component to it. A scoop of vanilla ice cream sat on top of sugar coated roasted pecans. I had to savour each little spoon of dessert, but in reality, I could’ve finished it off in one bite. It was delicious, but I did find the portion disappointing. My friend’s vegan chocolate cake was warm and drizzled with raspberry sauce. I am not one for mixing chocolaty desserts with fruit. However, I did try a bite, and the cake was moist. I probably couldn’t have guessed it was vegan.
I was still eyeing the other diner’s meals; namely the nachos, which weren’t part of the Taste MTL menu. I did leave the restaurant feeling bloated, and somewhat satisfied with my experience. The waiter was lovely (my friend broke a glass) and the service was pretty good. I would consider going again, and ordering those nachos. I felt it was a three-and-a-half star experience. For a university student though, I expected a bit more for the $19 I spent.
From Nov. 1 to 11, Taste MTL offers the opportunity to visit more than 125 restaurants and receive their table d’hôte at a discounted price of either $19, $29 and $39. Yes, you get an entrée, main course and dessert for a very decent price from some of Montreal’s best restaurants that are otherwise pricey.
Press photo
This initiative was put together by Tourisme Montréal and presented by Produits d’érable du Québec in collaboration with the SAQ. Tourisme Montréal is a private and non-profit organization whose goal is to promote the city as a great travelling destination. It started as a contest of circumstances, led mostly by the growing popularity of fine food.
According to Pierre Bellerose, vice-president of Tourisme Montréal and spokesperson for Taste MTL, the culture of “foodies” has grown. He and his colleagues have come up with a strategy to make Montreal a gastronomical experience for both tourists and citizens.
Bellerose also noticed since the summer of 2012, the “cahier gourmands” are now as popular as the arts sections in newspapers such as La Presse or The Gazette. What was merely an article a decade ago, is now a section of its own.
In order to participate in the events, the restaurants need to be members of Tourisme Montréal. Many restaurants have joined them after the popularity of the first edition. There has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of participants.
“Restaurants reflect the culture of a city,” explained Bellerose.
Taste MTL offers culinary tours in four areas in the city: Old Montreal, the Red Light District, the Mile-End and St-Henri. A guide will accompany a group of at least six people around the neighbourhood for $35 where they will hear anecdotes and taste some yummy food.
November is usually a hollow period for restaurants. With Taste MTL, they have an opportunity to offer their menus at decent prices where anyone can try what they have to offer.
There are already four restaurants that are booked for this edition: Europea, Restaurant Toqué!, Chez Chose and Les 400 coups. Bellerose suggested two French cuisine restaurants that he discovered last year, Bistro Cocagne and Laloux.
“It is an opportunity to reach a new clientele,” said manager of Laloux Fanny Alaizeau about participation.
Alaizeau added that they wish to revitalize their clientele with their $19 table d’hote promotion. It is not about making great revenue, but more of a long-term investment for the restaurant.
“I think it’s a wonderful, a great initiative!” she added.
The Cake Show and Design Competition held its second edition at Vanier College’s Sports Complex on October 19 and 20. With over 20 vendors present, there were more people attending this year’s edition compared to last year’s, and the enhanced social media exposure on Facebook may be attributed for its growth.
The proceeds for this year went to Kids Help Phone, a telephone and online service that provides confidential counseling for youth.
Dr. Jordan LeBel is an associate professor at Concordia where he teaches a food marketing class. When Cake Show executive director, Paige McEachren, called and asked him if he wanted to judge this year’s event again, he did not hesitate. LeBel’s family foundation gave money awards to the winners of the cupcake challenge, with the top prize worth 500 dollars. LeBel found it difficult to choose the winners, “the level of details and work on cupcakes was a tough call,” he said.
Event coordinator Tal Erdman was impressed by all the effort put in by the volunteers. “Everyone is really motivated,” said Erdman.
In terms of learning how to make your own cupcakes, there were five additional classes compared to last year, amounting to a total of 34.
There were many kinds of classes. Some showed students learning techniques on how to pipe with buttercream (icing); and working with fondant and fabricating flower decorations. There were some where children could learn how to make cookies and cake pops. In addition, a special event happened on the Friday, where there was an eight-hour class where you could learn character sculpting, and taught to make your own character that looked like a Muppet on Sesame Street.
Free demos were given throughout the day. On Saturday, Danielle Magnant from Redpath, showed visitors practical techniques when working with fondant.
Leece Designs’ cupcake (Michael Jackson’s thriller). Photo by Nicole Yeba
The highlights of the Cake Show include the Charity Cupcake Challenge and the Live Challenge with a Halloween theme this year. The first one was on Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. where 24 contestants competed against one another for the best cupcakes. There were five different prize categories:
The contestants were either cupcake boutiques or people who love baking. They had to bring a minimum of 132 mini cupcakes.
Three teams of professionals had to build a Halloween themed cake in the Live Challenge for three hours on a Sunday afternoon.
Concordia alumni Alicia Barret of Leece Designs won the category of People’s Choice with her Reese peanut butter-flavoured cupcake. She won the category last year too, and her business became busier since she participated. “It’s better organized than last year,a lot more of traffic,” she said.
When asked if she would continue participating, she said that this edition would be her last. She said that it has become expensive and requires a lot of time to bake many cupcakes.
However, Barret would enjoy being a cake judge next year.
The phenomenon of the foodie is growing in big cities, especially in Montreal. There are so many food festivals in the city and food
Les Touilleurs is located at 152 Laurier Ave. W. (Photo Nicole Yeba)
trucks are also making a comeback. The term ‘foodie’ is used to refer to people who are aficionados in the field of food and drinks.
Located in the trendy Mile-End neighbourhood that is filled to the brim with cute restaurants, Les Touilleurs offers a range of kitchen appliances. With white walls and bright lighting, the cool atmosphere makes you feel welcome.
The kitchenware is strategically placed, with the colourful KitchenAid appliances and accessories attracting the eyes. It began as a partnership between Sylvain Côté and François Longpré. The former attended the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec and the latter was a comedian with a love for kitchen tools. They have been partners in business since 1998. The store opened in 2002 and a kitchen was added in 2005 when the local next door was free for rent.
Cooking workshops are offered with renowned Montreal chefs such as Stéphanie Labelle, who owns Pâtisserie Rhubarbe, Taverne Square Dominion’s chef Éric Dupuis and many others. The lessons are on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They last three hours; starting at 6:30 p.m. Prices for the current winter lessons are between $95 and $110.
“It is an intimate and exceptional night. You get a chef who gives you tips and shares laughs with you, which you would not get in a big class of 40 people,” said Côté. The maximum per class is 12 people and you can bring a bottle of wine to sip on while cooking the three to four recipes Les Touilleurs have prepared for you.
Schedules are posted two months before the season and you can sign up to receive them on their website through their mailing list. Côté makes it clear that early sign-up is a must — classes usually fill up seven to 10 days after the calendar is released.
The pair also launched a book for their 10-year anniversary in October called Les Touilleurs – Techniques gourmands.
They co-host a television show as well, airing on ARTV every Friday at 8 p.m. They discuss different aspects of gastronomy and have a chef who offers a culinary workshop.
On Oct. 27 and 28, Montreal had its first Cake Show and Design Competition at the Sports complex of Vanier College. For their first edition, it was surprisingly well organized and all proceeds went to the charitable organization Dans la Rue, which works with at-risk youth.
There were three different sections in separate rooms on the Saturday, and the main room had the cake exposition with over a dozen vendors.
The second room had the cupcake challenge from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The theme of the cupcakes was the ‘city of Montreal,’ which led to original flavours and decorations from the 19 participants.
Alicia Barrett of Leece Design is a Concordia alumni who works in graphic design and bakes in her free time. Her cupcakes were adorable and displayed on plates with a multitude of different frosting colours.
“I would rather do something well than not do it,” said Barrett. “I believe that you have to be passionate and devote your time.”
The third room had baking classes for both children and adults. A space was also arranged for people who wanted to sit and enjoy their treats. Both days had a total of 29 classes, with two classes for children under 11.
Paige McEachren, the event’s executive director, was thrilled that the event was a success and said that next year they might have to move locations, to accommodate an even bigger audience.
“At the precise instant of India’s arrival at independence, I tumbled forth into the world,” says Saleem Sinai in the 1981 novel Midnight’s Children written by acclaimed author Salman Rushdie.
These words are just a sampling of the prose and story that enchanted millions when the book was first released. The book has since been adapted into film by Oscar-nominated director Deepa Mehta and is set to be released in theaters Nov 2.
Midnight’s Children is an allegorical recounting of the historical events of India’s independence and its partition into two religious states: the Dominion of Pakistan and the Republic of India. It is told by Saleem, who was born exactly at the stroke of midnight on the day of India’s independence and is therefore exactly as old as the Republic.
In this fictionalized and fantastical rendering of India’s history, Saleem represents the entirety of India. His telepathic conference with the other children born at midnight the day of India’s independence reflects the political and personal conflicts that consumed citizens of India at the time. Saleem attempts to imbue his personal narrative with all the themes and stories of his country eventually overwhelms him and he disintegrates, much like the united country of India disintegrated during the partition.
According to Dr. Jill Didur, the chair of the department of English at Concordia, Saleem’s telepathy is meant to play on the Western idea of Indian mysticism.
“Saleem’s telepathic powers have been seen by critics as a gesture by Rushdie to appropriate Orientalist assumptions about Indian culture and satirize them through exaggeration [while] signaling them as a creative choice rather than simply reproducing a stereotype about India.”
The novel was extremely popular during its initial release in 1981 garnering itself the Booker Prize, the English Speaking Union Literary Award and the James Tait Prize. Furthermore it was also awarded the Best Of The Booker in 2008 when the Booker committee was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the award.
Midnight’s Children is considered groundbreaking in its use of an imagined form of Indian English —a mix of accented English and Hindu, its employment of magic realism to relate historical events and its postmodern literary style. The novel integrates the past and the present and spans a great number of years, beginning in 1915. It will be interesting to see whether the master craftsmanship of Rushdie’s writing can be effectively translated into the medium of film.
Vegetarian Thai restaurant ChuChai makes for a calm and modern dining experience. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin
Editor’s Intro
Whether it’s a food trend, a generational thing, or the number of studies we are bombarded with on the health risks of red meat, there is no denying that vegetarianism is spreading across Canada. According to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s “Canadian Food Trends to 2020,” citizens have become more cautious as to what they are eating, continually increasing their consumption of meatless meals. Restaurant owners and media outlets, like the Food Network, are paying attention to this shift in healthy living, incorporating vegetarian options on their menu and teaching viewers how they can prepare a healthy, meatless meal in under 20 minutes. Even Mario Batali, a well-know American-Italian chef who is no stranger to a great piece of prosciutto, has integrated Meatless Monday options to 14 of his restaurants. While we’re not expecting everyone to take on a vegetarian lifestyle, there are delicious ways to incorporate some meatless meals in your omnivorous diet; here are few of our favourite choices around Montreal!
Chow down at ChuChai
Andrew Guilbert
Staff Writer
ChuChai is back in business after a long reconstruction period that started way back in February, and Montreal vegetarians are grateful for its return.
Vegetarian Thai restaurant ChuChai makes for a calm and modern dining experience. Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin
This restaurant sells itself as Thai vegetarian food with an upscale feel and a wine list to match. Though the menu can seem pricey to the uninitiated (meals run from 12$ to 20$), the unique presentation and intimate atmosphere make for a dining experience that accentuates the calm, modern vibe that goes hand in hand with chef Lily Sirikittikul’s creations.
The main attraction here is the series of “fake meat” dishes you can order; fish, duck, beef, chicken and shrimp are all reproduced in both taste and texture through the magic of soy, seitan and various vegetables coming together.
The simulacrum is so uncanny that a vegetarian friend of mine recounted how he once shocked an acquaintance of his by inviting him out to ChuChai and chowing down on the fake meat in front of his incredulous dinner guest. A personal favorite is the duck in red curry with pineapple, tomato and basil, which comes drizzled and stepped with a liberal amount of sweet, tangy sauce that demand you order an extra rice bowl just to finish it off.
The main courses aren’t the only draw to this modern St-Denis eatery; the appetizers are a brilliant amalgamation of oriental tastes, vibrant colors and simple, delicate presentation. Warranting particular note is the award winning Miam Kram, a unique combination of tastes like ginger, lemon and peanuts is served on a leaf you fold around the piled ingredients and pop into your mouth. It makes for a fresh, crisp morsel you won’t find the likes of anywhere else on the island.
ChuChai is located on 4088 Saint Denis St.
Aux Vivres deceives the palate
Andrew Guilbert
Staff writer
Aux Vivres was my go-to place during my lean, vegan years and despite my relapse into the world of carnivorism, it remains a mainstay
of my restaurant rotation. Why, you ask? Because it’s not a good vegan restaurant; it’s a good restaurant that just so happens to be vegan.
Vegan restaurant Aux Vivres serves veggie bowls, burgers, salads and soul food. Photo by Madelayne Hajek
The menu features a wide selection under different sections; veggie bowls, burgers, salads, soul food, sandwiches and smoothies, ranging between $10 and $20. Whatever piques your fancy, you can find something to your liking.
There’s also a detailed tea list with a dozen different brews to choose from, as well as a dessert menu that features a fantastic “uncheescake” that will make you wonder how they can make this stuff without cream.
If you’re curious about their vegan cuisine, I recommend the BLT on chapati bread. The ‘B’ in this case is a coconut confection made to resemble, but not reproduce, the texture of bacon. What makes this sandwich truly remarkable, however, is the faux mayonnaise they use to lend it a nice, moist counterpoint to the hard crunch of fresh lettuce and coconut bacon. It’s enough to warrant suggesting they enter the commercial market with an “I can’t believe it’s not mayo!” product of some sort.
If Asian cuisine is more your thing, give the Macro bowl a try. A generous serving of steamed spinach, sauerkraut, bok choy, wakame, sprouts, miso-tahini sauce and grilled tofu or tempeh makes for an impressive amount of food that will leave you satisfied, but won’t leave you feeling bloated.
Aux Vivres is located on 4631 Saint Laurent Boulevard.
Lola Rosa gets creative with veggies
Marta Barnes
Contributor
Lola Rosa café is one of those places for vegetarians and carnivores alike. it’s not just that their food is amazing for veggie monsters, it’s
Photo from Flickr.
that this food is just plain amazing and should be added as a point of pilgrimage for all Montrealers.
Their menu is a long list of imaginative dishes like tomato pie, hempburger, and the Rosa salad with chickpeas, oranges, feta cheese and hot peppers. With that said, their most popular choices are quesadillas, three cheese and spinach lasagna, and the quiche of the day which is always a fail-safe for the indecisive.
The quiche, served with a side of rice and salads, is wholesome with a crust that would give your French-Canadian grandmother envie. They have an excellent take on quesadillas as well, which taste more like they’re folded with a crepe rather than your run-of-the-mill corn tortilla.
If put to a vote though, the best has to be the lasagna, a generous portion of baked cheese melting in and over creamy layers of spinach and pasta. All is mid-priced, averaging around $12 a dish.
For dessert, the absolute standout is the seasonal pumpkin pie. The filling is velvety, halfway between a pie and a cheesecake, but it is the pressed sesame seed crust that makes it a superstar among pumpkin pastries. Dusted with cinnamon and served à la mode, the pie absorbs the senses so thoroughly, even the rowdiest table crowd will fall silent for the first few bites.
As for a quick appreciation of the décor, the wood paneling, chalkboards, cushions, and worn wood furniture packed close together give it an easy-going, yet carefully styled bohemian vibe. Don’t forget to leave a note behind in one of the hidden drawers!
Lola Rosa is located on 545 Milton St.
Bonnys is a humble, earthly, hidden gem
Nicole Yeba
Contributor
When I stepped inside Bonnys, I noticed a wall that consisted of long branches of wood and speakers inside a small log near the ceiling.
The boca burger at Bonnys restaurant. Photo by Nicole Yeba.
With only 12 tables, the restaurant has a very intimate atmosphere. The wood, plants, and shades of green and yellow give the room an earthy feel. They have reusable tablecloths rather than paper napkins which are only used once, perfectly suitable for such a restaurant.
I ordered a platter of the boca burger, which consists of a homemade chickpea flour and black bean burger. It’s served with an avalanche of fresh salsa, cheddar cheese, organic sour cream and sliced avocado. The platter comes with a large chef’s salad and nachos. The burger is covered with salsa, making it almost impossible to eat without utensils.
I had never tried a vegetarian burger before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was very good and extremely filling. With taxes, it was roughly $16, so not cheap, but worth it if you’re willing to splurge a little.
Owner Bonnie Tees wasn’t at the restaurant so I chatted with one of her employees, Jazmine Johansson. She has been working at Bonnys for three years now, and is a fellow Concordia student. When I asked her about the clientele, she informed me that they are mostly regulars. Some customers even go daily to buy their lunch. Johansson mentioned that the crowd is older, with few students and she said she doesn’t understand why.
In my opinion, the lack of young clients might be due to the fact that Bonnys is located in an uncommon area for students. Overall, we could both agree that the restaurant is a hidden gem for veggie lovers!
If ever you feel a desire for Polish cuisine, I recommend heading over to Euro Polonia.
It’s a cute and tiny place that could fit a maximum of 16 people. It has a rustic ambiance that makes you feel at ease. I loved the decorations on the wall, which I’d expect to see in a Polish household. The setup of the wooden tables and chairs gives it more of a café vibe than a restaurant. Euro Polonia offers homemade soups and some deli meats for takeout, as well as a catering service.
My friend ordered cheese and potato perogies and a sausage sandwich, and I had a soup, meat perogies, and a sausage sandwich.
For those who don’t know, perogies are semi-circular shaped dumplings that are traditionally stuffed with meat, cheese, potatoes or sauerkraut. They are made with unleavened dough, which contains no yeast, allowing it to rise. They can be served boiled, fried or baked. Originally from Eastern Europe, perogies can be eaten as an appetizer, a main dish or a even dessert.
Photo by writer
The server brought me the pickle soup and explained that they make their own pickles. There is a video they on their website on how they are made. The soup tasted good, if a bit vinegary. At the end of it, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish all my perogies.
Our main dishes came with six perogies. They were boiled and topped with small pieces of onions. They were served with marinated cabbage and sour cream. The perogies were hot, soft and tasted incredibly delicious – a little piece of heaven in every bite. Although both fillings were tasty, we prefered the cheese and potato perogies.
With little stomach room left for our sandwiches, we took them to go and enjoyed them later on in the day. The combination between the sausage, cabbage salad and Dijon mustard was delectable.
Mrs. Yagoda, the sole chef, is also the mother of the owner. She is one of the friendliest and nicest women I have met. Her recipes have been passed down through many generations of women in her family. She assured us that her soups are her own recipes.
Everything was fairly-priced too. There is the option of ordering a trio which includes a drink, a soup, and the choice of either a sandwich or perogies, ranging from $7.95 to $12.95.
Overall, having been to other polish restaurants, I can say without a doubt that this one had better food and a friendlier service.
