Hotel Review: Le Westin (Montreal)

The front steps of Le Westin on St. Antoine Ouest, Montreal, QC

Checking in as their SPG member, your treatment is significantly better. And here's a taste:

With your SPG, you will be able to access their Executive Lounge. Note: They always have a small variety of fresh fruits and unlimited drinks.

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But let's talk more about the rooms. 

It's been written (on Yelp & their website) that their beds are "heavenly".  And I must attest to it as well. It's not too soft and it's not firm, but just right (-said Goldilocks).

Towels and toiletries are well stocked. However, I did find that the lotion was only okay, not as creamy or smooth. My favorite part of the "bathroom heaven" is the robe! It's not as heavy and towel-like as the Ritz, but it's light and oh-so-comfy!

I've only started to notice that almost all the hotels I've been to (in the last 1.5 yrs) have also provided this service for "forgotten items". But Westin takes the cake. They have a "Westin Kids Club items".

 

And for the happy coffee-lover, each room greets their guests with Starbucks coffee with matching Starbucks/Westin combo cups to "take away" (as the European call it).

Le Westin Montreal also houses the restaurant, gaZette. Along with the SPG membership, they give a complimentary breakfast buffet (ends at 11:00am). Otherwise, for all other guests, the buffet is roughly $20-30.

The service at gaZette is very nice but a little slow. The waiters are very professional and always smiling. The food here is also top notch. Along with their fresh fruit bar, they've got the brie and cheese and tiered selection of pastries and the rest of the breakfast bunch. 

Another wonderful SPG alert - H A P P Y . H O U R (5-7pm)

 We sit, we get into the happy hour... and then..... we eat & drink!

Smoked and fresh salmon tartar (Caviar and lemon creme fraiche, $12) 

 Crispy spicy chicken wings (Blue cheese dipping sauce, $11) (photos above)

Sparkling wine, Prosecco (Italy, $14)

Beef carpaccio (Cipollini onions, black garlic, beech mushrooms, reggiano cheese & extra virgin olive oil, $12)

And to go tapas:

Mini antipasti (Local cheese,, grilled mixed vegetables & proscuitto, $10)

Mini angus sliders (Cheddar cheese served with regular & sweet potato fries, $13)

Taste of all the tapas was *MUAH* good! The sparkling wine was sweet, the brie was divine, the beef carpaccio was melt in your mouth with a tint of sweetness from the onion and the chicken wings were very spicy. My own disappointment, if I can even say that (after all that good food), the mini sliders were a bit dry and bland. But everything else was a very tasteful happy hour experience.

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Service: 6/5, friendly and professional

Price: $$$

Environment: modern and clean

Location: next to Old Montreal (closest subway station: Place -D'Armes)

Overall, a 5/5 experience

Food Review: Cafe Mirage

Brunch time at the Sheppard location is nice and quiet... that is until 12pm when all the business men and woman come down for lunch. Afterwards, the place is loud and full.

This is my go-to place whenever I want to stay uptown and eat when it's not breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Today's order was a Montreal Lox

Montreal Lox: Our jumbo twister bagel topped with smoked Norwegian salmon, fresh cream cheese, and red onions.

One very bad thing that didn't seem to be included was "dressing". Therefore the salad tasted like dry yuck. Still, I ate it for it's nutritional factoid but I was extremely disappointed that they did not have it included.

The sandwich, because it was "jumbo", they gave a very generous portion of cream cheese and smoked salmon. Points for that! 

Overall, today's meal rates at 2.8/5

Food Review: Frais Cafe & Sandwiches (Montreal)

In the heart of the financial district, this cute little cafe, just off Cote du Beaver Hall/Rue de la Gauchetiere Ouest, is nestled along the string of other restaurants for busy workers around the area.

Having a late lunch, we pleasantly skipped the rush hour, but that also meant another thing:

Not much of a variety left. =0(

But the staff was very nice and very helpful. Out of the three we got the Chorizo Epice panini (sausage with cheese and red peppers, $8,95)

The cafe itself is very cute. It's small with a modern decorum.

There's a small amount of tables in the front and a big open space by the cash and bar. 

As a lover of anything made into a sandwich, this panini was very tasty. The sausage used was very good with a hint of spice. 

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Food Review: Vallier (Montreal)

At the most west edge of Old Montreal, I stumbled upon a very cute looking french restaurant called Vallier.

Just off of McGill Street, My friend and I head over to Vallier for a late dinner.

It's a dim-lit restaurant with very classical light decorations. The space looks quite large, but at the time, there weren't many patrons as it was after 9:00pm.

I've always avoided french food only for the fact that it's so expensive. However, being in a french city, it seemed crazy not to try out a couple of their traditional french restaurants. The prices weren't through the roof, but it was above the usual. 

We decided to order an appetizer, entree and a dessert together. (It was more than enough as well very very rich tasting)

My friend is a lover of chicken wings, so we got a a plate of Ailes de poulet avec sauce BBQ-Jack Daniels (6 for $8/12 for $14). Somehow, I simply skipped the dipping sauce and ate the wings. The wings were lightly salted and very crispy without all that oil in my mouth. 

For our main meal, we had a very rich entree. It's Raviolis de Portabella, canard effiloche confit, jus de viande, creme, echalote grise, champignons de paris, haricots verts, parmesan, roquette a l'huile d'herbes (otherwise known as: Portabella raviolis, pulled duck confit, meat juices, cream, gray shallot, mushrooms, green beans, parmesan, arugula with herb oil, $27).

This was a very very creamy dish. I loved it! It felt so delicious in my mouth that I have no words to best describe it. The pull duck confit with the meat juices and the greens made for a perfect combination of great tasting flavours. The duck was tender and the greens were well cooked. The sauce was probably the main ingredient. It definitely upstaged the whole dish. A++ 

And for our decadent meal, we topped it off with a very special dessert, a favorite among many... the cheesecake. =0)

It's called Le meilleur cheesecake en ville, servi avec caramel au beurre sale et coulis de fruits (translation: the best cheesecake in town, served with salted butter caramel and fruit coulis, $8)

This was no light, fluffy sweet, it was, like the entree, thick and creamy with a very sweet taste from the caramel and fruit coulis. It was a very good cheesecake.

Service: 3/5

Location: Old Montreal

Taste: 4.5/5

Atmosphere: Quiet, intimate, romantic setting

Price: $$$

Overall, I had a very tasteful meal. I would go there again!

McDonald's $1 speciality drinks

Hey everyone,

If you haven't already seen the signs or the commercial, McCafe specialty drinks (coffee-based drinks) will be only $1.00 (small only) starting February 7-17, 2013.

McDONALDs

McCafe..........$1(small)

February 7-17, 2013. 

Get them while it's hot! 

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Food Review: Sunrise Korean Restaurant

This smaller than usual Korean restaurant, located in the heart of k-town at Manning/Bloor St. West, is where the talk should be at.

The place may be small, but the food and portions are BIG.

They've got  the standard number of side dishes

After doing take-out once, I had to come back and eat in to see it for myself.

I ordered the Stir fried spicy bulgogi with sliced squid and vegetables with steamed rice ($7.00)

The price is absolutely a value compared to the portion given.

My spicy bulgogi was perfectly seasoned. I'm shy with spice, but the spice on it was made just right and it even helped make my dish that much more delicious tasting. I could brag about this dish, but I think I'm just going to go back and try their others.

And you can with the prices they slap on. On their regular menu, their most expensive entrees are only $9.00.

It was so big, I could not finish, but of course, I did take it home for my dinner!

I think I've found my latest hang out spot for the rest of the year! There's so much more on the menu to try, so it will probably take me the whole year! lol.

Overall, I rate this place 4.8/5

Location: Christie/Bloor Street West (east of Christie, south side)

Atmosphere: Small but clean

Service/staffing: 1 waitress, not as quick service

Price: Amazing deals, $