REVIEW: Maharaja Buffet- ***1/2 / $

Maharaja is a buffet and most likely Montreal's best deal. As Indian cuisine goes, it's not all that inventive, and it's of bad-to-excellent quality, but there's just so much of it that you can't help but find something you like, and the price is beyond unbeatable. At $15 Canadian, this is, without doubt, the best deal in all of Montreal. It's best on weekdays, for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday cost $17, and lunch is $12, instead of $11.

The dining area is huge, so there's rarely a wait. And even if there is a wait, they get people in and out very quickly, so it's short. The dining area is well decorated. They have some nice touches, even though many of them are Wal*Mart chic, such as the paintings on the wall. I especially liked the giant, golden hookah.

The selection is so large it's pointless to to try and pick standouts. Most importantly, who cares? It's a buffet! Here, you can try everything and I recommend you do. Some of it is dodgey. Some of the chicken is very dry, and the cuts of meat aren't the best, but the recipes are all very good. Very importantly, they are not timid. There is no shortage of spice in these dishes and I loved it. Still, if you want grander presentation and higher quality ingredients, you may want to try Gandhi or Le Taj. Especially Le Taj, which doesn't up the evening's cost too much but provides better food in almost equally large amounts.

But complaining about the quality of certain foods is irrelevant. This is a buffet and you don't come here to be a gourmet. You come here to eat and to do so cheaply. And as buffets go, this is one of the best. When in Montreal, a trip to Maharaja is a must. It's dirt cheap and the food is very good. Selection is amazing. And the satisfaction of stuffing yourself silly with naan and tandoori chicken is something that will stay with you for some time.

Majaraja Buffet: ***1/2
Price range for two: $15-$20

http://www.buffetmaharaja.com/

1481 René-Lévesque Bld. West,
Montréal, QC H3G 1T8
514-934-0655

Hours
Daily 11:00am to 11:00pm

REVIEW: Carlos & Pepe's- ***1/2 / $$

I love living in the United States. I love it because pretty much nowhere else on Earth are you going to find the mind boggling selection of foods available as we have them here. Even Montreal, a city I love, and also a city in very close proximity to the US, does not have the wide selection of foods available even in a small, and generally crappy, city like Providence. What Montreal needs is a little dash of spice.

Thankfully, Carlos and Pepe's delivers that spice. They sell themselves as Montreal's number one Mexican restaurant and bar. They should probably just say Montreal's ONLY Mexican restaurant and bar. Ok, it's not that bad. Montreal actually has a handful of them. Some of them are pretty good, and one of them may even be better than Carlos & Pepe's, but we'll discuss that later.

Carlos & Pepe's has a fantastic interior. It's like they went back in time and kidnapped a very tacky interior decorator from Tenochtitlan. It's great. It's so tacky, it works. The service is a well-oiled machine, and it damn well better be. Almost every night they're pushed to the breaking point by a constant stream of people. The waits can sometimes be pretty nasty, so I'd recommend just avoiding it altogether on Friday and Saturday. They also have the best specials on weekdays.

The seats and table dress are all very good. I was especially impressed by the fantastic lighting. It really sets the mood. There is also a pub upstairs that is... a pub. Basically, it's a good pub to go to since you can get the full menu upstairs as well as down. There drinks are big, colorful, full of booze, and reasonably priced. Definitely a good bar.

The nachos brought to the table are tasty and the salsa is good. No complaints there. The menu is very large and has a wide variety of Tex-Mex foods. It's all pretty basic. Nothing amazing. The prices are all excellent. Tacos are a good standby, as is the burrito. The chimichangas are what I usually get, but that probably says more about my love of chimichangas than the quality.

My major complaint is the lack of spice. I once ordered something that had a chili pepper next to it, denoting hot, and it was rather bland. I don't know if they're playing to the audience in Montreal, but what they call spicy is not what I call spicy. Other problems include tough meats that are sometimes overcooked, and stuff that should be cheesy being almost totally devoid of cheese. Minor complaints, I feel. Still, Carlos & Pepe's needs to step it up if they want to be compared favorably on all levels to Casa de Mateo. The nearby competitor is better in many ways, even though it has less than half the character of C&P's. It's food quality is usually higher, and their recipes take more chances with spice.

Also worth mentioning is La Iguana. There, Semi-traditional Tex-Mex is melded with a sort of Caribbean touch. It's very nice, but I'm not interested in that. I want Tex-Mex and only Tex-Mex. I want it hot as hell and I want steak, and for that, C&P's goes head-to-head with Casa de Mateo for dominance. No other place even compares to these two. C&P's has the larger menu and more character, but Casa de Mateo counters with better recipes and better food. I lean towards C&P's and, when in Montreal, usually found myself eating there if I wanted Tex-Mex. That could be because my Hotel was always closer to C&P's, but proximity aside, Carlos & Pepe's is a great Tex-Mex place in its own right and certainly worthy of a trip. But if it kicked it up a notch, it could be something very special.

Carlos & Pepe's: ***1/2
Price range for two: $25-50

http://www.carlosandpepes.com/en/

1420 Rue Peel
Montreal, QC H3A 1S8
514-288-3090

Hours
Monday through Thursday 11:30am to 1am
Friday and Saturday 11:30am to 2:00am
Sunday 11:30am to 12:30am

REVIEW: Café République- ***1/2 / $$

I love Montreal. I'm not sure why. As far as cities go, it's pretty. It's clean. It has its fair share of homeless. Maybe it's the French/English mix that enchants me. Or maybe it's that whenever I go, by chance, I wander into some of the best restaurants they have to offer. I wandered into Chez La Mere Michel. I wandered into Toque!. With absolutely no knowledge, I simply amble into some of the world's most fantastic restaurants.

Café République may not be world-class, but it's damned good, and my favorite place for a night of coffee and cake with friends while roaming the length of St. Catherine Street. Or Peel Street. Or a number of other streets. Actually, Café République is scattered all over Montreal. The locations are operated separately and provide different decor and personality. The food selection is very similar and all provide a wide selection of coffee and alcoholic drinks.

All four locations are decorated very nicely. Dark wood tones give you a comfy feeling that goes well with a warm cappuccino or espresso. Lighting is muted, warm, and romantic. The Saint Catherine location especially provides a fabulous view of the street by which to people-watch. Tables are dressed nicely and everything is is polished and clean. The Peel location also offers a raw-wood feel with many plants and wicker-like decorations.

The Peel location is situated right next door to the new location of the Peel Pub. It's much nicer, with vastly superior food. If you're on the hunt for breakfast, the slightly more expensive food is immaterial. République is it. Those breakfasts are large and use wonderfully fresh ingredients. Preparation is as good as it could get. Nothing too inventive, mind you, but all very good. All five locations now offer breakfast.

A dinner menu is available, but it's only good. Everything is competently prepared, with good ingredients and the such. Prices are also reasonable, but there are a great many other restaurants in the city at which I think I'd rather have dinner. Still, if you choose to eat here, you won't be wasting your money. Their paninis are very strong and their soup special is usually quite tasty.

The real attraction for me is the coffee and desserts. They have some of the best desserts in Montreal. Chocolate cake, mousse, tiramisu, and a wide variety of cheesecakes combine to provide a selection that is almost without peer in the whole of the city. The coffee is also excellent. It's consistently among the best I drink when visiting, and I drink a lot of coffee when visiting. Cappuccinos are perfectly steamed, with a delicate foam that tickles the lips. The roast is nice and dark. They also have a wide selection of liqueurs which can be mixed to give you a real late-night warm up during the cold winters.

For breakfast, Café République is very good. If I lived in Montreal I'm sure I would become a frequent visitor. Dinner is good. But the coffee, oh the coffee and the cake. Those are excellent. If you find yourself in the area, make sure to stop in for a cappuccino and a cheesecake. You will not be disappointed.

P.S.
Since writing my review, I've read a number of horror stories about varying quality between the locations. The bulk of my experiences were at the Peel location and the St. Catherine location. I never found either place to be anything but good.

Café République: ***1/2
Price range for two: $15-$40(C)


1200 RUE PEEL
MONTRÉAL, QC H3B 2T6, Canada
514-875-1200

93 STE CATHERINE O
MONTRÉAL, QC H2X 1Z7, Canada
514-840-0000

1051 AVENUE BERNARD
OUTREMONT, QC H2V 1V1, Canada
514-277-0502

1429 RUE CRESCENT
MONTRÉAL, QC H3G 2B2, Canada
514-845-5999

3563 BOULEVARD SAINT-LAURENT
MONTRÉAL, QC H2X 2T6, Canada
514-840-9044

Hours
Breakfast: Daily 7:00am to 11:30am
Dinner: Daily 7:00am to 1:00am

REVIEW: The Peel Pub- ** / $

The Peel Pub is a popular dining location for tourists in Montreal. With almost any tourist package you would receive coupons for free breakfasts. These breakfasts consist of some kind of toast, two eggs, and bacon or sausage. A pretty good deal for a free coupon. Unfortunately, past that is where the problems begin.

The Peel Pub used to be on, get this, Peel Street, or Rue Peel. It changed locations about a year back, which confused the hell out of me on my most recent visit. Unlike before, it’s no longer underground, which means light actually gets inside. The inside is all pub. This place is a sports bar through and through, and is backed up by somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,370 televisions. They show the widest variety of sports I’ve ever seen in a bar. One visit I saw soccer from God-knows-where on one television with figure skating on another. They are an equal opportunity sports bar, to be sure. Other than that, the décor is neither good nor bad.

Service is a sore spot for me and my entourage. It has been great at times and yet other times utterly abysmal. I wonder if, upon presentation of our free-breakfast coupons, they just immediately relegate us to a status one step above a bum. This is entirely unacceptable. A free breakfast is not worth being treated like dirt. Moreover, not included with the breakfast is any sort of drink. The cappuccino was crap and the serving of orange juice we received for $2(C) was far too small. We would have to spend six dollars or more on OJ alone to feel satisfied.

Breakfast out and it’s decent. Nothing special, but at least it’s edible. And here’s a tip, in Montreal, they DO NOT know what eggs-over-hard is. If you want the yolks broken, ask for that. The juice is alright, and everything is cooked competently. I also can’t argue with the cheap prices for most breakfast items. Still, the horrid service is inexcusable. As a bar, the Peel Pub excels. Their drink menu is vast, with over forty varieties of beer in bottle and about ten beers on tap. Combined with the cheap dinner menu, I can only imagine that this would be a delightful place to have drinks and watch the game. But as a restaurant and breakfast place, The Peel Pub is barely adequate.

The Peel Pub: **
Price range for two: $10-$20(C)

http://www.peelpub.com

The Peel Pub
1196, Peel Street
Montreal, Qc
514-844-7296

Hours
Breakfast: Daily 7am to 11:30am
Lunch & Dinner: Daily 7am to 2am

Review: Chez La Mere Michel- ***** / $$$$$

Montreal is well known for having some fantastic restaurants. Reviews by Zagat, AAA, and Frommer's can't seem to lavish enough praise onto eateries such as the casino-anchored Nuances, the brilliance of Toqué!, or the inventiveness of Le Chevre. The worthiness of such praise notwithstanding, they're all missing a gem which left me giddy. Chez La Mere Michele is, currently, my favorite restaurant in Montreal.

You don't get that impression, initially. Nestled in an old house on a remarkably quiet road, there was no fancy architecture to warn me of what lay inside. It even had its menu in an aged, wooden box outside to tempt walkers-by. I, in my usual street clothes, interested by the French-inental cuisine inside, wandered in.

There is a coat check-in area, which leads to a maître d', and finally the dining area. The dining area is glorious. Flawless table dress, sumptuous lighting choices, and decorative touches that are so genuine, so hard to find elsewhere, that I would dare you to find a nicer dining area outside of Versailles. I don't consider this an exaggeration.

My dinner partner and I were greeted warmly, with flawless panache the waiter led us to our table. Only after sitting down did I realize how wonderful this whole scenario was. He did not judge, or at least he hid any semblance of it, and sat us with nary a look. We looked around at the other diners, and sitting in our street clothes, realized how horribly out of place we were. This was a very nice place. The professionalism and utter tact of the waiter was exemplified by how he did not place us in some far-off corner, away from other guests, or turn us away. The menu placed outside was not some off-handed gesture. They meant it. You CAN just walk in. Whether you feel out of place or not, I guess that's your problem.

Without a hiccup, he sat us, and with the flourishes of a classically trained waiter, he gave us our menus, the specials, and off he went. I was so impressed with the service. Speechless. Speechless about covers my initial feelings. Every move, every word, every stance was perfectly chosen. As our appetizers came out, that this was a traditional restaurant was further confirmed, when he brought out a serving tray loaded with various food stuffs and he commenced preparing our salads and appetizers by the table. As per the traditional blueprint, the waiter was a part of the establishment; critical to its operation and immensely skilled.

The dinner breads were wonderful and freshly cooked, and by the gods, they gave us butter. Living down in uber-hip Providence has made something as simple as getting butter, as opposed to some shallow dish of oil and spice, a treat. My dining partner ordered the Swiss cheese souffle which was, for her, nearly beyond words. Airy, crispy, creamy. The textures and flavors danced a jig all over our palates. I ordered a crab cake special which was, sigh, almost without peer. It was the best crab cake I have ever eaten. I've had some excellent crab cakes in Rhode Island, but thanks to the precedent set by Baltimore, American crab cakes are almost always soft. I like my crab cakes with a crisp and a crunch to their outside that I just can't get here. This cake had it. Chunks of fresh crab meat mixed with some powerful spices, and voila, Captain Planet.

For entrees, we both couldn't resist a filet mignon with bernaise sauce. I so rarely can find bernaise sauce on filets, nowadays. It's so frequently some weird concoction of butter, or spices, or something involving a wine reduction sauce. Give me bernaise! And boy did they. They gave me the best bernaise I've ever had. It was thick, exploding with tarragon, and slowly melted into a thinner sauce over the heat of the steak. Combined with a perfectly(!) cooked filet, it was the best filet mignon I've ever had. It came with a vegetable arrangement that was, as with everything else, perfectly cooked. None of this blanched nonsense that's so popular. These vegetables were COOKED. Steamed, with just a little bit of snap left to them.

Desserts were a frozen mousse for my partner and an orange rum tart for me. The frozen mousse was unique and delicious. Call me a traditionalist, though, for I prefer my mousse upright and unfrozen. My tart was a bit of a disappointment. The rum and oranges conspired to give the tart an overpowering taste which squelched the divine custard underneath. After scraping off some of the rum-soaked oranges so only a couple remained, the excellence of the creaminess below was able to come out and I think wistfully of it now.

As with any restaurant about which I actually dream, especially one with French cuisine, Chez la Mere Michel must be compared to Basil's. And there is some give and take between the two. Michel's has a wider and more inventive selection of entrees, but the continental cuisine available at Basil's offers a wider selection of tastes. The quality of the two is generally a wash, but Michel's filet was undeniably better. Appetizers such as the cheese souffle collide head-on with Basil's fantastic fettuccine alfredo and stuffed artichokes. In only one area does a winner emerge completely; Basil's wine list is better.

Still, the magnificence of the dining area, the perfect professionalism of the waiter, the mind-blowing filet, and the completeness of the rest of the package push Chez la Mere Michel into a small lead. The praise lavished on Toque! may be worth it. The inventiveness of Le Chevre is undeniable. And the entrees at Michel's are a bit traditional. But when traditional is done so well, and traditional is traditional because it's frequently hard to do that, there's nothing quite like it. If you find yourself anywhere near Montreal, forget all others. Go to Chez la Mere Michel.

Chez la Mere Michel: *****
Price range for two: $100+(C) $100+(US)

http://www.chezlameremichel.com

1209 Rue Guy
Montreal, Quebec
H3H 2K5
514-934-0473 (Reservations recommended)

Hours
Lunch: Tuesday through Friday 12:00-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday through Saturday 5:30-10:30pm