Montreal: Foreign Flair Close By

A colleague from work asked me if Montreal was a Drinking City. The profound answer is Yes. But it is also a Walking City. And a Historical City. And a Fun City. Check out the fun on St. Catherine Street and Crescent Street, but not exclusively. (A local told me he much prefers the bars and cafes of St. Denis.) Also, make sure to check out Vieux Montreal. And stay there if you can. It is French in atmosphere and architecture. Peruse the shops. You are bound to find something that you like. And wherever you are, do stop and have a drink -- a Molson Ex, or a chocolat chaud, or vin rouge, or coffee, or water, or Coke. But slow down. Take it all in. And hang with the people you went to hang with. And try to speak French. Bonjour and Merci seem to go a long way even if you are answered in English! Check out a hockey game, even if you don't like hockey. We saw the Habs play the Toronto Maple Leafs. None of us had anything vested in the outcome, but it was a great couple of hours.

Quick Tips:

Make reservations at Queue de Cheval, one of the greatest steakhouses on the planet. (See review.) Also, Tremblant is a ski resort outside of the city with a ranch about an hour and 15 out of the city. They take you on a Land Rover tour. Do It! (See review.) So much of Montreal is exploring. You can hike Mont Royal and reward yourself with a great view of the city. You can take in the natural beauty of the Botanical Gardens. It's incredible. You can go on a pub crawl and eat incredible food wherever you are! Have a drink at the bar at the Hotel Nelligan. Oh. And the people who live in Montreal love talking about their city.

Best Way To Get Around:

The flight from Boston is less than 90 minutes (and can be purchased for less than .) I would recommend that. As long as you are staying downtown or in Old Montreal, you don't need a car as the Metro is great and cabs are frequent. To travel to the Ranch at Tremblant, I would recommend a car. But the best way to check the palce out (even in the cold) is by walking!

It is odd that I am submitting an entry because I did not stay at the hotel. I did, however, experience the hotel.

My buddies were driving back to NY and I had a few hours before my flight back to Boston, so I stopped here to have my last glass of wine in Montreal. And I walked into an Experience.

The hotel is two older buildings - one an apartment building and one an old warehouse - that were conjoined to form the boutique hotel. The restaurant bar (the restaurant is called Verses as Nelligan is a famous Canadian poet) is nestled into what would have been the alley between the buildings. Sitting there, one can see the exteriors of each of the old buildings brought together by a skylight above. The lobby, bar, and restaurant all beg you to sit down, relax and take it all in. If you find Patrick or Gillenne at the bar, you will be doubly pleased as their demeanor makes you feel like you are a long-lost friend. And perhaps, at the Hotel Nelligan, everyone is a long lost friend. I had a glass of a San Felice Chianti, which was amazing. But as Patrick promised they were changing the wine list, you may be hard pressed to find it!

I was fortunate to have a tour of the hotel. The rooms were just as inviting - maybe more - than the rest of the hotel. The exposed brick motif carries through reminding you that you are in a hip and happening place. The perceived comfort of the bed, the soothing CD player, and efficient and stylish desk reminded you that you are in a place where you will have no needs; they will all be attended to. The bathroom confirms this. One room had one of the largest glass-enclosed showers I have ever seen. Outside the shower, of course, was a jacuzzi.

I told Jean the concierge that I would be back this winter to ski. And I know now, without a doubt, where I will stay. Enjoy!

No visit to Montreal is complete without dinner at Queue de Cheval. Pricey. But worth every dime. Built in a converted bank, this high-end steak restaurant welcomes one to come in and eat well and drink well. The lights are low, the decor is dark and the center staircase ascends above an open kitchen with the requisite open flame. From the moment you enter, you know you are in for an experience. The fact that 19 people say "Bon soir, Monsieur" before you sit down reinforces this.

The service is impeccable. The dining room, even when crowded, is a bastion of intimacy. Never will you hear anyone at the next table. Always, there will be a staff member ready to pour your wine. (Rarely will you see him before he does.)

When dining here, one should be prepared to go full tilt. Wine -- go for the good stuff -- Dinner -- they show you your own cut of meat -- Dessert -- you won't be able to say No. Just say Yes. At my last experience, three of us shared a Caesar salad for two, a J. Lohr Cabernet, I had a 10 oz. filet, one friend had veal, and another a Kansas cut of steak (it was big.) We finished with a decadent white chocolate cheese cake. Our wallets were lighter. But we were happy. And with the exchange rate, it's actually quite reasonable. Bon appetit!

Verses is the restaurant in the Hotel Nelligan, which is my new favorite place in Montreal. (See separate review.) The dining experience lives up to its surroundings, which are stunning. The hotel is comprised of two older buildings which have been conjoined. The exposed brick and stone is authentic. The Verses bar is located in the atrium, which would have been the alley way, I presume. Near the bar are several small tables and semi-private booths where one can enjoy drinks and/or dinner. Dinner tables are on the other side. The food is quite good. I had guinea fowl, which seems to be a cross between a Cornish game hen and a pheasant. It's very good. And the server and some other dining patrons entered an interesting linguistics game when I queried them about my vegetables. In French, they are navettes, I need to check the English, she said. Turned out, I was eating turnips with my fowl. The only slight disappointment was the salmon starter which, unexpectedly to me, was served uncooked. Other than that, food, service, and ambience is exquisite. Go soon and enjoy!

This is an incredible experience to get out of the city and enjoy a fantasitc adventure. The drive to the Ranch is about an hour and 15 minutes from Old Montreal. So worth it. We took the 10:30 tour.

My two friends and I were met by our guide Daniel and one of the greatest Great Danes you will ever see. He stayed at the ranch.

For about two hours we three followed Daniel and another guide through logging roads, the forest, and sand pits. We communicated via walkie-talkie.

For about $150 US, the three of us had our own Land Rover and each had the chance to drive over logs and stones, through mud, and - most importantly - down a sand pit.

Before Daniel took his Land Rover over the edge of the sand pit, he told us over the walkie-talkie, "Give me one minute to get to the bottom and you guys follow." Well, we were a little intimidated when our last sight was the tail end of Daniel's Land Rover almost 90 degrees to the earth. But we persevered and all are glad we did. It is quite a rush heading down an embankment!

And we did it again and again so all three had an opportunity to drive.

For the scenery, the adrenaline, and the experience, I would definitely recommend taking a break from Montreal to enjoy this great adventure!

Crescent Street is certianly no stranger to the American tourist. And although locals told me they prefer the pubs of St. Denis, the taverns along Crescent Street provide a great intro to exploring the city.

My two friends and I had drinks on our minds as we explored the city by foot. We had a few hours to kill before the hockey game as we searched.

Pub Claddagh was the first place we came across and as we settled in, we realized that we certainly could have made it a night there. The atmosphere was reminiscent of an Irish pub -- low lit, dark walls, plenty of taps -- all of the trappings of great conversation. We grabbed a booth-like setting along the wall that allowed us to enjoy our own company and still be aware of other happenings. The beer list is varied and contains real Canadian beers (aka not just Molson.) I had a Griffon Rousse which was full and enjoyable. One buddy had an Alexander Keith IPA which was recommended by our barkeep. Our other friend was very happy with his cider. The bar food is definitely bar food, but well in keeping with the atmosphere. The background music was by Peter Gabriel and helped set the casual conversational tone. We wanted to do more exploring but could have easily spent more time in the Claddagh.

From there, we moved onto Newtown, a very hip cocktail bar with a New York feel. Named after Canadian racecar driver Villeneuve (newtown), you feel like you are in an elite crowd as soon as you sit down in comfortable chairs that are a garish (yet stylish?) yellow-green. The staff is wearing all black and the cocktail menu features "shakers" which seem to be a barrel of shots. We opted for other drinks but still had a great time. Newtown had a more upscale atmosphere than the casual Claddagh, but was very comfortable for conversation and people-watching.

We concluded at a great Thai place called Chiang Thai. Great solid meal in an exotic room (with flowing white curtains and elephant tusks!)

All in all, a very good start as we headed over to the Bell Center to see the Habs and the Leafs!