Montreal, Above and Below Ground

Montreal has always been a mosaic of sharp contrasts, from the time it was founded in the 1600s until today. Originally established as a religious settlement to promote the conversion of the Iroquois natives, it soon became a commercial center built on the fur trade. The cross on top of Mount Royal and the steeple-crested skyline bear witness to Montreal’s religious beginnings. One of the most unusual and intimate churches is the Bonsecours Chapel or Sailors' Church on Saint Paul Street in Old Montreal. It is equipped with a spectacular lookout from which priests could say Mass to the sailors in their ships. Model ships, gifts from grateful sailors who made safe journeys, hang from the ceiling.(closed on Mondays)The treaty inscribed in the pavement outside the Pointe à Callière archaeology museum in Old Montreal (350 Place Royale) is proof of Montreal’s early commercial activities. The inscription is a copy of a peace treaty made between the natives and the French in 1701. It is appropriately located on the site where native people delivered fur pelts to trade for metal goods. A trip to the museum below ground uncovers evidence of Montreal’s Amerinidian, French and Scottish roots. Montreal’s first Catholic cemetery is featured here as a permanent exhibition.(Entrance is about .00, nearest metro station is Place d'Armes)Today, Montreal is a colourful ragout blended from cultures that have gathered from every continent on earth. Close to 30% of the population are allophones whose mother tongue is neither French nor English. This diversity is well represented in Montreal’s 4000 + restaurants. Montreal's commercial activities are also well represented—in the concentration of banks and large shopping malls in the downtown core. Mexx, Simons and Le Chateau are just a few examples of places to find trendy clothes. It's especially lively here in summer when the International Jazz Festival attracts hordes of tourists (first week of July). This year, well-known artists like B.B.King and Bonnie Raitt are on the program. The Just for Laughs Comedy Festival also takes place throughout the month of July. Go to montreal.com for more detailed events listing.

Quick Tips:

Although many people speak English, French is the official language of Quebec, and locals will appreciate your efforts to use the language. You are likely to get better, more detailed answers if you understand some French.

Best Way To Get Around:

Affordable downtown parking is very hard to find, and unnecessary because the dense underground transportation network connects the east end and west end to the downtown core. Many shopping centers, restaurants, movie theatres, banks and museums can either be accessed from inside the metro stations(subway) or are just beside them. Bus or metro rides cost about .00, but a book of 6 tickets or a weekly pass (about .50) is more economical if you stay for more than 2 days. Tickets can be purchased at any metro station.

The Commensal: Fat-free feastingThis downtown restaurant is airy and uncluttered, with wall-length windows looking out onto some of Montreal’s best known buildings. Depending on where you sit, you may get a view of Victorian arches or chic shops. In any case, you will get a meal that meets the modern criteria for healthy living.The buffet style vegetarian restaurant proves that vegans can enjoy variety. A choice of two soups, such as Dahl or cream of carrot, is always available near the entrance. Next comes a selection of crunchy, creative salads, such as beet and apple, smooth chick pea and mint or protein-rich five-bean-salad. Top off your salad with a drizzle of home-made garlic, tamari, or raspberry dressing.Main courses range from the vegetarian equivalents of fast food—pizzas and burritos—to more exotic dishes like Tofu Curry Madras, concocted from potatoes, zucchini, raisins and coconut. If you crave comfort food, scoop some sweet potato purée or basmati rice onto your plate.At the Commensal, you don’t have to deprive yourself of your just "desserts" to forego the fat. The star burst of color at this counter shouts "antioxidants", not "artificial color." Besides fresh fruit, like strawberries and melon, there’s lemon poppy seed cake, walnut and coconut squares and my personal favorite, a tangy pineapple and tapioca mousse that I top off with berry sauce. You can also get glasses or half-liter bottles of red or white wine, as well as juice, tea or coffee.The price is calculated by weight, so you pay a lot less if you pile rice and sprouts on your plate than if you load up on heavy chunks of raw vegetables. I usually pay the equivalent of about $7.00 for a scoop of rice, a dollop of ratatouille (eggplant stew), a spoonful of beans, a few slices of cucumber and a dessert.The Commensal is within walking distance of major shopping centres like The Bay, Simons and the Eaton Centre. It’s also across the street from Indigo bookstore and one floor above the Aveda organic cosmetics shop. Indoor parking is available for $2.00. Just drive around the corner to the right and use the intercom to tell the attendant you’re going to the restaurant. You can eat and then go shop for a while without trying to find the extremely elusive downtown parking space.(If you don't have a car, get off at McGill metro and cut through the Eaton Center.)

The Taj is aptly named: from the silver menus and lacework of Oriental wall-tiles to the richly spiced food, it’s a dining experience fit for a raja. We began with a glass of Fontano Morello, a mellow red Italian wine. With a page of vegetarian dishes to choose from, it took a while to decide. A generous helping of turmeric made the golden alloo gobhi one of the most flavorful cauliflower curries I’ve ever tasted. My friends had a red tandoori chicken that was succulent and smokey without being too hot. The side dishes of basmati rice and Naan bread that accompany all main courses were both cooked to light and fluffy perfection. Once the meal was done, we sat back to watch an intense, pony-tailed musician bend over his drums as he delivered soothing percussion to accompany the strains of taped sitar music. We had gone out to celebrate a birthday, so a honey cake, spiked with a candle, was brought to our table. A meal for the four of us, including wine and tea, worked out to about USD$90.00. The only down side was that we felt guilty lingering at our table because a line was forming at the entrance. Reservations, especially for Friday nights when there’s live music, are a must!

This two-and-a-half story restaurant ensconced on cobble-stoned Saint Paul street is worth a stop for lunch when you’re museum-hopping. Several places on nearby Jacques Cartier Square close after 1pm and only reopen for supper. The Crêperie is open during the afternoon, seven days a week, and is conveniently situated almost equidistant between the famous Bonsecours Chapel and Notre Dame Basilica. The restaurant has a lot of potential, but doesn’t quite achieve top marks. The plain wooden tables and chairs have all the charm of a waiting room, but the upstairs dining room, the Campagnarde, is graced with large windows that offer a great view of the arches and stones of Montreal’s historic buildings. The Parisienne room is equipped with a bar. You are best to stick with the namesake of the place – crepes. They come in at least a dozen varieties and are almost the size of a throw cushion with stuffing popping the seams.

The Montréalaise Crêpe, featuring ham and cheese in a light and smooth Bechamel sauce, is good but would be even nicer if the cheese were melted through evenly. The decadent Québecoise Crêpe is similar but comes with maple syrup on the side so you can adjust the sweetness to your liking. Fondues are advertised as another house specialty and come in two categories, meat and vegetables to dip in beef broth or fruit to dip in chocolate. The fondues serve two and are about $20. Other dishes are surprisingly small for the price. Many of the appetizers cost at least $10. A slightly larger than dessert-sized plate of smoked salmon with capers and a few slices of tired tomato worked out to $14 with a cup of tea. Fortunately, the tomatoes in the tomato and basil salad must have come from another garden because they had a little more juice. You can have refills on the bread rolls, which are good but just a tad too hard. There is a lunch menu of sandwich, salad or quiche at about $8 before tax, but once again, some of the portions are not very satisfying. There is also a kid’s menu with options for about $5 and a vegetarian selection of crepes (with cheese). Service for our group was rather slow, but very laidback and friendly. There is no parking, which is fairly common for Old Montreal, but the restaurant is within walking distance of Place d'Armes Metro.

You probably knew that Montreal was one of Canada’s fashion capitals, but did you know that we’re also home to many designers of canine clothes? Urban Pet Boutique sells a wide assortment of booties, jackets, and bling-bling to keep your pooch posh and protected. Don’t turn your nose up yet if you have a cat. This is where I found some unusual cat toys and practical accessories to keep kitty’s space neat. Some of the items are more upscale and pricey, but you can also find useful items that are more modestly priced.

You can even stop for a snack on the outdoor terrace or at the inside tables. You can have a coffee, and if you’re traveling with doggie, he’ll get biscuits. Homemade biscuits and birthday cakes for pets are sold at the "Barkery."

That warm fuzzy feeling characterizes much of what the store does. They organize a Halloween Parade for dogs and owners. Prizes are awarded and proceeds from the contestants’ tickets go to charity. They also run doggie fashion shows and Christmas events, and, as usual, some of the proceeds go to charity. So, if you’re visiting Montreal, you'll find souvenirs for the furrier members of your household as well.