Winter Holiday in Montreal

*Enjoying the Montreal Ballet's lavish production of The Nutcracker "Caisse Noisette").

*Doing the wave in the Centre Molson during a Montreal Canadians hockey game. *Attending Christmas day mass in Notre Dame Basilica (complete with french liturgy, candles and choir), a true reminder of the meaning of Christmas.

*Listening to the native French tell us what the major differences were between them and the French Canadians. It goes way beyond just the language.

Quick Tips:

If you don't speak French, be sure to have your destination written down to show your cab driver. Some do not speak English.

However, most folks in the service industry do speak English and will easily change from French for you.

Best Way To Get Around:

In the cold of winter, the metro and taxis are the best way to get around. You can walk short distances but be sure to bundle up.

The accomodations are what you expect from this catagory of western hotel: roomy, with minibar, large bathroom, firm beds, lots of towels and 24 hour room service. The location is central to the Old City and Port. It sits right on its edge. In fact, it''s only a 5 minute walk to the Notre Dame Basilica.

The differentiator is the price. With the exchange rate, this pricey hotel becomes affordable for us Americans. Web Specials can bring down the price to $120/US.

There is an excellent restaurant on premise and a small underground mall beneath the hotel. Concierge service is very dependable.

Toque (meaning "crazy") serves seasonal cuisine that is classical French with a twist. It's truly edible art. It's haute cuisine without the pretension. Clearly Master Chef Normand Laprise has thought out each dish and what it will demand from each of your senses. The service staff is knowledgeable and attentive without being overbearing. The dining room bathes you in golden light. Be prepared to spend a couple of hours there as you savor each innovative dish from start to finish.

My meal began with an unusual starter: a diminutive Sinku oyster served in a Chinese soup spoon. On the oyster was a combination of vodka, fennel oil, clementine and shallots. A drizzle of cranberry juice made it a Christmasy red jewel.

I continued with a cauliflower soup appetizer, but that description oversimplifes what I was presented with. This isn't your grandmother's cauliflower soup. A creamy puree below its own froth, it's crowned with a generous slice of pan seared foie gras and a golden mound of deep fried leeks. A halo of black trumpet mushrooms finishes it off. You go from a crunch, to a chew, and then it slides down your throat all in one bite.

I chose a vegetarian risotto as my entree, not because I am one, but because I appreciate creativity with vegetables. I was not disappointed. Although the vegetables were not immediately recognizable on sight (except the lovely al dente carrots), the flavors were familiar as I took bite after bite of the creamy nut colored risotto.

My dining companion chose the sliced duck breast resting on a square of polenta and some Jerusalem artichokes. The breast was well dressed in licorice and carmalized kumquats, providing the requisite sweet flavor duck begs for, but in a non-traditional way.

We finished off our meal with a selection of local non-importable unpasteurized cheeses (cow, sheep and goat's milk), a treat when you come from the States.

Across the street from the other restaurant I reviewed, Toque, L'Express represents the other end of the spectrum when it comes to French food. Here innovation and fusion isn't as important as consistency and depth. It is the kind of restaurant that reminds you of why you fell in love with French cuisine. Fresh, unpretentious dishes served daily to locals who return repeatedly because of the restaurant's consistency with the classics. You'll begin to believe that this kind of food has been prepared as per its orginal recipe. There are even regulars that eat at their spot at the long zinc bar in the simple black and white tiled room. The atmosphere of the restaurant is lively but not loud. Food here is taken seriously, but the restaurant itself is low key. It is so popular though, you should make a reservation.

My companion started with a monk fish soup, delicatly suspended in a white wine and tomato broth. However, I was in need of serious traditional French comfort food, so I chose bone marrow served with crusty toast points. It may be an acquired taste, but that marrow is dug out of the bones and spead on the toast like a beefy butter. Next was the ultimate chicken soup, chicken pot au feu. Juicy pieces of dark chicken meat swimming in its own broth and surrounded by tender root vegetables. Since it was Chirstmas tim, I wanted to try something that was created just for the holidays, so to finish my meal I ordered a special Christmas cheese, Vacherin Mont d'Or, a creamy fromage served with walnuts and croutons. My dining companion chose the showy floating island. A mound of meringue crowned in spun sugar bathes in creme anglais, the dessert is deceptively light on the tongue but happily hits like a brick after several bites.

If breakfast is your main meal, eat here! This chain is even more popular for brunch on the weekends. Lots of cleverly named egg dishes, like "eggsileration", as well as pancakes and crepes, all served in enormous portions. You can even get pasta or burgers if you in a meat mood. The service is eggspedient and patient. Prices are low, so the whole meal is a good value.

Be prepared for a wait, since they don't take reservations. Turnover is quick though, so take the time to study the encyclopedic menu.

There's another location at 213 rue St Jacques.

For those of you who are familiar with LUSH, Montreal does not yet have one. Bella Pella is like LUSH's petite and quieter cousin. Because the shop is on the small side, it doesn't have the circus-like atmosphere of LUSH; rather, it's like being transported to an exclusive spa. As soon as you walk down the the stairs into the cellar shop, you are immediately comforted by the sounds of a fountain and the smells of lavender from Provence.

The products are fresh and fragrant. The bath bombs are meltingly good and the lotions are creamy,quickly absorbed, with a long lasting scent. It is a perfect place for gifts that are regionally produced (forget about buying that maple syrup). They also offer soap making classes.

If you find something you like, you can order it again via phone or fax. Their web page is www.bellapella.com.