It’s notably cold these days in our fine city of Montreal, but this doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of all that the belle ville has to offer. After a long, bitter cold week at work, there is still so much to do to keep busy and decompress. We are going to keep you out of the cold this weekend, and into the coziest and hippest restaurants and bars at night, as well as some fun shopping during the days.
Friday night grab some friends and head to Mirchi in Old Montreal for a wicked Indian feast in a cozy but high-class atmosphere. Ask for a table in the basement, where there are options to sit on authentic Indian pillows amidst drapery, and feast on some of the best Indian food in the city. For a walk on the spicy side, and to delve into traditional potent Indian flavors, choose their vegetable takora and murg (chicken) tandoori. For a milder direction, opt for their butter chicken or murg korma with naan bread. Make sure you try their relishes they put on every table to start; they are all amazing and complement most of their dishes beautifully. After dinner, take a short walk to L’Orignal for a late but chill evening of drinks and good tunes.
Saturday, wake up and head west on Sherbrooke to NDG for a classic greasy spoon-style brunch at neighborhood landmark Cosmos. In the winter, the seating is limited to just a bar as their outdoor terrace is closed, but it is well worth the wait for some of the best greasy breakfast food around. Anything egg-related is good, but you must have it with their famous breakfast potatoes and a cup of their diner filter coffee.
After filling up on a traditional weekend hangover breakfast, head a little bit east for an afternoon exploring the Westmount Sherbooke Village. Amidst the beautiful neighborhood of Westmount are three blocks jammed with some great boutiques and specialty stores. Stop in at James Boutique for a unique women’s shopping experience, or cross over to Mimi & Coco for a totally different rack of clothing that’s equally trendy. For our male readers, we haven’t forgotten about you; hop on over to James Perse and find yourself some high-end cozy casual wear for that next dinner party on your invitation list.
For dinner Saturday, we are sending you to La Fabrique Bistrot. The décor is woody with splashes of concrete, and their open kitchen brings you right in to the heart of what this restaurant is famous for – it’s exceptional food. Located on St. Denis, this is the perfect place to go with a group. You can choose your soup to come in a jug to share with two or more people; our favourite is their yellow carrot, rhubarb and cumin. We also suggest their Salmon tartare, flavoured with Cognac cream, apple, and celeriac. For a main, go with their version of a surf and turf: Braised beef and scallop served with basil-flavoured gnocchi, olive and harissa puree, zucchini and glazed tomato. After a heavy dinner, go dance it off all night at Stereo. Known for the best sound system in the city, this is the place to go to catch world-renowned DJs while dancing into the wee morning hours. The bar closes at 3am, but they keep the music going until 8am…or until the last man or woman is standing.
Sunday is a write off because we expect you to have danced until morning. Cozy up in bed with a newspaper or your favourite book, take a break and run to the Jean Talon Market to pick up ingredients for a home-cooked Sunday dinner with a close friend.
Photo courtesy La Fabrique Bistrot