Restaurants - in your area

[Deleted]

My bf wants to take me out to dinner tomorrow evening, he's asked me to pick the venue, (gentleman that he is ). I have no idea which I'm going to pick right now.

Anyway, it made me wonder, is there a good variety of restaurants in the area that you live? And how often do you use them? Also, are the venues in your area internationally known places or more local ones that we may not know of?

Do you have a favourite or does it depend on your mood at the time? Or perhaps who the company is?

[auntieannie]

I am lucky here to find a few independant restaurants that serve really nice food. The distinction with chain restaurants here is important as you wouldn't be able to compare the two.

I can walk to a fine dining establishment that serves local food with a french twist;
or to a Vietnamese eaterie recently opened by a man of western world descent (?) and his Vietnamese family;
To an italian restaurant held by Italians, whose original deco is really 1980's;
There are other asian eateries and a fantastic turkish place;
As well as a few good pubs, a bit on the gastronomic side of things foodwise, though.

I am sure some have been forgotten.

[Deleted]

Sounds like you have a good variety there Annie.

I'm wondering about restaurants such as Montana's Cookhouse, for instance. Are they only here and in the US or can you find them in Europe and other parts of the world too?

[lagatta]

What is Montana's Cookhouse? Is that a steakhouse?

As for here: chowhound.chow.com/boards/22 one of the local boards. Even some suggestions from lagatta, though more from people with more $$$ and or the desire to eat alone in decent restaurants, which I have no desire to do. lagatta has more stuff about food shops, holes in walls, ethnic ingredients etc, especially around Jean-Talon Market area.

[bixaorellana]

I realize that many of these boards now run to several pages. However, most stuff is where it belongs so that a quick check can be done to see if a topic already exists. It's kind of nice to go back into the archives, especially if a good thread can be brought to the attention of people who weren't around when it started.
This is Palesa's thread entitled "Restaurant":
anyportinastorm.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=discussion&thread=222&page=1#6209

[cristina]

I live in a small, fairly urban pocket of the city and have a nice number of good, reasonably priced restaurants within walking distance. Most are independent restaurants, however there is both an Applebee's and a Boston Market close by. I also live at the midpoint between 2 really good independent coffee places. No Starbucks for a couple of miles, believe it or not.

I am very close to a stop for the new (one year old) light rail system which continues to bring a lot of interesting and mostly independent business to my neighborhood.

[Deleted]

Lagatta, yes, it's the steakhouse.

Bixa, noted.

cristina, that sounds ideal.

[lagatta]

I have never heard of that place, which is why I asked whether it was "a steakhouse" (not "the steakhouse", which would assume I had heard of it). None here, though of course there are steakhouses, as there are in many countries. A popular small local chain is Steak-frites St-Paul: www.steakfrites.ca/ The one on Laurier in Outremont is not very far from where I live. I'm not a big steakhouse fan, but it is a nice place: The décor is understated chic, it is not very expensive, it is a bring your own wine and for people with big appetites, the frites are all-you-can-eat).

There are many good restaurants, including cheap holes-in-the-wall, around here near Marché Jean-Talon. One of my favourites within short walking distance is Le Petit Alep, a Syrian restaurant-bistro managed by the daughters of the late owner of the original Restaurant Alep, a fancier place - both share the same kitchen. There are very good choices for carnivores (lamb!) or vegetarians - their vegetarian plate, a collection of mezze, is delicious.