Montreal

My recent trip to Canada involved a flying visit to Montreal.
No trip to Montreal is complete without a visit to Schwartz's on St Laurent Blvd.
Good old fashioned heart attack food to rival Katz's deli in NYC.

Stay well

T

Montreal Culinary trail part II

Yesterday I let you in on the story behind Schwartz's and "The Main". Part two of the comfort food trail starts at a sad marking of the demise of a Montreal institution.
Ben's had sat on the south side of De Maisonneuve at Stanely since 1908. It was open 24 hours and was always a bright shining beacon even in the wee hours of a winter's morning.It was a favorite of celebrities, politicians and anyone else looking for a smoked meat sandwich after a night on the town.
It had an authentic feel.
The waiters (only men waited on tables) wore white shirts with black bow ties, black trousers and an old fashioned white apron tied around the front. Though it claimed (much disputed) to have invented the smoked meat sandwich, I'd rank it second to Schwartz's on the taste scale. Regardless the location, art deco interior, and "feel"of the place made it unique.
Up until the 1990s it reigned supreme, but in 1992 Irving Kravitz passed away and control passed to his wife and son.
Irving had been passed the restaurant from his dad Ben and he had continued his family tradition with a passion and zeal.
Accounts of why vary, but it seems wife and son were neither as interested or dedicated to the the mythical "stuff" which made the restaurant special.
The beginning of the end had begun.
The hours were cut back (12:30 am closing), prices went up, food quality and clientele dropped off.
The celebrity photos covering the walls were now more a curiosity for tourists than a reflection of current status and in December 2006, the deli shut its doors due to a general strike by its staff.

It would never open again.
The building still stands,(soon to be demolished) and most of the curios and fixtures have been boxed and stored away, but you can still get a sense of its old time feel when you cup your hands around your eyes and peer inside.

Montrealer's who witnessed its decline over a number of years, weren't really broken up. Anyone who once lived in Montreal and don't now, and remembers a pre or post hockey sandwich (the old forum was just down the street) will be wistful at it's passing.
Or not.
I am anyway.

C'est la vie.
The Montreal Pool room ( St Laurent Blvd just South of St Catherine) still operates albeit in the premises next door to its original location (a fire shut it down for 72 hours and necessitated the move).

Nothing about pool and everything about steamed hot dogs, its open late and $1.25 gets you a "steamy" with mustard, relish and slaw.
Don't even think of asking for ketchup on the dog.

That's sacrilege I'm told.
Its not the nicest area of Montreal, but the hookers and sex shops have slowly disappeared (still there but not as numerous) from the block. Go before 10pm if you're the nervous type.OK.
C'est tout.
T

Montreal

Two different views of downtown.
Across the street from each other.
I have mixed feelings about Montreal. I used to love coming here for a couple of days at a time, but when I lived here 20 odd years ago, I wasn't the happiest camper.
Today the sun was shining and I went on a long walk after checking out my favorite place for heart attack food in Canada.Day or night there's always a line at Schwartz's. At $5.25 for a massive smoked meat sandwich carved in front of you, its less than half the price of Katz's in NYC. I used to eat here every Sunday afternoon when I lived in the city and always make the trek when I'm in town.
Good old fashioned Jewish artery blasting food.
Across the street is another Montreal institution: The ONLY thing to eat at "The Main" is steak.
It comes coated in a garlic and spices and is as good as anything you can whip up on your own BBQ. They also give you a hot-dog and piece of liver as entrees. At least they did 20 years ago and as a result I developed a taste for liver. I don't know if they still do it.
Walking along St Laurent I was quite taken with how upmarket its become. It used to be host to dive bars and bohemian wannabes. Its pretty much yuppified now.
St Denis used to be the French rival and played up its Boho character. Its now a cross between gay village in the evening and Starbucks -Soya latte land in the daytime. Oh ya, its also where people walk their pet rats.Nestled within the gentrification, you can still find cheap digs.That's if for today.
Not an inspiring post I know but its all I saw of note today. Maybe the weekend will throw up something more interesting.
Stay well.
T

Montreal

Is it me or does my friend Simon appear an odd colour in this picture?
No he hasn't just had a St Tropez Spray treatment .
I think he's just been caught in the reflection of an odd neon light.
I went to Montreal to catch up with my friend of 20 odd years and to revisit a few places I used to frequent when I lived there.The first stop as ever was Schwartz's Deli on St Laurent Blvd.
Before I went to Katz's deli in NYC this ruled the sandwich roost as far as I was concerned.
Smoked meat in Montreal is serious business and there are many pretenders to the throne, but only one king.
When the anglophones decamped to Toronto in the 80s many had such severe smoked meat withdrawal that Schwartz's was shipping 100s of pounds of brisket by mail order every week.
That's how the myth goes anyway.
Not a bad sandwich but I still have to say Katz's wins by a nose.
I also caught up with another old friend who I hadn't seen in 12 odd years, and boy those years have been good to her. As like old times she was full of fun and quick to laugh.
Great to see you again CJ!
Catch ya in another dozen years or so. The heart of a shrinking English Montreal is Crescent Street. Well, it was English 15 odd years ago, but today the bars are full of French as well.
When I left Montreal all those years ago, the city was going through what felt like an never ending back and forth, petty linguistic tussle.
The English were disliked and discriminated against, in much the same way they had stuck it to the majority population for so many years.
Quebec politics has always been very provincial (pun intended).
I think in 2007, its settled down a bit and the French political intelligentsia has reached a place whereby populist paranoia has been replaced with pragmatic horse sense.
License plates in Quebec bear the slogan " Je me souviens" ( I remember)
I always wondered what the nirvana they were referring too was.
The smothering dominance of the Catholic church?
The indifference of a Colonial mother country?
Every 4 years or so the spectre of a referendum raises its head and the Quebec nationalists confidentially predict a new independent future.
Every 4 years or so their hopes are dashed.
Quebecois think with their hearts and vote with their wallets.
I think French Canada (which isn't restricted to Quebec) has become confident in the strength of its culture and the robust health of the language within Canada.
That attitude has translated into a more relaxed and easier vibe.
That's what I felt anyway. Another stop on the Montreal culinary trail ,not Michelin guide but interesting enough, is the Montreal Pool room (St Laurent and St Catherine street).
Since 1912, they've been serving up steamed hot dogs .
All dressed means mustard, relish, coleslaw and onions.
95 cents each.
I ate 4
Simon ate six and was burping up hot dogs for the next 3 hours.
The place burn down about 5 years ago but they moved next door and didn't miss a beat.
In neither the old or new premises were/is there any sight of a pool cue or table.
That's it for today.
I head back to the UK soon and fairly shortly after getting back head on to South Africa.
Hope all is well and your summer is going well.
Love
T