Ludger

I loves me some good brunch. I'm always looking for a good place to do just that and so last weekend, I decided to try Ludger: it's close, it's popular, it's a tad hipster-y. So basically, everything one would want in a brunch resto. I went with J, my ex English teacher, who is always a great partner in crime when it comes to critiquing restaurants.

This review will be on the short side cause I lost all my notes and pics (except these two) along with my beloved phone. Where, you ask? Well, in the canal Lachine of course! Dumbass. 

The place itself looks really nice, chic-ish but not too much, cool-ish but not too much. I would just like to go there with all my friends and sit and eat and drink all night. That's the feeling I was getting. But this was brunch hour so we sat on their narrow terrasse that still could hold about 45 clients and put our sunglasses on because it was a hell of a sunny day!

I usually go for the largest breakfast on the menu but this time, since I had just come back from the gym, I was feeling more on the healthier (ish), smaller (ish) side of things.

I had the rillettes de porcelet (I thought you'd prefer that over 'potted meat'!), poached egg, potatoes and strawberry, apple and endive salad. I love having freshness in my plate. It just makes me happy! AND corny, apparently. Aight, so the potatoes were oh-so-diddely-good: cooked just right and tastier than most potatoes I've had in a long while! There was a lovely mix of herbs on the potatoes that made them even better! The egg was perfecto mundo. Yes, yes, get over, it, I speak Italian. But seriously, it was soft, unctuous, seasoned to perfection. Hence, perfect egg. The rillettes were very tasty but were a tad too salty. But don't get me wrong, they were great on toast with the egg yolk. Oh yes. Wait for it... yes! The salad was just yummy. the strawberries were fresh and uber sweet and the endives' bitterness countered that perfectly. The apples added some crunch and another level of flavor. I would fosho order this salad on its own. Fosho yo.

Service was perfect when we first got there because, well, we were the only ones on the terrasse. She brought my two mimosas (no, silly, not both at the same time!) in a timely fashion and water was on our table before we even had time to sit down. Of course, when it filled up, we had a hard time finding her. Tis the way it goes!

And now, the scores!

Food: 8,5

Service: 8

I am definitely going back. Mmmmmmm poached eeeeeeeeggggg!

 

Le Vin Papillon

Le Vin Papillon had been on my list for a short time, basically since Val had gone a couple weeks prior to my visit. She had loved it and raved about it so, hello! I had Lena and her hubby in town that weekend and I wanted to bring them somewhere hip and cool and all that jazz so I thought about this restaurant. Plus, it's a 12 minute walk from my place, like a lot of new restos. By the way, I'm a cool person that lives in a cool hot neighbourhood. Yes, that's correct.

This resto is David McMillan and Fred Morin's third baby after Joe Beef and Liverpool House. It's tiny and corridor-like and sadly went unnoticed (by me) for about 1 year and a half. Note to self: open eyes. They take zero reservation so get there at a weird eating time OR pray that you'll get a table. We did the latter on a busy, warm Friday evening and I think we waited about 10 minutes. Nice.

As soon as you get in, the ambiance of the restaurant fills you and suddenly you feel happier. Seriously; smiling faces everywhere, people hustling and bustling, waiters explaining the menu left and right. It was just a welcoming, wonderful atmosphere. There was a terrasse out back which seemed happening as well. The menus were on the wall, which as we all know can be a good and a bad thing. A tad annoying when you're sitting up against them and you have to turn around. Oh, also annoying when it's quite dark.

Now the premise of this resto is, if I'm not mistaken, tasting good wine (hello!) whilst eating some simple, yet well made dishes. These dishes are made with fresh produce, mainly from Québec, if they are available of course.

Our first dish: sea urchin. I had actually neva eva tasted those. Me! What. So obviously, this was an obvious choice. It turned out to be a tad bit disappointing: although the texture was actually quite nice en bouche, the taste was nearly nonexistent. It was kind of a sad beginning. 

Shaved ham with awesome cheese (I totally forgot to note which cheese, damn it!). Now THIS was goooood! The ham was so thin that it melted in your mouth and the [awesome] cheese was peppery and sweet all at once. Mmmmmm, it was yummy, peppery salty goodness. I want you to promise me that if you go there, you WILL order this. Just do it.

Gravlax! Oy, the asparaguses (that's how you spell it, right?, hehehe) were cooked just right. I hate overcooked asparagi (second try?) and I loathe undercooked ones too. The fish just right smack melted in yo damn mouth. It wasn't too salty, it was just right. Texture was just right. Ok, it's safe to say it was just right, yes? The bun that was accompanying it was just lovely. Airy, soft loveliness. Probs (it's a word) almost just out of the oven. Although it was wonderful, it didn't really belong in this specific dish.

The 7 layer dip. YES, 7. I can't even begin to describe everything that was in there; I just know it was tasty, zesty, feta-y and soft. The chips, on the other hand, were a bit on the too-hard-for-my-liking side.

Morel stuffed bread. Or, as we should say en bon québécois, guédille aux morilles. This was a tough one. Only because we were three and I think there were two morels in there. Lots of button mushrooms, but two morels. It was good, but again the lack of the main ingredient was kind of frustrating.

The best picture ever. I mean, the cauliflower. AND the worse pic ever taken by anyone, EVA. I think le Vin Papillon is popular in part because of this plate. Why? Because everyone orders it and everyone likes it. Plus, it's so damn simple yet oh so good. Mmmmm, I'd go for another charred one of these bad boys!

Service was on par, even if it was a bit slow at times. the restaurant was full to the brim so perhaps that was why. We didn't really feel it so that was all good. Our waitress was cute and quick (those two qualities go together, right?) and she explained the wine and the food and answered questions.

And now, the scores!

Service: 8
Food: 7.5

Well, its a 12 minute walk from my place, it's good, AND cute girls work there? I'm obviously going back.