Since 1956 but never like this.

I have written about them previously, but it merits repetition.

The first time I tried the bacon, egg, and cheese on a hamburger bun in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia last year I ordered the trio which included hash browns and coffee. The young lady that took my order asked me to take a seat and she would bring my food to the table, but that it would be about five minutes delay while she brewed a fresh carafe of coffee. From that day on I have been a satisfied customer of A & W and I find all the locations in Montreal that I have gone to, the food is fresh, well prepared, and waiting time is at a minimum. The coffee is always fresh, or in five minutes, it will be. All the precautions from hand cleanser to masks are observed, there is a list on which to leave your phone number in case of someone reporting Covid symptoms, and social distancing is observed. the “also-ran” fast-food coffee shops that try to copy this great breakfast sandwich don’t even come close. I tried one at the famous chain who invented the first breakfast sandwich on a muffin and it failed miserably. The bacon was hard instead of crispy, and likewise for the hash brown. Oh, I cannot omit how much I love the apple turnovers. and recently I tried a cherry turnover. BTW my compliments to whoever does the staff training.

4050 Ste. Catherine St. West

514 935 9478

I have gone from Chinatown to the North and South shores and to the West Island as well as several Montreal neighborhood restaurants looking for an all around venue. That is to say ambiance, menu, service, and parking. I found it all, minutes away from home, in the Heart of Westmount.

With a choice of beef, chicken, pork, and sea food prepared in a myriad of choices, I had to refrain from ordering my favorite Chinese dish, General Tao Chicken. I asked the waitress about the barbecued baby back ribs and she told me that they had the long ribs or the short ribs like Ruby Foos made in days of yore. Easy decision for short ribs. They were excellently prepared in a thick honey garlic sauce with a side order of rice. The portion was more than generous and much of it came home with me to be eaten another day. The dinner menu included soup, choice of Spring Roll or dumplings in peanut butter sauce, and dessert ($22.95)

I recommend it highly for intimate dining or for larger groups. The hospitable owner is Ron. Tell him Sol sent you.

Alexis Nihon Plaza

Dumb and Dumbest

Saturday evening I picked up a container of Moishe’s Potato Salad $2.49 with a best before date Sept. 22, 2021. When I opened it at supper time the first taste told me that it was sour and not edible. Today, I returned to the store and asked the security guard who I need to see for a return. He suggested a supervisor. When I approached the supervisor I handed him the container and informed him that I bought it yesterday and despite the best before date, it was not edible. He asked if I had the bill, I replied that I did not, and he attempted to give it back to me insisting that they do not accept returns without proof of purchase. I cannot imagine where he thought I might have gotten it if I hadn’t purchased it there. I told him not to give it back to me. I told him I was a long time customer of IGA stores in general, but particularly this one since I live in the area. I will not be coming back with the receipt, in fact I would not be coming back to this store ever again if this is your final decision and he indicated that it didn’t matter to him in any case. To my way of thinking anyone who would lose a customer over a $2.49 refund does not belong in a supervisor’s position, If he is the brightest bulb on the tree what did they do with the others?

I have been doing most of my shopping recently at Metro Westmount 4840 Sherbrooke Street West corner Victoria. On the rare occasion that I needed to return a product for whatever reason, I was never asked for a bill. I was always given the option of taking a replacement or a refund. Where would you think I will do all of my grocery shopping from now on? Great decision, Supervisor Einstein.

4084 Ste-Catherine West

Westmount, QC

In the city where Montrealers have enjoyed the benefit of getting bagels fresh from the ovens 24 hours a day and where people from Toronto and Calgary, , when they hear you are coming, ask if you would bring bagels who would have thought a new bagel shop was opening? Least of all in Westmount where in a two square block area there are already eight restos that serve bagels and sandwiches. They offer bagels from individual to dozens, varied varieties with or without a selection of cream cheese to suit every taste, and a choice of coffee from Expresso to Filtered coffee and everything in between. I have been in for my coffee and bagel four times now and the coffee is always hot and fresh. You can eat inside or out on the terrace and I have seen several of the food delivery services picking up deliveries. The staff are extremely friendly and the cleanliness is noticeable. From the restaurant you can see into the other half of this street level location, the factory where the baking is done.. Bagels have come a long way since the days when I was a child and my father would take me to a laneway beside Schwartz deli where Montreal’s first bagels were born.

374 Sainte- Catherine Street West

Montreal, QC.

Several years ago, I visited

Peddlers Restaurant

7500 Boul. Newman

La Salle, PQ.

and discovered their desert crepes that were so delicious i wrote about them on this BLOG and I soon returned there and wrote a second critique as Peddlers Revisited. Since that time, my lifestyle has changed to where I am without a car and getting there is difficult. Thus began my arduous task of finding a Creperie that could meet the challenge. My hit and miss paid off “big time” when someone told me about this jewel of a resto.

In the heart of what has become the festival area of downtown Montreal, on the ground floor of what was once a bustling garment manufacturing building, was a stand, typical of these buildings, where employees of the factories could come on their break to buy a beverage, or a snack, and at various times the operator of the stand would send a cart up to the factories with a selection of treats for sale. Times have changed and the result is the best Creperie in Montreal, bar none. The Crepes are made in the window where passersby can watch the creations. There is a terrace outside as well as a dining room inside. I have been back three times and the coffee is always hot and fresh and the staff are all super friendly. My crepe of choice is loaded with strawberries, Nutella, and whipped crème.Enjoy the meal and spread the word.

The Axeman Cometh

Montreal Gazette: Bell Media closes CJAD’s newsroom, cuts two weekday evening shows.

It’s Déjà vu. When Bell Media finds ways to increase revenue they leap into action. The “suits” at the head office do not consider the damage they are doing to the lives of their loyal employees many of whom have been out covering breaking news and risking their lives for years. I have been listening to Richard Deschamps reading the news on the hour every weekday and in the day when I was doing the overnight shift he often worked weekends as well. Shuyee Lee who spent 28 years at the station has been let go as well. Weekday evening shows Nightside, hosted by Jon Pole, and Passion with Dr. Laurie Betito has also been cut from the schedule.According to Michael Nguyen, president of the Federation professionelle des journalistes du Quebec, the job reductions underscore the erosion of local advertising revenue. I beg to differ as I find the hourly newscasts on CJAD are always one or two minutes late as we are bombarded with a medley of commercials. The reason for the firings , in my view, is the employees with longevity are being paid on a higher level than some of the interns who are being hired right out of journalism school. Let’s face it, the dollars saved in operations leave more for the “suits” to take home, and if the collateral damage includes a few people whose lives will be impacted by this, so be it. Therein lays the problem of living in a city where one corporation the size of Bell Media can control your destiny.

https://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/bell-media-confirms-limited-number-of-job-cuts-at-cjad

7020 Cote Saint Luc Rd.

I must start my review with an admission. I was never impressed with their lunch specials and could not understand why this restaurant continuously attracted a supper crowd. Tonight I decided to try their a la carte menu and I am pleased to report that I am now a member of the tribe. From the moment the young lady who answered the phone, I subsequently learned her name is Leah, to the 20 minutes later that I picked up my order I was impressed by the speed with which I was handed a heavy-duty shopping bag containing my order. I was quick to notice that each item as it appeared on the bill had a checkmark verifying that it had been packed. I had previously experienced a disappointment from another restaurant when I discovered they had forgotten peanut butter dumplings. Even though they took my name and phone number when I called back and they made up for the error on my next order it couldn’t happen at Faye Wong tonight.I had ordered egg rolls, peanut butter dumplings, Chicken Soo Guy, and steamed rice. The preparation and presentation of the food were excellent. The containers were plastic and worthy of keeping for future use.I give my experience tonight a 9/10 but we all have different taste, don’t take my word, and try it. You’ll like it.

An Editorial Comment

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

In July of 64 A.D., a great fire ravaged Rome for six days, destroying 70 percent of the city and leaving half its population homeless. According to a well-known expression, Rome’s emperor at the time, the decadent and unpopular Nero, “fiddled while Rome burned.” The expression has a double meaning: Not only did Nero play music while his people suffered, but he was an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis. 

In March of 2020 A.D., a great epidemic ravaged the United States and quickly became a pandemic. While his people suffered, Donald Trump organized and attended rallies in an attempt to win re-election while telling his followers that there is no problem. He did whatever he could to discourage people from wearing masks and staying away from crowds. He was unable to play a fiddle, so he played Golf instead. While the number of deaths climbed higher, Trump continued to contradict the doctors and scientists and insist we have passed the curve. Keeping in character, Trump fired anyone who contradicted him.

Having lost the election in November 2020 to Joe Biden, he refused to concede and turn over the government to the new team that was ready to start a task force to fight the pandemic.

The only constant in the legacy of Donald J. Trump was his ability to tell lies. 

5452 Westminster

Cote St-Luc QC

At one time I had nothing but words of praise for Dizz’s Bagels on Cote. Ste Luc Road. I actually wrote about them on my BLOG. For the longest time, they had a special featuring bagel with cream cheese and a medium coffee for $3.00. Suddenly a couple of weeks ago they raised the price to $4.00. Completely acceptable in line with rising costs for ingredients. However, this week they raised it again to $5.00. Completely unreasonable because now it borders on gouging. I was a five day a week customer and often while I was there I bought other products. Now it has become off-limits for me. Equidistant from where I live is a strip mall on the west side of Westminster behind the original B’nai Brith House. At the south end of the strip is M.T.L. Bagel. Aside from being as good a bagel as will be found anywhere in our city, they put a generous portion of cream cheese, plus a small coffee, and offer it as a special Monday thru Friday for $3.45 plus tax. Additionally, they have a tracking system to your phone that accumulates points for future bonuses each time you visit. Shirley and I are no strangers to the place. We have been shopping there since they opened. Try it you’ll like it.

I cannot be accused of being Anti-Semitic because I am a member of the tribe. I do, therefore, advocate more Police action when opportunities arise to do so. I have editorialized in the past regarding young people who congregate in parks and in front of ice cream and frozen yogurt stores ignoring social distancing and not wearing masks. It is due to them that Quebec as a whole and mainly Cote St-Luc and Hampstead have the highest rates of infection. I believe strongly that a person has the right to follow his religion and to practice it, however, I feel inviting people to your home does not make it a synagogue and if I can’t have my own family visit my home during these exceptional times, why should the Rabbi. I have separate thoughts regarding the person who sold him the home knowing his intentions. Coincidently, I drove past the house on my way west on Fleet Road one night last week and could see the crowd inside the home through the spacious windows. Did they think they were above the law? It is no wonder that their children have the same disregard for the law and the virus continues to flourish. Hats off to the SPVM. Keep up the vigilance and keep us safe.