The city of Montreal has some fantastic bagels. They are thin and dense and delish! The most famous of them all is Fairmount Bagel.
There are lots of flavors....
......but the best of them all is sesame seed ♥
You tell them what you want and how many, and they give them to you into a paper bag.
Opened in 1932 by Moe Wilensky, the restaurant was immortalized in Mordecai Richler's nove, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Scenes in the film version of the book were shot in the restaurant.
Wilensky's is most famous for its special, a grilled salami and bologna sandwich with mustard on a kaiser roll, pressed flat from the grill - mustard is compulsory, as a sign in the restaurant announces.
Paul took my mother there once and they just slapped the sandwich down on the table without a plate or a napkin! My mother was a little horrified :) I wasn't really interested in eating there, no matter how famous it is. It was fun to see the outside in person.
We walked along some more and went into a little market where we found some red olives. Of course we had to try them.....they were good olives, had a lot of flavor, and we supposed that they were soaked in beet juice to make them red.
If you go to any province in Canada, you must eat at Tim Horton's. It is a Canadian icon, founded by Canadian hockey player, Tim Horton. I almost got into trouble at the Canadian border once (ha ha!) because I said their "Roll up the Rim to Win" slogan to the customs official!!! My children made me do it :) Tim Horton's sells the best coffee (I'm told....), donuts, muffins, hot chocolate, etc.
High on my list for food in Montreal, is poutine. Greasy french fries, with squeaky curd cheese and hot gravy poured over the top.
You have to try some if you ever get to Montreal!
At the very top of my list, is smoked meat. Just plain smoked meat, only sold in Montreal. It is like pastrami but way better!!! The most famous restaurant to buy the best smoked meat in Montreal, is Schwartz's on St. Laurent Blvd.
Celine Dion and her husband Rene Angelil recently bought the restaurant. They say they are going to keep it the same, and not change it at all. The place is pretty dumpy, you have to share a table with strangers, and they only accept cash.
I have a secret that only Montrealers know about......go to the Main, it's across the street. It isn't as dumpty as Schwartz's, but you get a private table and can pay with plastic.
I feasted on a smoked meat sandwich.....rye bread slapped with mustard and stacked with smoked meat. Served with greasy french fries, a side of vinegar cole slaw, and a garlicky dill pickle. Feast you eyes, and just hope you can get some someday!!!
I hope you've enjoyed my simple tour of food in Montreal in the St. Laurent area :)
