Blog

September 11, 2010 8:08 am

Our Official Dishcrawl Launch in Montreal!

The official dishcrawl launch in Montreal, led by the talented Marcella DeVincenzo (our head Montreal matchmaker and proprietor of Eataliangirl.com) hit the ground running with 30 foodies attending the sold-out dishcrawl in the Outremont area last Wednesday, September 1!  Seeing such a fantastic turnout had our minds spinning with excitement!

The mission of the dishcrawl?  To find the hidden foodie treasures Montreal had to offer.  And we succeeded.

Lively voices joined the excited chatter of Restaurant Salute promptly at 7pm. 

We were greeted with the wafting aroma of fromage and rich mushroom risotto (our first dish) which was served in an aged Bagoss cheese wheel infused with saffron by Chef Angelo himself.

Creamy earthy tones danced on our tongues as the cheese melted into the very essence of our hearts.  A comfort hand-served.  A proud creation and a heavenly experience.  We were ready for the next.

The beautiful Montreal nights kept us happily warm as we scurried to the next stop ~ Lustucru!

Lustucru is known for their carpaccios and tartares.  We thought it only appropriate to have four tastes featuring the best of Lustucru be served that eve.

First, a salmon tartare tickled with lime and avocado.  Fresh, buttery, and alive with vibrant color of the crisp microgreens served on an cold plate.

Next, a swordfish carpaccio littered with chives and quebec strawberries sliced thin as paper.  The addition of fruit is something I have seen often in Montreal restaurants during the summer months.  I love noticing these trends.  Trends are the people of the region speaking to you through their food, as the Montreal chefs have done here.  Rejoicing in the summer months to be blessed with copious harvests of fruit and fresh greens.  Each bite was like tasting strawberry fields tossed into a salty ocean.  A nice marriage.

On to a simple beef tartare, but then… then the duck carpaccio.

Beautiful thin piles of sliced duck flesh holding wild blueberries and again, quebec strawberries.  Buttery game that melted on your tongue with the sweet cut of mixed fruits.  An experience of intrigue and raw surrender to adventure.

‘Twas only half way through- there were 2 restaurants left and we had already sampled 5 different dishes.  Marcella led our eager stomaches on to the third restaurant.  A true gem!  L ‘Atelier!

Gorgeous presentation made the room hush with delight.  We brought our voices to a whisper as precisely plated dishes appeared before our eyes.

Panko Crusted Lamb with Pineapple Confit on one side of the L ‘Atelier experience.  Lamb so tender it fell on fork’s command.  Panko crust and sweet pineapple added a dimension we do not usually expect out of lamb.  It livened up the mood of the meat which is usually a seductive and comforting experience.  Think of that luscious dame you love to eat, but put a lei around her neck.  This is what you got with this dish.  A favourite of the night.

Next, the Foie Gras Torchon, Dill, and Red Onion Marmalade!  Cool foie gras torchon, butter-like on the bread.  The red onion marmalade stood out and spread happily amongst the union of bread and torchon.  Fresh local dill added a wee scent of earth.

I was excited to see what else Marcella had in store for us.  How could anything top the last 3 amazing restaurants?

But then we ended up at Macaroni Bar.  And she said the magic words ~ Gnocchi Poutine.

With Chef Sergio personally introducing the food, all ears were intent on understanding the passion behind this unique fusion dish.

Handmade gnocchi deep fried to be crispy on the outer shell and soft inside, then tossed in a veal demi glace and topped with cheese curds.  True heaven.

Oh, but just as you thought the night ended, a parade of Pork Belly Lollipops brought us to another elated state of intrigue.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but as I popped the lolly into my mouth, I was happily impressed with juicy fatty meat spilling out onto my tongue right away.  Pure melted bliss to finish a night of fascinating foodie play.

Are you curious about going to one of our dishcrawl events?  Join the next Montreal dishcrawl Sept 28th!  Tickets are going quickly!  Register HERE!

To see what other foodies are saying about this dishcrawl, visit:

Food Guy Montreal’s post ~ Dishcrawl Invades Montreal with a Bang!

Mayssam Samaha’s post ~ Dishcrawling in Montreal

BaoPhac’s post(s) ~ Dishcrawl “Week” and Dishcrawl “Week” Part Deux

(did you write about the dishcrawl launch and are not listed? email us hi(at)dishcrawl(dot)com and let us know!)

To keep an eye out for other events, visit dishcrawl.com/dishcrawl and see what’s in store!

**Dishcrawl (web) will be open soon!  Keep a look out for the matchmaker for your mouth going live!  Soon, you’ll be able to create a taste profile and find the best food in Montreal that cater to your mouth!**

To hear what the tech scene has to say about dishcrawl in Montreal, visit Next Montreal’s coverage on dishcrawl!

New Startup Dishcrawl Launching in Montreal

Marcella De Vincenzo: Passion, Food, and Blogging

Posted on 11. Sep, 2010 by tracy

Tags: dish crawl, dishcrawl, dishcrawl launch montreal, featured, food adventure montreal, food crawl, food montreal, foodcrawl, foodie montreal, ladyleet, montreal adventures, montreal food recommendations, montreal food scene, montreal tech scene, montreal to do, startups montreal