Why does everyone love Montreal?

[TorontoDrew]

Strippers?

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Strippers?

Ah, such a clever, original and witty observation!

[samne]

For me, Toronto is the answer to the question: what if NDG were allowed to grow out as its own city?

Funny you say that. Passed through but never really stopped in NDG until this summer. Spent part of the day there and felt the most "familiar" to me.

I think if I were to ever relocate to MTL NDG is up there.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by samne

Funny you say that. Passed through but never really stopped in NDG until this summer. Spent part of the day there and felt the most "familiar" to me.

I think if I were to ever relocate to MTL NDG is up there.

Décarie says Hi

[The Macallan]

I love Montreal because it represents a memory of youthful freedom. I was a teenager living in a lovely but very sheltered and very Anglo neighbourhood in Toronto in the year of Expo 67. I think parents were both more protective and more directive in those distant days than they are day. Certainly my own parents fit that description, with love, to be sure. At any rate, they allowed me to have a three day visit to Montreal and its World's Fair, unsupervised and on my own. They had arranged for me to stay with family friends in one of those lovely old stone townhouses high up University, as it then was. But aside from being in at a reasonable hour, I was on my own. I spoke reasonably good French so communication was not a problem. More importantly, I was free to imbibe Expo and also to wander the old streets of Montreal.

The reason I could speak French was not the uhh, excellent teaching of the language in the Ontario school system. Rather, it was because my family had lived for almost a year in Geneva Switzerland. I had loved our time in that historic Francophone city and Montreal evoked memories of Europe in a way that Toronto certainly did not.

Moreover, some younger posters may not realize that in those days before the first advent to power of the PQ Montreal was considerably larger than Toronto, possibly wealthier and certainly more international and cosmopolitan. (I have always thought that the wrong city named a street in honour of Rene Lévesque. No person in the 20th century contributed more to the growth of Toronto than he did!). There was an air of sophistication and excitement that Toronto did not share. I do not know how much that was due to the city itself and how much to the heady taste of freedom for that teenaged boy, but so it was. Doubtless, there was a mixture of both. But I have loved Montreal ever since.

There is one thing I will add that may offend some Montreal residents on the Board. I have been to Montreal more times than I can recall since that first visit and have eaten in many settings in that city. I think the restaurants of Montreal are overrated compared to Toronto and my present city of Vancouver. This may be because the city is French and French culture is stereotypically supposed to possess the apex of cuisine. In my experience, however, Montreal restaurants do not match the wonderful seafood or the Asian cuisine of Vancouver. Nor does it possess the wealth and breadth of world cooking of present day Toronto. Sorry about that...

But I still love Montreal.

[GreaterMontréal]

There is one thing I will add that may offend some Montreal residents on the Board. I have been to Montreal more times than I can recall since that first visit and have eaten in many settings in that city. I think the restaurants of Montreal are overrated compared to Toronto and my present city of Vancouver. This may be because the city is French and French culture is stereotypically supposed to possess the apex of cuisine. In my experience, however, Montreal restaurants do not match the wonderful seafood or the Asian cuisine of Vancouver. Nor does it possess the wealth and breadth of world cooking of present day Toronto. Sorry about that...

http://canadas100best.com/canadas-100-best-restaurants-2016/

only 2 restaurants from BC in the Top 20.

[Rico Rommheim]

People have got to stop equating Montreal with french culture, or cuisine. The bulk of Montreal's best restaurants are not french, but Japanese, Jewish, Greek, portuguese, Italian, Polish, South American, North American, Middle-eastern, Indian and African. Of course we have excellent french restos as well. Most people in Montreal have never been to France, don't associate with french culture particularly and don't call themselves "french", in the same vain as Anglos don't call themselves "English". In the same manner as Toronto doesn't call itself an english city with english cultural amenities.

Also the city's staples foods such as Bagels, smoked meat and Delicatessen foods stem from Jewish Eastern-Europe, not France.


I've also had the pleasure of dining out extensively in all three big cities, and I can attest that its a fierce competition for which city has the best restaurants. Montreal has insane innovation from home-grown talent, TO has this too but also has a wealthier clientele. Vancouver, in my experience, lacks the dining-out culture that Montreal has. Montrealers like to dine out late and often. Vancouver does this too, but due to its size has a smaller offering and its nightlife quite honestly leaves a lot to be desired.

I can't say for Toronto, but Montreal's best restos also aren't found in downtown but in the central neighbourhoods like the plateau. Somebody in TO told me last week that the best restos in Toronto are probably not in downtown either, but hidden in the strip malls out in the ethnically-diverse suburbs.

[The Macallan]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

http://canadas100best.com/canadas-100-best-restaurants-2016/

only 2 restaurants from BC in the Top 20.

Thanks for the link but I'll stand by my opinion on this one.

And Rico, please note my use of the word 'stereotypically" in the sentence about cuisine. I do know that Montreal is full of a variety of non French restaurants. The last one I ate in was Lebanese, for example. It's just that Toronto is "more so" with respect to restaurants from that wide variety of cultures. Vancouver is definitely more so with respect to Asian cuisines. And it is unmatched in Canada with respect to seafood.


Montreal smoked meat is indeed delicious, as you say. I prefer Toronto style bagels, however. What you grow up with, I suppose.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Somebody in TO told me last week that the best restos in Toronto are probably not in downtown either, but hidden in the strip malls out in the ethnically-diverse suburbs.

Yep. The culinary cornucopia in Toronto's ethno-burbs is mind-blowing.

Originally Posted by The Macallan

I prefer Toronto style bagels, however. What you grow up with, I suppose.

There is no such thing as "Toronto-style bagels."

[memph]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

People have got to stop equating Montreal with french culture, or cuisine. The bulk of Montreal's best restaurants are not french, but Japanese, Jewish, Greek, portuguese, Italian, Polish, South American, North American, Middle-eastern, Indian and African. Of course we have excellent french restos as well. Most people in Montreal have never been to France, don't associate with french culture particularly and don't call themselves "french", in the same vain as Anglos don't call themselves "English". In the same manner as Toronto doesn't call itself an english city with english cultural amenities.

Also the city's staples foods such as Bagels, smoked meat and Delicatessen foods stem from Jewish Eastern-Europe, not France.


I've also had the pleasure of dining out extensively in all three big cities, and I can attest that its a fierce competition for which city has the best restaurants. Montreal has insane innovation from home-grown talent, TO has this too but also has a wealthier clientele. Vancouver, in my experience, lacks the dining-out culture that Montreal has. Montrealers like to dine out late and often. Vancouver does this too, but due to its size has a smaller offering and its nightlife quite honestly leaves a lot to be desired.

I can't say for Toronto, but Montreal's best restos also aren't found in downtown but in the central neighbourhoods like the plateau. Somebody in TO told me last week that the best restos in Toronto are probably not in downtown either, but hidden in the strip malls out in the ethnically-diverse suburbs.

Based off the list Greater Montreal posted, the area within about 1km of Boul St-Laurent through the Plateau up to about Jean Talon has the biggest concentration of "top" restaurants along with Little Burgundy. There's still quite a few in Downtown though.

But in Toronto, only one is in the "suburbs" (Etobicoke), the rest all seem to be in the core, Downtown, West end, and the furthest north was at Yonge & St Clair. There's plenty of great restaurants in the suburbs if you ask me, even in some of the less ethnically-diverse ones, but maybe they're not considered as "refined"? Or may the reviewers just don't head out there?

[The Macallan]

Yes there are Toronto style bagels or at least there were. I am sure that a much wider variety of bagels is now available but the traditional kind of bagel from Toronto was a bigger more doughy bagel than the Montreal style. That's what I grew up with, sharing with my Jewish high school classmates, and it is still widely available. You may not have heard it described that way but it exists.

A note on bagels: I lived in Kingston for five years in the 80's. There was a particular deli bakery noted for its bagels. Since Kingston is half way between the two large cities and there are lots of students from both areas, it sold Montreal style bagels on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Toronto style on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, or vice versa.

By the way, I apologize for sidetracking this thread into culinary reviews rather than its stated subject matter. You can definitely count me in among the lovers of Montreal.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by ue

I think it's fair to say Vancouver once had this vibe too, before the David Lam condos and Chinese investors. Victoria may still have it, but I haven't been in a long time, so I can't comment with certainty. Small interior cities like Nelson and Fernie definitely have that vibe on a small town scale. You get pockets of it in Toronto due to its sheer size, but it isn't the dominant vibe unless you're in key neighbourhoods like Parkdale or Roncesvalles.

Sad but true. Vancouver has gone from hippy, alternative Greenpeace to a Chinese money laundering ReMax city in a generation. It's far less interesting than it use to be.

As far as Montreal is concerned, it's not a few neighbourhoods but rather the whole city that has that easy going bohemian atmosphere. Food?.......well I still think Toronto takes the cake in that department due to it's huge numbers of restaurants of every possible cuisine. Vancouver is the best for Asian but outside Asian it's very lacking and the restaurants like the city itself close early. It's an early to bed, early to rise kind of city.

Montreal and Toronto definitely are the only 2 cities for shopping, entertainment, culture, nightlife, festivals, and urban vitality. Montreal has all of those in abundance but yet manages to retain it's easy going, friendly, and bohemian atmosphere which Toronto definitely lacks.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by The Macallan

Yes there are Toronto style bagels or at least there were. I am sure that a much wider variety of bagels is now available but the traditional kind of bagel from Toronto was a bigger more doughy bagel than the Montreal style. That's what I grew up with, sharing with my Jewish high school classmates, and it is still widely available. You may not have heard it described that way but it exists.

Yeah. That's a New York-style bagel, not a "Toronto-style bagel." Toronto never invented a bagel style, it just produces New York-style bagels like the rest of North America outside of Montreal.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Montreal and Toronto definitely are the only 2 cities for shopping, entertainment, culture, nightlife, festivals, and urban vitality. Montreal has all of those in abundance but yet manages to retain it's easy going, friendly, and bohemian atmosphere which Toronto definitely lacks.

Toronto probably doesn't compare to Montreal for easy-going friendliness overall, but it exists in large pockets all over the city. I mean, it has Kensington Market, arguably the coolest and most bohemian neighbourhood in North America, after all.

Montreal doesn't have a Kensington Market, though maybe you could argue that the boho thing is simply more concentrated in several districts in Toronto, whereas there's a low-level bohemian vibe over a greater swath of Montreal.

But yeah, Montreal's got all kinds of great urban superlatives, and the love people feel for it is real.

[ue]

Hasn't the coolness of the Kensington Market been usurped by W Queen W, Parkdale, the Junction, and East-end nabes like the Beaches and Leslieville? I haven't been in a couple years and I absolutely loved it the first time I was there over 5 years ago, but Toronto friends have complained lately about its commercial-ness. Like I said, it's been a couple years so I could be mistaken.

[Acajack]

I think Montreal's dining scene is being a bit short-changed on here. Toronto beats any city in the country in terms of having a good meal from countries X, Y and Z to infinity, but Montreal IMO has the most innovative and original *local* cuisine, with the most interesting celebrity chef scene as well. This innovative and extremely popular foodie scene in Montreal also permeates the city (and in some cases, the entire province of Quebec), like no other part of the country.

[matthew6]

When people refer to 'Montreal' bagels they are most likely referring to two specific bagel shops seperated by a block and a bit. I think it would be more accurate to call it a 'Mile End' bagel.

[ue]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Sad but true. Vancouver has gone from hippy, alternative Greenpeace to a Chinese money laundering ReMax city in a generation. It's far less interesting than it use to be.

As far as Montreal is concerned, it's not a few neighbourhoods but rather the whole city that has that easy going bohemian atmosphere. Food?.......well I still think Toronto takes the cake in that department due to it's huge numbers of restaurants of every possible cuisine. Vancouver is the best for Asian but outside Asian it's very lacking and the restaurants like the city itself close early. It's an early to bed, early to rise kind of city.

Montreal and Toronto definitely are the only 2 cities for shopping, entertainment, culture, nightlife, festivals, and urban vitality. Montreal has all of those in abundance but yet manages to retain it's easy going, friendly, and bohemian atmosphere which Toronto definitely lacks.

Yeah, it's an unfortunate transformation that has occurred in Vancouver. You can see remnants of the Old Vancouver in older generations, or even those raised in the area (regardless of background), and in places like New West, Strathcona, Chinatown, and the Drive, but it's a sliver of what it used to be. When students end up sleeping on university campuses because there's nowhere affordable, you know there's a problem.

Vancouver's main perks now are the fairly high quality urbanism and the natural features. As far as "city things", beyond transit and planning, Vancouver really isn't where it should be and isn't as great as people make it out to be, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Acajack

I think Montreal's dining scene is being a bit short-changed on here. Toronto beats any city in the country in terms of having a good meal from countries X, Y and Z to infinity, but Montreal IMO has the most innovative and original *local* cuisine, with the most interesting celebrity chef scene as well. This innovative and extremely popular foodie scene in Montreal also permeates the city (and in some cases, the entire province of Quebec), like no other part of the country.

I agree. No city touches Montreal when it comes to a unique local culture strongly embraced by the populace in Canada. While Toronto and Vancouver are busy looking beyond our borders, Montreal has been developing itself into a place that is distinctive from peers. Not that I don't think Toronto's great, but it can and slowly seems to be learning to embrace itself. It's not better, but different, as someone previously mentioned, vis-a-vis Montreal. I think international artists like Drake have really awakened awareness and pride for Toronto. Unfortunately in typical Anglo-Canadian fashion, Toronto waited to be validated by US media rather than just do it's own thing, like Montreal has been doing for decades.

[softee]

Originally Posted by ue

Hasn't the coolness of the Kensington Market been usurped by W Queen W, Parkdale, the Junction, and East-end nabes like the Beaches and Leslieville? I haven't been in a couple years and I absolutely loved it the first time I was there over 5 years ago, but Toronto friends have complained lately about its commercial-ness. Like I said, it's been a couple years so I could be mistaken.

I think Kensington is still ground zero on the bohemian scale in Toronto. It's "coolness factor" is just so much more concentrated and in your face than any of those other neighbourhoods.

[speedog]

Having resided in Calgary for 38 years and over the years having visited Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal, I would say Montreal is my favourite. Montreal is just so different and would my first choice for a vacation in a larger center within Canada. I can't even really say what it is about Montreal but certainly is somewhere I would return again just to experiance once again what I've already seen/done there and to experiance more that is still there.