restaurant: holder

At the start of the semester, my entire family and some family friends joined me on the trip to Montreal. One of the highlights of the trip was eating at Holder. I sampled everything, but not all the dishes left impressions. The meat entrées generally seemed better than the fish. Overall verdict: superb service, very good food, would definitely go again. 8/10!

Duck confit with roasted potatoes and arugula.

Loved: deep, rich flavour, crisp exterior and tender meat. Roasted potatoes were divine, almost luscious. Seriously, how do you make potatoes that delicious?
Could do without: oil-saturated leaves - would have preferred the arugula crisp and fresh, too salty.

Pan seared tilapia with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts on a bed of julienned vegetables.

I only tried a sliver of the fish, and it was decently tender but slightly bland. However, I'm hesitant to comment on the overall quality of the dish without having sampled everything on the plate.

"Holder style" fish and chips.

I forgot to ask what kind of fish they used. Whatever the case, it was excellent. Soft, flaky, and sweet on the inside, crisp and savoury on the outside. Among the best fish and chips I've had, but only because of the fish. The fries were decent although nothing that special; a little sweeter than I thought they would be yet pleasantly so.

Lamb shepherd's pie with cognac sauce and asparagus.

The lamb was slightly stringy and no particular flavour in the sauce stood out and grabbed my attention. Good, but I wouldn't order it again.

Swordfish steak with lentils and vegetables.

The swordfish was slightly tough and dry, but the herb blend was strong and suitable for my tastes. Overall though, I'd say I was underwhelmed.

Grilled veal flank steak with marsala sauce and fries.

The friend who ordered this dish asked for her steak well done, which in my books is a waste of a perfectly good cut of meat, but I suppose to each her own. She's also just sprouting from tween-hood, so I'd give it a few more years before she starts really appreciating rare beef. I certainly didn't when I was her age. All in due time!

Seared fois gras on gingerbread with red wine and dried fruit sauce.

Excellent. Divine. This will be the first thing I order next time I'm there. The only thing I can pick about it is that the gingerbread was slightly too chewy, and a bit of a chore to cut. But the sharpness of the gingerbread spices against the rich, velvety texture of the foie gras is to die for.

Seriously, the fois gras was so good that we ordered another.

la belle basilique

Religious or not, the Notre-Dame Basilica is a sight to see. It's beautiful enough to stir feelings of awe and admiration even for me.

I had a strange fixation with the prayer candles that decorated the aisles of the basilica. For a dollar or two you could make an offering, say a prayer, and light a candle. Some where small and multicoloured, others long and I suppose more pious, for their offerings were more expensive than the small candles, and they burn for four days rather than four hours.

Truly, an excellent place to sit, ponder, and pray.

hello, my name is... (Montreal)

...eggs Benedict from Chez Cora.

...beef sukiyaki.

...homemade dango.

...a mirror resting on moving day.

...a room filled with memories but empty of furniture.

...pork filling for dumplings.

...dumplings, folded different ways.

...dumplings with black vinegar, soy, and sesame dipping sauce.

...tasty deep fried chocolate wontons.

...tulips in bloom on Rue Sherbrooke.

...green tea hot chocolate and dark chocolate brownie at Suite 88.

...Texas style BBQ brisket sandwich at Deville.

...wakame salad, pork jelly, and cucumber squid salad.

...grilled lamb skewers.

...green onion pancakes.

...lamb and tofu pot.

...polenta with ratatouille, mozzarella, and salsa from Lola Rosa.

...homemade linguine and meatballs.

...an exceptional view from atop Mount Royal.

...Earl Grey milk tea from Nos Thés.

...avocado, fried egg, and homefries with corn.

...Vietnamese style vermicelli with two kinds of sauce, peanut and lemon herb.

...stuffed duck breast with garlic and rosemary.

...tagliatelle glazed in duck fat sauce. 

...rosemary chicken and potatoes.

...French macaroons from M Café.