Labelled as Montreal’s urban operator, MadeinMtl culls the best places for fashion, booze and poutine, one of Quebec’s “delicacy”.

The site also features vignettes, narrated mostly in French, on themes germane to the city’s character like the Underground City, the Montreal stairways, multiculturalism and Cinema L’Amour. I strongly recommend a visit (the MadeinMtl site of course).

Colette isn’t the only thing that’s hip and stylish in Paris. The city’s leading patisseries (cake/pastry shops) have eschewed the traditional rustic display opting instead for a modern, minimalist look. Here are some of the sleeker ones:

Pierre Hermé
Fans of his flagship store in Tokyo might be in for a disappointment. The shop on rue Bonaparte has just enough space to queue and order. But the cakes are just exquisite and heavenly.

Fauchon
This venerable institution was the former employer of Pierre Hermé.

Gérard Mulot
His stores in the 6e and 14e (shown below) are a contrast between old and new.

Jean-Paul Hévin
He’s one of the world’s best chocolatiers and has an in impressive shop to showcase his addictive creation.

Sadaharu Aoki
His cakes are more exotic, a fusion of French and Japanese flavours, like his green tea éclair and red bean macaron.

Addresses
Gérard Mulot: 76 rue de Seine, 6e, M Odéon, website
Fauchon: 24 pl. de la Madeleine, 8e, M Madeleine, website
Jean-Paul Hévin: 6e, M Vavin, website
Pierre Hermé: 72, rue Bonaparte, 6e, M Saint-Sulpice, website
Sadaharu Aoki: 56 blvd de Port-Royal, RER Port-Royal, website

Images courtesy of: Fauchon, Flickr, Pierre Hermé, Parisist, Parisinfo.com, and me.

Like London, Montreal is also acclaimed for its culinary diversity (minus the pricey eats) reflecting the city’s various ethnic groups. If you want proof, take a look at the Montreal Mirror’s annual Best of Montreal poll, which has 50 categories in the chow section.

Here are my additions to and comments on the results.

Some readers, most likely students, seem to really like McDonald’s and Harvey’s vaulting them to the top 5 in the best burger category. Instead, go to La Paryse or l’Anecdote if you’re not fond of fast food chains.

I’m surprised the Mirror didn’t have a people / celebrity watch category. If you’re into the glitterati scene, try Buonanotte, Cavalli, Globe, Med or Sofia. These supper clubs attract the same types who frequent Costes, Cab or Kong in Paris.

A friend took me last week to a very popular café in Old-Montreal called Olive et Gourmando. It reminded me of Baker and Spice in London. Prices are a bit steep, $9 for a sandwich compared with $3 to $5 anywhere else; fortunately the quality of the food makes up for it.

I didn’t have a chance to sample their pain au chocolat, which is apparently delicious. The way I like it: pure beurre, a bit flaky and with double chocolate sticks. I could’ve asked how they make it but it just sounds too snobby.

Continuing on with viennoiseries, the places I like are Première Moisson for its pain au chocolat amande and Kouign Amman for the pastry of the same name (very popular in France). The one in Montreal is a bit harder and stickier but tastes about the same.

Montreal is actually home to one of the best patisseries in the world (IMHO), Le Paltoquet. Their cakes, ganache or mousse based, are heavenly and light. My favourite one is le Praliné, a creamy mix of caramelised sugar, almond and hazelnuts.

Only three other places I know make a praliné that rivals it: Pierre Hermé with the 2000 millefeuilles, Ladurée with the macaron au praliné (but oddly enough the millefeuille au praliné’s a letdown), and Berthillon with the glace praliné aux pignons.

Know any other good places? Let me know so I can try them on my next trip to Mtl.

Addresses
L’Anecdote: 801 Rachel, M Sherbrooke
Buonanotte: 3518 Saint-Laurent, M St-Laurent, Web
Cavalli: 2040 rue Peel, M Peel, Web
Globe: 3455 Saint-Laurent, M St-Laurent, Web
Kouign Amman: 322 Mont-Royal Est, M Mont-royal
Med: 3500 Saint-Laurent, M St-Laurent, Web
Olive + Gourmando: 351 Saint-Paul Ouest, M Sq. Victoria, Web
Le Paltoquet: 1464 ave Van Horne, M Outremont
Première Moisson: 1490 Sherbrooke Ouest, M Guy-Concordia, Web
Sofia: 3600 Saint-Laurent, M St-Laurent, Web

Other Guides
Montreal Food: www.montrealfood.com
Le Voir: Ze Best of Montreal (catchier than le meilleur de Montréal)

I enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night at La Bouchée in South Kensington. With no fewer than 5 seafood and meat dishes, this quaint French bistrot offers a wide selection to please the discerning palate of the French expats who live in the area.
 
My first instinct was to order the entrecôte béarnaise. But recalling how my body violently reacted to the entrecôte prepared bleue at the London branch of le Relais de Venise, I played it safe and opted for the confit de canard. It was a good choice as it was prepared the way I like it – crispy in the outside and tender in the inside – and I don’t feel queasy today.

La Bouchée is a great place to take someone on a date as shown by the string of young couples filling the room. Ma seule reproche: the ice cream was shamefully bland.

Prices
Entrée:  £3-5; plat principal: £13-17; dessert: £4-6.
Service charge is added to the bill.

Address
La Bouchée, 56 Old Brompton Road, 020 7589 1929, South Kensington Tube
Other reviews: Londonelicious, London-Eating.

Ten Ten Tei seems to be a popular place as people were queuing when we arrived and when we left. Overall, the food was good and affordable for London, but it was short from being spectacular.

Business Partner ordered a tonkatsu set, which also came with chicken fillet, miso soup and sashimi. We both found that the sashimi was bland and a bit rough. BP assured me that it was better before.

My tempura udon was a bit of a disappointment as they served the tempura in the soup. I can’t remember if they actually do that in Japan, but my crispy battered shrimp and vegetables turned out soggy and were stripped of their taste.

After dinner, we headed for drinks near Piccadilly Circus. We met a very charming and talented singer, Tara McDonald, who graced the remix of Armand Van Helden’s My, My, My and Axwell’s Feel the Vibe. Turns out she’s on MySpace (the geek that I am, I had to ask), and now we’re going to have our first friend on the site other than Tom from MySpace. (Still not sure if MySpace is an appropriate vehicle for us to develop our brand).

Ten Ten Tei: 56 Brewer St. Picadilly Circus. Dinner for 2 was £25