tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post1180694362225178741..comments2024-03-28T16:15:19.319-04:00Comments on Saideman's Semi-Spew: Guide to ISA Conventioneers and Other Visitors to MontrealSteve Saidemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881915512311951902noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-22698172949591377972011-03-21T16:15:04.817-04:002011-03-21T16:15:04.817-04:00I would have posted this negative review earlier b...I would have posted this negative review earlier but I don't check the comment moderation page that much and especially not during the ISA since it tied me up pretty good.<br /><br />Sorry if my post bothered you, but I am a self-admitted snarky outsider. Next time, provide me with suggestions of places I missed.Steve Saidemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881915512311951902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-24522900632176898232011-03-15T17:28:00.354-04:002011-03-15T17:28:00.354-04:00Clicked through from another blog site, and I find...Clicked through from another blog site, and I find your post about Montreal decidedly irritating. You obviously don't know much about the city but your condescending/snarky outsider's attitude is worse than your ignorance. Also, do you intend to be writing for an unsophisticated, backwater American male audience? That is what it sounds like. C'mon Saideman, up your game and do better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-79751144114191342632011-03-09T01:03:51.273-05:002011-03-09T01:03:51.273-05:00The only things I would add to this are:
1) My pe...The only things I would add to this are:<br /><br />1) My personal opinion, but Baton Rouge is that it is a not so great and over-priced chain restaurant. Maybe it has picked up its game since I last tried it a few years a go, but as Steve says, there are tons of good restaurants and I would try to find a real one first. <br /><br />2) Cora is definitely great for breakfast. Also a chain, but with a smiling French-Canadian woman! And they do things like egg-white omelettes. And likely to be 1/3 the price of the hotel.<br /><br />3) Tim Hortons (aka Timmy's) isn't like the Soviet Union! It's great! (Like North Korea!) It helps to speak the language though: A 'regular' is a a medium coffee with one cream and one sugar. A 'double-double' is a medium coffee with two creams and two sugars. Not sure this language exists outside of TIm Hortons, but it's important Canadian knowledge.<br /><br />3) Good advice on beer - but I've had plenty of American beers better than Molsons. Sleeman's is usually my fall-back position, but I also like Rickard's Red.<br /><br />4) Our pharmacies are often chains like the US. Look out for Shoppers Drug Mart for most of your needs. But many grocery stores will also cover the basics.<br /><br />5) Your US cell phone MAY NOT WORK. (Yet European mobiles are often fine....)This was a HUGE problem at APSA in Toronto. Please check with your provider first. Unfortunately, Canadian competition laws mean we have the WORST telecommunication companies on the planet. You probably won't find a cheapie sim card/mobile easily. But do try either Bell Canada, Rogers, Wind, Telus, if you want to see what your options are.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10242004146553272135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-28131542184998800412011-03-04T23:26:44.272-05:002011-03-04T23:26:44.272-05:00Steve,
Thanks for the tips!
FYI, Le Parchemin...Steve,<br /><br />Thanks for the tips!<br /><br />FYI, Le Parchemin's website says they have gone out of business (checked on Mar 4).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-52543588330132944302011-02-09T15:52:01.361-05:002011-02-09T15:52:01.361-05:00Also a former student (POLI 244, Fall 2007) but st...Also a former student (POLI 244, Fall 2007) but still around Montreal.<br /><br />For transportation:<br />Just as a note - the 747 is $8 for a ticket, but it's also a one-day bus/metro pass. So it's a much better deal than you're making it out to be. Also, any longer-term STM passes, like a 3-day pass, would also cover the 747 in the cost.<br /><br />For food:<br />The Main is a good alternative if the line at Schwartz's is too long. And, for a Mexican fix, I've heard Itacate is pretty good - and I'm planning on testing this over the weekend. But, since it's at Beaubien, it's probably not that convenient for conference-goers. Romados (near Rachel and Coloniale) is well known locally for Portuguese rotisserie chicken. If you want to go, call ahead - you can get into a much shorter line.<br /><br />The area around Concordia has some of the best Chinese food in Montreal (coming from someone who lived in Shanghai for 2 years). Try Qing Hua Dumpling (Lincoln a little west of Concordia, Cuisine Szechuan (Guy south of Sherbrooke) or Tapioca The (de Maisonneuve a little west of Concordia). The first one does dumplings filled with soup - something you can hardly find outside China. The latter two tend to do Szechuan food, and their chefs can be serious about spicy food if you want them to be. Tapioca The also does a fair number of more standard Chinese dishes from other parts of the country. <br /><br />Also try Antep Kebab (near Guy and de Maisonneuve) for quick Turkish food. Not a very upscale place but very good food, esp. the bread.<br /><br />For beer:<br />Brutopia skews young (though not as young as Peel Pub, necessarily), and their beer is not necessarily the most adventurous. That said, it's probably the most convenient location. Go to Benelux or Dieu du Ciel. It's worth it. Resevoir (on Duluth near St. Denis) is also supposedly pretty good, but for some reason I haven't tried it yet. Likewise for Brasserie McAuslan, although many McAuslan beers are available around town.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08016383800728603250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-46248747308156789762011-02-09T12:40:35.393-05:002011-02-09T12:40:35.393-05:00Hi Prof Saideman - as a former student, saw this c...Hi Prof Saideman - as a former student, saw this come up (on facebook of all places) and felt I should have a look - I miss Montreal and am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. And hey, having lived in the plateau for 4 years on a student budget, I figured I'd see if I could help too! <br />Just because I miss Montreal and its amazingness, I felt I'd add a few things, especially on food:<br /> <br />Le Caveau is fabulous, well worth the $$. I too have heard good things about Le Parchemin. At the other end of the $$ spectrum is rites Alors, there's a little on on St laurent just above Sherbrooke - caribou, bison, boar, lamb burgers galore, and poutine! With Tin-Tin themed decor. :) Speaking of poutine, the best, best, BEST place to go for that delicacy (again, something I truly miss about Mtl) is La Banquise, up on Rachel, east of St Denis (near Parc LaFontaine). A hike from the downtown core, but cheap so worth the metro or even cab as a group. And SO good. And hey, open 24hrs, so perfect whenever! Massive portions, beware. For adventurous visitors or those wanting the walk, heading up St Denis or St Laurent into the plateau is great for coffee shops, bars, and boutiques (St Denis) and interesting food options (ever craving insanely good rotisserie chicken? Delicious seafood? the Protguese neighbourhood aroud St Laurent/Duluth is rockin'). <br />In fact, Duluth is a great BYOB (wine) restaurant street too. And there's an SAQ open till 10pm at St Denis and Duluth for all your beverage needs along such a BOYB-heavy street. <br />If you're looking for 'exotic', there's Ethiopian food - don't go to the ones on St Denis though, there's a much better and cheaper and way more authentic one on Bishop, just below Ste Cat's (called Magdela/Mekdella - spelled differently on signs, menus, etc). Really good, especially for sharing. And far more like actual Ethiopian food and decor (trust me) than the pricier St Denis ones. Not open on Mondays though.<br />Those are all the major food-related points I'd make. Touristing-wise, Old Port has some good indoors stuff too - the museum at Point a Callieres is quite good, with an underground annex where you can walk through the bits of the old city they're excavating, quite neat and very much local history, good times. For film-lovers, the Cinematheque nearby http://www.cinematheque.qc.ca/cinematheque/bonjour/welcome.html has a neat deal where you pay a set amount ($5?) for access to the robot-operated national film library - all the Canadian film you could ever want, at your fingertips, and put into your personal movie-seat-thingy by a robot! <br />Drinks-wise, I'd say the farther east and north you go the better - Crescent and Bishop streets offer nice places but often with average drinks at higher-than-average prices. You're very right to point out Benelux for beer - it is incredible micro-brew beer, the way it should be (flavourful and hearty - UK beer makes me nostalgic), and at decent prices. Resevoir (St Laurent/Duluth) is great too, and bigger food menu (killer brunch, apparently, too - the blanche of wheat beer is supposed to pair well with their brunch plates). <br />Enjoy the city!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com