Sunday, May 15, 2011

MONTREAL: Brunch délicieux à Le Cartet


I was in Montreal this past weekend for a stagette with 7 other girls, and a weekend in Montreal is incomplete without some great food (I should mention that this can happen without much planning because there is so much of it!). Thankfully, brunch is the bride-to-be's favourite meal and so we started our adventure filled Saturday with brunch at Le Cartet. It is a chic, open and friendly restaurant lined with long communal tables, which I love for the fun atmosphere, and also individual tables if you prefer. The restaurant was buzzing with people and by lunch, the front door was jam packed with those waiting for a table and others waiting to pick up a coffee or maybe some pastries and other goodies. We were treated to a deliciously moist and fluffy pastry with chocolate as an amuse bouche, and it was AMAZING! I knew there would only be good things to follow. Weekend brunch at Le Cartet features some big (individual) platters, allowing you to get a taste of many things - the brunch Cartet was popular, which included scrambled eggs, ham croissant, salad, goat milk cheese, salmon cake and more (the picture above is the brunch Sante with poached eggs...but you get the idea!). Although this platter of goodness was very inviting, I couldn't resist the call of the brunch du mois, a stuffed scone with shrimp and crab, served with salad and fig and papaya on the side. I swear it sounds even better in French! My stuffed scone did not disappoint, it was every bit as good as I expected with generous shrimp and crab (including a claw for good measure!). Even the salad was beautiful, looking so perfect it could have been fake, and fresh fruit is always welcome for brunch, particularly unique selection like figs and papaya. I enjoyed my buttery scone and lapped up every last drop of the shrimp and crab!

Le Cartet was a great experience - a fun, buzzing restaurant with good food is perfect for weekend brunch. I would definitely go again, if even just for another taste of that amazing pastry! Thanks MAB and Catherine for taking us to this great spot :)

Le Cartet
106 rue McGill
514-871-8887