I used to write restaurant reviews for Midnight Poutine, an awesome site with a talented group of writers that contribute articles about all things Montreal…the music scene, the arts scene, and day-to-day life in this great city. I did this for over a year and then stopped, for a variety of reasons. Anyway, Montcarte was originally created to document the food we make here at home as well as the great food Montreal restaurants have to offer.

So, every week, I’m going to post a review that I did for Midnight Poutine here.

This week, I present you with Ramen-Ya (originally posted here):

Finally! Ramen in Montreal @ Ramen-Ya

Ramen-Ya is a relative newcomer to St-Laurent in the Plateau, and I certainly hope it’s a restaurant that’s here to stay for a long time. I recently had one of the best (and most affordable!) lunches there than I’ve had in a long time, and I am looking forward to eating there on a regular basis.

Ramen-Ya is a small resto, with only a few tables and benches at the bar. However, it’s clean, sleek and tastefully decorated, and a lovely place to sit down and have a meal. The star of the place is their ramen soup, which is not to be confused with the insane amount of pho that is available in this city; no, the ramen soup here is lighter, less greasy, fresher and filled with ramen noodles.

You are offered a choice between three different types of broth: shoyu, (the clearest and lightest in flavour) miso, or curry (the darkest and heaviest in flavour). The traditionalist in me went for the shoyu broth (which the waitress also recommended), and a side of tonkatsu, or breaded pork cutlet, to put in the soup.

Alone, the pork was a bit dry, but after it had sat in the ramen soup for a bit, it became tender and a wonderful addition to the already-full soup. Along with a plentiful serving of ramen noodles in the bowl were mushrooms, crunchy bean sprouts and seaweed. Not heavy at all, this soup was hearty and filling, and full of freshness.

For appetizers, we went with the gyoza, perfectly pan-fried on one side, so there was a mixture of textures; slightly chewy on one, crispy on the other.

They could’ve been filled a little more pork, but what was there was rich in flavour, as was the dipping sauce. The serving size was ideal.

The other appetizer we ordered was the grilled squid, served on a bed of lettuce. I loved every tender bite of it.

I loved the meal and will be a repeat visitor. And with two appetizers, one big bowl of soup and a pork cutlet and a small sake, Ramen-Ya fed two people for $30, tax included. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

Ramen-Ya
4274 St Laurent
(514) 286-3832

I used to write restaurant reviews for Midnight Poutine, an awesome site with a talented group of writers that contribute articles about all things Montreal…the music scene, the arts scene, and day-to-day life in this great city. I did this for over a year and then stopped, for a variety of reasons. Anyway, Montcarte was originally created to document the food we make here at home as well as the great food Montreal restaurants have to offer.

So, every week, I’m going to post a review that I did for Midnight Poutine here.

This week, I present you with Euro-Deli (originally posted here):

A Little Taste of Euro-Deli

It’s no hidden gem, but I get the feeling that people may be passing Euro-Deli by out of fear that it’s your average, if not sub-par, cheap pizza slice place. If you are one of those, this one’s for you! Euro-Deli is no 4-star resto, but offers up some of the best cheap grub I’ve come across in a long time.

First of all, the pizza! It is leaps and bounds above the quality of pizza slices offered in the same price bracket; consistently fresh, with a thin crust and a perfect amount of cheese to make it just oily enough to still be considered junk food. Most of the time, our order consists of the cheese slice, but when they have other toppings available, they look very promising. In the mood for something a little different last time, we got the slice smothered in pesto, which added a real kick to an already fine slice of pizza.

Another fav is their “calzone.” While I prefer the spinach one, packed with spinach and cheese, pressed between soft, slightly salty focaccia-like bread, the ham and cheese is also quite tasty. A thick layer of ham sits below gooey, melted Swiss cheese and soft mounds of creamy ricotta. The size of the serving is quite big, perfect if you’re very hungry, but mostly, it’s ideal to share it.

Especially if you combine it with one of Euro-Deli’s vegetarian antipasto platters. Several types of olives, marinated eggplant, sundried tomatoes, all drizzled with a healthy does of olive oil and surrounded by toasted bread. It’s light and zingy, and a great complement to the ham and cheese calzone.

It’s an easy-going, relaxed place, and an ideal spot for people-watching, with its big open windows and sitting-stoop outside. Extremely affordable, simple, fantastic food – Euro-Deli is a welcome sight on St-Lo.

Euro-Deli
3619 boulevard Saint-Laurent
(514) 843-7853