24 HOURS IN MONTREAL
You might not find it surprising Montreal has a reputation as a bit of a food lover’s paradise. After all, Canada’s second largest city has a considerable French colonial history dating back to the 16th century, and remains the second largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris.
However, this city’s food scene goes way beyond being influenced by France’s gastronomic roots. Montreal has long been a magnet for immigrants from all around the globe. This fact is reflected in its distinct, multi-faceted culinary scene which showcases influences from Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and beyond.
Eating in Montreal is so much more than the stereotypes. This is not just ‘France-lite’, gravy-laden late night poutine, wannabe-New York bagels, or heavy smoked meat. It’s French, only grittier. It’s New York, only cheaper. It’s like nowhere else you have ever eaten.
The great eating to be found in Montreal is accompanied by an abundance of top notch food and provisions shops, open-air markets and specialty stores. This makes it somewhat of a mecca and our current top spot for a road trip to find rare tinned fish, provisions and preserves from around the globe.
While we could have spent a month visiting all Montreal has to offer, we only had 24 hours to fit in a TINNED Trip, which included sardine shopping alongside the aforementioned eating and drinking. Here are our top three picks for snagging some sardines and tinned fish next time you are in The City of Saints.
Jean-Talon's little sister Marché Atwater is our top tip. Situated in Montréal’s Southwest borough, close to the Lachine Canal, Atwater Market’s art deco building is one of the most beautiful in the city containing a true gastronomic treasure trove. It is celebrated for its many butcher shops and cheesemongers, horticultural producers, market gardeners, and shopkeepers offering a wide variety of fresh, refined and original merchandise.
Head to Les Douceurs du Marché on Atwater’s ground floor, a food emporium that is often referred to as “Alibaba’s Cave of Wonders” for its countless hidden treasures - over 3000 of them to be exact.
We picked up a few goodies here. First, a beautifully designed, paper-wrapped tin of LATA octopus in ragout. LATA offers a selection of Premium Conservas from Portugal, ethically caught and produced at one of the oldest canneries in the country. Second, a rare tin of Conservas Santos sardines in olive oil, prepared with fresh fish caught daily on the Portuguese coast. Our third find was a bright pink tin of L'Atelier du Cuisinier No 3 Tapas squid with piquillos peppers & lemon, one we are particularly looking forward to serving chilled as an hors d’oeuvre.
Next up on our hunt tour was Spanish speciality store L’Española, situated on Boulevard Saint Laurent, one of two main boulevards that run through Montreal’s beating heart. There are many small speciality food stores lining this street, it is always worth popping in to see what they might have in store.
L’Española offers a wide selection of imported products from Spain and South America as well as a café and at certain times during the summer, is home to the best traditional street paella this side of Madrid. Given the importance of tinned fish in the Spanish-speaking world, we had high hopes that we would find various tinned treats inside its doors.
We were not disappointed.
A simply-designed tin of Spanish 'sardinillas' from Yurrita stood out immediately. Produced by the oldest canning company in the Basque Country, these sardines are salted and canned in olive oil. We also snapped up a tin of Conservas de Cambados, gourmet Spanish sardines that are so good, in Galicia they are served straight from the can in bars and restaurants.
The treasure trove that is La Vieille Europe is situated two doors down from L’Española on Boulevard Saint Laurent. Seemingly plucked directly from the chalets of the Austrian Alps, this tightly packed store features rows of specialty European products, from soaps to sausages. It does not disappoint when it comes to tinned fish.
Our first pick was a brightly colored tin of BOM Petisco sardines in olive oil from Portugal. There are five different flavors in the BOM range, we find the subtle flavor of the olive oil really brings out the best in these Portuguese fish. Second, a can of Tousain sardines à la provençale, which is a tangy tomato-rich sauce that makes these an ideal tapas or lunch snack on a crusty baguette. Finally, one of the sardine classics, Portuguese Sabor de Mar in olive oil.
