Red Red Shine

I walked over to the St. Denis and Jean Talon area in the late afternoon to buy some banh mi to bring back to Ottawa. The days of super cheap subs are over. But for $6.50, the special banh mi (more meat than the regular at $5.50) at Hoang Oanh Sandwich was still a good deal. That would explain why the customers there, like me, were buying several subs per order.

I wandered around for a bit then made my way to a Middle-Eastern vegan restaurant called Sham. The name was a bit odd but perhaps it was an homage to nearby Shamrock Avenue. I've eaten shish taouk before but not a vegetarian one. So I ordered the shawarma version ($9.50) with the meat replaced with sautéed mushrooms. The restaurant was homey and cozy but I decided to eat at a outdoor eating area on Shamrock which had been beautified some years back. Like all the food I've eaten in Montreal so far, it was ok but not particularly outstanding (for the price).

I walked over to Bar Le Ritz at about 7:45 pm. The place was already packed despite the early hours. I guess unlike Toronto, folks in Montreal show up early. The line for Ginger Root's merchandise (manned by the lead Cameron Lew) was already 15 people long. I didn't want to wait until after the show so I got in line too. As such, I was only half-listening to the opener King Pari. This Minneapolis via L.A. band played catchy dance music that combined samples and tracks along with live vocals, guitar and trumpet solos. The crowd was already into it tonight. Luckily I was able to buy some merch because after me, Lew took off to get ready for his set.

So was Ginger Root worth the trip to Montreal? Lew is the real deal. His City-Pop-inspired hits translated to a tight, funky set with help from high-school friends Matt Carney (drums) and Dylan Hovis (bass). His  easy-going stage patter endeared him to the crowd especially after he claimed that Montreal tap water was superior to Toronto's. The 80s/90s Japanophile love included a roving cameraman who shot the set (in glorious analog) onto the stage backdrop, 2 City-Pop covers, and a medley of anime theme songs. Before playing his viral hit Loretta, Lew thanked his sponsors: The Youtube Algorithm (as planned) and also NordVPN (as shouted out by a cheeky audience member). The sold-out crowd loved the music, the skits, and Lew's disarming and slightly nerdy vibe. After a raucous call for an encore, his "deep cut" (but danceable) Mahjong Room showed that Lew already has a good catalogue. With crowd singalongs like Weather, I think Ginger Root has staying power.

Walking on Sunshine and Rain

On Thursday, I visited several Vietnamese businesses. Just before noon, I headed south in the bright sunshine along Saint Laurent until Bellechasse. Stores became quotidian and less chi-chi. Bellechasse was an industrial street with several large edifices including a new bus depot under construction. There was a smattering of stores and restaurants for the residential side streets and buildings being converted into hard lofts.

My first stop was at Lien Phat on Saint Hubert. This bakery made cakes and other baked goods but I was interested in pate so (pate chaud), a Vietnamese take on a French pastry. I grabbed 12 ($30) with 4 vegetarian options. I headed north and noticed that Saint Hubert's sidewalks had fancy glass awnings. But although there were some trendy stores and restaurants, the businesses were eclectic offering all manner of goods and services: jewelry, clothes, wigs, tchotchkes, cellphone repair, nail salons, barber shops. If Toronto had beautified Yonge St or Queen St West as they existed in the year 2000, that would be Saint Hubert.

The sky grew dark when I arrived at my second stop: Petit Marché Végé. I grabbed a few vegan to-go items ($6.50-$7) to bring back to Ottawa. I should have stayed and gotten lunch but I braved the rain because I wanted to try My Tien's famous noodle and bao dishes. A mistake as they were temporarily closed until December.

On to plan B. I dropped off my purchases at the AirBnB and decided to try T'ami on Saint Laurent. Unfortunately, their specialties were only available on the week-end. All Vietnamese restaurants offer the ubiquitous pho soup, though some shouldn't, because it's expected. So I reluctantly ordered pho ($16) and it turned out to be a so-so lunch. The broth and noodles were good but they skimped on the fresh greens and herbs. The big miss was the tough beef. Considering the (now Michelin recommended) Cafe Rang in Toronto only charge $1 more for a much superior bowl, this was disappointing. Maybe their special dishes were worth a second visit.

A Walk In The Park?

Wednesday started out well but ended poorly. I did an early morning run at Parc Jarry. It was huge and I spent most of my time there with only short detours onto side streets. Former business areas around here have gentrified with condos and low-rises encroaching on the few remaining factories and industrial buildings. Two mid-sized stadiums (Stade IGA) were the location for the portion of the Rogers Cup tennis tournament that takes place in Montreal.

After washing up, I walked to La Fabrique de Bagel at Saint-Laurent and Jean Talon for a sesame bagel with Jalapeno cream cheese ($3.95) and a Chamomile tea ($2.95). This was likely not up to St. Viateur standard (no wood-fired ovens) but the bagel was freshly made and tasty. Just before lunch, I made my way to Jean Talon Market with the idea of getting some fresh basil for my leftover pizza from Napoletana. It had many more vendors than The Byward Market in Ottawa selling everything from wild blueberrys to plump tomatoes to colourful cauliflowers. There were groups of tourists walking around but it wasn't too busy. I grabbed some boiled corn ($1.50) with butter and salt.

I returned to Jarry Park in the afternoon after work for a more leisurely exploration. There was a pond, shady trees and picnic areas, soccer and baseball fields, playgrounds, even basketball courts and skateboard parks. I wandered along Jarry Street, another busy road with pedestrians and stores. Next to the Jarry subway station, I saw Ahi Poke, which reminded me of another Poke and subway spot. I ordered a vegetarian poke ($17) which had typical ingredients like edamame, seaweed, and baby spinach. The tempura toppings were crispy but a bit heavy. Although you can't go wrong with Poke, the version here wasn't memorable.

It was about a 30-minute stroll back to my AirBnB. Though I enjoyed streets like St. Denis and Villeray on the way, I was a bit worried. I sometimes have digestive problems after a meal, especially if there is walking involved. It has been my bane for decades with some close calls. Sure enough, the intestinal rumbling started about 7 minutes from the studio apartment. When I got in, I spent some time in the washroom.

I had bought a ticket to see Alice Glass at Le Belmont since I was already in Montreal. But with the venue about 40-minutes away by foot and my stomach still feeling tender and unsettled, I took the prudent choice to stay in and go to bed early.

Sur la Main, il est tard

I was itching to be somewhere more convenient for a few days. Meanwhile, a viral Youtube artist named Ginger Root was doing his first ever Canadian shows. I decided that I should catch the band in case this was the peak of their career. I chose Montreal because I had never visited the city despite its nearness to Ottawa. The closest I came was a few decades ago when I went to the La Ronde amusement park and caught a flight to France from Dorval airport.

On Tuesday, as the bus was making its way into the downtown core, I was nonplussed. I have never seen so many highways and looping interchanges cutting through urban areas except in American cities. I still remember my bewildering drives through Orlando and its surrounding areas during a business trip in the mid-aughts.

I didn't get my first "wow", big city moment until I stepped into the Berri-UQAM subway station to take the Montmorency line. My AirBnB stay wasn't downtown but on the edge of Little Italy in the North-East. After exiting Jean Talon station, I was happy to see the eponymous street vibrant with busy shops.

My rented studio was on Saint Laurent Boulevard above a Venezuelan restaurant (Bocadillo Bistro). It was reasonably roomy inside, certainly better than Victoria's Mansion. But the stairwell and hallways have seen better days. My host had 4 listings on AirBnB so I wondered if there were any permanent renters in the other rooms? Also, now I know what's it like living over a shop: convenient but an aerobic workout. This Saint Laurent was pleasantly romantic compared to its arterial namesake in Ottawa.

For dinner, I wandered down a side street called Dante and got a table at Pizzeria Napoletana, Montreal's first pizzeria which opened in 1948. The joint was jumping with most tables full. I opted for the Napoletana salad ($14) and a Caporale pizza ($20). When the food arrived, I saw no pepperoni sausages until I realized Napoletana put their cheese over the other ingredients, a rare practice in Toronto.

The food was serviceable but a bit dated. Looking at all the families and groups of friends chatting animatedly over pizza and pasta, I thought this place (like Cafe Diplomatico in Toronto) was more about nostalgia and tradition than culinary excellence.

Afterwards, I walked around to see more of the neighbourhood. Two things were different compared to Toronto. First, instead of having all the businesses located along one street with mostly residential housing when off the main thoroughfare, Little Italy in Montreal had shops on every street. Second, buildings were wider so the businesses were more spacious. The long and narrow Toronto restos and bars were uncommon here.

23/09/2022: Walking through the corridors, I counted 12 doors with 6 having electronic access pads. So likely there were still tenants here. Downstairs, one of the mailbox was overflowing with unclaimed letters. The addressees field suggested that recent renters were immigrants, given that none had "pure laine" names.

Kinda Pleasantville

It has been 3 weeks since I came back to Ottawa from a "quarantine isolation" in Toronto. My last night there, I returned to the Eglinton West and Keele area for Enchilados Taqueria. This turned out to be a tiny spot just off a side street. Their busy-ness meant an aromatic but smokey interior. Luckily, they had 2 small tables set up outside.

The specialty here was steamed tacos (3 for $12). I chose potatoes in tomato sauce as my filling. It was a heavenly dinner; I haven't had tacos this good in quite a while. The ones in Bloordale and Bloorcourt were stick-to-your-ribs serviceable (or good but pricey).

Saturday morning, after a final visit to the laundromat, I took the bus back to Ottawa. Since then, I have reflected on my stay there. I was first leery of the industrial setting, so different from the pedestrian-friendly vibes of centrally-located areas. Yet there were enough pockets of greenery and vibrant businesses that I found reasons to go outside every day. Weston wasn't a destination like Queen St. West, but it had its' local charms. And it was only a short bus-trip to the subway and the other neighbourhoods and their attractions.

In contrast, I'm once-again ensconced inside since my return. There simply wasn't any place here I wanted to visit by foot and especially the unreliable Ottawa transit. On top of that, I found myself once again in an embarrassing situation. It wasn't so funny this time around. So I might need to go somewhere else for a bit before I become a basket-case.

15/09/2022: Despite having a ticket, I skipped the pandemic-delay show last night by all-female punk rockers Bad Waitress at The Dominion Tavern because I can't be arsed to go out in Ottawa.