Square St. Louis

Sometimes, the best moments happen by complete chance. I'm sure it's something I've mentioned before but it's also something that I was reminded of time and again in Montreal. Some of the best afternoons I had happened when I ventured out without any itinerary in mind - the only thought I had would be today, I'm going to see where life takes me. :) It's the choice to step away from expectations and the freedom you give yourself that really makes the difference.

This is Square St. Louis, a place I happened to stumble across just because I thought the alleyway leading up to it was pretty. Here was a park, still showing the last vestiges of a winter almost gone, beautiful in its solitude and silence.



This is the row of Victorian houses that is ALWAYS on Montreal postcards! :D Prior to this, I'd never been able to figure out where the photos were taken! But they are always on postcards. Imagine how happy I was to have my own postcard shots.











Took me awhile but... finally there was a squirrel that was too busy eating to scurry off when I wanted to take its picture. :) 

What else about that day? Oh, it was coldddd. And now I'm starting to miss that feeling of chilled fingers beneath gloves, and the puffs of condensed mist blown out every time I felt like reminding myself of just where I was.

Baker and Cook

Not to be confused with the similar sounding vintage furniture store cum cafe, Carpenter and Cook, Baker and Cook is my absolute favorite bakery. :D Not that I've really been to that many in Singapore but out of the places that I have tried, this, I must say, TOPS THEM ALL. An artisan bakery along Hillcrest Road, it's blends in perfectly with the rest of the Greenwood avenue restaurants and gourmet grocers. Residents in this area and NJC/Raffles Girls' students are so lucky to have this right at their doorstep. I'm exceedingly envious!!








Look at all these scrumptious goodies!! Seriously, it was hard to contain my drool the minute I stepped it. The place has got such a cosy, relaxed feel to it - definitely contributed by the warm lighting, jazzy tunes playing in the background and the long rustic wooden table that takes pride of place in bakery. Oh, and did I forget to mention the fragrance of freshly baked bread, pastries and tarts? It's to die for. <3<3<3



Haven't had a plain croissant since coming back from Montreal! ;p I know it's suppose to be the classic/quintessential boulangerie pick but when there are so many other choices, I tend to pick those that are a little more interesting. 



I love how puffy giant meringues look. But I'm not one for actually trying them. >< Much too sweet for me. Photos will do! Has anyone tried it before? Does it just taste like one big blob of sugary stuff that melts in your mouth? 



A great selection of home-made cookies, jams and baking books by Baker & Cook founder  Dean Brettschneider. They've also got it available on the table for browsing. Might do that one of these days. 



It was SO hard to come to a decision on what to get, but eventually I decided to get a loaf of walnut bread along with home-made Mixed Berries Jam. It was recommended by the lady behind the counter as her favorite, compared to the German Volkhorn Loaf which tends to be favored by the foreigners apparently. I'm so glad I took her advice, because it was SO GOOD. This bread is one of the best I've had. I warmed it up in the oven for about 5 minutes and when it emerged, it was warm, crispy at the outside crust but soft on the inside with generous amounts of walnuts. :) I LOVE when they're generous with the ingredients.





A perfect combination. :) I ended up having a slice/two every morning for breakfast along with peanut butter and that Mixed Berries Jam. This week I'm still trying to finish up the German Volkhorn Loaf which is definitely good, and very grainy (if you're into that, which I am), but of course, it's a lot denser and doesn't have the same lightness as the Walnut bread. 




On a separate occasion, I also tried their cinnamon raisin bagel. MAJOR MAJOR YUMZ. :) Once again, they are so generous with the raisins! I loved being able to munch on a few raisins with every mouthful (and it doesn't always happen with bagels from other places). I'd definitely recommend this. 

Baker & Cook 

77 Hillcrest Road, Greenwood 

288951 SINGAPORE

t: +65 6469 8834 

Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday - 7am to 8pm 

Friday to Saturday - 7am to 10pm

How cool is that quote on the wall outside? The only unfortunate thing, is that I think they've now stopped in-house dining! :(( When I last went, there was a sign on the counter saying they'd disallowed it. Which SUCKS. Because previously they provided brunch and all the dishes I'd seen in photos looked pretty darn delish. But FYI, they also serve cold cuts/sandwiches/salads at a separate counter and it looks really decent too.

Time to head over and check it out :) But try to go on an off-peak period? Let's not crowd the place up! It helps that it's way nearer to my house than Tiong Bahru Bakery (which was far too crowded when I went). 

I'm so happy that more bakeries are opening up in SG. More, please...MOAR. 

xx 

St. Patrick's Day and Cacao 70

Gee, what am I doing posting photos of St. Patrick's Day when it was over ages ago eh? :p But I still say, better late than never! And it was the very first St. Patrick's Day festivities that I'd been a part of. If watching a parade can be considered "being a part of". Who would've thought that it every year St. Patty's is a ginormous deal in Montreal? The St. Patrick's Parade has run ANNUALLY in Montreal since 1824 rain/snow/shine, REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER. And we're talking even amidst snowstorms in the depths of a Montreal winter. That's serious business.

(HUGEST St. Patrick I have ever seen)

Lucky for me, this year's parade started off just down the street from where I stayed! :) So I was able to weave my way to the front (Montrealers are so nice. Especially to short Asian girls who plead their way through) right behind the barricade for a pretty great view of the parade - which consisted of mainly floats and marching bands. 





Not too sure what a capsicum was doing in the parade... but I took a picture of it because I thought it was cute. :p Notice how all my photos have pretty much the same composition because I remained rooted at the front of the parade most of the time. 






I definitely thought this Shamrock mascot was a real winner too! :) 


Truth be told, I didn't stay on all the way to the end. That was the week of absolute FREAK weather experienced in Montreal - when the temperature suddenly shot up to 20 - 23 degrees C from just 3 - 5 degrees C the day or two before. I was thrilled for the most part but then there were times when it got SO hot... I just had to walk off into a nice air-conditioned cafe for some ice cream. 


So I ended up going to Cacao 70, an INCREDIBLE chocolate dessert cafe that was also right around the corner from where I stayed. There was just so much good food in Montreal that I only ended up going in there once! :( Can't quite believe it when I think back. 



It could have been that I was absolutely famished, but this tuna sandwich was SO GOOD. One of the best I've eaten in fact!! Of course, the toast was warm, crispy and BUTTERY on the inside. All the things that make bread perfect. It was such a good sandwich that I ended up learning to use the same ingredients to make my own sandwiches for school. All you need is TUNA, MAYO, CELERY (for that extra juicy crunch)(and to feel a little healthier), CHERRY TOMATOES (halved). Mix the ingredients up in a bowl and then sandwich in between two slices of buttered toast. PERFECT :DD I haven't made that since coming back to Singapore so looking at these photos and thinking back to those days makes me want to make it again. 



LEFT: I loved their cupboard display. And there were books customers could borrow too for a quiet read sipping on hot cacao. :) What could be better?


RIGHT: I was over-reaching on this one, but I REALLY craved something cold and creamy. :) And it was a Chocolate bar for heaven's sake. I couldn't leave without at least trying one of their desserts. This was a chocolate and raspberry parfair with vanilla and chocolate ice cream. SIGH. Why don't they have chocolate bars in SG? They'd be such a great hit here, especially if the prices are as affordable as those in Montreal. 



Their famous CHOCOLATE PIZZA!! I should've gone back there with my roommate and though we had talked about it... we just never ended up doing it! You should definitely try this out though if you're ever in Montreal. Because it's supposed to be their star dish. :P 

Cacao 70

2087 Rue St. Catherine O Montréal, 

QC H3H 1M6 

(514) 933-1688 

http://cacao70.ca/ 

From what I've read on websites, Cacao70 is the alternative to the extremely well-known Juliette et Chocolat chocolate dessert cafe chain. But both are equally good. Juliette et Chocolat is a must-try too because there are SO many flavors to choose from. I think there are more desserts as well, while Cacao70 has more savory options on its menu. But the plus point about Cacao70 is that because it's less famous/less touristy, it's less crowded, has a nice quiet ambience, and you're more likely to get a seat at any time of the day. :) It's a MUST-TRY. 

Schwartz's

Schwartz's is like the Montreal equivalent of NYC's Katz's Delicatessen. Naturally, it's on every tourist's must-try list and it's also one place that commonly gets mentioned by locals when you ask them for good food to try in Montreal. :) Opened in 1928, it's a Hebrew deli that is also apparently the oldest Deli in the whole of Canada and has been frequented by tons of famous people (including Tim Allen, The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Angelina Jolie...you get the picture).



I've had the chance to try both but it's definitely hard to come to a conclusion regarding which one's better for their smoked meat sandwiches. First of all, I tried Katz's like 4 or 5 years ago. Can't quite remember what it tasted like though I do remember being VERY pleased with the soft, salty meat in my Katz's sandwich. So in retrospect, I might be inclined to say that the Schwartz's sandwich I tried wasn't as good as the one from Katz's because both the meat and the bread was more dry, requiring a bit more effort to chow down. But really, I think it all boils down to personal preference. As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as Romans do. When in Montreal, sink your teeth into a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz's. When in NYC, make Katz's a stop on your culinary trail. They're different and just can't really be compared, much like apples vs oranges. I'm just glad we have both in the world! :D

Schwart'z (Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen) 

3895 St-Laurent Montreal, 

QC H2W 1X9, Canada 

(514) 842-4813

One great thing about eating at the counter at Schwartz's? You get a good view of everything that goes into the making of your sandwich. It's kinda scary to see how MASSIVE those chunks of smoked meats are before they're sliced to be put into sandwiches. And look at Mr. Muscle here easily lifting both up. Kudos to him! Which reminds me, he insisted I send him the photos to the Schwartz's corporate email. ;p I wonder if he'd find it strange if I sent it now...coming to about 3 months after being there. We'll see.

Marché Jean-Talon

Back to my Montreal photos (of which there is still a sizeable few hundreds to go through!). I'm really aiming to go through as many photos as possible in the next 2 weeks since it's the last 2 weeks of my relatively hassle-free period of electives. After that will be a major reality check as I move on into final year. Absolutely dreading it with each day that passes. But in the meantime, I'm having a good time these days - baking a lot :D, attempting to increase my repertoire of dishes that I can cook (which is an easy feat, since it used to be close to zero), spending time with my mum and sis who both came back from their vacation just a few days back... I just wish I had more time for everything, you know? 


But back to the topic at hand. Montreal has 4 major public markets, all of which are great tourist attractions. :D The largest and most famous one would have to be Jean-Talon Market. When I was in Montreal from early March to May, it was still around the end of winter moving into early Spring, so unfortunately, the outdoor part of the market hadn't been set up yet. It took me a few weeks to realize that the outdoor market wasn't in full swing only because it wasn't the right season/weather yet, rather than because I was always there too late in the afternoon. (It took me one painful attempt at waking up early in the morning to go to the market to realize that fact!) Apparently, around the time that I left in mid May, they were just starting to open up the outdoor section of the market. SIGH. Next time, go when Spring is in full bloom!! 

 

Aren't the colors just gorgeous? :) I was so happy just snapping away and admiring all the vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables for sale. Of course I looked like a typical tourist but who cares when there are so many moments to capture!

I love tomatoes. :D Especially when you can still the vines attached. I've come to realize that one of my favorite sensations is using my fingers to dig out the seedy inner pulp of a cold tomato that's just been taken out of the refrigerator. Just one of those things. Don't over-think it.






Left: The famous gelateria -- Havre-aux-Glaces. Every single Tourism-related website/blog with Montreal food recommendations will tell you to go here. They have a ton of unique flavors, and during that time they had maple syrup gelato of course! But I remember going for something else...citrusy. :) 
Right: A store next door selling a gazillion types of condiments. Let's think about the Ifs. If I spoke French/If I lived in Montreal/If I could go to Jean-Talon Market every weekend to get my groceries and go into this store to ask about the condiments/sauces/oils etc that I need... OH JOY. 





Left: One thing I really miss about Montreal is how it's such a bicycle-friendly city. :) If only Singapore could devote some money into create bicycle paths around the city. But I know it's so much harder to do with a city as densely populated with both humans and cars. Singaporean drivers are NOT friendly to cyclists. And the weather is too damn hot and humid to make cycling around enjoyable for the average, non-masochistic triathlete. 


Right: My gelato! :) A teeny cup worth. 



MMM. And one thing you absolutely have to do if you go to Jean Talon Market is to check out one of the Première Moisson outlets that's right outside the main market. It's one of the famous chain bakeries in Montreal and like a lot of the locals say, even though it's a chain, it still makes hell of a lot of awesome bread. Apparently their olive bread is really good but I only tried some of their croissants and tarts. This one above is a MAPLE SYRUP croissant. :) I assumed it was only available during that time because it was the sugaring off season. Plus, the lady behind the counter told me it was a crowd-favorite. I didn't really pick up much French when I was in Montreal (though it would've been the perfect place to learn!) because everyone was so freakishly/effectively bilingual, but I did learn to recognize that something with --> D'ERABLE meant that there was maple syrup inside. :D 




A great moment that day was simply sitting on a bench outside the market, munching on my gelato, enjoying the music played by these very talented buskers. There were quite a few people sitting around on the pavement, mothers with their children (some of whom were actually cycling around in circles! :D), elderly men and women taking a rest after doing their grocery shopping, teenagers just lolling around... It was a great feeling to be a part of something - something as simple as a group of people taking things slow and enjoying the little pleasures in life together. 


xx

Carpenter and Cook

Last Saturday morning was awesome. :) I managed to sleep in and went for a fantastic brunch/lunch at Carpenter and Cook with a friend - a place I'd been dyinggg to visit after reading about it in the Business Times a couple of weeks back! (Yeah, to tell you the truth, my dad had been trying to show me another article but what I got out of that day's papers instead was the knowledge of this great cafe. :D) It's a vintage furniture store started by three very brave and enterprising women (and their supportive families I can imagine) that doubles as a cafe, with home-made sandwiches, tarts and other pastries. It's a unique concept, cosy, curated with one-of-a-kind furniture and vintage bric-a-brac, and comes complete with tasty treats. What's not to like?? So I dragged my friend, Feifan, there for brunch on their official opening day. 









Left: Check out their collection of very quaint tea cups. Makes me wish Singapore's weather was cool enough for weekly sessions of tea-sipping outdoors in a garden. But that's so not going to happen anytime soon. 
Right: Our pomegranate and oolong tea. :D If I remember correctly. I remember the combination being really good and healthy sounding.

It took ages to decide on what to order because everything looked so delish. After some recommendations from the friendly staff behind the counter, we settled on a quiche and ham brioche for the mains.



Funkiest table number? We spent a while examining it with our hands like curious kids.



My ham brioche was really tasty! :) I like how the sweetness of the brioche bun contrasts well with the saltiness of the bacon. And it's light enough for anyone to have room for dessert after (which is probably THE most important thing to remember).



Ham and mushroom quiche for Feifan.



I wish I could've ordered EVERYTHING for dessert because there were so many choices that all looked SO good. Above, earl grey cream, which was a super light, delicious dessert! I'd never tasted anything like that before and it's almost like an earl grey mousse. Very light, very palatable. Apparently we were lucky since it was the first time the chef was serving it to customers.



Lemon tart! It's hard to go wrong with this dessert. We had initially wanted to try the GRAPEFRUIT (edit: oopsie! I got the fruit mixed up ;p) PASSIONFRUIT MERINGUE TART because it was highly recommended by the staff. But as we hadn't reserved it/ordered it the same time that we ordered our mains, by the time we were ready to order our desserts, it had SOLD OUT. It's a major hot-seller apparently! So if you're there, I'd recommend nabbing one before it's all snapped up. :)







(Feifan, the budding seamstress, unearthing a gorgeous Singer sewing machine)

How cool is that Singer sewing machine? One of the things I really want to do after I graduate and have more time (that just sounds like an oxymoron to me) (but well, EVENTUALLY... after the initial crappy years) is take up sewing. :) It's a dream of mine to be able to sew a really pretty dress that fits perfectly and has a cool, unique (possibly polka dotted) print that I can wear everywhere that will be admired by all. And when they ask where I got it from, I'll say, I sewed it!! And wait for that look of disbelief. HARRR. It's good to have things to look forward to.


At first glance we thought that was a typewriter... but it's actually a really old cash-register, no? :) 


The best part about the day was receiving our tea on the house! :D It was part of their opening day promotion - anyone dressed in 'Vintage Chic' would stand a chance to get free coffee/tea. And actually I thought I'd sort of forgotten about that while ordering (rows and rows of freshly baked pastries does something to your brain) but after we got the receipt, we realized that tea had been on the house. That was probably the best bit. :DDD Looks like we dressed vintage enough!




I can't recommend this place enough for pretty much any meal of the day... breakfast/brunch/lunch/tea, you name it! Except for dinner, unless you don't mind eating something light like sandwiches/brioches/quiches for dinner. That said, maybe they have a separate dinner menu? :) I'd love to go back another time later on in the evening...SOON!  

Carpenter and Cook

19 Lorong Kilat 

#01-06 

Singapore, Singapore 598120 

Check out their website HERE.

It's a very friendly little independent establishment. The staff are enthusiastic and the one of the owners (and the chef's husband) even came up to chat with us a little. :) Which was nice. It's always so nice to go to a place that's personable and cozy. And they knew how to use a DSLR camera. BIG PLUS.  I hope enough people buy the vintage furniture and accessories though, because they were on the expensive side and understandably so, given that they're one of a kind items all the way from the UK. And some of the items that I saw are the sort that are only good for display at home because they don't actually work (think cool clocks/typewriters). Then again, given how great the food is, I have no doubt they'd be able to flourish even as a cafe alone. It's so great to have another cozy, independent cafe to visit.