Web Sites About Food (and other things) in Montreal
About four years ago, when I started the old version of this site, Boulevard Montreal, there wasn't much on the local scene about the Montreal food scene. Heck, the Gazette wasn't even online. Over the years, however, sites have been springing up like weeds. Good sites, however, are few and far between. Here's a list of sites that will hopefully help you find out about that particular resto that you have your heart set on, assuming you haven't found it here, that is. Notice, of course, that montrealfood.com is in no way affiliated with any of these sites and pluggin' 'em isn't the result of any side deals.
Disclaimer: Sites come and go. Obviously the larger and more reputable of them stick around, but I advise you to take a look at those that are no longer with us, (with perhaps a respectful moment of "sleep" mode) and you'll quickly see that even the mighty and well-intentioned close their photonic portals with alarming regularity. Also, I've obviously had to forego the probably dozens of sites in French that would probably be the best authority on Montreal food, at least until someone invents the ultimate translation machine. That said, here are some links, in no particular order, though I've tried to list them in order of reliabilty.
  Montreal Online Resto Reviews  R.I.P. Has turned into conglomerate Montreal Today.
(Old description): Probably the most reliable source of resto reviews in Montreal. It is the reviewers' job to reliably review these restaurants without prejudice or bias, and be paid for it. It helps that one of them is the incomparable Lesley Chesterman, who is the only person I've read in Montreal who could fill the late Helen Rochester's esteemed shoes. Ashok Chandwani is also an excellent reviewer. You may depend on these reviews as far as it is ever possible.
(New description): Whaddya want from kudzu?
Restaurant.caThis is a great site to find restos and it's obvious these folks have done a lot of work. I use it regularly, but I've found out one thing: Restaurant reviewers are there for a reason. It's the same reason doctors are doctors—the general public may be well-intentioned but frequently they don't have a clue what they're doing with a fork and a knife, so I wouldn't want them lancing a boil on me, for instance. Same reason I wouldn't want them recommending a restaurant.
The only time I tried a resto based on the write-in recommendations I was sorely disappointed. I think I'll stick to the professionals.
This site has menus to some of the restos, sometimes maps and sometimes newspaper reviews. Sometimes a resto's own site is on this one. Good job!
PagemontrealAs far as I can figure out, this used to be a personal site by someone named Charles Quenneville, but it now appears to have been corporatised. Correct me if I'm wrong. This is also a great site and a lot of work has gone into it. Lots of info, many links.
Montreal Sushi PageLuc Devroye's sushi page. He doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to absorb him, Borg-like, until there's just an amorphous blob of Uni remaining.
Actually, I'm going to hassle him to maybe team up. Don't know the guy, but I'm sure he'll listen to reason. If not, I'll set the Yakuza on him.
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