Le Cartet: Gourmet in taste and appearance photo: Dominic Gauthier

Fortunately the westernmost edge is gaining some gourmet cred. Shops-cum-restos are springing up to feed the condo dwellers, and Le Cartet is a prime example of this hybrid species, and open daily.

From stern to stem, Le Cartet stretches the length of the block. The space is airy and grand - tall ceilings, walls painted summer-dress white, adorned with stunning black-and-white photos. You could probably tell a lot about your date, though, by whether they notice the photos first, or gravitate to the shelves upon shelves of gourmet goods. They're stacked high and varied, a bit like ye olde dry goods shoppe, but hip. Lavender sugar, juicy-looking pots of jam, sleek packets of fine chocolate. Bread, croissants, olive oils, vinegars (get your Minus 8 here!), fancy salts, gaily coloured pastas, simple tinned tomatoes, pre-made meals. All the fixins for an Old Montreal picnic, if you don't mind the wind off the St-Lawrence blowing your hair in your mouth as you attempt a bite of a sandwich. I was there for Sunday brunch, along with my hard-boiled egghead mate and Ottawa sister and in-law. The Ontario contingent was a little thrown by the communal dining style of the large wood tables, but game. We were varying levels of hungry. You can get substantial brunch specials for $15, or order à la carte. If you need a little after-the-night-before pick-me-up, ask for a mimosa.

I plumped for the eponymous "brunch Cartet," a veritable smorg of their best. First I was warmed up with an amuse-bouche of apple and apricot compote. My plate included an excellent croissant with ham and goat cheese, salad, a soft-boiled egg, and a salmon sweet-potato croquette that was light and fluffy, albeit a smidge dry. A dab of sour cream on the side would have elevated it to croquette Arcadia.

My partner in brunch gluttony had the all-salmon special brunch, which included scrambled eggs with salmon, smoked salmon on a bagel, and the croquette. "There was too much salmon," he said after, his one quibble. Weirdo. What part of "salmon brunch" didn't he understand? If you're into salmon, I don't think it's possible to have too much.

My Ontario sister liked her raisin-nut toast, thick cut and crunchy, but wished there were more blueberries. Ditto the in-law of his santé special - a virtuous bowl of yogurt, granola and berries, but a paucity of the promised blueberries. Coffee beverages held up to the usual standard, and more.

We left well fed, charmed and ready to tackle the sites. Old Montreal's growing to be a pleasure for locals and tourists alike.

Le Cartet
106 McGill; 871-8887
Brunch for two, before tax, tip or mimosas: $20-$30
 
 

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Sunday Brunch     I think the idea of having a sunday brunch is fantastic. I think its a great way of getting family and friends together for a nice relaxed meal. I think Le Cartet is a great location for a great meal and a good reason to make the trip down to old montreal. not too many people take the time and effort to go down to old montreal and i think its losing its charm. i dont think its a very well known place in montreal specially not to tourists! so i think its a great spot to get away from tourists ( especially on a race weekend)!
I I	{4 votes}	June 28th, 2006
A La Cartet!     Well, while I very seldom eat out in Old Montreal, I never really considered it to be a culinary wasteland. Mind you, Le Cartet truly sounds like a gastronomic oasis! Aesthetically, the place sounds incredibly inviting - a very modern airy, spacious spot adorned with an eye-catching black and white photo display counterbalanced nicely by shelf after shelf of gourmet fare - a vertibale feast for the eyes! The food, thankfully, is just as sublime as the space and decor. Those brunch options sound lick-smackingly good - along with your typical breakfast/brunch options, you can avail yourself of sweet potatoes croquettes, raisin-nut toast, not to mention the very generous salmon lovers' breakie special. Next time I find myself wandering through Old Montreal and am feeling a wee bit peckish, you can be sure that I'll be wending my way over to Le Cartet!
Mark St Pierre	{19 votes}	June 21st, 2006
Old Montreal rarities     The author is right. There is little place to eat in old montreal. In fact, there's little place to eat that is not catering for the tourist dollars. Thinking about it, where do people in old montreal purchase food to cook at home. Old montreal as a district appears to be lacking a great deal of amneties. This article was refreshing in showing us some 'Le Cartet'. This will be a pleasant place to eat in old montreal without feeling like a tourist on st-paul street. Hurray to that!
Eric St-Pierre	{17 votes}	June 20th, 2006
~Feast or famine~     Old Montreal will always be a required stop whether you're a tourist or a native but let's face facts here, it has become so commercial in these last few years that a bit of the charm has worn off. There were a few shops and restaurants there that defined why Old Montreal was so cool. They're gone now. Some of my fave eateries haven't fared well but if even a few of the new businesses and restaurants bring back some of that old shine it'll be a very welcome thing. Le Cartet doesn't sound like the kind of place I'd visit but it sounds like step in the right direction.
Pedro Eggers	{34 votes}	June 17th, 2006
Hmm Hmm Good     I have found myself in the same situation as Maeve when I'm in Old Montreal. Lunchtime during the workweek in this neighborhood can boast some great meals (a la Schezuan, Tokyo, Jardin Nelson etc) at a great price, but outside of lunch, it can be challenging. And it is true that whenever I have guests from out of town, it is inevitable that I will bring them to Old Montreal to show off some Montreal charm and cobblestone. Le Cartet sounds promising and I will probably make a stop there one day for brunch or breakfast. Sounds like you are going to need a big appetite before you go there. Looking forward to it!
Reena Tabing	{21 votes}	June 17th, 2006
Sunday Morning Sophisticated     I was so happy to see Le Cartet featured this week in the hour. I have been telling my friends about this cool place "we have to try in old Montreal" for awhile now. My parents treated me to brunch there recently and I am still basking in the after glow. The atmosphere is modern, fresh and trendy. Sunday morning sophisticated...if I had to put a term to it. Everything on the menu looked so yummy and the brunch Cartet, offers the perfect sampling of either the sweet or salty items...perfect for someone who wants to try it all!
Alison Naimar	{22 votes}	June 16th, 2006
Taste-tempting review     Maeve's review, always a pleasure, is especially colorful and succulent on the imagination's palate this week. And, as always, she tickles the linguistic palate -- here we have, for instance, "summer-dress white." Someday her reviews, which come under the category of literature, should be collected in a book, making readers feel cossetted and enriched all over again.
Marnie Pomeroy	{14 votes}	June 16th, 2006
Great...but What About the Rest of the Day?     Oh sure, Maeve did a great job selling Le Cartet's asthetics and atmosphere by contrasting the black and white photos with the summer-dress white painted walls but this is the food column. So where's the food? Well, judging by the article there seems to be a lot of stuff one can buy for a nice picnic breakfast, and brunch (a.k.a. a combination of a late breakfast and an early lunch) doesn't seem to be hard to satisfy, but what about the other meals in a day (like lunch and dinner?). Judging by this article, this would be a great place to start out the day (avec ou sans out of town visitors) but for meals later in the day this might not be the place to go.
Basil James	{14 votes}	June 16th, 2006
Very very chic...     a beautifully decorated take home or eat in venue. Superb deli items and go get the salmon! its worth every mouthful.
Alan Maurice		August 17th, 2006
Too much salmon?!?     How can you have too much salmon, it's absolutely the best seafood, and it doesn't just taste great, it's good for us as well. I also tasted the salmon at Le Cartet and it's amazing, I truly recommend it and you'll end up asking for more...
Roxane Gibault		June 28th, 2006

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