We’ve all drooled over people’s Instagram pictures, and compulsively followed twenty food accounts late at night when we were supposed to be asleep. I’ve also made plans in my head on when I would go to that one place with the crazy stringy cheesy grilled cheese sandwich. For me, those plans never really ended up happening, but for Mandy, she makes sure they do, looking for aesthetically pleasing brunches, desserts and more. Here’s what she has to say about it!
Catherine Ke for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): Hey Mandy! Let’s start off easy, what would you say is the best comfort food?
I absolutely love the potato side dish in L’avenue. It comes with any main dish you order I believe, and honestly, their potatoes are cooked to perfection.
HC McGill: What type of food are you most comfortable with? Or your favorite cuisine?
I love brunch, I think Montreal is just the place for it. I honestly love all brunch foods that involves eggs, so like egg benedicts (classic!), frittatas, omelettes are my top choices.
HC McGill: What’s on your food bucket list?
Again, there’s so many brunch places in Montreal I have yet to try (and go again, of course)! I would love to visit Sparrow, Lawrence. Last time, I tried to go and had to wait for an hour, so instead I got a Fairmount bagel), Restaurant Melisse, Le Gros Luxe, and the list just goes on! My other staple bucket list food is Kazu… I’ve heard so many good things about it, but the line has always been really intimidating… Oh, and Café MoMo for their bingsoo!! It’s just kind of far but I’m road tripping there this summer!
HC McGill: What’s your greatest inspiration source?
This might sound a little lame, but Montreal Blog gives you good information sometimes! You just gotta do your own research on top of the very generic info they give you. Aside from that, I follow many food bloggers on Instagram, like th3rd wave for café recommendations, the know where, munchreal, le brunch squad, Dailyhive Montreal and more! I also follow my friends and their recommendations because these days words of mouth is honestly the most reliable source. These accounts also inspired me and my friend Cece to make a foodstagram account together called @ceceman_like_to_eat. I honestly always have so many good food pictures and so little to post them.
HC McGill: If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I’d say different varieties of eggs benedict or soft serve ice cream (if I have to choose a flavor, strawberry and litchi, or watermelon). On the healthier side, I’d hands down always have watermelon or grapes.
HC McGill: Cooking or eating out?
Honestly depends on my budget and the weather condition haha.
HC McGill: What’s never missing from your kitchen? What couldn’t you live without?
Snacks!!! It’s weird because I don’t really have snacks that often, I just like the idea of having them in my drawer. My favourites are Chinese date pastries, herbal jelly and banana chips.
HC McGill: What’s your favorite breakfast/brunch?
I just went to Bistro Le Passe Compose and I absolutely adore it!! They really played around with the traditional brunch flavors and added a unique touch. The bistro itself is super considerate, they have a coffee machine in place for when you’re waiting in line! If there are tourists in town I always make sure to take them to L’avenue, it’s definitely the OG brunch place featuring watermelon water that actually tastes like watermelon and (on a side note) exquisite bathrooms (and, of course, a huge variety of brunch options. They’re open on weekdays too from 8am to 4pm!)
HC McGill: Now the interesting questions. Soup or salad?
Tough call. I love Mandy’s salad for obvious reasons, but I can’t support/afford 20 dollars per salad all the time. Both their salads and soup are good though!
HC McGill: Desserts – always or nah?
ALWAYS. I always make sure to have room for desserts after I eat! Desserts take up a separate compartment of my stomach. Every time I go out to eat I would make sure to have enough space to stuff some sweets after the main meal. My highest record was when I was in Toronto, I had 5 different kinds of dessert and 2 bubble teas in one day.
Images from:
https://www.mtlblog.com/whats-happening/montreal-opens-all-new-classy-br…
Courtesy of interviewee.