What better way to spend a hot sunny spring day than go walking along the Lachine Canal! Searching for new foods we could enjoy on the go, we decided to focus on street food.
Our gourmet tour starts at the Atwater Market, a place with great food and great products.
Atwater Market’s Marmite su’l Feu
and their snacks straight from the Indian Ocean
At one end of the Atwater market stands Marmite su’l Feu, serving specialties from the island of Reunion. For those who don’t know this little island in the Indian Ocean, its cuisine is a reflection of its inhabitants: a mix of centuries of Indian, African, European and Asian influences. A mix of spices provides for a rich cuisine (notice to culinary getaway fans).
Because Reunion cuisine is not limited to traditional curries, Frédéric Chamand, a renowned Reunion Island chef and proud owner of the establishment, will not disappoint with one of his family recipes that have long been simmering in his pots.
We opted for a classic Reunion appetizer, a trio of small snacks typical of the island: small Chinese-inspired steamed dumplings with combava and pork, peanut samosas as well as pepper candy (pea croquettes with turmeric which, as their name suggests, will delight those in search of heat). Tasty specialties you can enjoy without moderation!
Le Havre aux Glaces
and their delicious ice cream on the Lachine Canal
So close to the canal and walking in this heat, it wasn’t hard to be tempted by the “Havre aux Glaces.” This creamery is practically a neighborhood institution.
“We’ve been here for ten years and there weren’t as many people in the area at the beginning!” explains Dominique, our server that day.
The line at the counter confirms we are definitely in the right place to enjoy a good ice cream.
For sorbets, we recommend you combine the tangy raspberry with the sweetness of the mango. For those with a sweet tooth, we recommend the 72% cocoa ice and the caramel burnt maple.
The Volcanic Organic Café at the Éclusiers Market
and their delicious coffee
Equipped with our small popsicles, we stroll along the Lachine Canal to the old port to what should be a guaranteed success: the Éclusiers Market (farmer’s market).
Just steps from the Peel basins, this new address is the knowledgeable and no less stylish joining of several businesses together around a common desire to offer sustainably grown and local (when the weather permits) products.
While there we met Jeanne, who opened the Volcanic Organic Café with Luìs, a native of Guatemala. Their organically grown coffees are micro-roasted by craftsmen and their local partners from Luis’ home country.
Jeanne loves coffee, and proudly (of course): “It’s not just coffee, we want to think about everything behind it; the people, the country where it’s grown, traditional methods, and I think this is reflected in the quality of what we use.”
Le diablos and their outdoor grill
The Éclusiers Market offering many delights, we settled on what makes us think of a place in a European village in the shade of the trees, Diablos. This restaurant, located on Saint-Laurent Boulevard has a custom built charcoal grill with wood and concrete, where the cooks are busy preparing burgers and other tasty barbecue delights.
Those passing by on the Canal stop off frequently, the smell of barbecue is pretty convincing!
To accompany these delicious dishes, the warm Diablos team offers a selection of draft beers as well as wine and spirits.
The market as a whole has its own liquor license, so you can share a glass of wine and cheese at Vin RX wine or a cocktail at Nectar, nothing is missing!
The market, which opened at the beginning of May, stands out as much more than a stopover. In the morning, it’s a casual market for local and healthy products, and in the late afternoon it becomes a terrace atmosphere. Open from sunrise to sunset and until November, this new site at the junction of Griffintown and Old Montreal more than wowed us!
At the Marché Atwater
At Marché des Éclusiers
To discover these shops, click here
Photo credits : Frédéric Ryan – Instagram (@feddomtl)
