The show’s just ended and you have the munchies? Need to build up strength before going out to one of Shaughnessy Village’s popular bars? Or you simply want to discover a new restaurant, but your busy schedule complicates your life. Rest assured, even as Moe’s recently closed several other restaurants in the area have stepped up to the plate to feed all the late-night hungry people!
Le GaNaDaRa, Shaughnessy’s hidden Korean gem
From the outside, there is no sign, nothing at all that prepares you for the unique experience this Korean restaurant offers 7 days a week. In fact, this little place is a well-kept secret by students from Concordia University.
Entering GaNaDaRa you have the feeling you’re at the crossroads of two worlds; Korean K-Pop music and video clips broadcasting on large screens (reminiscent of US trends during the 2000’s), clash slightly with the superb industrial inspired fixtures. A very charming place, they are quite fond of their eclectic side!
Browsing the menu, novice Korean food eaters may be a bit lost! But don’t panic, photographs illustrate the menu and the waiters are there to help you!
We didn’t hesitate to dive into the menu of traditional Korean dishes; kimchi ramyum, a traditional meal consisting of ramen and lacto-fermented vegetables submerged in a spicy soup, and bibimbaps, mixed vegetables and rice served in a still sizzling bowl…
Dishes that are sure to make even the finest connoisseurs of Korean cuisine salivate.
M:BRGR, where the word burger makes total sense
M: BRGR has reinvented the hamburger. This Drummond Street restaurant elevates this classic meal and places it at the forefront of haute cuisine!
At M: BRGR, they invite you to build your dream burger: From a simple burger accompanied by a lettuce leaf, to three small kobe beef burgers with foie gras, truffle carpaccio, sliced grilled pineapple and basil mayonnaise! Accompanied by the neighborhood’s best sweet potato fries, we love it!
Prices for burgers range from $10 to $100 (you read that right, $100 for a sandwich!) Luckily for us, the restaurant regularly offers late-night promotions for those who want to eat on a different schedule.
On weekends, make sure to reserve your table! The place is packed with young Montrealers and tourists on the lookout for good eats. M: BRGR is the perfect place to refuel before your night out downtown. In addition the lively music will get you ready to party.
We go for their famous burgers, but at the same time why not try one of their five different mojitos, served by the pitcher?
Imadake, Japanese tapas in a festive atmosphere
Just steps from the Atwater metro, Imadake’s glass facade suggests the Japanese bistro is packed, all the time.
Couples out for a bite, families and groups of friends come together in a festive, electric and boozy atmosphere. The lime green walls are adorned with mangas, reminding us of Japanese comics. The waitresses also wear school uniforms, a cliché taken in humorous stride by the whole team.
The menu, which changes regularly, offers a wide variety of small appetizer-like dishes that can be enjoyed along with a beer or sake. Warning! You cannot resist the temptation to drink (or two!) sake bombs. Every time a visitor is tempted by the famous drink, the Imadake brigade gathers to shout in unison, “Sake Bomb! Sake Bomb! Sake bomb!”
For the more adventurous among us, the desserts offered at this Japanese pub are a change from the traditional apple pie and chocolate cookies we all love. We opted for the red bean and mocha, a traditional rice cake, soup. We loved it, despite our initial hesitation!
What attracted us? The drink menu, including “Hello Kitty” and “Limon Pikachu”, as well as the spectacle of watching waiters dressed in suits and ties running on top of the tables to bring down the shot of Redbull, which are stacked on chopsticks in the glass of sake (the famous sake bomb ritual!)
MooseBAWR, a true Canadian pub
This restaurant bar on Sainte-Catherine Street respects its commitments, which as the three icons above the bar promise, is a lot: a beer, a CD and a hot dog.
The alcohol flows, student bands fire the place up with top 40 background music and the menu offers nine kinds of original hotdogs (here we call them dawgs!)
The moose theme is even respected by the waiters’ uniforms, who all wear plaid hunting shirts. The bathroom sinks are installed on real tree trunks! Also, six screens broadcast hockey games, adding to the friendly atmosphere in this Shaughnessy Village pub.
Next time we’re going to try the kimchi poutine, a modified classic served as a tribute to the many Asian restaurants in the area.
What attracted us? All you can eat popcorn, $0.49 chicken wings on game nights, beaver tails (a little taste of our childhoods), and it’s open until 3am every night!
Wok Café and its authentic menu and unpretentious atmosphere
Awarded multiple times for their General Tao, Wok Café impresses patrons with its pleasant and unpretentious atmosphere. Their menu, which is Asian-inspired but mainly Chinese, offers over a hundred dishes. Beware those who are indecisive!
Quick tip: the tasty B.B.Q duck noodle soup and the pork and coriander dumplings are to die for.
The restaurant is ideal for groups of friends, as since they reopened last December they offer some appetizers free with the purchase of three or four entrees combos. How can you say no to free food?!
What attracted us? The never-ending (huge!) menu selection, and very low prices.
Addresses:
GaNaDaRa
1862, blvd de Maisonneuve W.
Sunday: 11:30am – Midnight
Monday to Thursday: 11:30am – 11:30pm
Friday & Saturday: 11:30am – 2:00am
M:BRGR
2025, Drummond St.
Monday to Thursday: 11:30am – 11:00pm
Friday & Saturday: Noon – Midnight
Sunday: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Imadake
4006, Sainte-Catherine St. W.
Sunday to Wednesday: 5:00pm – 10:30pm
Thursday: 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm – 1:00am
MooseBAWR
1817, Sainte-Catherine St. W.
Every day: 11:00am – 3:00am
Wok Café
1845, Sainte-Catherine St. W.
Sunday to Thursday: 11:00am – Midnight
Friday & Saturday: 11:00am – 1:00am
