Le Falco
I recently visited Le Falco and instantly fell in love. The owners of this cafe really do have a nice design aesthetic. As you walk through the door you soon discover this is no ordinary cafe. Behind the counter is a collection of siphon coffee making equipment and watching how the coffee is brewed is both methodical and artistic.
For my second visit I went here early. Breakfast was their syphon coffee of the day (Ocamonte) along with a white chocolate and vanilla brioche that they order in from Boulangerie Guillaume (a very good bakery in Mile-End). Behind the counter food was being prepared and I hear their speciality is their onigiri, a Japanese rice ball wrapped in seaweed. All their menu items look light and everything prepared with care and delicacy.
The interior is very cool and styled perfectly with its blend of industrial and vintage elements, black and white graphics, potted plants and touches of glass. There is also a Bassi bike hanging from the ceiling and a hammock that is clearly the favourite item of children that come in with their parents.
Le Falco is an impressive and elegantly styled space and much more than just a cafe. It’s peaceful and inspiring. You could happily sit for hours working away on a personal project or reading a good book with coffee in hand.
I’m looking forward to a third visit so I can try a few other items on their menu. Have you been to Le Falco yet?
5605 de Gaspé
www.lefalco.com
I will now say au revoir for a week as I head to Athens later today. I’ll be spending a few days in Athens with my parents and then flying to the Amalfi Coast for a few nights. I can’t wait. It has been grey and rainy all week here in Montréal so the thought of some sunshine and glistening blue Mediterranean water has me a little excited. Have a good week everyone!
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{ thanks tina for telling me about le falco }
How to make hummus
This week I have been trying to stay away from my favourite boulangerie and sweet stores. Not easy to do! But I’ve found hummus has been my healthy alternative for those mid-meal cravings. Made with chickpeas you can eat hummus on its own or with a number of toppings. Spoon some on a piece of pita bread or if you are super healthy dip a carrot or celery stick into it instead. It’s really easy to make as you will soon see but if you prefer it’s easy enough to buy a tub in your grocery store. I roasted some garlic in the oven but you can use fresh crushed garlic as well.
Easy. And it won’t leave you feeling too guilty. What healthy snacks do you reach for when on one of your health kicks?
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Le Couteau
There’s a new cafe in town and it’s called Le Couteau which translates into English as ‘The knife’. The graphic of the knife which can be spotted as you’re walking down rue Saint-Denis points you inside to a very cool looking cafe. Black, white, hints of blue and natural timber form the colour palette of this place with plenty of spaces for people to sit. They brew 49th Parallel coffee from Vancouver, a very good coffee and on the counter you will see their various equipment for brewing the perfect cup. And if you’re after something to eat to go with your coffee they have a number of pastries and cupcakes there to tempt you. As word gets out I’m sure this place will be the local hotspot on rue Saint-Denis.
Address: 4627, rue Saint-Denis
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{ merci valérie for finding it }
Weekend treat
I can’t believe it is Friday already. This week seems to have escaped me. I couldn’t end the week without a post though so here is a quick and easy treat to enjoy this weekend. Pecan, oat + choc chip cookies. Their centre is gooey but they have a slightly crunchy outside. I’m feeling a bit guilty since I just devoured two : /
I’m excited to be heading oversees in 2 weeks from today! We are meeting my parents in Athens for a few days and then flying to Rome and spending a few more days on the Amalfi Coast. I have been wanting to visit the Amalfi Coast for many years now and excited to finally have the chance. My parents haven’t been overseas for about 30 years so it’s a pretty big event for them. It will also be mum’s birthday the day we meet. I’m looking forward to spending some time with them after being away from home for 7 months. There will no doubt be plenty of photos to share with you on my return!
I hope you have a chance to cook or bake something delicious this weekend. Have a nice weekend everyone :)
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Exploring Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve or HoMa is a neighbourhood located East of downtown Montréal. It has the reputation of being a poorer area with not a whole lot going on. But I hear it is slowly becoming more popular as new condos are being built, more cafes and restaurants are opening and people are moving into the area to escape the high property prices of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. My friend Valerie lives close by to this area and showed me a few interesting places located throughout the neighbourhood.
Marché Maisonneuve is small in size but filled with enough products to meet your grocery needs. A large selection of cheeses, Boulangerie Première Moisson for your bread and delicious pastry cravings, a butcher, supplier of nuts and grains and a large fruit and vegetable store filled with fresh and unique produce. They stock vegetables I’ve never even heard of, potatoes to create every possible potato dish imaginable and buckets and piles stacked high of fresh fruit. And I hear on a weekend in summer an area of the market is filled with colourful flowers.
Our next stop was Hoche Café. Walk in and tables are filled with friends meeting over coffee and individuals on their laptops or reading the daily paper. The counter is filled with fresh cookies, cakes and muffins and it’s hard to resist the temptation. They also make paninis of various combinations as well as soups and salads. The coffee they use is Metropolis Coffee from Chicago. You could happily sit there for hours as the day passes by.
We wandered for a little bit along rue Ontario and stopped at a bakery and cafe that Valérie loves called Arhoma. They produce beautiful looking loaves of bread and baguettes, cheeses from Québec, fresh sandwiches and mouth watering pastries and sweets. We also noticed they stock pies from Tourtière Australienne who I posted about the other day.
We walked further again and reached Valerie’s neighbourhood Frontenac and she showed me a few secret streets she loves. Rue Champagne has a row of houses painted in bright colours of blue, yellow and red. The street is filled with interesting details and a cute little white church on the corner.
The neighbourhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve might have a little way to go yet before it is considered the “cool and happening place to be”. But it’s an area scattered with hidden gems that already has a style and charm of its own.
{ merci valérie pour la tournée }
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