Chesterman’s kid-friendly resto picks
Dining out with youngsters can be great or gruesome. A lot of that depends on the age of the kids, and the restaurant you choose. Looking for a restaurant where you can bring your children without worry? Lesley Chesterman offers her picks for places that
NOUVEAU PALAIS 281 Bernard St. W.
The room is dark and the ambience is a bit sluggish in the early evening, but what this restaurant lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in delicious food. The fried chicken is terrific, as is the mac and cheese, but the go-to dish at Nouveau Palais is the awesome hamburger served with the best fries ever. And parents take note: the wine list is both superb and well priced.
CHEZ TOUSIGNANT 6956 Drolet St.
A fast-food restaurant where everything is made from scratch, Tousignant serves one of the city’s best hamburgers, best hotdogs and a seriously delicious poutine. It’s not cheap, but the quality is
there, and the room is young and fun, with 1980s music in the background and all the food made right in front of you. Eat in or take out.
BEAUTY’S 93 Mont-Royal Ave. W.
You will usually have to line up for a meal at this Montreal institution, but that’s half the fun. Kids, parents and everyone else will relish the generous portions of cool diner food, including classics like the Mishmash omelette and the Beauty’s Special. The coffee is freshly brewed, the orange juice is freshly squeezed and the bagels come perfectly toasted. Service is fast and friendly, and the atmosphere is pure Montreal. Don’t leave without tasting either the rice pudding or the banana bread.
ORCHIDÉE DE CHINE 2017 Peel St.
This is my kids’ favourite restaurant because of the wonderful service, the great mix of flavours, the amazing variety of dishes and the best General Tso chicken in the city. You can order the specials, or opt for new dishes, but we regulars have our favourites, be they the sesame beef, chicken with pepper and crispy spinach, or peanut butter dumplings. It’s all great, but be warned: the bill can be a bit jarring if you order with abandon.
ORANGE JULEP 7700 Décarie Blvd.
I still feel like a kid when I take my own kids to this Montreal institution, famous for its orange drink thickened — I’m told —
with egg whites, powdered milk, orange juice and who knows what else. This time of year, you can grab a picnic table spot and eat outside while watching the world go by. I pass on the drink and opt for two hotdogs, preferably toasted and all dressed. Yum!
DINETTE TRIPLE CROWN 6704 Clark St.
Owner Colin Perry specializes in kid- and adult-friendly favourites like fried chicken, smoked brisket and pulled pork, with sides including coleslaw, cornbread, biscuits and mashed potatoes with gravy. The macaroni and cheese is light in texture and rich in flavour, with a little blue cheese aftertaste to add sophistication. When gumbo is on offer, jump! Those looking for greens should try the Boston salad enhanced with tarragon-spiked Green Goddess dressing. They also make picnic baskets to go and, for Mom and Dad, a wicked Kentucky Mule cocktail made with ginger beer and bourbon.
LA BOULETTE 2223 Beaubien St. E.
I head to this sharp little restaurant often with my kids for its great burgers, including excellent chicken burgers, and the option to mix up garnishes and sides with either fries or a variety of salads. But the big treat here is the pouding chômeur, which arrives hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and will surely be devoured by children in seconds. Service is friendly and efficient.
GREEN SPOT
3041 Notre-Dame St. W.
For 71 years, families have been crowding into this realdeal diner just blocks away from the Atwater Market for hotdogs, smoked meat, poutine and its famous $6 breakfast. The friendly wait staff is half the draw of this Montreal institution, with its old-school decor, complete with individual jukeboxes at the table. With prices this reasonable, you can take the whole family, put on some Elvis tunes and bore your kids to tears with stories of days gone by. And since you’re paying, they’ll have to listen. Sweet.
MA POULE MOUILLÉE
969 Rachel St. E.
Portuguese rotisserie chicken is one of Montreal’s signature dishes, and some of the best comes out of this cool Plateau restaurant, where the chicken is golden-crisp, juicy and just a bit spicy. Get ready to line up at peak mealtimes, so consider calling ahead for an order to go. Poutine lovers should not miss their decadent rendition of the Québécois classic, topped with shredded rotisserie chicken. Piggy, yes, but worth it!
MOISHES
3961 St-Laurent Blvd.
Eat early at Moishes and you are bound to see tables filled with families, many of which have been eating at this legendary restaurant for three generations now. This great steakhouse, with a dining room straight out of a movie, has a cast of regular waiters known to customers by name and a lineup of classic dishes that are generous enough to be shared — with hefty prices to match, so sharing is a good way to go. I also like the newer dishes here, like the crab cakes and lobster rolls, and dinner at Moishes wouldn’t be complete without indulging in their fabulous mille-feuilles.