montreal x pho bang new york

pho tai gau sach

the chinatown in montreal has a number of pho restaurants next to one another (more than i can say for new york), so we looked for the busiest one. pho bang new york it was. the bowls here are large and noodles ample, though a bit on the thick and starchy side. the broth lacked the depth that one always hopes to find in pho, but i'm optimistic that canada houses an amazing bowl of pho somewhere. i'll just have to come back and keep looking. ;)

pho bang new york, 1001 st laurent, montreal, qc

montreal x rotisserie romados

1/4 cuisse

portuguese rotisserie chicken in canada ? sure. especially if it's golden-brown on the outside, and moist and succulent on the inside. romados serves theirs with a spicy kick, a pile of salt & pepper fries, and a tasty salad that makes you think it'll all be okay, cause you're eating your vegetables. there were no seats open sadly, so we made like another customer and ate standing up. with our hands.

rotisserie romados, 115 rue rachel est, montreal, qc

montreal x schwartz

medium smoked meat sandwich

oh my goodness. i have to say, i'm fond of katz back at home, but i am smitten with schwartz's medium smoked meat sandwich. moist, juicy, tender, melt-in-your mouth good. just the right portion to leave you wanting more which is probably why the sour pickles hit the spot just so. get the cherry cola and you've got yourself one of the best meals in montreal.

schwartz, 3895 st laurent, montreal, qc

new york x torrisi

house turkey hero

before parting ways, i took my canadian friend for a last bite at torrisi's. i was happy to see a full house for the well-deserving torrisi (a drastic change from its early, pleasantly uncrowded days) but the wait wasn't pretty. still, the house turkey was worth it -- moist and perfectly seasoned. having it on the bench right outside the torissi window, under the warm sun, was a bonus.

torrisi italian specialties, 250 mulberry st, ny, ny 10012 (bn prince & spring)

new york x chennai garden

palak paneer

by a stroke of chance and some planning, chennai garden ended up as the intersection of a few different circles of friends on this particular night. i was happy to see everyone there at the same time, and just as happy with the dishes, being a first-timer. the palak paneer and bindhi masala, among half a dozen more dishes, were rich, flavorful, creamy, but i'm told the thing to order at chennai are the south indian dishes. will remember for next time.

chennai garden, 129 e. 27th st, ny, ny 10016 (between 3rd and lexington)

new york x peep

panang curry (with shrimp)

my dear friend dan-ah introduced me to peep the first time i visited new york; its name is derived from their see-through bathrooms. you can't see into them, but you can see out of them. fast-forward a few years, and i'm living in the city, taking a short walk to peep from work, for my co-worker vivian's farewell lunch, who loves the place. it was a controversial lunch choice among our group, but we adore her and off we went. the panang curry was sweeter than i liked it, but the company was lovely.

peep, 177 prince street, ny, ny 10012

new york x zen

alaskan / fresh salmon / spicy tuna / spider (rolls)

my friend newton from canada was crazy enough to purchase one of jetblue's two-day $10 deals and flew in from canada around dinner time. john proposed to have dinner with everyone but imposed a challenge on the group: to find a very cheap meal. zen won out with its %50 discount off $16 orders and the sushi was surprisingly tasty. we each paid around $10 with tip - in new york, that's as good a deal as any.

zen restaurant, 31 saint marks pl, ny, ny 10003 (between 2nd and 3rd ave)