Montreal Guide: Gail Simmons Loves Monster Omelets and Smoked Meat

“I cannot go to Montreal without stopping at Beauty’s, my favorite place for breakfast,” says F&W’s Gail Simmons, who travels to the Canadian city to visit family. At Beauty’s, Simmons likes to get an over-the-top omelet called the Mish-Mash. Here, she shares more insider’s picks like a gastropub with a Southern twist and a heavenly cookbook store. Top Chef’s Gail Simmons shares her Montreal guide. Photo courtesy of Joe Beef / Alain Lefort.

David McMillan and Frédéric Morin are ambassadors of French-Canadian cuisine, and every time I eat at Joe Beef, it’s new and exciting. There’s always a young, loud and lively scene, and in the summer, I love sitting in their back garden, among the eggplants and tomatoes. McMillan and co-chef Morin change the menu often, fusing their zeal for local ingredients with an unbounded passion for foie gras, game meats, cheese and wine. joebeef.ca

At this Quebecois bistro, classic French food gets a modern, creative twist, like crispy fried frog’s legs with chipotle mayo and poached foie gras torchon with gnocchi, brown butter, sage and lemon. The food is so fresh and always seasonal, earthy and satisfying. Plus: Almost everything is made in-house—from pastas and bread to the cured sausages hanging in the glass meat locker. lasalleamanger.ca

I cannot go to Montreal without going to Beauty’s, my favorite place for breakfast, where I have the Mish-Mash omelet with hot dogs, salami, eggs, green peppers, and onions, and the best banana bread in the world. It’s legendary! beautys.ca

No trip to Montreal is complete without a trip to Schwartz’s 100-year-old deli. I have the classic smoked meat (medium lean), French fries, pickles and a diet cherry cola. And I always get a few kernutzel (Jewish beef pepperoni sticks, a Montreal specialty) to take home with me. schwartzsdeli.com

This place is small and very cool, serving hearty fare with an eclectic, often Southern twist, like glazed Chinese-style pork with collard greens and fried polenta. For fun, the bartender has been known to muddle cocktails with the baseball bat hanging above the bar. lechienfumant.com

For quirky brunch/lunch and dinner in the Mile End area, this corner spot is a hangout for local hipsters and has a following among the restaurant industry set for its ambitious, creative food. In the morning they have ultrabuttery baked eggs with celery root and bubble and squeak—mashed potatoes fried with tangy cabbage like an extrarustic hash brown. At night, they serve interesting dishes like cauliflower agnolotti and grilled ox heart. lawrencerestaurant.com

An outstanding Syrian restaurant in the Mile End neighborhood, Damas has a warm atmosphere with embroidered pillows and beaded hanging lamps. The menu is full of sharable meze like warm hummus with spicy lamb and pistachios, plus flavorful grilled dishes. For dessert, try their sweet cheese-and-semolina dough bundles stuffed with cream and covered in orange flower syrup. restaurant-damas.com

What was a 70-year-old run-down diner is now revised, maintaining many of its old-school details like vintage booths. The food is simple but top quality, and great for kids too. Try the Lumberjack sandwich (made with pancakes instead of bread, fried eggs, cheese and bacon), a perfect egg salad sandwich, or their delicious matzo ball soup. nouveaupalais.com

The most beautiful kitchen store ever is on Laurier Street in the Plateau area. The products are so unique, with everything you could want as a cook, plus lots of well-curated tools by local artisans. lestouilleurs.com

This is a heavenly cookbook store where I could waste away a week if I was allowed. It also has a kitchen for classes and private events. appetitebooks.ca

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Deep Dessert Thoughts by Gene Simmons

Tell Gene Simmons of KISS that he has one of the most famous tongues in the world, and he’ll correct you. “It’s the most famous tongue in the world. Who else? Well, who else?” he says. The rocker must have an especially wide swath reserved for sensing sweetness, because Simmons admittedly obsesses over sugar.

Here, Gene Simmons ponders the wonders of dessert for Food & Wine:

“I tolerate food. I love desserts. I’ve never met anybody who’s ever had a dream about a celery.”

“I have had repeated dreams of being stuck in a chair with my hands tied behind my back in a cake house, and of course the only way out is to eat.”

“I love desserts so much I don’t even have to take them orally. I’m happy to take them right into my small intestines.”

“My favorite dessert is the next one. I’m a dessert junkie. I still love Ding Dongs, Ring Dings, Devil Dogs, all those Hostess things. I almost started to cry when I heard that one of the companies was going out of business and then it was saved at the last minute.”

“Some people can drink water when they eat cake. I don’t get it. When you eat cake, you drink coffee. God gave you two hands. One is for stuffing your mouth like a Christmas goose full of pastry, and the other is for molten hot coffee.”

“Desserts always find me. My dessert fascination precedes me, so local hotels send up treats. I mean, I walk into my room and there are chocolate-covered strawberries and all kinds of stuff always waiting. I guess they’re trying to get me down to the restaurant so they can inform the media. Food used to just be about food. But it’s become art, hasn’t it? And media and pop culture.”

“Jelly rolls are my guilty pleasure of all time. A jelly roll is chewy on the outside, and as soon as you bite into it, you get the sugar on top and then you get to the jelly in the middle. I’m a simple guy. I like chocolates, jams and chewy pastries.”

“I could write an ode to sweetness—my love is like a beer isn’t as poetic. Your kisses are like a nice bitter ale. I don’t think so.”

© ZUMA Wire Service / Alamy © ZUMA Wire Service / Alamy

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Deep dessert idea of Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons of KISS to say that he is one of the most famous tongues in the world, and he would correct. "It is the most famous tongue in the world." Who else? Well, who else? "he says." The rocker must present a particularly swaths reserved for sweet, sensors, because Simmons course number on sugar.

Here, the wonders of Gene Simmons ponders dessert food & wine:

"I eat tolerate." I love desserts. "I have never who ever a dream about a celery had taken."

"I have repeatedly dreams stuck in a chair with my hands tied behind my back in a cake , and of course is the only way to eat."

"I love desserts so much, I have also not on them to take orally." "I am me, directly in my small intestine to take them."

"My favorite dessert is the next." I'm a junkie dessert. I love still Ding dongs, ring dings, Devil Dogs, all these things hostess. "I started to cry when I heard that one of the companies out of business was almost and then it was saved at the last minute."

"Some people can drink water, eat cake." I don't get it. If you eat cake, drinking coffee. God has two hands. "Is a mouth like a Christmas goose full of biscuits, and the other is for molten hot coffee."

"Desserts find me always." My fascination dessert stands before me, so local hotels send until treated. I mean, I go to my room and there are chocolate coated strawberries and all kinds of stuff always wait. I think they are trying to get me down to the restaurant, so that they can inform the media. Only to eat are about food. But it is art, not it has become? "And media and pop culture."

"Jelly rolls are my guilty pleasure of all time." A jelly roll is tough on the outside, and as soon as you bite into it, get the sugar on top and then get on the jelly in the middle. I'm a simple guy. "I like chocolate, jams and tough biscuits."

"I could write, an ode to sweet - my love is like a beer is not so poetic." Your kisses are like a nice bitter ALE. "I don't think."

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