Shoni Festival and a date with friends
Sep 11, 2022 | Montreal, QC
There had been an ongoing food festival called Shoni Fest going on in an area of town called Shaughnessy Village. It was an Asian food festival with tents and such (turns out we learned that Montreal doesn't allow food trucks unless the restaurant has a physical location, so we hardly see any of them ever). They also had some live music and lots and lots of yellow jackets as always! But after walking through the tent section we actually ended up just getting food at two of the normal restaurants on the street.
First time taking the metro in Montreal!
First time taking the metro in Montreal!
The trains are much nicer than in NYC
The trains are much nicer than in NYC
I liked that there was a seagull in his hand
I liked that there was a seagull in his hand
I had recently heard about the existence of "French Tacos" which started in France as a type of fast food before coming over here. Figured I had to check it out even though it sounded like some serious junk food.
I had recently heard about the existence of "French Tacos" which started in France as a type of fast food before coming over here. Figured I had to check it out even though it sounded like some serious junk food.
You're probably like, wait why is it square? There is virtually nothing in common between these and Mexican tacos besides the tortilla.
You're probably like, wait why is it square? There is virtually nothing in common between these and Mexican tacos besides the tortilla.
It comes with fries, meat, cheese sauce, a secondary sauce of your choosing (which include such eclectic choices as "samurai sauce", "biggy burger sauce", "Algerian sauce" as well as ones like ketchup, mayo and bbq) and if you want you can pay extra for extra meats, toppings and sauces or even egg
It comes with fries, meat, cheese sauce, a secondary sauce of your choosing (which include such eclectic choices as "samurai sauce", "biggy burger sauce", "Algerian sauce" as well as ones like ketchup, mayo and bbq) and if you want you can pay extra for extra meats, toppings and sauces or even egg
Mine just has the basics with chicken and harissa which is a spicy sauce usually found in gyros, but I thought it might serve as an ok stand-in for salsa. Overall it was pretty good for fast food, although it was quite spicy, but that was my fault!
Mine just has the basics with chicken and harissa which is a spicy sauce usually found in gyros, but I thought it might serve as an ok stand-in for salsa. Overall it was pretty good for fast food, although it was quite spicy, but that was my fault!
Erika wanted to get Japanese food at an Izakaya called Imadake. Izakayas are like Japanese tapas restaurants that often have an emphasis on beer drinking. If you have a keen eye you might notice the neon sign with a sake bomb on it.
Erika wanted to get Japanese food at an Izakaya called Imadake. Izakayas are like Japanese tapas restaurants that often have an emphasis on beer drinking. If you have a keen eye you might notice the neon sign with a sake bomb on it.
I ordered a liter of Sapporo. Erika just has a wimpy half liter of Asahi!
I ordered a liter of Sapporo. Erika just has a wimpy half liter of Asahi!
Eggplant tofu dish. I can't remember what the J name for it is.
Eggplant tofu dish. I can't remember what the J name for it is.
Croquettes, which are kind of like fried mashed potato patties. They can have various things inside of them, but this one has corn and onion.
Croquettes, which are kind of like fried mashed potato patties. They can have various things inside of them, but this one has corn and onion.
We walked through the Gay Village on our way from the metro and I had to document some of the titillating clothing options available for purchase at "Mistr Bear".
We walked through the Gay Village on our way from the metro and I had to document some of the titillating clothing options available for purchase at "Mistr Bear".
Whatever the cone is for, I doubt it's because he just got neutered.
Whatever the cone is for, I doubt it's because he just got neutered.
The dynamic doggy duo
The dynamic doggy duo
Considering they have bear in the name, it's good they're showing all body types
Considering they have bear in the name, it's good they're showing all body types
For our evening we had what might seem like a standard "night on the town" planned, but this time with a twist... we actually had company! Pretty much the one big thing that we have always consistently repeated to each other as starkly missing from our trip experience is the presence of friends. We miss our friends at home for sure, but we'd also like to be making new connections on the road. But both Erika and I are pretty reserved about interacting with strangers, not that we want to be that way. The only time we actually succeeded in this endeavor was in Roanoke VA with Cain and his crew, and that was probably because they made it easy on us by sitting at our table.
But to get back on topic, we had been talking to a girl at one of the local cafe/bakeries on our street named Eliana, and we actually went in yesterday with the full intention of exchanging contact information with her. But the place was really busy and it made us feel like we'd be a nuisance if we started chitchatting (aka our usual inclination to not proceed with being forward), but once again the other party gave us a break, and she actually proposed the idea to us to exchange numbers and made plans for the following evening (today).
We intended to go to a certain bar that is a favorite of theirs, but it ended up being closed so we walked over to Cheval Blanc which is a brewpub on the same street we live that we had said a hundred times that we needed to check out. There was a very large and eclectic jazz band playing there called the Rachet Orchestra, and although they were very interesting, they were also very loud so we opted to sit outside since we were trying to get to know each other. And as luck may have it we had all kinds of things in common, not only just in specific interests but also just in the way we communicate and interact. Basically we were having fun right from the start.
After we finished our drinks there, we walked up our street to Marion to get some more, before deciding to end the night be getting one last round at Grenade. And of course since I was so preoccupied with conversation, we didn't manage to take a single photo between any of us! Oh well, I'm sure there'll be a next time.