We have friends who live in the neighborhood and as a result Tuck Shop has become there local favourite restaurant. We had heard a lot about the food, ambiance and overall charm of the place that it was on the top of our list of new restaurants to try when the opportunity came up. Although reservations are hard to come by we were lucky to fill in for a last minute cancellation on a recent Saturday night. The evening was a hit. The food was great, the service was exceptionally attentive (despite how busy the restaurant was) and the ambiance superb. Most of the staff is fairly young but they are pros when it comes to delivering good service and as a result a great dining experience. Three of us had starters and they were all equally delicious (beef tartar, heirloom tomato salad and the market salad). As far as the entrees go (Veal Chop, Hanger Steak, Strip Steak and Arctic Char) each one was delicious but the star of the night was the Veal Chop (perfectly cooked and perfectly spiced). Even the sauces and accompaniments were absolutely delicious (chimichurri sauce, jalapeño hollandaise, fries, onion rings, fresh veggies, roast potatoes, etc). For most this restaurant location may be a little out of the way and in an unusual location but it's well worth the trip. We will definitely be going back.

Chez Claudette was recently featured on a television show called "You Gotta Eat Here" which airs regularly on the Food Network. The menu not only includes the customary Quebec greasy spoon hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and all day breakfast but they also serve some classics such as tourtiere, shepphard's pie, meatloaf, etc. The main attraction, however, is the 20+ different choices of poutine. On my first occasion I tried the "Italienne" which was also featured on the TV show. This is basically your normal poutine (french fries and curd cheese) but instead of the brown sauce the poutine is topped with their home made tomato meat sauce. It was absolutely delicious and I finished every bite (I ordered the small portion). I am not a greasy spoon junkie and in fact rarely eat poutine but the TV show made it look so good that I had to try it. Don't expect much in terms of ambiance as this is truly a hole in the wall greasy spoon that's been around for a long time. It's a late night crowd favourite as it is open 24 hours on Thursday, Friday ad Saturday. You gotta eat here !

We ate at Piazza Romana on a recent Saturday night. We should have known what we were in for as we were left waiting in the entrance area without being greeted or acknowledged by any of the staff that wandered by us on numerous occasions. We were finally seated and the service from that point on was average at best. The pasta dishes we ordered were run of the mill Italian (nothing to write home about) and certainly not worth going out of your way for. The veal and chicken dishes were OK but also not worth going back for. What ruined all the meals, however, was the "fake" parmesan cheese that our waiter offered us. It could easily have been that Kraft pre-packaged non-refrigerated stuff sold in grocery stores or at best it had to be the worst cheap grated cheese we have ever tasted. What sealed the "we will never come back here again" deal was watching the Manager or Maitre'd remove a paid but unfinished open bottle of wine from a neighbouring table and return it to the bar. The young lady behind the bar simply placed it back on the shelf with what we assume were other bottles being sold by the glass. I am not in the restaurant business but I am certain this is NOT supposed to happen. Makes me wonder what they do with for example the bread that does not get eaten?. Needless to say we will NOT be back, there are plenty of other Italian restaurants to choose from on the West Island.

Le Gourmand is one of my favourite restaurants in Montreal's West Island. Our most recent visit was on a Friday night with a group of 6. We were seated downstairs and the restaurant was quite full and busy for the duration of our stay. The restaurant is situated in an old 19th century house (a Pointe Claire landmark) with a very cosy stone walled interior. The ambiance is casual yet elegant and is perfect for any occasion. There is a bar section at the back of the restaurant and an outdoor patio that's open during the summer. We ordered from both the table d'hote as well as from the regular menu. Everyone enjoyed their meals (I can't remember exactly what everyone ate but there were certainly no complaints and the dishes went back pretty much empty). I personally love their steak tartar (which does not appear on the menu) and the chef happily agreed to prepare this for me despite how busy the kitchen was that night. The service was great and the total bill was as expected a little on the pricey side. We will continue to go back and would recommend this to anyone looking for a good place to eat on the West Island. Reservations are also recommended.

We were out with friends from Toronto and decided to try and get into Garde Manger (without a reservation) on a Wednesday night. The place was packed and they were able to accommodate us (although we had to wait approx. 30 minutes). We have been to Garde Manger several times before and like many other out of towners our friends were curious about the "Chuck Hughes" hype. Although the service was somewhat slow to start, they became increasingly attentive and this did not ultimately affect our dining experience. For starters the tomato salad and the Boston salad with sardines were both excellent. For the main dishes the scallop and gnocchi was a rather small portion and probably the least favourite dish of the night. The absolute star dishes were the signature beef short ribs as well as the lobster and rock shrimp risotto (the portions were plentiful and the taste was exquisite). Desserts were good but be sure not to miss the deep fried Mars bar. Overall great ambiance, good music, a little noisy at times that we could not hear our waitress, a little pricey but no more than other restaurants of this caliber and we will definitely be back.

I eat at Panama on a regular basis but especially try to get there on either Friday or Saturday evenings as these are the only days they offer their house specialty "roast lamb" (not to be mistaken with the lamb chops which are always on the menu). We have been there with family, friends, business associates and even an entire hockey team. Regardless of the size of our group the service has always been impeccable. I recommend the tzatziki, greek salad (with greek feta), greek sausage appetizer, fried zucchini and eggplant, grilled octopus, the roast lamb (of course), red snapper ad the sea bass and souvlaki for the kids. We always add the sides of rice or roasted potatoes to accompany our main meals. I strongly recommend ordering several dishes and sharing. Overall best Greek restaurant in the West Island and great value for the money.