Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Free the Blackstrap BBQ Sign!!

Blackstrap BBQ sign, stolen shamelessly from their Twitter page @bbqblackstrap
There's a bit of a brouhaha in the Twitterverse involving Verdun's buzziest new restaurant Blackstrap BBQ.

The Wellington St. eatery is getting rave reviews for its authentic Memphis style ribs, brisket, pulled pork and such. Everything is smoked daily on the premises. As we say here in Quebec "Omnomnomnom."

It's great to see energetic young entrepreneurs making a go of it on our main drag, Wellington St. Given the number of slice pizza joints and 99-cent hot dog emporia, Blackstrap represents a quantum step up in quality. Just what a gentrifying neighborhood needs.

To make a long story short, controversy has erupted over Blackstrap's distinctive new sign. Apparently it falls outside the borough's regulations for signage. Language, you ask? No. Plywood. Verdun doesn't permit plywood signage. Too "ghetto", in the words of Blackstrap co-owner Clara Barron.

Word spread through the social media world, with the good folks over at the Decouvrir/Discover Verdun Facebook page (an invaluable resource for people interested in local doings) voicing outrage over the borough's small-mindedness. 

As several posters pointed out, this kind of nitpicking is no way to encourage small business. Photos of ugly storefronts were posted on the FB page, none of which appear to offend the delicate sensibilities of Verdun's signage tastemakers.

A few minutes ago, Blackstrap's Barron posted a Twitter update, saying that the SDC Wellington (Société de développement commercial) will go to bat for Blackstrap and try to persuade the borough council to approve the sign.

A happy ending? Not quite yet, but maybe. Now go get some brisket.




Friday, August 17, 2012

Masala Comes to Point St. Charles

I was doing errands on Centre St. in the Point this afternoon and stumbled upon a new restaurant near the corner of Shearer.

Imagine my delight in finding that Masala, a well-known downtown Indian eatery and cooking school has decamped to the Le Sud-Ouest.

 Let the debate about the merits of this Indian restaurant versus that Indian restaurant rage on Chowhound, I love Indian cookery and anything that multiplies the offerings of dhal and chicken masala in my part of the world, is alright by me.

Bring your friends. And your own wine.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Chowhound Weighs in on Verdun's Mysterious Mauritian Resto

Chowhound, the foodie web site, has a hilarious review of one of Verdun's best kept gustatory secrets. Délices de L'Ile Maurice gets an enthusiastic thumbs up here.