Kickstarting the Montreal economy

Spent the weekend in Montreal with friends from Singapore, Mexico and Washington helping to keep the local economy healthy in these tough times. The restaurant industry in particular benefited. The outstanding place was Laloux. The meal there was great! For openers there was albacore tuna just seared, zucchini and cress salad, with a spicy lemon purée. A couple of mains were outstanding: arctic char, du Puy lentils, caramelized salsify, crispy lardoons for one, and seared scallops from Côte-Nord, white beet, black trumpet mushrooms, chiogga beet salad with lemon confit. Lots of words, but wonderful. Dessert, which I usually don't bother with, was just too tempting. Ever heard of anything like a ''Candy Cap'' mushroom panna cotta, ''Paula Red'' apple sorbet, topped with pecans and rosemary? Completely amazing. And for wine, a lovely 2004 Marsannay, Les Champs Salomon, Domaine Bart.

Also good, though not quite the same standard was Leméac, on the Plateau. I had some lovely

grilled calamari and zucchini, lemon and balsamic vinaigrette to start, and a main of roasted black cod with fennel and potato purée. Others had the salmon tartare and duck confit, and thought they were pretty good.

Finally we managed to fit in a visit to l'Express for lunch. Don't try to resist the duck confit en salade, but the house made ravioli are pretty good too!