If your guest has only a few days to spend in our fair city, as mine recently did, might I suggest a foodie jaunt that won’t break your budget…well, not too badly, anyway!

First in the lineup was Pasta Casareccia. This is a great mom-and-pop jewel of a resto serving Italian food like momma might make. In fact, the Petraccone family is making it for you, if you dine here. Choose from a full range of their fine goodies like fresh cannelloni, astoundingly light veal parmigiana, and a multitude of other great dishes. Desserts are not to be missed, either. We left there pleasantly sated. Note that they also sell gourmet products, imported from Italy.

Another day we were in a chicken mood – but not just any ol’ chicken: we made our way to Chalet BBQ. This place has been the undisputed* king of BBQ chicken in Montreal since 1944. Only one word fits their fare: succulent. Oh, and crispy in places, too! Granted, maybe you won’t go here if you’re a vegetarian, or – horrors – a vegan, but, well, if somehow one of you fell in here by mistake, they make cole slaw that is to die for!

Schwartz’s was definitely on the menu one day for an early supper. (Yes, there was a lineup, but it went fast.) This deli hasn’t changed much since it opened over 87 years ago. You still sit three on each side of a table. You don’t care how squished you are… the smoked meat, fries, pickles and rye bread are just so divine, that’s all you can even focus on! Admit it: don’t you feel like going there right now?!

While we were in the area, we weren’t too far from St. Viateur Bagel, so of course we had to visit there and buy a bunch. A dozen assorted (sesame, poppy seed, pumpernickel, onion, cinnamon raisin, etc.) later, we were off again – this time for ice cream!

The line was prohibitively long at Kem CoBa (where my daughter had urged us to go), so we instead went to Ripples, back down across the street from Schwartz’s. There we obtained an incredibly divine strawberry sundae made with real hard rich ice cream. Mmmm! Don’t ask! I’m still dreaming about it.

We also had breakfast one day at Chez Cora, reliably delectable.

I will not get on a scale for some time. But it was all worth it! 😀

*Some like St. Hubert BBQ or – nooo! – Cote St. Luc BBQ, but we purists opt for the Chalet every time.