Fantastic French Cuisine in Montreal

France is famous for its food—from éclairs to escargot, French cuisine has something to offer for everyone. Luckily, you don't even have to go all the way to France to have the full culinary experience. Montreal offers a great assortment of French cuisine. Here are nine French dishes you should know about before trying a French restaurant in Montreal.

Crepes

Crepes are a great breakfast item that look and taste like thin, light pancakes. The crepe itself is made by mixing eggs, flour, milk, water, butter, and salt. The cook then pours this batter into a frying pan and cooks it for a few minutes. Add some toppings like cheese and meet or fruit and you have the perfect meal to start your day in the city.

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is the perfect choice for lunch. The soup consists of onions, garlic, herbs, sugar, beef stock, vermouth or wine, with cheese and toasted bread layered on top. Because of the heavy cheese and thick pieces of bread, French Onion Soup is a very filling dish. Pair with a simple salad for the perfect French cuisine lunch.

Escargot

Don't be afraid of eating snails—escargot is one of the most delicious French appetizers you can order. To make escargot, the chef combines garlic butter, shallots, garlic, and parsley to create a sauce. Many chefs will then put the sauce into the shells along with the snails and cook them in the oven. Flavorful and sumptuous, escargot is a quintessential French cuisine dish.

Foie Gras

Another fantastic appetizer is foie gras, which is the liver of a duck or goose. There are several ways to prepare and serve foie gras. One popular option is pan-seared foie gras, which consists of a simple yet delicious sauce made of Balsamic vinegar, red wine, and molasses. This sauce is then poured over briefly cooked foie gras, producing a dish that will melt in your mouth.

Beef Bourguignon

When you're ready for dinner, beef bourguignon is a staple of French cuisine. This stew is made of beef, vegetables, garlic, and red wine, among other ingredients. Beef bourguignon provides a hearty dish—perfect for those of you looking for a satisfying meal after spending the day exploring Montreal.

Steak Frites

If you're looking for a different beef dish, steak frites are a fantastic option. This French cuisine dish is just what it sounds like: steak with French fries. What makes this combination even better? The béarnaise sauce that chefs often serve with this meal.

Crème Brûlée

No experience with French cuisine is complete without desert, and crème brûlée is a wonderful choice. Deceptively simple, crème brûlée consists of cream, Vanilla bean, sugar, and eggs. These ingredients are mixed together, cooked over a stove, and poured into a small bowl. The chef then tops the custard with sugar and uses a blowtorch to caramelize the upper layer. Crème brûlée usually has a vanilla flavor, and some chefs like to add some fruit on top.

Soufflé

If chocolate is more your thing, then be sure to try a soufflé. The French verb "souffler" means "to blow or puff." To make this dessert, the chef combines egg whites with sugar, then stirs part of this mixture into melted chocolate and folds in the rest of the egg whites. The result is an airy chocolate dish with a gooey center that you likely won't want to share.

Madeleine

Madeleines, which are small French cakes, are so inspiring that they formed the basis for one of Marcel Proust's most famous essays. This sweet looks like a scallop seashell and consists of butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar, and flour. The ingredients are combined gradually in that order and then baked. Madeleines have a consistency resembling sponge cake and taste like vanilla and almond.

You're all set to enjoy the fabulous French cuisine Montreal has to offer, so go out and find a restaurant in Montreal. Bon appétit!