Unauthorized

I suppose one could call this beautiful, mostly open-air garden in Vieux Montreal a brasserie or bistro. It is a very casual place, with great ambience, good music, and food clearly aimed at a young, active crowd, with an intriguing assortment of salads and Canadian crèpes filled with everything from fresh cheese and spinach to veal, caramelized onions and mushrooms, as well as rabbit and confit of duck. Not surprisingly, they also have a wide pizza selection. We chose some hors d’oeuvres and stuck with pizzas and salads, all of which were excellent. Prices are very reasonable, and while I wasn’t in the mood for wine, we did drink some spectacular Quebec beer, most notably the Unibroue Blanche de Chambly. This is a Belgian ale-styled beer, but loaded with flavor, and for someone who rarely drinks beer, an impressive example of it.

I can’t recommend the casual Jardin Nelson enough. It is quite beautiful and only open during the warm weather months, given the fact that the entire ceiling is missing, but it is heavily adorned with trees, flowers, and lots of beautiful plants.