he local dining scene is statically chaotic. Lucky for Montreal Foodies (MoFos), there is plenty of gastro-excellence to ingest amongst the frenzy. So browse the Best Montreal Dining 2006 List and soak up the suggestions. It might not lead you to personal fulfillment, but you just might achieve better-than-KD satiation.




Zen Ya
The appeal of Zen Ya can be summed up in three little words: damn good sushi. A line of ravenous, passionate, sushi-lovers forms outside this elegant, second floor restaurant; inside, hungry diners choose from an interesting range of teriyaki and shioyaki selections. But the real gem is the sushi, which features freshly prepared rolls of hamachi (yellowtail), unagi (broiled eel) and tekkyuu-maki (maguro and cucumber in a maki roll). The lengthy menu offers miso-marinated, baked Malpeque oysters, teriyaki and shioyaki plates and ramen and udon soups. A succulent identity crisis, Zen Ya will indeed, um, food Zen ya (sorry Buddhists, I've verbed your noun).
486 Ste-Catherine Street West, Montreal, QC -R.B. Full Story




Pintxo
Think tapas is so yesterday? Think again. It seems as though this year's grub scene was devoted to small plates; our vote for the year's most promising new tapas joint goes to Pintxo, who dished out the most wildly original one-bite treats. Billed as a “nueva modiva

Garde Manger has managed to inject some much-needed life into Old Montreal’s soporific restaurant scene.

Basqua,” the Spanish Basque restaurant doles out modern, ETA-free Basque bites - also known as Pintxo’s (make sense?). The Filet of Basque cod served with pepper and tomato salsa is sophisticated and satisfying, while the Pintxo de Pulpo a la gallega is a mini squid indulgence. Mains (Los Platos) are imaginatively done. The Filet Mignon with goat cheese is superb; served rare and lightly filmed with herbal butter; the steak is almost buoyant in its flavourful juices As for the scene: is a good Spanish eatery ever anything but lively? 256, rue Roy East, Montreal, QC - K.J. Full Story




Les Chèvres
Chef Stelio Perombelon is clearly having a blast riffing on classic veg. cuisine from within the comfy confines of Les Chèvres' kitchen. He's not the only one. Les Chèvres has been a magnet for foodies in the past couple of years, as the dining masses are smitten with its largely vegetarian degustation menu; but Les Chèvres caters to the tofu and carnivore crowds alike. Perombelon's kitchen (Les Chèvres shares a kitchen with Le Chou) churns out surprisingly exceptional meat and seafood options as well. While the mushroom risotto will still stick to your ribs just as satisfyingly as the newly added meatloaf, the milk-fed Quebec veal loin – which sounds a lot like comfort food - is incredibly tender and succulent. Give me the goat. 1201 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, QC - M.A. Full Story