Montreal really is the city of a thousand festivals! From the International Jazz Festival to the Ukranian Street festival, there is always something to do during the warm but short summer months. Nestled deep in Ile Sainte Helene, a good 12-minute walk from the Jean Drapeau metro, is a green almost tropical paradise called les Jardins Floralies. Welcomed by a beautiful statue of a woman made of moss and wildflowers, you start to wonder if you are really in the same Montreal or a faraway haven?
The gardens and canals provide a bucolic backdrop for Montreal’s newest food festival featuring iconic Montreal chefs. From August 22-24, people were free to roam about, listen to concerts and cooking demonstrations and, of course, eat from 6 different kiosks, ranging from Quebec terroir foods to Mexican desserts and even Argentinian grills! According to Véronique Doucet, director general of the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau: “the concept was designed to provide an inclusive experience where gastronomy, nature and culture combine to forge wonderful memories.”
I quickly jumped at the chance to go and test some of the food stands as I consider myself a foodie. I decided to explore the various stands and see what was the flavour of the day. Being a picky eater, I opted out of the 70$ “gourmand passport” which allows for one fixed menu item at each stand (6 and a dessert), but this would be a cheaper option for adventurous eaters. Looking around, the “Pan-American Pizza” by Danny Saint-Pierre seemed to be a fan favourite, and I succumbed to peer pressure and bought a regular one. The pizza, akin to a deep dish Chicago style one, truly was one of the best I have eaten (being half-Italian and living in Montreal which is a high bar), as it had a crispy outside and a soft cheesy center, finished with some extra parmesan on top. One of the two other options consisted of a scrumptious looking pizza with burrata on top, and those who had the “gourmand passport” had a nice amount of caccio e pepe pasta.
To accompany the pizza, I ventured towards Francis Duval’s “Chef Dudu” stand which had a beautiful looking peach and tomato salad with a soft cream dressing and herbs. Who knew ripe peaches and tomatoes paired so well together, and it made for a perfect side to the pizza. Lastly, I surprised myself by getting cucumber lemonade, or as the bartender called it a “limonade à Phil” as it was his creation. The cucumber felt a bit too overpowering as a flavour, but it was unique and refreshing. So, if like me you aren’t the biggest cucumber fan, stick to a regular lemonade or their selection of cocktails/mocktails. They also have free water filling stations for those who bring water bottles.
As a wise person once said: “every good meal needs to be complete with dessert” (or at least that’s what I believe). The Casino had a kiosk with typical Quebec ice cream flavours, such as Lac Saint-Jean blueberries, and they were truly to die for. One of the workers told me that they (unfortunately) do not sell these flavours by the pint, but they are available at the Casino and hopefully at next year’s festival again!
The Rendez-vous Gourmands was pretty close to a 10/10 experience for me! I appreciated the fact that they had used reusable plates and had helpful attendants at every garbage bin to ensure people were properly triaging their trash. The grounds were big so that it never felt too crowded, and there were ample seats around music stages or beneath willow trees where all had somewhere to sit. Being surrounded by nature, listening to the birds or the banjo band play while eating delicious food really is a special experience, one that feels uniquely Montreal! I highly recommend friend groups, families and couples who have the chance to go either this year or hopefully the next one as it could quickly become a staple of the Montreal festival circuit.
