Universel Déjeuners et Grillades: a new find for evening breakfast

Readers should be well aware by now that one thing I love to do on the weekends is have breakfast for supper. A day does not go by that I do not miss Picasso Restaurant on St. Jacques Street. When it closed several years ago, property owner Peter Sergakis promised me he would revive it but the spot remains boarded up - with  Les Amazones gentleman's club seemingly thriving in the basement. 

Nick's on Greene Avenue used to stay open until 7 p.m. on Saturday nights and serve breakfast, but no more. Eggspectations opened a new locale at Hotel Ruby Foo's last May and  offered breakfast until 11 p.m. But now they close at 4 p.m.  B&M on Somerled will serve breakfast until closing, with an extra $2 tacked on to the bill.

Well I have discovered a new place - at least a new one for me. Universel Déjeuners et Grillades  has two Montreal locations - one on Peel and the other on St. Denis below Pine. The latter locale will serve a full breakfast (with lots of choices) until 7 p.m. each night (the downtown spot only until 5 p.m.). Check out what they have to offer. We went there Saturday night after a movie and I was beyond impressed. I ordered one of the most delicious cheese omelets I have ever tasted. Service was excellent. We wanted our breakfast potatoes baked, not fried.  The manager on duty, Jason,  came to our table and made it happen. Even the toast was perfectly prepared and nicely buttered. They even included some fresh fruit on the plate.

The rest of the menu has a variety of choices. Apparently this place has been around since 1995, originally on nearby Cherrier Street near Lafontaine Park and now in this warm spot consisting of comfortable booths and tables.
Hats off to owners Anna and Steve Manousakis for this excellent establishment. It is time to add a third franchise in the West End!

Eggspectation serving up all-day breakfast at its new Ruby Foo's location

A few months ago I lamented on these pages how Montreal simply did not have enough restaurants  serving all-day breakfast. We may never relive the days of Picasso on St. Jacques, which served eggs, French toast and pancakes 24 hours a day. Regrettably, the likes of Denny's or IHOP are not coming to Quebec anytime soon. So, we search high and low and find places like Chez Nick on Greene Avenue in Westmount which will accommodate you through the early evening and Club Sandwich way out on St. Catherine Street East.

Enzo Renda and  Joseph Mendel.

Well three cheers for  Enzo Renda and Joseph Mendel for putting their heads together and bringing the hugely successful Eggspectation to the West End of Montreal. Renda is the CEO of Eggspectation, which has its foothold now in Canada, the United States, India and Dubai. Mendel is the managing partner of the Ruby Foo's property on Decarie Boulevard. They own the hotel, the adjoining building which houses a beauty parlor and a Jenny Craig locale and a corporate office building on the other side of the parking lot.

One of the many dishes served up at Eggspectation.

Eggspectation is the successor to Mahjongg Bistro de Chine, which closed a short while ago. It is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and business is doing well following a soft opening. When I sat down with Renda and Mendel last week, my order came in five minutes: a delicious plate of eggs over easy, roasted potatoes and toast.  A big sign right at the edge of the parking lot on Decarie is coming. Renda is personally involved in this operation. Mendel handed them the mandate of handling all catering for the hotel, which is especially busy with meetings, conventions and social occasions. Outside groups are brought in, though, for kosher functions. 

The Ruby Foo's property began life in 1946 as an ice cream stand and eventually grew into a wildly popular 9,000 square foot restaurant which became world famous for its Chinese cuisine. There was also a 118 room motel attached.

By 1982, though, the restaurant had lost its lustre and closed.  Mendel and his partners stepped up and purchased  the property. In 1984 they converted the motel into a 198 room two storey hotel, constructed the office building next door and brought a restaurant back in the Atlantic Pavillion. That was later replaced by Tulipe Noire, Mahjongg and now Eggspectation. 

"In Eggspectation we have partnered with a highly successful operation," Mendel says.

Renda says that Eggspectation is known for the high quality of its products. "We use real maple syrup, not table syrup," he says. "We use mega eggs as well.  Our French toast is made with real French brioche bread.The fact is if I do not have quality food then I do not put it on the table."

There are actually more than 100 plus items on the Eggspectation menu, which you can see here. This place is a lot more than just breakfast.