About Vanessa Muri
Montreal City Editor Vanessa Muri has lived in London and Tokyo, but finds the charms of her hometown irresistible. From the latest scoops to the best deals in Montreal and everything in between, don't miss her weekly take on life in the fair city.
Made in Little Burgundy
montreal musings Montreal
(Jul.28.10)
Local. Organic. Salad-dressing-to-die-for.
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These were the buzzwords in the air regarding Fait Ici, the newest shop to set up stakes in the ever-developing Little Burgundy neighbourhood. Most of the openings we’ve covered in that area have been restaurants, including tried & true favourites like McKiernan and the Burgundy Lion Pub – which I still hope to set foot into one day soon…
I’m rarely in this neck of the woods, but I was determined not to let this one pass me by. Lindsay Davis, with partner Jackson Wightman, opened this urban general store just over a month ago and the feedback has been all good. Selling products made by locals is top priority, with responsible production and organic ingredients also an important part of the mix. Price tags even include detailed information about how far the product travelled to get there. Smart. .JPG)
I found reusable produce bags from Credo and gentle handmade soaps from Mooka. But while the soaps looked good enough to eat, I was more interested in their eat-in/takeout selection…
Lindsay welcomed me with a broad smile, open arms and refreshing lemonade made with organic lemon juice, agave syrup and fresh mint. I detected a bite of basil as well (?). Delicious! Poured over crushed ice, it was the perfect reprieve to these humidity-filled days of summer. And the watermelon garnish never tasted so sweet. (Seriously, I normally hate watermelon, but this was amazing.)
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Having heard the salad dressing was a must-try, try it I did. The recipe is currently top-secret, though she mentioned that it was Asian-based. I picked up a taste of sesame and/or peanut, but regardless, it made a great light meal. Enjoyed on the quaint terrasse until more rain drove us back inside, I heartily add my voice to popular demand: Bottle it and sell it!
With prepared dinners on the way, I expect this will become a stop-in-on-the-way-home destination for those lucky enough to live in this diverse and friendly neighbourhood. Though with staff this nice, you'll probably end up hanging around.
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