In 2012, we wrote a whimsical piece on Lunch in Old Montreal, which featured a bakery, a restaurant that we absolutely adore and Olive et Gourmando. Three years later, and we finally made it back to this perfect Old Montreal lunch spot on Saint Paul. They’re open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 5pm, which means we can only ever make it there on a Saturday and we don’t do well with daylight plans. But it’s definitely worth the visit!
Diva #1 and Goldie were looking for a fun lunch spot when she was reminded of her love for Olive et Gourmando. Sure there was a 30 minute wait for a table but with a counter full of croissants and viennoiseries, you simply buy a snack and wait. We tried the chocolatine, almond croissant, an apple turnover, and of course the cheese croissant that was oozing with Swiss cheese. What can we say? We’re gluttons! We sat outside on their bench and waited for our names to be called for our table.
We were seated at a counter with a large open window filled with plenty of green plants overlooking a quiet street in Old Montreal. We ordered two cappuccinos that came in glasses and we enjoyed them tremendously in an atmosphere that is more similar to a coffee shop in New York City than Montreal. Of course even though we ate all those croissants, and we love eating dessert before a meal, we still ordered too much food but we shared everything.
“The Cubain: Pancetta, roasted pork, gruyere, lime, cilantro, chipotle, and pickle mayonnaise” 11.95$
This wasn’t our first time trying the Cubain sandwich at Olive et Gourmando, it’s absolutely amazing. Crispy pancetta with roasted pork is smothered in melted gruyere with lime, cilantro and chipotle for that Cuban feel. Pickle mayonnaise adds a nice texture, acidity and crunch to the creaminess of the mayonnaise. This was our favourite of the sandwiches!
“O+G Grilled Cheese: Caramelized onions, raclette cheese, and Beemster gouda. Served with homemade ketchup” 11.00$
The O+G grilled cheese was oozing raclette and Gouda cheese with caramelized onions for sweetness. This sandwich was perfect when dipped in their homemade ketchup for a touch of acidity to cut the richness of the grilled cheese. Besides these hot sandwiches, they even serve cold sandwiches at Olive et Gourmando but we were quite happy with our selection.
“Big Healthy Salad: Quinoa, sprouts, goji berries, greens and, seasonal veggies, smoked almonds, and tahini pomegranate dressing” 16.00$ “Chicken” +3.00$
The sandwiches are not served with a side so we chose to share the big healthy salad with quinoa, sprouts, goji berries, greens and smoked almonds. We opted to add chicken and we instantly fell in love with its tahini pomegranate dressing. Seasonal veggies added colour and more flavour to this absolutely amazing salad; we would eat healthy all the time if it tasted like this!
With a few breakfast items to choose from, as well as specials that change daily, we were reminded why we love Olive et Gourmando so much! Diva #1 and Goldie left very full and content at our experience at this fabulous lunch spot in Old Montreal.
Our Rating: Always on Thursday
