Last weekend, my pals Hubert and Alexis made the trip from Shawinigan to Montreal and crashed at my place for a few nights.
Despite loving their new home outside the city, the range of delicious takeout options available in Montreal was one of the things they missed most about living here. And so, I found myself with a rare opportunity.
Hosting a takeout feast to catch up with my friends was a no-brainer, but how were we meant to decide where to order from? It’s the toughest part of ordering in with a group, but I had a plan.
To give my friends a taste of the great East-End restos on Skip, I would host a Skip potluck!
When the day finally came, we jumped online, checked out the menus, placed our orders and, once everything had arrived, gathered around the table and got stuck in.
First Impressions
One thing I’ve noticed recently is how much better takeout looks these days. From the pizza to the baklava, every dish had great presentation. A couple of standouts were the fresh and leafy Boustan Bowl and the lobster rolls from Pizzeria Gusto.
I also appreciated how much of the packaging could be composted or recycled. Most things were packaged in paper, aluminum or recyclable plastic, which made me feel a lot better about ordering in.
I was also impressed by the serving sizes. In particular, our modest order of fried chicken from Pizza Champion could have fed a small army.
The "Tastebreakers"
One of the best parts of a potluck like this is getting the chance to order things you’ve never tried before.
Feeling adventurous, we added a few items from outside our usual repertoires, like gnocchi with truffle sauce from Chez Tony, arancini from Pizzeria Gusto, house-made jerky from Dic Ann's, and a delicious box of baklava from Amir.
Louie Murray | Narcity, @saint_hubitch | Instagram
I’d been wanting to try a lobster roll for a long time, and once I took a bite I was delighted. They were fresh and creamy, and the brioche bun was very cute. My friend Ian, who also joined us, clearly enjoyed them too.
Alexis took the opportunity to order gnocchi with truffle sauce. It was their first time trying truffle, and Chez Tony hit it out of the park. It’s easy to go overboard with such a strong flavour, but this sauce was earthy, creamy and balanced.
Personally, I really enjoyed the Diavola pizza from Pizzeria Gusto. Made with soppressata, nduja and fior di latte, it was comforting like a pepperoni pizza but with an extra spicy kick that I loved. Plus, the crust was fired to perfection.
Takeout Isn’t What It Used To Be: It’s Better
Do you remember how hard it was in the past to order anything that felt refreshing or exciting? My recent Skip experience made me realize just how much things have changed. Now, it’s easier than ever to get exactly what you’re craving.
For instance, Hubert’s Boustan Bowl was piled high with spinach, lettuce, omelette, crispy potatoes and avocado. He was pleased to get something fresh and tasty and said he’d definitely order it again.
The Potato & Garlic Sauce Championship
By happy accident, we qualified for a side of potatoes and garlic sauce from both Amir and Boustan. Obviously, we put them head-to-head to see which of these Montreal faves had the best garlicky-potato side dish.
The result? It was a clean split: While the Boustan potatoes were more crispy, which most people preferred, the garlic sauce from Amir definitely got the most double-dips.
The Sweet Escape
There was no way we were going to conclude a feast like this without some dessert. To wrap up our successful potluck, we ordered baklava from Amir and a dessert pizza from Chez Tony.
Chez Tony's Kit Kat pizza was out of this world, made with a sweet, crisp dough and topped with a generous spread of Nutella and crushed Kit Kats. I’ll be dreaming about it for some time, and I’m glad I know where to get more.
Waste Not, Want Not
I’ll be the first to admit that this was an absurd amount of food. Thankfully, not a bit of it will go to waste. Everyone took something home with them, and I’ve already gotten started on my leftovers — the gnocchi was the first to go!
This was my first Skip potluck, but I know it won’t be my last. It was a wonderful way to sample new dishes, spend time with my friends and support Montreal’s East End restaurants all at once.
In the end, we placed orders with:
And with
Skip, all the logistics were taken care of. All you need to do is choose what you want to order and get ready for a great meal with your favourite people.
Bon appétit!
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Although products were provided for free in this review, the author's opinions are genuine and do not reflect the views of MTL Blog.
