Tag: restaurants

Pizza Pita Prime is under new ownership

On By thejewishstandardmagazinecanadaIn News and FeaturesLeave a comment

By Mike Cohen

The Pizza Pit Prime a kosher restaurant is under new management.  Brothers Chaim and Tzvi Shpigel sold the business last year to Uri Peretz.

The Shpigels remained on board  until this past Passover, at which time Peretz assumed full responsibility. My friend Glenn and I dropped by for lunch with Uri to see the changes he has in mind coming into play.

Uri Peretz loves his new challenge.

Uri grew up in Germany and moved to Montreal at the age of 21  with a backpack and a sleeping bag. He started off by working for his uncle’s clothing store and was about to leave town. But then he met Sandra Amar, who would become his wife and the mother of their four children. Uri, who had worked in hotel management in Germany, eventually became a property manager here. Owning a restaurant, let alone an iconic kosher dining spot. Originally located on Decarie Blvd. in a full serve eatery, they moved to the former Pizza Hut location at the corner of Decarie and Vezina in 2020 and became more of a take-out and delivery restaurant, big on catering as well. They did open seasonal outdoor seating.

When Uri was told that Pizza Pita was on the market, he could hardly believe it. “This was like being told I could buy Walmart,” Uri said. “ I mean anyone from the Jewish community here knows about Pizza Pita. It really has an international reputation.”

Moments after Uri told me this story, a gentleman who follows me on Instagram introduced himself. He is a cantor in Portland, Oregon, who left Montreal 22 years ago. On each visit here he stops at Pizza Pita.

Uri is grateful for the legacy the  Shpigels left him. Now he plans to move things up a notch. For starters, some indoor seating is being added. There are more delivery apps to choose from, including one that is directly operated by the restaurant which results in lower costs.  Their famous pizza is now available in the frozen section of Esposito Market in St. Laurent.

Three of the pizzas we tried.

Uri has a staff of 35 people. He gave me a thorough tour of the operation and it was impressive. For Glenn and I he brought us three pizzas to taste: the thick margarita, a gluten free thin crust with veggies, and a Hawaiian thin crust with fake pepperoni. In addition, we sampled  chicken Caesar salad  and fish burgers,  thinly cut fries resembling the McDonald’s model, poutine, and some absolutely delicious pizza eggroll. Coming soon will be a spaghetti carbonaro.

While we were there, clients approached Uri with suggestions for menu additions. He took note of it all.

The pizza eggrolls.

There is everything from meatless burgers, wraps, shawarma, hotdogs, falafel, poutines, subs, pasta, salads and sides like onion rings and fries. They also have some decadent cookies, cakes and of course ice cream.

Pizza Pita Prime is open Sunday to Thursday for breakfast, lunch and supper, as well as Friday for breakfast and lunch and Saturday after Shabbat. Log on to www.pizzapita.com.

Upstart  Nöam Restaurant  has gained a loyal following on Decarie

On By thejewishstandardmagazinecanadaIn News and FeaturesLeave a comment

By Mike Cohen

In 1987 Howard Szalavetz and his late father Dave purchased a property at the corner of Decarie and Vezina which housed an auto mechanics garage and a car wash. Over the years  Howard tried to add a culinary mix to the building, first with a coffee shop and then a REAL Bagel franchise. Neither succeeded.

Now, with a growing empire of some 100 buildings under his company’s wing it is safe to say that the food component on Decarie was hardly top of mind. Then last spring the telephone rang. Brothers-in-law Meir Azerad and Ynon Cohen  wanted to open a polished sit-down kosher restaurant there. Howard had to think long and hard, trying to figure out how a business model like that could succeed in what was essentially the waiting room for people as their cars were being washed. Meyer and Ynon were convincing and he agreed to a lease. The duo proceeded to create a model from scratch, dubbing it Nöam Restaurant in the memory of a family member who had passed away a number of years ago, and undertaking significant renovations.

Partners Ynon and Meir.

Interestingly, a wood oven remained from the REAL Bagel experiment. Meir and Ynon were able to repurpose it to make pizza at up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit in two minutes. The place opened last summer. I must admit I only found out about it recently while chatting with Howard, who encouraged me to come by. I did and what I found was one of the trendiest new spots in Montreal. Yes, this is a kosher restaurant. But the menu here is for everyone, regardless of whether you are kosher or even Jewish.

The busy restaurant.

The place is open every night except Friday, as well as Sunday for brunch. There are only 60 seats and reservations are strongly recommended. You can do so via Open Table, where Nöam Restaurant has already been listed on their top 100 list in Canada. The night I went there people were still coming in the door after 9 pm. This was a  Wednesday and it was snowing heavily out. There are effectively three sittings here. Immediately upon opening and then two and four hours later.

If anything this place is overstaffed, so service is quick and excellent. You constantly have a server at your table. Since the garage and car wash are closed during most restaurant hours, there are some 30 parking spots available and plenty more on Decarie and side streets. Meir and Ynon are already in discussions with Howard to add a party room at the upstairs level of the building.

Delicious pasta.

The menu here has many options:  soups, salads, appetizers, pasta, pizza, fish, decadent desserts and  a full liquor and wine menu as well as smoothies and milkshakes. If it is your birthday be prepared to be serenaded as loud Israeli music plays and the servers bring over a yummy dessert with sparklers in it. There were three such occasions the night I was there.

Howard was my dining partner and we had an opportunity to share many items on the menu.

An appetizing pizza.

Ynon was particularly proud to showcase the Beet Carpaccio made from roasted beets with feta cheese, balsamic reduction and topped with glazed nut mix and the fried olives.

For the main course I went for the pan-seared tuna steak, beautifully cooked with side orders of potatoes and risotto. Howard ordered  one of their amazing  pasta dishes and a Napoletano pizza, piping hot out of their special oven. Of course I tried a few pieces and Howard insisted I take back what was left.

For dessert we shared their homemade chocolate lava cake, which came with some vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Mozzarella sticks appetizer.

There are plenty of other selections I will have to try another time:  cod tacos, grilled salmon,   fish and chips, European bass, Baladi eggplant, mushroom hummus,   soups, fresh salads and smoothies.

Ynon came into this venture with experience as the owner of  Coco Pralin, a  kosher bakery and caterer based in Dollard des Ormeaux. Meir meanwhile, has worked as a deejay and knows how to market a product.  “We are working very hard the both of us to make something different in the city and a big, big vibe,” said Meir . “That is really what we are focusing on.”

Nöam Restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 5 pm to 11:30 pm,  Saturday from 9:30 pm to 2 pm and Sunday for brunch from Noon to 3 pm and then 5 pm to 11 pm. It is  located at 6647 Blvd. Décarie. You can call 514-564-6626 or log on to www.noamrestaurant.com for the menu and delivery options.

 Red Chopstix is the new kosher Chinese restaurant at Decarie Square

On By thejewishstandardmagazinecanadaIn News and FeaturesLeave a comment

By Mike Cohen

After much anticipation, Red Chopstix Restaurant, Sports Bar & Lounge  has opened at Decarie Square and the wait for the return of a kosher Chinese  dining establishment appears to have been worth it. This indeed appears to be a true successor to the once iconic Ernie and Ellie’s.

I was invited for lunch by owners Heidi Chenoy and William Dahan. Heidi’s sister Elana is the hostess. Chenoy  spent the past seven years as a manager next door at Jilly’s Bar and Salon Blue Bonnets. When the latter two establishments merged and a large slice of their space became available, Dahan took notice. He operates the popular Café O’Lait, another neighbor, and he believed that kosher Chinese cuisine was a good fit. Step one was convincing Chenoy to partner with him in the venture. Once she agreed the duo embarked upon the construction process. It was two months of hard work, but the end result is an attractive design.

William Dahan, Heidi Chenoy and her sister Elana.


As for the name, Chenoy  was drawn to “Chopstix” and added “Red” because it was her late mom’s favorite color. “And she also loved Chinese food,” she added.

The seating capacity is 112 in the main dining room. There is also a sports bar that can accommodate 95 more people. It has  bar, tables and some large flatscreen televisions to watch the big games.

Chef Ken

As for the chefs, Chenoy and Dahan were able to recruit a team of four experienced Chinese chefs, some of whom have shared family recipes that go back generations. They also had to hire a full-time mashgiach (a Jew who supervises the kashrut status of a kosher establishment).

The General Tao Chicken.

Joining me for lunch was my good friend Warren Perley. He has operated his Ponctuation Grafix company at Decarie Square for over 30 years and he was a regular at Ernie and Ellies. It was time for a tasting. We started off by sharing some delicious and crispy chicken egg rolls,  followed by perfectly prepared chicken peanut butter dumplings and piping hot bowls of  wonton soup. The latter had  a very sweet taste to it. Warren compared it to chicken soup that bubbie used to make. There is a generous selection of more Asian cuisine.

Next came a plate of General Tao chicken, accompanied by rice and vegetables. It was dotted with sesame seeds and cut like butter.   Some sesame garlic beef also arrived at our table, garnished with vegetables.

The Sports Bar.

From the grill, Warren and I also shared a chicken schnitzel sandwich with French fries on the side. You can also burgers, lamb chops, a smoked meat sandwich  and stir fried meals.

The lunch specials are a real bargain. For $25 you can get a soft drink, ice tea or perrier, a chicken eggroll or wonton soup and a choice of one main dish with white rice. There is also an option from the grill for the same price, a burger or chicken schnitzel with fries. Kids can eat for $10.

The kids menu includes beef sliders, wings and pasta. Chenoy was thrilled to tell us about a creative art contest, with the winners’ work being featured each month on the actual kids menu. Young students should create a drawing inspired by the restaurant for its Chinese and American cuisine.  which will have Chinese cuisine and American dishes,
Artwork must be original and created by the student and drawn, colored, or painted on a standard white sheet of paper. The student’s first name and age may be printed alongside or under the artwork on the menu. Not only will the winner have their creation appear on the menu, social menu and the website,  but they will also receive a  certificate for a free meal, as well as a small gift. You can e-mail redchopstix@hotmail.com.

There is a separate bar menu and they have some yummy desserts. I had a decadent piece of a double chocolate tart.

Red Chopstix is located near the main side entrance to Decarie Square, on Vezina  and the ground floor before the escalators. You can call  514-903-STIX(7849) or log on to Kosherredchopstix.com . Remember there is heated indoor parking here, which makes the location all the more convenient.

Listen to my podcast interview with Chenoy, Dahan and Perley at: https://soundcloud.com/themikecohenpodcast/red-chopstix-kosher-chinese

Montreal’s newest kosher deli a delight

On By thejewishstandardmagazinecanadaIn News and FeaturesLeave a comment

   By Mike Cohen

Eliran Hadad with his sons Yosef (left) and Ori (right)

It has been a few  weeks as of this writeup since Deli770 opened at the Westbury Montreal complex and there is no question the project is an unqualified success.

The 770 reference pays tribute to the world headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Deli770 is owned by Eliran Hadad, who runs the operation with his wife Liraz and two of their 11 children,  Yosef and Ori. His brother Roy works on the marketing side.

A smoked meat sandwich on a baguette with fries.

Deli770 first opened in St. Laurent in 2015. However, when the prime real estate at Westbury became available, Hadad jumped at the opportunity. It is directly across the street from the beautiful Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden hotels and next to a Starbucks and the Super Marché PA. The Westbury complex has many residential apartment units and a pretty park area. You can get free indoor parking in the latter’s garage for 45 minutes. If you stay longer, the cost is nominal. Brothers Sam and Joe Scalia are the visionaries who came up with this concept. While we were eating at one of the tables on the patio, Joe Scalia stopped by to check on his newest tenants.

Ori even puts on a client’s teffillin at the cash.

I recently dropped by for my tasting with friend Glenn J. Nashen and his son Jeremy. Yes indeed, we were impressed. Eliran greeted us and pointed to behind the counter where his sons were serving a steady line of customers. In the kitchen was his charming wife.

While the menu had some tantalizing items, I chose the smoked meat sandwich. This was  a culinary delight featuring succulent slices of cured and smoked beef brisket, traditionally seasoned with a blend of aromatic spices. This sandwiches here are served on fresh rye bread or a baguette  and grilled panini style. I opted for the latter format and it was fantastic.  While Yosef was putting the sandwich together and placing it on a tray, with coleslaw, his mom appeared from the kitchen and added some crispy fries. 

Yosef cuts the smoked meat.

Besides smoked meat, you can  order club sandwiches, deli rolls, classic schnitzel, hamburgers, omelets, poutine, salads, a soup of the day, hot dogs as well as salami and turkey sandwich options.

“Yes, we are a kosher restaurant,” said Eliran, “but we are serving anyone who want to enjoy a good deli menu.”

Their tag line is catchy: “Where Every Bite is a Delight!”

While there a few tables inside and on the patio, Deli770 is a popular spot for take-out and delivery.

Deli770 is located at 5193 Ave. De Courtrai.  Stay tuned for their website at   www.deli770.com, You can call 514-Deli-770 (514-335-4770) and order as well via Uber Eats.