IT would be lovely to live in Montreal.
I'd speak French, shop in chic boutiques, and hang out at the biggest jazz fest in the world.
And let's not forget the bagels.
I'm a sucker for those hand-rolled, honey water-boiled, wood-fired, chewy rings of goodness.
In my career I've been lucky enough to have a boss that is also a bagel aficionado, and he'd often bring a bag of mixed rings from Queensbury's Mount Royal Bagel Factory (connected to the famous Montreal outlet) into the newsroom, along with crocks of freshly blended cream cheese.
Now, lucky North Van has another option. Lonsdale is the birthplace for Rosemary Rocksalt, a brand-new bagel shop with big dreams.
Brought to us by the same family that brought Siegel's Bagels to Vancouver, owner Parise Siegel aims to open 100 more locations in Canada over the next five years. Named for one popular flavour (rosemary infused and topped with rock salt), the cheery shop doesn't actually play favourites: other varieties include traditional sesame and poppy seed, ancient grains, semi-sweet cinnamon, and an "almost gluten-free" option.
I dropped into the week-old shop with my pal KC to sample and share, and to pack home a bag of bagels for later.
Although we could have gone for the simpler option of homemade cream cheese on our bagel picks (cream cheese flavours include plain, salmon, sundried tomato, dill, and chocolate chai), we shared the classics: a Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich, and a lox-plus-cream cheese version.
Rosemary Rocksalt doesn't hold back. Smoked salmon is wild B.C. sockeye, layered thickly with the creamy cheese, red onion shavings and capers, in our case on a poppy-seed bagel.
The smoked meat sandwich is equally impressive: stacked high with sliced brisket shipped in weekly from Montreal, swiped with yellow mustard, we added cheddar (I know . . . sacrilege!) and had it all piled onto a dense sesame seed bagel. Both came cleverly wrapped with a dill pickle spear hidden in the folds of the paper.
Dessert (or a sweet treat) is courtesy of rugelach, mini pastries folded around a sweet filling (choose from varieties like chocolate walnut, raspberry or apricot and cream cheese).
Rosemary Rocksalt is at 1669 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver.
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If you're as into "social" (social media), as you are food, you'll want to check out Earls new "Social Menu App."
Earls Restaurants Ltd. has partnered with digital innovation company Invoke to launch the app, which gives menu items the ultimate interactive treatment.
Linked to all of Earls Facebook pages, Earls' main page and 63 local pages across the U.S. and Canada, the application allows Earls guests to share menu favorites, and calls out regional dishes available in specific locations and new menu items, both in flagship locations and in all their restaurants.
A quick hover over an image of a menu item shows what it is, where it's available and which one of your friends likes it.
Deana Lancaster has been writing about food and wine for 12 years, and worked in restaurants for more than a decade before that. Follow her on twitter @deanal, or send her an email at [email protected].
