On this day of our travels we were exploiting Plateau Mont Royal, Montreal. A modern area with a mix of old and new. International chains and plenty of one of a kind shops and restaurants. This is where I decided I would live if I were to ever move to Montreal. I loved the residential facades with winding staircases that lead to roof top patios, and the hidden alley entrances that ended at pockets of street art.
When deciding to grab breakfast in the area we stopped at Tommy’s Cafe having first spotted on in old Quebec and another now in the Mont Royal area. Not a single Starbucks, but 2 of these made it feel like it was worth exploring.
This particular location shared it space with an Italian pizzeria. And as tempted as we were to mix and match menus, we decided it best to stick with brunch by “Tommy”.
The restaurant was spacious and bright. It seemed to be divided into the cafe experience up front, whereas it felt more like a restaurant with blue dimpled booth seats and decorative greenery at the back.
Seeing as it was cold out we ordered hot beverages to start. A classic hot chocolate and Tommy’s signature latte made with lucky charms. I had to get it for the novelty alone. Although was marginally disappointed to learn that this was just a regular latte made more fun with whipped cream and the sweet crunch of cereal.
For food I got the Croque Tommy, and it was not the Croque Madame I expected, as it features a croissant instead of toast. It is filled with egg, cheese, and prosciutto, then topped with a hollandaise sauce and served with a side salad. The toasted warm and crispy, buttery croissant made all the difference. And was a nice contrast to the quality slices of cheese and ham. The salad was tangy with its olive-like dressing, making it a great acidic balancer for the decadent croissant-wich.
The Truffle Benedictine was their take on an eggs Benny laid on sourdough bread with poached eggs, prosciutto, cheese, mushroom, and a truffle hollandaise sauce. Served with a side of grelots potatoes. These were soften potato chunks seasoned in a curry-like spice. Naturally the dish was on the heavy side with the rich hollandaise and the distinct taste of truffle. Although it still needed salt.
In closing this was a nice chain cafe option that seems to be decorated differently depending on which area you visit, with a varying menu item from location to location to match.
Tommy Café
1302 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal, Quebec H2J 1Y5, Canada
+1 514-525-5222
tommycafe.ca
