Weekends are sacred to me. As much as I would love to spend all of Saturday and Sunday lounging around in bed, I feel the need to use each second of these precious two days to do things around the city that I love.

I work in RDP, so I typically don’t venture too far from the office and usually end up spending lunches at my desk (Sigh). So you could imagine how excited I am by the time Friday comes around. Get me out of here!!!

This past weekend was “sponsored” by Notkins, well not actually, but it might as well have been. Let’s just say, it involved A LOT of seafood. Daniel Notkins is no stranger to Montrealers. As the owner of the Old Port Fishing Company and the brains behind our very own Oysterfest, he has managed to establish quite a name for himself in the city.

The weekend began with a Friday night dinner at Notkins-  Daniel Notkins’ contemporary restaurant and oyster bar located on Bleury street. When you walk in the central feature is a large oyster bar and you are struck by the beauty of this two-floor establishment. We sat upstairs and listened to the 70s music playing in the background, while looking over the short, but exciting menu. We started with the creamy clam chowder and kale caesar salad with fried clams. Next we shared the New England Clam Bake for 2…a MUST when dining at this restaurant. This is served in a stainless steel table pan full of clams, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, potatoes, corn on the cob, grilled bread and a whole lobster all drowning in a flavourful broth. I am usually someone who avoids eating with my hands as much as I can at restaurants, but when it comes to this dish, you don’t really have a choice. Dig in!

Clam Chowder

Kale Caesar with Fried Clams

New England Clam Bake for 2

We also had a meaty lobster burger with piri piri aioli, which arrived with really good french fries. And for dessert. we had the vanilla sponge cake with berries on top. It was lacking something, so we asked for a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side and it made all the difference.

Lobster Burger

Lobster Heaven

After.

Vanilla Sponge Cake with Berries

The following day I made my way down to the Old Port for Oysterfest. I stopped by the Sinai Gourmet hot sauce tent for some oysters (of course) dressed with their famous Jalapeno and Habanero hot sauces. I also tried some of their Ghost hot sauce and survived the challenge! We walked around and tried food items from other tents (shoutout to Brit & Chips for their killer fish and chips) and happened to stop by Notkins again. We could not resist and ordered half of a lobster with potato salad and corn as well as a GIANT oyster rockefeller. Both hit the spot and were the perfect cap on my seafood(ie) weekend.

Dirty Dogs

Notkins

Oyster Rockefeller from Notkins

Half a Lobster – Notkins

Fish & Chips – Brit & Chips

Shoutout to Daniel Notkins for making this a nautical and tasty weekend!