For anyone traveling from the 'States to Montreal and visiting Adonis, you MUST check out this…read moresupermarket for (are you ready for this?) the cooked food and baked goods. Now before I tell you about my lunchtime visit, let me tell you about the actual grocery market. For my fellow Washington, DC friends, the best way for me to describe this Mediterranean market is to ask you close your eyes and picture a magical place that combines H-mart, Wegmans, Lenanese Taverna market, a local Halal butcher and a grand bakery all under one large roof....
Yes, that is Adonis...
For those of you in Canada that don't know what an H-mart or Wegmans is...no worries as you can go to Adonis and rest assured its a good thing.
Aisles after aisles of wonderful products from the Middle East, the Mediterranean and all over the world. Fresh produce stacked up high with the bright color lit up even more by the natural light pouring in from the grand windows. To walk into Adonis is to experience sensory overload as you mind screams, "I want that! And that! Oooh! And that too!!"
Just when you thought you saw the best of the store, you'll come across the baked good section and the "grill" area. OMG...food heaven. The baked goods has sweet treats that will make any dieter cheat and a fellow fat boy like me cry with delight. You have cookies, baklava, fruit tarts, chocolates, eclairs...EVERYTHING your heart can desire. But before you dive into a sweet treat, you spot today's tasty offerings at the grill.
Walking over to the grill (see my pix) there is a plethora of traditional Lebanese type dishes. From kibbeh to stuffed zucchini to my favorite dish (I can't think of the name) consisting of shredded chicken, rice, pistachios and slivered almonds. Dear God help from eating every single thing in this display case! Then there was your choice of rotisserie chicken or a whole grilled chicken who's skins was flaky and crisp which effectively conserves some warm juicy meat that's to die for...
Yes, I enjoyed as many of these dishes as I could....a veritable smorgasbord of delicious Lebanese food on which I gorged myself. I was in heaven, stuffing my face with handfuls of grilled chicken, kibbeh an other amazing food. Everything was fresh, everything tasted great and although my stomach was bulging, I could barely stop eating.
When I finally reached a stopping point I sat back satisfied (yet a bit embarrassed for eating so much) and wished we had just such a place back home in Washington, DC. I wanted my own Adonis market in my backyard where I could dine on fresh food anytime I wanted.
I would have given Adonis 5 stars had it not been for the chaotic checkout set-up. The checkout lines are similar to those found in the 'States way back in the early 80's...unable to effectively deal with crowds. Lines for the checkout cause a lot of congestion near the front of the store creating a "wall" of people and shopping carts through which you must navigate through when entering or exiting the store. Just crazy...
Yet despite the madness of the checkout lines...Adonis, you have made me a fan! Any visit future visits to Montreal will earn a visit to this fine mega market full of epicurean delights. :-)