Five ways Philadelphia should be more like Montreal

There could be quite a few more, but let's stop at five. There will be a companion post to this one -- the reverse -- tomorrow.

1) A modern public transportation system, starting with an easy, convenient smart card. Subway cashiers who -- gasp -- sell the cards and -- yes -- make change! There's also plenty of machines that sell the cards in every station too. Most stations have a newsstand kiosk, too. At every bus stop a schedule is posted. Very visitor friendly.

2) An 18-year-old drinking age. If 18-year-olds can vote, buy a gun, and fight for the U.S.A. they can have a beer. It was a thrill for me to see 18-year-old kids in a jazz club enjoying the music, and they weren't sloshed or out of hand in the slightest. In fact, I was out every night for eight days and did not see drunken younger kids. No reason this couldn't be in Philadelphia too.

3) Related to 2), selling beer and wine in convenience stores. Convenience stores don't sell Chateau Latour, to be sure, but most offered at least drinkable stuff, and were open until midnight for booze. The beer selections varied; lots of Molson and Labatt's everywhere but some had excellent craft beer lineups.

4) Stay open later. On weeknights Montreal restaurants are still humming at 10, 10:30, even 11, which is almost incomprehensible in Philadelphia. Montreal is a later city than Philadelphia -- bar time is 3 a.m. in theory but many places run later -- but if you're not open, people can't come. I think 11 p.m. should be a minimum closing times.

5) Free museums. The main art museum in Montreal is free. So are several smaller ones. Meanwhile in Philadelphia the Philadelphia Art Museum charges hefty fees while the Barnes is jacking up its entrance to $22 (so much for Dr. Barnes' idea that art should be available to the common man). Art is part of our heritage as human beings, and it should be available to all free or at very low tariffs.

Brad's Montreal Odyssey -- Day One, 10 Avril 2013

The first of the daily blogs, stressing food and drink, from Montreal!

Arrived via Amtrak's Adirondack, a very pleasant if very long train ride - but we were 40 minutes EARLY, wow -- from New York.
Enjoyed a lovely selection of cheese and sausage and bread on the train -- of course I brought it myself, Amtrak cafe car food runs to Jimmy Dean reheated sandwiches and the like. Cabbed from Montreal's Central Station - not a very memorable major-city station, but better than Penn Station in New York --to my pleasant if minimalist hotel - Auberge Montréal Espace Confort, imagine IKEA running a place and you have this spot -- on the Rue St. Denis.
Unpacked and spent some time settling in, took a brief nap and went in search of dinner around 10 p.m.
I found dinner -- wow did I.
The problem with hitting L'Express on your first night in Montreal is that it's hard to imagine anything better afterwards.
That's how much of a winner this Parisian-style bistro is, friends.
Located on what is, at 10:30 when I arrived, a relatively quiet sector of the Rue St. Denis on what they call the "Plateau" here, L'Express looks like what it is, with black-and-white tiling, a long wooden bar, and tables covered in that white butcher's paper that in some Parisian spots is where they write down l'addition -the bill.
They don't do that at L'Express but in every way other this is Paris. The waiters, dressed in white shirts, black vests, ties, and black aprons, are friendly in the French manner of being so - they are professionals,  courteous and when they want to be charming. Service was prompt and attentive without hovering, and the check did not come until I asked for it.
Atmosphere was pleasant, comfortable, with a lively scene at the bar and plenty of people enjoying themselves at tables, but not loud.
The menu is French classics all the way and the massive and very impressive wine list is mostly but not entirely French and has some oddities - an Italian red from the South Tyrol, for example.
I enjoyed a generous portion of a rich gratin of leeks to start. Also on the table appeared a jar of mouth-puckering cornichons, a crock of good hot mustard and lovely bread.
My main was something I adore but can't get often -- rognons de veau en sauce moutarde. Veal kidneys in mustard sauce, which the waiter smiled broadly when I ordered. These were far better than the ones I had in Luxembourg in 2011. Mushrooms were mixed in and tasty roasted potatoes surrounded the plate - they needed a brief shake of salt to wake up, the only time in the meal I reached for seasoning.
Wine was a split of Chateau Thivin's 2010 Cote du Brouilly, served at perfect cellar temp for Beaujolais, which told me worlds about L'Express's commitment to its wine service. The wine's earthy, slatey nose and finish coupled with cassis-like fruit went perfectly with the kidneys, and a glass lasted to go with my Vacherin cheese to.  Thivin is a sure bet for great cru Beaujolais.
Finished a wonderful meal with a kirsch eau de vie from Massenez.
They are open until 2 a.m., later on weekends, with full menu.
This place earns my highest possible recommendation, the kind of place I would kill for in Philadelphia. A gem to be treasured -- do not miss if you visit Montreal!

L'Express, 3929 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2W 2M4, Canada
+1 514-845-5333. Open from 8 a.m. until at least 2 a.m.