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Happening Gourmand 2017: A foodie event for all

What is Happening Gourmand?

Happening Gourmand is an event created by Groupe Antonopoulos — a restaurant and hospitality group in Montreal — where they showcase their different restaurants.The totality of their 9 restaurants participate and they offer fixed price menu at a reduced price — it’s gonna be 23$, 26$ or 30$ plus taxes and service per person. Perfect price if you consider there’s an appetizer, main and dessert.

I was invited to their launch event where I was able to taste the different menus each restaurant is offering.

Selfie at Happening Gourmand launch event at Modavie – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Tellement Swell par Eve Martel at Happening Gourmand launch event at ModavieAll the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
People chatting at Happening Gourmand launch event at Modavie – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Lemon pie at Happening Gourmand launch event at Modavie – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.

Have a meal, help someone

This year, to celebrate the 10th edition, they decided to partner up with Dans La Rue — an association that help homeless and at-risk youth by offering them help on their immediate needs and help them acquire skills and resources. By going to one of the restaurants during the event, you’re contributing to help —  1$ of each fixed price menu will be donated to Dans La Rue.

When?

It is happening right now, it started on January 5th and it’s ongoing until February 5th. That means you have a whole month to go and try all the 9 restaurants if you want to.

Where?

What’s fun about Happening Gourmand is each restaurant has a complete different menu and experience. If you want to go Italian, I would recommend BEVO BAR + PIZZERIA which has an incredible arancino ball — oh, and their gnocchi bolognese is to die for.

I really loved the wild mushroom from Suite 701, which was so creamy and scrumptious.

If you’ve never been to a japanese restaurant outside of a sushi joint, I would definitely recommend going to KYO Bar Japonais to discover their izakaya inspired menu.

In case you want to hear live jazz music while eating an amazing meal, Modavie Bistro is a sure bet.

My pick this year

Thanks to Groupe Antonopoulos and 1Milk2Sugars PR, I was able to experience one of the restaurants outside of the launch event. Based on what I tasted at the event and after having a look at all the menus, my boyfriend and I decided to try Taverne Gaspar and we weren’t disappointed at all!

 

 

Menu at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Drinks at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Beer detail at Taverne Gaspard for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.

I got the delicious onion soup made with Belle Gueule beer, aged cheddar and croutons for the appetizer while my boyfriend got the beef tartar — if you’re a beef tartar fan and usually like it bold, I definitely recommend asking the waiter to make it spicy.

Onion soup at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Beef tartare at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.

For the main meal, my boyfriend got the Jack Daniel’s BBQ ribs and it was beyond tasty. I got the mac and cheese — with smoked lardon, grean peas and aged cheddar —  which I had already tasted at the launch event and it was still as good.

For dessert, we both got the green tea cheesecake.

Green matcha tea cheescake at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Full menu at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Details at Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.
Sign outside Taverne Gaspar for Happening Gourmand – All the photos are under Copyright © 2017 Jeff Frenette Photography / dezjeff. To use the photos, please contact me at dezjeff@me.com.

I was invited by 1Milk2Sugars PR and Groupe Antonopoulos and wasn’t paid to write this article, all opinions are my own and reflect the experience I had. 

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