My favourite meal of the day? Hands down, breakfast. Whenever I can, I have breakfast in the morning, at noon and at night. Why? Because I'm a grown up and I can.
While I'm a fan of a good old fashioned dish of eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausages, potatoes, beans, etc., etc., I also enjoy the occasional out-of-the-norm breakfast extravaganza. I should also point out that I am a strategic eater when it comes to doing breakfast at a restaurant: I only eat things I can't cook for myself. This usally means eggs benedict, fancy over-stuffed crepes, and massive mountains of fruit I would have never had the patience to chop up.
I'm always on the lookout for a breakfast place with a fresh spin on the-best-meal-of-the-day, so I was lucky to have an exquisite creperie close to my old place. After having moved away from the area a year ago, I hadn't been in quite some time. One weekend, BF and I paid our good ol' creperie a visit only to find it closed. I was a little sad but I noticed that the sign had been replaced by "La Dinette" which was opening soon. I peeked inside and it looked absolutely charming - I was definitely going to follow that up.
After stalking La Dinette on Facebook for a few weeks, they posted their menu and announced their opening: waffles, crepes and grilled cheeses. Helllll-ooo way to my heart!
Opening weekend, we popped on over and stuffed our faces - and it did not disappoint! First things first, the best way to describe La Dinette is electic and quaint. Their location is in a strip mall on Sherbrooke east so it's very easy to miss. The restaurant itself is small, and the decor is adorable. The staff is absolutely friendly - it's a big part of the reason I love going there because aside from the awesome food, it's a very warm experience which is hard to come by nowadays.
They get you started with a nice coffee (cappuccino, espresso, whatever your caffeinated little heart desires) and then ask you the first tough question: which entrée would you like? Entrée for breakfast?! Madness! Sweet, delicious madness! You can choose between a macaroni salad or a potato salad. Both are super yummy, though I personally preferred the potato salad cause... well... I love potatoes in all forms. Warning: the entrées are generous portions so maybe share one with your partner in dine (depending on your appetite.)
Then comes the even harder part: choosing your main course. I ordered the pulled pork + caramelised apples + cheedar + sunny side-up grilled cheese while the BF had the braised ham + Oka cheese + grilled peppers + spinach grilled cheese. Mine was SUPER delicious - the combination of sweet and salty was mind-blowing. BF enjoyed his a lot too - lots of overwhelmed eye-rolling and heaving breathing on his part.
All the meats included in the sandwich are cooked fresh throughout the day at the chef's other restaurant, bon-D.
Pulled pork + caramelised apples + cheedar + sunny side-up egg grilled cheese
Braised ham + Oka cheese + grilled peppers + spinach grilled cheese
Ham + brie cheese + mushroom grilled cheese
By the end of it all, I was hella full. I actually only ate half of my sandwich and took the rest to go. We've been back quite a few times since then (as you'll notice by the sheer amount of images in this post) and I unfortunately tend to gravitate toward grilled cheeses cause, well, I like my melted cheese. I definitely will make an effort to try out those waffles next time because they look downright tasty. And they're made fresh on the spot which (surprisingly/sadly) isn't all that common in your usual breakfast joint.
Cream cheese + strawberries in syrup crepe
Smoked beef + swiss cheese + homemade pickles + caramelized onions
Smoked hot dogs + yellow cheddar + homemade ketchup
It goes without saying, I highly recommend a trip to La Dinette, with a very FIRM suggestion to order the heavenly pulled pork grilled cheese. The location is a little off the beaten path, though as someone who used to live in that area, it's a much needed addition to the neighborhood. Also, if you're looking for a unique and intimate venue for a party, they cater and take reservations for the whole place.
You can check out the full menu, or you can just head over there ASAP and pig out.
Bon appétit!
La Dinette Montréal-est
7066A, rue Sherbrooke E
Montreal, QC, H1N 1E6
If you're making your way via public transit, it's across the street from Radisson metro.