An Exploration of Cheese in the Old
Port’s Creperie Chez Suzette
The love for cheese is something Montreal has happily
inherited from its French heritage – and its fondue is a testament to this.
Creperie Chez Suzette gives a wondrous array of inventive fondues for both the
casual and dedicated cheese lovers.
Tucked onto St. Paul’s street in the Old Port, Chez Suzette
is the very meaning of the word cozy, inside and out. Lacey curtains let in
lots of light and a peek at the cobblestone street. Furnished with wood on the
interior and brightened with pot plants, it feels like somewhere between a stop
off at grandma’s and time traveling to the turn of the century – especially
during the summer with the calèche rides clopping by.
Bringing the eyes back to the menu, it becomes apparent that
the decision between fondues is going to be a tough one. There is the original,
of course, but then also sundried tomato, pesto and olive, and three pepper
cheese. Each is served with cubed baguette, olive bread and Italian herb bread,
as well as with a bowl of diced green apples and sweet red grapes.
And yet, if a decision must be made, then let it be with the
sundried tomato and three pepper cheese. The former comes bubbling hot with
whole chunks of tomato stewing in the molten dairy. While the cheese doesn’t
have a particularly exciting flavour, and has at first a vaguely alcoholic
aftertaste, the texture and added spices of the tomatoes and herbs quickly make
up for it. It’s especially mouthwatering combined with the cool sweetness of
the grapes.
The three pepper cheese, however, is the best of the bunch.
Where the sundried tomato is clearly made up of just one variety of cheese, the
three cheeses in this one are delicately balanced and distinct. The kick of the
pepper gives a layering to the taste, and between coating apples and baguette,
the gustatory experience is one to impress.
Should you run out of dipping materials, the attentive and
warm-spirited waiters will happily bring fruit and bread refills free of charge.
That said this meal is not one for casual second helpings. Its richness is so
filling that even room for dessert can easily become a faint, unrealistic
desire.
But for the fondue enthusiasts, the fun doesn’t stop at the
cheese. Regular chocolate fondue as well as deluxe Bailey’s and Grand Marnier
respectively are there for indulging in a sweet tooth.
While an appreciation for cheese can be an expensive taste,
Creperie Chez Suzette offers one of the most affordable dinners of the sort in
Montreal. The cheese fondues range from $18.95-20.95 per person while the
chocolates go for around $17.95-24.95, depending on the type and if you’re
sharing.
So before finals start boiling away your time, take a
well-earned break in the Old Port for some cheese: you’re always due for some
fun.
