Happening Gourmand is in it’s 8th year. I was one of the many bloggers who attended a dinner, at Verses in particular, to taste what was being offered. I was also one of the few who hosted the event, which as you may have heard, came with a price. More on that later. For now, I’m going to tell you what you need to know about this event.
Happening Gourmand takes place at all the restaurants owned and operated by the famed Antonopoulos group. These establishments include Bevo Bar & Pizzeria, Vieux-Port Steakhouse, Modavie, Taverne Gaspar, Mechant Boeuf, Kyo Bar Japonais, Suite 701, and the aforementioned Verses Restaurant. For one month, January 8th to February 8th, you can dine at any of these restaurants at discounted prices of either $21, $25, or $29 menus (Verses also has a $39 menu). Normally, the menus at these restaurants are much more expensive, so it’s a great opportunity to eat at any of these places on the cheap. After a whole season of spending money on other people, and at a time of year where going outside isn’t the most appealing thing to do, what better way to entice you to get out and enjoy the city, specifically Old Montreal. It truly is one the prettiest and charming areas dusted with snow.
Last week, I hosted an event at Verses Restaurant where 10 other food bloggers and other media folks joined me. As part of the promotion for Happening Gourmand, there were 7 other dinners occurring at the same time at each of the other restaurants where, just like this one, someone hosted a dinner with 10 others as well. My dining companions were friendly, everyone had a great time, the food was good, and overall it was fun. Here’s a few pics of what I ate.
Now many of you may have heard that the hosts were compensated for doing the work consisting of contacting the other bloggers and media to attend the event, gather their lists, as well as deliver a short informative speech prior to the meal being served. Well, that’s true, and, speaking as one of the hosts, there’s really nothing wrong with it. The hosts were paid to do work, much like we do at our day jobs. As part of the mandate of being a host, you’ll see some posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with the hashtag #sponsored at the end. That’s how you’ll know that I’m posting to help promote this event as I think this is a nice addition to our food scene.
All that being said, as nice as it is to not pay an arm and a leg for dinner, specifically at Happening Gourmand, there are many other restaurants in the city that deserve attention. Many places take hits due to the slow season which is usually the first 3 months of the year (approximately). From experience, this is one of the most enjoyable times to dine out. The restaurants have a warm glow and cozy vibe where the food reflects the cold season. Happening Gourmand is just the beginning of the winter food events to come. We can look forward to Montreal en Lumiere, Poutine Week, and my absolute favorite, maple season.
So, get out of your home, enjoy the food and enjoy the winter.
This post is sponsored.
