Cafe with good quality and unique salads - need to order for a crowd

[Keramel]

I'm throwing a baby shower for a friend with around 25 guests. It will be in May, so I don't want to serve anything too heavy. I would love to provide some light and unique salads, along with some fruit, cheese and baguette. Where in Montreal can I order large platters of fresh salads? I'm thinking of something along the lines of the salads they serve at Navarino, in Mile End, except I think there must be better out there. I am thinking specifically of things like pasta salad, unusual cole slaws, twists on tomato bocconcini, etc., with very good quality ingredients - not standard lettuce salads. I hope I am getting my question across!

If you have any favorite cafes/bakeries, share the name, I can always call them myself to see if they would allow me to order ahead.

Thanks!

[Keramel]

I wanted to update you all with what I decided to do. I was on a very limited schedule and didn't have enough time to devote to making calls/arranging tastings. Luckily, I stopped in for a lunch bite at Pizza Motta, and on a whim decided to go with their catering service. It's not what I originally envisioned (maybe a little less sophisticated/unusual), but the guest of honor likes the food, as does the elderly lady whose house we are using for the shower. Plus, they allow very late ordering (or providing final numbers), which is good since a number of the guests have not yet rsvp'd (grrrr).

I have tentatively ordered a few salads (pasta with spinach and pesto, tomato bocconcini, roasted veggies, melon and prosciutto and a fruit salad), plus mini arancini, spinach and feta wrapped in filo. Will let you know how it all turns out!

[hungryann]

Sounds great! I wound up organizing it at Restaurant Ellada. They are offering a great selection of meze and main dishes for a reasonable price. I will also post on my other thread once we have gone through the event.

[Keramel]

Final update: the food was great! All the salads and roasted veggies were delicious - very fresh and exactly as ordered. It was all ready to go when I arrived to pick it up. The only thing that wasn't great was the arancini - they said it would be ok at room temp, but I think it would have tasted a lot better if it was heated. Overall, a very good experience, and only 190+ tx to feed 24 people, with tons of leftovers.

[vabou]

Bocca Loupa on Stanley. The quality of the food they are doing for catering is way over what they served at their location. And its not expensive,

http://www.boccaloupa.ca/index.html

[FS4131]

Always liked Cafe Vasco da Gama's salads and sandwiches. They offer a catering service, not particularly cheap but worth a look...
http://www.vascodagama.ca/caterer/lun...

[TheSnowpea]

I've attended parties catered by Joann Wiles ('Food by Chantilly') and her dishes and salads are always absolutely delicious.

Article about her, including a link to her blog. http://www.montrealmirror.com/2010/03...
She does not update her blog much, but she has a weekly mailing list and you could email her at chantilly (DOT) jw (AT) gmail (DOT) com

[Keramel]

Thanks, snowpea, I will check her out.

[hungryann]

Keramel, did you get in touch with her? I emailed her about 3-4 weeks ago for catering a baby shower. She emailed 2 days later to say she was in the midst of a 3 day busy period and would get back to me afterwards. I still haven't heard from her. Clearly, she's too busy to care about new customers. I emailed her about 3-4 weeks ago for catering a baby shower. She emailed 2 days later to say she was in the midst of a 3 day busy period and would get back to me afterwards. I still haven't heard from her. Clearly, she's too busy to care about new customers.Very unprofessional in my opinion.

[catroast]

that's kind of mean. why not simply phone or email her back?

[hungryann]

It's also kind of 'mean' to keep someone waiting only to blow them off. My event is in a couple of weeks and I have other things to do than run after someone who did not give me any consideration. I've made alternate arrangements but I just thought it was rude. She could have simply told me to look elsewhere since she is swamped during this time of year from the beginning.

[catroast]

i'm sure it was just a mistake...

[Keramel]

I didn't end up contacting her. I will update in a general reply. Bummer that you never heard back.

[stak]

Mandy's Express delivers; I have ordered from them several times and everyone has loved their salads. Most are lettuce-based, not pasta, coleslaw, etc - but interesting combinations of ingredients and good-quality. Also, I haven't tried it myself but remember reading about the salads at Miss Pret-a-Manger in this Gazette article: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/S...

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Mandys Express
995 Wellington, Montreal, QC h3c 1v3, CA

[Keramel]

Miss Pret-a-manger looks like just the type of salads i am looking for - will check them out. I would love a few more options too, if anyone else has any ideas.

[kpzoo]

Fressers is not cheap but their food is great and they have a huge variety.

Fressers
http://www.fressers.ca
5737 Décarie Montreal, QC H3W 3C8
[phone]

[eat2much]

I agree (at least about the not cheap and huge variety...two out of three ain't bad).

[Keramel]

So you don't enjoy the food from there?

[eat2much]

I find everything too heavy and/or greasy.