i love this place to bits, the food is the best there is, but i cant help always feeling like theyre a little bit... like i am looked down upon or like they feel i dont belong here? ive been here many times, but on several occassions, i have been served after someone else even though i had been waiting first. like, the person behind me had to say "oh no you should serve her first, she was here before me". or like other people getting their food and drinks before me even though i had ordered first! i understand if i order a sandwich and drink it takes longer but i mean i am seeing people who had ordered the same things after me get their food first.
and also, i do definitely speak french when i order! i am just writing this in english because its easier for me. it just doesnt feel like i am being served with the same warmth that other patrons seem to get. like i'm sorry i dont present well or whatever, but i can still afford to buy the food you know. anyway, i will still keep coming, i dont think anyones doing anything on purpose, but its still one of those micro things that like, as a person of color i feel hyperaware of and im just asking the servers to be a bit aware of it too. other than that its still a great place and the pastries and bread - best in...
   Read moreVery unpleasant experience with a bald guy who wears glasses (he was at a coffee station) on March 27th around 11am. We came to Arhoma to buy a couple of sandwiches and chocolates and, while we were waiting for our order - way farther than two meters from the counter with no people around us and no line - the bold guy with a poor attitude asked us to move farther and hang with all the customers waiting for their orders. He was VERY unprofessional and rude and I told him about it - he didnât care. Needless to say he didnât apologize. We had to wait with four other customers being so close to them which is now against the rules and he literally had put us in danger. I will also be filing an official complaint at the government level as this person needs to be trained and supervised. An apology would also be nice to get. Before that, Iâm not coming back not recommending going there - youâre not...
   Read moreChronique dâune nostalgie sucriĂšre
Depuis ses premiers pas, il y avait chez Arhoma Valois cette tarte au citron absolument fabuleuse. CâĂ©tait la vedette de la place. (Ăa et le croissant aux pistaches.) Cette tarte, je lâoffrais Ă tous mes amis Ă leurs fĂȘtes, je lâespĂ©rais en secret Ă la mienne. Je la traĂźnais partout en vĂ©lo lâĂ©tĂ© pour lâoffrir au plus grand nombre dans les picnics, les soupers. Elle nâĂ©tait jamais belle parce quâelle avait coulĂ© de tous les bords pendant la run, mais DIEU! quâelle Ă©tait bonne!! Elle avait cet Ă©quilibre. Cette croĂ»te style graham qui sâimbibait de sucre mais restait grumeleuse. Cette meringue cĂ©lĂšbre, onctueuse, douce comme un nuage. Et ce citron acidulĂ©, frais, pur, qui donnait tout son sens aux fins de repas sous le soleil. Tu goĂ»tais à ça et câest comme si tu pouvais plus revenir en arriĂšre. Tu pouvais plus te contenter dâune tarte au citron moyenne.
Mais depuis quelque temps on a changĂ© la formule. Plus dâune fois. Pour des goĂ»ts tantĂŽt trop acidulĂ©s, ou trop amers. Des textures moins crĂ©meuses, plus fermes. Lorsque jâai demandĂ© au comptoir pourquoi changer une formule gagnante, on mâa rĂ©pondu: « Bah, je sais pas trop. Les pĂątissiers essaient des choses. » Ah, bon. Câest bien, essayer des choses.
Mais un classique étant un classique, et pour conserver ses lettres de noblesse, la tarte au citron Arhoma devrait RESTER LA TARTE AU CITRON ARHOMA.
Parce que câest du patrimoine. Parce que ça faisait partie de lâADN dâArhoma. Parce que câĂ©tait la meilleure. Et aussi parce que non, on ne change pas une formule gagnante.
Au mĂȘme titre que nous rebaptisons des boulevards, que nous rendons gloire aux grands architectes, et quâon aiguise la mĂ©moire montrĂ©alaise avec son legs culinaire, je tiens Ă ramener sur la table le souvenir de LA version connue et aimĂ©e de la tarte au citron Arhoma.
La vraie, celle qui a dĂ©fiĂ© le temps et conquis les papilles. Les nouvelles, celles que je sers maintenant, je vous le garantis, elles ne font pas le mĂȘme effet.
Alors au nom des plaisirs simples de la vie, au nom du bonheur créé par une bouchée parfaite et texturée, et au nom de tous les Hochelaguiens/ennes du quartier, PLEASE: ramenez-nous notre VRAIE tarte au...
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