They were like, come to think of it, working class eateries, where the emphasis was placed more on price and quality then on the fancy digs and the size of the wine list. Mama Mia is still around, as a fancy restaurant I still order from now and again, Pendelis is, as well, but I haven’t been there in years and Bonora just went under, another casualty of hard times, I presume.
But along with the hardship experienced by West End establishments of late, there has also been some good that we can celebrate. One such case is the relocation of a restaurant, which existed in a more commercial part of NDG, to Bonora’s former location at 6447 Somerled just east of Cavendish. Agostini’s, named for the family that deftly operates it and works there, is certainly worthy of the celebration. The food is reliably good, the specials are fairly priced and the family pedigree ensures you will be well cared for during your stay.
“I was fed up working in the restaurant business,” owner chef Mario Agostini told me, when I asked why his family had decided to reopen again after the initial closure. “But after two months of trying different jobs, I ended up putting in 50 hours a week at a friend’s restaurant, so I realized this was my fate.”
Still virtually spanking new, Agostini’s remained in NDG because that’s where most of their regulars were. “This spot is really good, mostly for the “souper” crowd and for weekends,” Agostini said. “I am the head guy in the kitchen and work with my dad, Ezio, who has a long background in restaurants, and our cook Stratos worked for the previous owners at this location and he also has a lot of experience as a chef and former owner of his own establishment. My sister Antoinetta works as a waitress, reprising her role at the old place and my mother, Maria, keeps an eye on the front.”
Boy, does she ever. When I ate my first delicious meal there, a yummy veal dish, Maria came over to bid us a heartfelt “bonjourno” and also whipped up one of THE best lattes I have ever had. It was like being catered to by your own nonna. I was also quite impressed with the excellent service of part-time waitress Pascal, whom Mario praised as a rookie who is learning quickly, and well, on the job.
Agostini’s is not flashy, but IS excellent in all the areas that count. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t take your business for granted, but works for it. “Montrealers know good food, so if you’re not serving quality food at good prices, you’re not going to last,” Agostini added. He pointed out that they (the crooks at City Hall, I throw in) haven’t put meters on Somerled yet, so you can still get a break on that, as well.
Agostini’s can be reached at 514-486-1131.
You know, nothing irks me more than unethical people, whether they be doctors, grocery store owners and, yes, those who publish newspapers. Let me start be saying that I am old enough to remember MOST clearly the demise of The Montreal Star in 1979, a truly amazing, quality newspaper it was a pleasure to read. A strike by printing plant workers (press operators, I seem to recall) put the paper out of business. The problems at The Gazette bring back a lot of bad memories… and also concern me a lot, because with all the challenges besetting the newspaper business today, how much more can our sole English daily take before it, too, shuts down? I’m not blind and my hands are still fairly tactile… it’s very easy to see how thin The Gazette has become. Even the once mighty Saturday edition is melting down to nothing. Which brings me to unethical publishers, in this case Barbara Moser, owner of The Senior Times. In her editorial this week, Moser defends the employees of The Gazette and supports their grievances. Sounds noble of her… until you realize that her better half is one of The Gazette’s better-known veteran journalists. You know, if I have ever written about someone in this column whom I happened to know personally, I have always pointed that out to you. It’s nice to support Gazette workers, Barbara, but please let your readers know your personal motivations for doing so.
