Montréal Mode | ​DAY 2: (Pt. 3) Le Grand Marché Walkthrough, Montreal Eaton Centre + Neotokyo

Read Part 2 HERE !

Disagreements continued on into the evening hours, when my curiosity towards Montréal's Eaton Centre conflicted with another's reluctance to walk any further. Pointless banter would ensue, eventually realizing the alternate solution of parting ways until dinnertime.

​I persevered on my journey towards the Eaton Centre, but not before being lured towards a series of colourful flashing lights. Upon drawing near, it dawned upon that two events were taking places adjacent to one another: Le Grande Marché de Noel and another one of the seemingly endless protests for Palestine.

​The cries of the protest rang out onto the streets, overwhelming whatever upbeat holiday tracks had attempted to be played at the outdoor market.

​Le Grande Marché bore similarities to The Distillery Winter Village in its usage of cabin vendors and overpriced fare - think $12 European Hot Dogs and $13 eggnog and hot chocolate - however paled in terms of illumination. The lights were sparse and quite dim, while the Christmas tree stout and barren.

Nevertheless, the event had summoned a substantial crowd. Navigating through the grounds demanded CNE-like patience.

The market conveniently exited onto Saint-Catherine St., from which Eaton Centre could be accessed in a straightforward fashion.

Along the way, I encountered The Bay - not Hudson Bay, but merely just "la Baie" - as well as a French-speaking couple who opted to ram their stroller into my calves after a cursory "pardon" instead of waiting for confirmation of communication or simply going around.
Alas, the constant invasion of personal space was an aspect I couldn't comprehend!

​Soon I was met with the sight of Decathlon and "Eaton" in vertically-aligned block letters.

​I presumed the stores within to be similar, if not identical, to those of Toronto's Eaton Centre. For the most part, they were. The shopping centre spanned four floors in total, with three levels of at- and above-grade retail and a food court located at basement level.

A notable difference was the reduction of mall décor elements. The pillars retained their polished, unaltered appearance, casting garlands and bulb lights aside. In place of a lofty tree in the central court was a ceiling-height cascade of string lights and bulb ornaments.

​Mievic, the supposed Montréal rendition of Miniso, was perhaps the only boutique of interest. The merchandise selection comprised of accessories, skincare and beauty items, imported snacks, miscellaneous household goods, and random knickknacks.

My hasty mall tour concluded in under fifteen minutes, permitting just enough time to navigate in the direction of Neotokyo for a 5:30 PM arrival. Passing by Christ Church Cathedral and then through Phillips Square, the path would coincide with the Olympic Torch landmark at René-Lévesque Blvd and Beaver Hall Hill.

Neotokyo was a name I had frequently seen on my social media feed over the course of the year. The concept had spurred little interest in spite of repetitive sightings, for themed eateries - in Toronto, anyway - are often mediocre in more ways than one. But ramen, while not my meal of preference, emerged as a hearty solution to a day spent marching outdoors.

A lineup had assembled beyond the entrance, an undeniable indication of the spot's popularity. At 5:30 PM sharp, the doors opened and we were ushered within.

​Neotokyo's interior was unlike any other restaurant I had experienced. Modern, eclectic, and mysterious with an almost Danganronpa-like aura, the theme was entirely unique: a Cyberpunk ambience bridging the gustatory identities of izakaya and ramen bar.

​From the soy sauce fish light fixture to plastic curtains before the bathrooms, each corner of the facility contributed a strange sense of allure. Stepping into the space was akin to maneuvering a 2D world as a game character or finding oneself in a neo-cyber escape room - complete with bathroom doors reading "001" and bubble gum pink lighting!

​The menus, on the other hand, were rather basic in stark contrast. Double-sided and laminated in a Chinese diner-esque clear frame, the picture-less presentation was probably the blandest component of the experience.

First to arrive was a small, teal ceramic bowl. The soy-marinated eggplant was brimming with umami, and unstoppably fragrant with the inclusions of sesame and scallion. Greatly appreciated was the intactness of the sliced segments, for too often is eggplant cooked till the point of disintegration. Of course, for sanity's sake, the chili pepper threads were plucked away and set aside, though they'd likely add a mild kick for those capable of tolerating its fiery properties.

The Tonkotsu ramen was a generous portion, priced at a reasonable twenty-one dollars. Toppings included two buttery strips of chashu, spinach, menma (fermented bamboo), a naruto fish cake, crunchy nori, and my must-have ajitama egg. Submerged in its pork and chicken broth were springy noodles that balanced the magnificent, complex flavours residing on its surface. Perfectly golden and gooey was the egg. Meanwhile, the chashu was supple, fleshy, and sumptuous. Unthinkable it was to have been bestowed such a vast assortment of toppings without extra charge.

​Concluding the meal was a large scoop of Shiso ice cream for five dollars. The server had described the formula as being lemony and "acidic", which was affirmed throughout the sampling process. However, it would also present a peculiar bitter aftertaste, one that persist in pungency with subsequent spoonfuls and linger about the mouth cavity, ultimately yielding a slight tingly sensation in the throat.
The consistency was a bit sticky, like gelato, whereas as its creaminess (or lack thereof) was comparable to sorbet.

Upon returning to the hotel, it seemed only fitting to check out the gym properly.

​Descending onto the second-level basement floor, the carpet was noticed to have been swapped from "Bonjour" to "Bonsoir" - a small but thoughtful addition to the customer experience.

​The facilities were vacant at my time of visit, enabling absolute liberation within the space.

​In search of bathroom facilities, I headed towards the upper Detox Fit level. Beyond a private washroom stall was a combined shower/rest area. Supplies such as toilet paper, tissue, and extra towels were stocked nearby, should they be of need.

​Also located on the upper floor was a communal lounge area, lockers, and a multitude of water bottles. Disposable earbuds and towels were also available, the former likely to be used for the cardio equipment.
The corridor led the way to private workout rooms with various cardio machines. Two of these rooms included sinks and mirrors for freshening up.

​During my stay, the primary focus resided with conditioning. The nearby exercise mat was observed to be peeling, thus encouraging my adoption of standing pilates routines instead. The spacious matwork area enabled me to move about freely, while the plethora of mirrors installed about made regular form check effortless.

​A stable, hotel-wide Wi-Fi network also assisted me in quickly locating free weight-based routines without delay.

Though guests were free to exit from the upper level of the gym (basement level 1), entry was only permitted through the lower level (basement level 2). This floor was chillier than the rest, for it provided a direct connection to the partially enclosed underground pathway joining the Montréal Convention Centre to the Victoria Square Metro station.

​The discovery delivered a distinct elation, for it was essentially the city's own version of the PATH.