Montreal bagels are damn tasty.
Look - I'm not here to say that it's better or worse than an NYC bagel. They are just different - almost like comparing apples and oranges. NYC bagels are thick, doughy and soft while Montreal bagels are sweet, thin and crunchy.
While I will say that I need an NYC bagel topped with cream cheese or butter, there's just something about a Montreal bagel that makes it easier to enjoy alone. But, ordering a plain Montreal bagel for your first experience would just be downright wrong. Because of that, we made sure to hit up St-Viateur's cafe location (it seemed like the regular location just had plain bagels and no bagel sandwiches).
I ordered a sesame bagel stuffed with smoked pastrami and mustard. No cheese, no other toppings. Just meat, mustard and a bagel (oh, and pickles on the side it's like they know me). This was absolute perfection. The sweet and crunchy bagel combined with the smoky and flavorful meat and spicy mustard was the weirdest yet most glorious combination of flavors. I finished my bagel in less than five minutes and had to display some serious self control to avoid ordering another.
This bagel was pricey but was undoubtedly one of the most delicious things that I've eaten in years. 5++++ stars for this spot.