Around for 86 years, Cantor’s Bakery started out with an Eastern European flavor with rye and pumpernickel breads and egg challah too. Their standards have evolved over the years to include danish, croissants, pies, muffins, cakes and bagels. However this new location in the West Island goes a little bit around the world.

I’m from NYC so I miss knishes – they are basically mashed potatoes tucked into dough – either square thick crispy ones or round softer varieties. They sometimes would be stuffed with kasha, buckwheat groats. This new incarnation of Cantor’s is knish heaven. Yes there is potato, but also potato with spinach, broccoli, mushrooms or bacon. There’s Samsa, a Russian variety with ground beef and onions (my favorite), a chicken one, pizza one, a Jamaican patty and – Hats off to Montreal – a smoked meat one.

Lunch is covered with 6 hearty sandwiches, chopped liver, cheese bagels, salads and a good variety of cold drinks. Dinner can be made in a few minutes with fresh or frozen foods-to-go: veggie lasagna, rigatoni, tortellini,  schnitzel, meat balls, potato or vegetable latkes (pancakes). You can start with soup, from matzoh ball to lentil, cream of vegetables or bean and barley. In the freezer, you can buy ready-to-bake  cheese bagels, party knishes, hot dogs and hors d’oeuvres.

And then there’s the desserts, all the Cantor’s regulars are there including the fudgey danish, cheese or cinnamon danish,  and my favorite chocolate dipped butter cookies, 4 kinds of mandel broit (biscotti to you) but on the right side, this being Montreal, there is a full counter of French cakes and pastries: Paris Brest, fruitiers, cream puffs, milles feuilles, mousse, and even cannolis. You can wash them all down with some good coffee-to-go.

Not only is catering available but they even have some meeting/party rooms on the premises, from small to large.

Tomorrow (Sat Mar 24) from 10-2, CJAD will be airing live from there and you can meet Ric Peterson in person.

New Location: 1000 boul. St-Jean, Pointe Claire
corner: Labrosse
Tel: 514-674-4747
Hours: Daily 6:30-8, Sat 7-7, Sun 7-6
www.boulangeriecantor.ca
Other location by same franchisee: Gare Centrale