Macaroni – Yeah, It’s A Club
When my friends first told me we are going clubbing at a place called Macaroni, I thought it was a joke. Well, it wasn’t. Located on the corner of St-Laurent and Mont-Royal, it’s been open for a couple of months and has now become a hot spot. It is not a big club, but the vibe was really good mainly thanks to the DJ (I think it was Donald Latour, not sure). I dropped by after 1 am on Saturday and the crowd was really into it. The place is a a modern version of a mom and pop italian restaurant, with pictures of old italians eating on the walls. To be honest, it kind of felt like partying in a newly designed Pizza hut. I guess that’s what makes this place a little more special. Typical supper clubs have club names and try to emphasize on the partying aspect of the night, this place seems to be more about the food, the wine and the good time that can be had afterwards. I guess the next time I go there, I should actually live the whole Macaroni experience.
Moomba: yeah, I know, it’s in Laval
When it first opened, Montreal promoters used to hold bets on how long it would take for Moomba to close down. Funny thing is, Moomba outlasted not only the clubs those promoters represented, but the promoters themselves! The fact is that Moomba redefined clubbing and introduced the supper club concept in the Montreal area.
The question is: What is the secret to Moomba’s success? I think it’s a combination of many things:
- Good food and good music
- Large, spacious and nicely decorated
- Free and abundant Parking: It’s in a shopping center, so that explains it
- Bouncers who actually do their job: You will never see teeny boppers in this joint
- Great shows and special events that are always out of the ordinary
- Great management and the ever-so sociable Jack
There are probably some other reasons that I’m forgetting or ignoring, but this place is all about Montrealing, even if it’s not physically on the island.