Montreal's Big Orange

[ChriSTian_64]

If I'm telling you I went to the big apple, you will know I'm talking about New-York.
And what about the big orange ?

Never heard of Montreal's big Orange ?
It all started modestly, in 1933, with a first 11 feet orange sphere, selling a unique beverage.
Then, in 1947, very close to the actual location, a 30 feet version was built, along Sunset Strip.
In the fifties and sixties, it and was the most famous drive-in in town and around.
The actual version, built in 1964, is 60 feet in diameter.
What made this place so unique, is their famous beverage, difficult to describe : a kind of orange milk shake, but, not exactly that. You have to try it.

That place is iconic, mythical.
As a kid, when I was 8-10 years old, around 1972-74, my dad brought me here a few times.
Today, the place is still very popular : it is a place to show up with your special vehicule.
Show up here, a hour or so before sunset, any summer evening... and enjoy the place.

And of course, they are still selling that orange Julep beverage.
https://orangejulep.ca/history-english/

And, since I have my ST11, last summer, I was thinking about coming here.
I'll probably be back here a few time this summer.

This place, I think, is a must, for any rider visiting montreal.

Here are some pictures.

 

[Larry Fine]

In no particular order:

I love that red '69 Camaro. I had a blue convertible.

I'm amazed nobody has put a smile face on that big ball.

GM made some damn sexy cars in the 60's.

 

[ChriSTian_64]

What always amuse me, Larry, is when I see a twenty years old, sitting in one of those cars, and see the reaction in his face. And hear their comments.

Yeah, you and I, can easily remember those days.

Front seat as large as the car, large dashboard and speedometer, large steering, AM radio only, with 5 preset buttons, manual windows and so on.

 

[ReSTored]

This brings back memories. I grew up in Laval, then moved to NDG in '72 and we passed the Orange Julep on Decarie very often. Was only there once as I recall.

Old cars are relatively rare in Montreal due to lack of corrosion protection on older vehicles and the massive volumes of salt used to keep the city moving during winter

 

[MaxPete]

Very cool - love the vintage cars!

 

[Peppermint]

Ah yes, the Orange Julep. So many of our well-known landmarks and icons are gone now...Ruby Foo's, Ben's Delicatessen, Beauty's...but the Orange Julep still stands and going there is still a time-honoured summer ritual.
It is certainly a cool place to hang out and ogle all those great vintage cars.
As for the drink itself, lots of people love it, some hate it (I fall into the latter category, sadly). However, it should definitely be tried as it is quite unique to Montreal, like smoked meat and Saint-Viateur (or Fairmount) bagels.

Dang. Now i'm jonesing for a smoked meat sammich. With lots of mustard and a kosher dill.

Patty

 

[Weaselinsuit]

Last time I was in Montreal we went to the Snowden Deli. My daughter still raves about it.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Nice, ChriSTian!

My first car was a 67 (bought new in Nov 66) 350 SS Camaro. Red, with the white bumble bee stripe around the nose, retractable headlight covers, etc...

Regards, John

 

[Peppermint]

Last time I was in Montreal we went to the Snowden Deli. My daughter still raves about it.

The Brown Derby on Van Horne Avenue was even better, but I believe that's gone now too.

 

[drbuzzard]

looks like they are having a car show

 

[STFlips]

Looks like it hasn't changed much since I was a kid in Snowden & NDG. Used to like the sandwiches at Robins and Dunns on Ste Catherine. Robins is gone but I did get to Dunns a few years ago before a Habs game, mmm, that was a good day, food & hockey on my birthday!

 

[hollywood91]

Patty, now that Ben's is gone, where's a good place for smoked meat? Its been many years since I was downtown to Ben's, my grand father used to take us there at least once a month in the 50's and 60's. We would go to pick up car tires from B. F. Goodrich when they were on Ferrier Street and lunch was either at Ben's or Ruby Foo's. Cheers
Ed

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen is a Montreal icon, the oldest delicatessen in Canada. It always ranks on the top of the just about every list for the best smoked meat.

Another place that consistently ranks very highly is Lester's Deli.
Note: The one listed as Lester's Deli Express is in the airport terminal.

 

[Peppermint]

@hollywood91: Ed, I second what Andrew said - Schwartz's is still going strong on St-Laurent Blvd.
Reuben's Delicatessen and Steakhouse on Ste-Catherine St. is also still open. They make a helluva cheesecake!
Oh, and Dunn's, I forgot Dunn's Famous! Also still open. It's Dunn's who make the awesome cheesecake, not Reuben's (although Reuben's isn't too shabby either). Sorry, my brain's getting old!!

 

[MaxPete]

Ah yes, the Orange Julep. So many of our well-known landmarks and icons are gone now...Ruby Foo's, Ben's Delicatessen, Beauty's...but the Orange Julep still stands and going there is still a time-honoured summer ritual.
It is certainly a cool place to hang out and ogle all those great vintage cars.
As for the drink itself, lots of people love it, some hate it (I fall into the latter category, sadly). However, it should definitely be tried as it is quite unique to Montreal, like smoked meat and Saint-Viateur (or Fairmount) bagels.

Dang. Now i'm jonesing for a smoked meat sammich. With lots of mustard and a kosher dill.

Patty

I've been through (and stuck in) more airports than most people have had hot meals and of them all, the only one I did NOT mind spending an extra hour or two in was YUL Dorval (now known as Trudeau <gag> International Airport....

....because there was a Ben's Delicatessen where if you had 20-30 minutes to kill, you could get a hot smoked meat on rye, an order of deeeeeeelicious fries and a Rickards Red brewski.

Yumola! It made flying - even on Air Canada - pretty bearable.

In comparison, all that was available at YYZ Pearson was a couple of crappy chain restaurants serving badly cooked over-priced mush and the World's Guaranteed Slowest Tim Horton's.

Pete

 

[ChriSTian_64]

Show up here, a hour or so before sunset, any summer evening...

A friend of mine told me that antique and muscle cars meets here, at the orange julep, every wednesday evening of summer.
So, if you're planning a ride to montreal this summer, keep that in mind.
They have a group page on facebook, called "orange julep cruise nights".

And motorcycles meets at the same place, on thursday. They also have a facebook group page : Orange Julep motorcycle thusday's.

 

[HorST]

Visited MTL years ago and our host made sure we visited Schwartz’s and that old bagel joint ... great memories

go Habs !