blog

After a fun night at Rouge, having a meal to sober up before heading home is often a good idea! Here are a few late-night restaurant suggestions that should satisfy cravings triggered by those "few" drops of alcohol taken at the club.

#1 - MON NAN
This chinatown "hot spot" offers a great variety of dishes from different regions of China such as Szechuan shrimps, Peking pork, Cantonese chow mein, Fukin fried rice or classics such as salt and pepper seafood and hot and sour soup. But hurry up, the kitchen closes at 4am......luckily, it is only a 5mins cab ride from Rouge (or 15mins if you prefer walking).

www.restaurantmonnan.com

#2 - LA BANQUISE
Welcome to poutine heaven! This place is perfect for those who will only be satisfied by a greasy "detoxifying" poutine. Here, the challenge is to pick only one poutine among the 20+ varieties offered on the menu such as the T-Rex (with grounded beef, pepperoni, bacon and sausages) or the Taquise (with guacamole, sour cream and tomatoes). In this 24h joint, you can also find Italian poutine, 100% vegetarian and other comfort foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs and lasagnas.

www.restolabanquise.com

#3 - JOE'S PANINI
Made famous by its chicken panini for the past 35 years, this 24h eatery offers the BEST paninis in town! Even "non-fans" of paninis will be seduced! At only 5.50$, and with choices such as spicy turkey, roast beef, steak and cheese philly or tuna, Joe's Panini will satisfy any ravenous belly in the wee hours of the morning.

http://www.tripulu.com/2010/09/10/joes-panini-montreal-the-best-chicken-panini-in-the-city-1-291

Check out video of Red Bull FREAK SHOW that was held on Friday March 23rd.
Video by www.montreal.tv

Last chance to register for the ULTIMATE GIRLS NIGHT OUT contest. Winner will be announced on April1st.

All expense VIP package (for 7 ladies) includes limo service by CM limousine, drinks & 4-course meal at restaurant Les Deux Gamins and VIP bottle service at Rouge Bar. All taxes and gratuities included.

Package is valid during our Black & White event on Thursday April 5th.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: www.sevenyearsatrouge.com

Freak Show is coming to Rouge Friday March 23rd.

Click here to reserve your table: RESERVATIONS

Annual winter staff party was held at the popular brazilian restaurant Le Milsa.

www.lemilsa.com

An integral part of Rouge is it's music and Rouge Bar is fortunate to have three of the city's best! DJ Alex Spaz, who works on the second floor every Friday and Saturday and Mario Galego and Kenji Tran who both work on our first floor. Experts in their professions, they create new and innovative mixes and sounds every week-end. We see them, hear their creations and sometimes talk to them now let's get to know them.

Alex Spaz ALEX SPAZ
Alex Spaz started his career 18 years ago in Whistler where he was also a snowboarder. He loves how energy moves in the sound and loves to combine house, R&B, hip-hop and electro. In addition to being a DJ he composes and produces music. His passion and expertise is to mix and modify songs. Some of his inspirations are from producers such as Gregor Salto, Vato Gonzalez & Artistic Raw that mix latin fusion with Dutch sound.
Between DJ'ing and composition, even after 18 years, he loves that there is always something new to experiment with and create. To that effect, he noted how things have changed over 18 years. In the past DJs used to line-up to get the best Vinyl's when they arrived in town or travel to a large city like NYC to get our hands on some records. Today, with the digitization of music, everyone can have access to all music, which allows for great resources yet requires more time. Alex also studies at Concordia University with a focus on Artistic design which is a computerization of the arts, in one project he created the interactive drum machine which could be used by various participants all over the world.

The continuous evolution of the club, the good relationships and the fact that everyone gets along beautifully is what makes him want to work with Rouge.

MARIO GALEGO
Start strong and finish strong is what he brings and has been doing so for the last 24 years on the Montreal scene. He says that music fulfills his soul and makes him happy. Growing up, his parents were musicians and there was always music in the house. He had a classical music upbringing and played the trumpet and the French horn in an orchestra. He likes all styles of music and is at times influenced by classic DJ's such as David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, DJ Duke, Tod Terry and many others. He also produces music which can be heard Saturday evenings from 9-10pm on CIBL 101.5 FM. His production is called Metissage and can be found on Facebook.

The energy of the staff, the warm welcomes and the fact that there is never a dull moment is what he enjoys the most working at Rouge. Living life to the fullest, he is looking forward to another 20 years of great music.

KENJI TRAN
Kenji Tran has been with us for close to 1.5 years. He moved to Montreal 2 years ago following a visit to a friend with whom he studied at a Professional DJ institute in Lyon, France. In his thirteen year career he worked for Club Med as their main events DJ. A job which took him to Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, Morrocco, Italy and Spain. He then worked for some of the biggest clubs in Paris, Radio Europe 2 and la chaine MCM which is the French parallel to MTV. He used to teach Salsa dancing and grew up in a family where his parents, grand-parents, aunts and uncles were professional Salsa, tango and ballroom dancers. To prepare, he listens to what is played on the international scene and then brings it to what people love in Montreal. He is inspired by everything he hears around him, let it be a
song on the radio while he is shopping, someone signing in passing or any type of music played on the radio.

What he loves about Rouge is its level of professionalism amongst the staff. Everyone from bouncer to bartender gets nicely along. It feels like a nice big family.

Most of the night creatures working at Rouge also have a day job, our hostess Catherine Lindsay is no exception. But recently, she just got promoted to a new assistant manager position at the Fido boutique at the Centre Laval. Unfortunately, it is the reason why she will have to give up her position at Rouge after her last shift this coming Saturday as the responsibilities of her new position have increased. Since her arrival at Rouge in April 2008, Catherine has conquered the hearts of many with her big smile, her kindness and her inclination to party...... hard! After an amazing 4 years, we bid her farewell and wish her great success in her new career.

While Cat will be greatly missed, the care of friends and clients of Rouge will however remain in the very good hands of our other hostesses, that of the very pretty Charlotte Alix (an administration student at UQAM, big traveler, techno/rock music enthusiast and fashionista), of cutie pie Elisabetta Garofalo ( a world traveler, business woman in the making and human resources management student at UQAM) and of the very charming Stephanie Mungiovi ( a dance teacher, jeweler and art education student at Concordia).

On Friday February 17th we unveil our new ROUGE LEGENDS shooter menu honouring five devoted regular customers. The customers selected have been loyal supporters of the club for over 6 years and are the winners of the biggest annual event held at Le Rouge Bar entitled Rouge Fighting Championship (aka RFC).

Rouge Fighting Championship is an annual competition, held on Labour day weekend, in which regular customers go head to head behind the bar. Contestant that creates the wildest and craziest atmosphere is declared the winner. This is by far the biggest event of the year as it brings Rouge regulars old and new together to celebrate.

MEET THE ROUGE LEGENDS:

MATT SAUVE - 2009 RFC CHAMPION
A Logistics broker by day, Matt has been coming to Rouge for close to six years. The atmosphere, the incredible staff, amazing and the home-like feeling is what makes him come back almost every week. For Matt, RFC was a great opportunity to be behind the bar working alongside his Rouge family, serving and entertaining his friends and ensuring all had a good time. A good time it was as it gave him the first ever RFC winner title.

MARCO GAUDIO - 2010 RFC CHAMPION
A Rouge regular for over seven years, he has made many friends and acquaintances at the club which he now considers like a family to him. Rouge is his home away from home! On the day of the RFC contest he said it felt like a 700 person house party - one big party where the atmosphere amongst contestants was friendly and family-like, the crowd just amazing!

Marco is a black belt holder in Shindo-Ryu and a twenty year music veteran scheduled to launch his first album in the Spring of 2012. For more details about Marco's music go to www.therheastory.com.

JOEY CAPALDI - 2011 RFC CHAMPION (1st floor)
Joey holds many hats, he works in the production of detailed parts at Bombardier, he is a personal trainer as well as a hockey and soccer player. For the last six years he has been coming regularly to Rouge, the main reason is because of the staff that makes Rouge what it is - a super cool and awesome place. He was thrilled when asked to be part of the 2011 RFC contest and is looking forward to be back in 2012 to defend his title in that ultimate party.

SOUTHSIDE - 2011 RFC CHAMPIONS (2nd floor)
Vanessa Morin & Jessica Romano were the first female participants. Both work together in a large insurance company, Vanessa works in the clearing department and Jessica is a translator working in English, French, Spanish and Italian.

It was the first time behind the bar for both of them. They loved creating the atmosphere and found it a great challenge and lots of fun plus made them appreciate even more the hard work the bartenders put in through the night. They have been week-end regulars at Rouge for the last two years, the friendly staff, welcoming crowd and great DJ's is what makes them come back every week-end.

In addition to honoring these Rouge Legends, the new shooter menu will also remember the legendary clubs that once existed before Rouge. Join us tonight in the festivities!

Time and time again, our clients tell us that one of the main reasons they keep coming to Rouge is because of the staff. Charismatic, friendly, down to earth and enjoyable are words most used to describe them and what better fitted words than to describe Delphine Lamothe. Working on the second floor, she welcomed everyone with her warmth and friendliness ensuring all had a wonderful evening.

As she beautifully puts it, on Saturday February 11th, she is "handing in her skirt and shaker" as it will be her last evening as a bartender. After thirteen years behind the bar, six of which have been at Rouge, Delphine is retiring from bartending to pursue her career in communications and journalism. She is a graduate of Communications and Journalism from Universite de Montreal and of broadcasting from Promedia. She will pursue her career as an Assistant director on CBC Radio 1. Knowing her energy and zest for life and knowledge, this will be the beginning of a very successful career.

Over the years she has built strong friendships with her customers and co-workers. She loves that people go to the club to enjoy themselves, that the staff is, first and foremost, chosen for their personality and that everyone is always considered important. She called it one of the best times of her life. We were fortunate to have her with us for the last six
years, her contribution goes unsaid.

From everyone one at Rouge, we wish one of the most beautiful people we have known all the best in her new career and look forward seeing her on the other side of the bar.

Hard works definetely pays off...Quinn recently won an IPAD 2 for selling the most tickets on New Years Eve.

Good job Quinn!

Every month, Rouge likes to show its appreciation for a deserving employee. This time, it's funnyman Alex Dorion's turn to receive that honor.

A new addition to the Rouge family, Alex is a busboy who always works with a joke on the tip of his tongue. And if you've noticed a greater-than-usual traffic around the coat check area lately, well it's because Alex also works at the coat check and he's so charismatic that he actually has clients sticking around to have a drink with him! We love our "Dorion" for his contagious smile, his wicked sense of humour, his great generosity and......... his famous shrimp mousse (which got him at least 3 marriage proposals)! In fact, Alex holds the unofficial title of "Rouge's chef", which consists of feeding ravenous stomachs at the end of the night. Whether it's with strawberries and whipped cream, grilled cheese sandwiches or poutine, Alex sure knows how to take care of his colleagues!

Alex attended the École des Métiers du Sud-Ouest de Montréal. During his free time, he plays the guitar, watches hockey, or plays ball hockey in a garage league. Alex is the proof that at Rouge, you can always have a good time....... even at the coat check!

If you've visited the second floor of Rouge somewhere in the past eight months, chances are you have fallen under the spell of a beautiful Brazilian with a captivating smile. Since her arrival at Rouge in April 2011, Adriana Trarbach quickly befriended Rouge staff and regulars.

Born in Rio De Janero in Brazil, ''Adri'' (nickname used by closed ones) came to Montreal in 2004 to study administration. In the process, she fell in love with the city and is now living here permanently. When she's not at Rouge, the exotic bombshell loves to go shopping, dancing or going to the movies with her friends.

The Rouge family bid farewell to her last weekend and wishes her well in her new adventure as manager of the popular brazilian churrascaria restaurant LE MILSA.

You will greatly be missed Adriana!

www.lemilsa.com

Robert Matosoglo has been working with the Rouge Bar family since 2005. While serving drinks on the weekends, he has been learning another profession on the side with great passion. Robert is a carpenter.

The ladies' man started processing raw wood at the Centre de Technologie Rosemont during a two-year program. He recently started his own company under the name Barewood. Cupboards, chairs, benches, shelves, doors, cutting boards, decorations....... Nothing is ''Rob''-proof.

It is his love for manual craftsmanship that led him to this career choice, and when we ask him what he likes most about sculpting this material, he answers without hesitation: ''its smell''. He particularly favors walnut and teak for their malleability and for the superb look of the oiled finished product.

Obviously, Robert wishes for his company to be successful, but he also cherishes another dream: to volunteer as a cabinetmaker and participate in the construction of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

Rob, Robbie, Row-Bear, call him what you want, but know that he'll be waiting for you at the round bar on the first floor every friday and saturday at Rouge with his usual goofy sense of humour.

www.barewood.ca (under construction)
www.rosemount-technology.qc.ca

In our continued effort to bring you the best nightlife experience in the city, Rouge and Elite Speed Dating are proud to present Friday Night Speed Dating.

Every first Friday of the month, Elite Speed Dating invites you to meet 8-12 like-minded singles, have fun and interesting conversations, and enjoy all the drink specials exclusively for that night.

These evenings are for enthusiastic singles, who like to have fun and meet other singles who share common interests.

During the evening, your host, Fritz-Gerald Morisseau, invites you to meet 8 to 12 attractive singles in the intimacy of your own private booth, so you can fully enjoy your date and not the one being held 2 inches away from you. Furthermore, Fritz will ask you to write in your matchbook, which will be assigned to you:

- the name of the person you're meeting,
- to choose if you want to see that person again or not,
- and at the end of each date, to write your feedback on the first impression the person you were meeting gave you.

Within the following 24 hours, Elite Speed Dating will send you your Dating Feedback, Request Rating, and your Matches' contact details so that you can take it to the next level on your own schedule.

In addition to all your dates, drink specials, the private booth and receiving all your matches, you'll avoid the line-up and enjoy the benefits of a reserved section for Elite Speed Dating participants for the rest of the night.

So what are you waiting for?

Take advantage of these unforgettable nights, alone or with some single friends, and register now.

Your invitation includes:

- Age of participants: 25-35
- 8-12 dates
- Drink specials
- Email containing the contact details for each of your Matches
- Email containing your Dating Feedback and Request Rating from the event

Schedule for the event
7:30 Arrival
8:00 Speed dating starts (meet 4 to 6 participants for 5 minutes each)
8:50 Break
9:05 Speed dating continues (meet 4 to 6 participants for 5 minutes each)
9:55 End of Speed Dating event
10:00 Dance all night long at Rouge!


www.elitespeeddating.com

The Fiesta Corona takes place on the first Friday of every month, and as the name implies, there are specials on Coronas all night long. What makes these parties so special is they they're hosted with a different theme every time, and clients who show up dressed according to the theme of the night will get prizes, giveaways (such as hats, t-shirts or hockey tickets) and/or free drinks!

Don't miss out on our next Fiesta Corona tonight and visit our Facebook page to learn about our upcoming dates and themes!

Looking for a place to eat before ringing in the New Year at Rouge Bar? Here's a list of charming restaurants just minutes away from the club.

LES DEUX GAMINS - French bistro
*** 3 course menu 55$ (view menu)
*** 10$ reduction (per person) upon presentation of ROUGE BAR/UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket
www.lesdeuxgaminsmontreal.com

MOISHES STEAKHOUSE
*** 25$ menu after 10pm
*** Complimentary digestif upon presentation of ROUGE BAR/UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket
www.moishes.ca

GINGER SUSHI RESTAURANT - 16 Avenue des Pins Est, Montreal (514-844-2121)
*** A la Carte (no special NYE menu)
***Surprise treat upon presentation of ROUGE BAR /UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket

MAESTRO S.V.P - Seafood bistro
*** 3 course menu ranges from 65$ - 90$ per person
*** Complimentary oyster shot upon presentation of ROUGE BAR/UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket
www.maestrosvp.com

CAFE MAURIZIO - Italian Resto-bar
*** 3 course menu 16$-20$ per person
*** Complimentary cocktail upon presentation of ROUGE BAR/UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket
www.cafemauriziomontreal.ca

PRIMO AMORE - Italian
*** 6 course menu 60$/person
*** Complimentary cocktail upon presentation of ROUGE BAR/UP CLUB/BSIDE NYE ticket
www.restomontreal.ca

On Sunday December 11th, a charity hockey game was held between Rouge Bar friends and family and the Mighty Yuks from CHOM-FM, Mix96 Virgin Radio and CJAD. 1500$ was raised for the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation.

Read more about The Might Yuks Hockey Challenge: www.chom.com/blog

Every month, Le Rouge Bar nominates an employee of the month. This time it's Laurence Leblond's turn to receive that honor. Laurence has worked for the company (Rouge, BSIDE, UP CLUB) since 2006 and has created a fun and friendly atmosphere every Friday and Saturday night. Her contagious smile, extreme professionalism and positive energy make her the ideal person to work with.

Laurence has a bachelor's degree in industrial relations and is currently obtaining a graduate diploma in marketing and management at McGill University. Her hobbies are cooking, having fun with friends, yoga and crossfit. Come meet her and you'll quickly understand why Rouge Bar is happy to have her on the team.

Author: Desiree Ruiz

This is dedicated to all of you that are looking to give back to the community but don't know where to start.

#5 - VOLUNTEER as a driver for Operation Nez Rouge. Volunteers have been safely driving people around since 1984. Service is not exclusive to motorists who have been drinking. You do not have to own a vehicle. www.operationnezrouge.com

#4 - Donate hygiene products, clothing and blankets to those in need. Most shelters are in need of everyday essentials such as razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo and conditioner. Warm socks (new), boots, used boots, jackets, hats, long johns, gloves, blankets, backpacks and sleeping bags are also very useful during the cold months.

- DANS LA RUE : Helping kids survive the streets since 1988. www.danslarue.com

- MAISON DU PERE : Offers short-term shelter, a clean bed, food, counseling service and change of clothes for men 25+. $1 is asked of each person. www.maisondupere.org

- WOMENS CENTER OF MONTREAL : provide services to help women help themselves. Accepting donations such as used clothing, baby articles, toys (used and new) and new diapers. www.centredesfemmesdemtl.org

#3 - DONATE TOYS, GIFTS & WRAPPING PAPER

SUN YOUTH is 2,000 toys short of its goal to ensure needy children have a gift for the holidays. They are in need of new toys for kids between the ages of 6-12. Wrapping paper is also needed.
Toys can be dropped off at: 4251 Saint-Urbain Street or call 514-842-6822. www.sunyouthorg.com

LES CENTRES DE LA JEUNESSE is looking for donation of gift or gift certificates for an adolescent (ex. Perfume, CDs, videos, wallet, photo albums). Adolescents are in foster care, group homes and youth protection service. You can also donate your time (gift wrapping, sorting and delivering food). Donation must be given before December 9th. Contact Cathy 514-932-7161 ext 1203 for more information.
www.batshaw.qc.ca

#2 - DONATE & DELIVER FOOD

SANTROPOL ROULANT is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to individuals living with a loss of autonomy. Deliveries occur Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat between 2:45-5:30/6:00pm. Deliveries can be made by foot, bus (tickets provided) or by car. Donations are also greatly appreciated. To volunteer over the holidays contact Ben ben@santropolroulant.org 514-284-9335, Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30-5:30.www.santropolroulant.org

- Donate a food basket to MOISSON MONTREAL (largest food bank on the island of Montreal). Each basket contains only 25 grocery store items. Each basket feeds a family of 3 for two weeks.
www.moissonmontreal.org

#1 - Buy a homeless person a warm cffee! Short, simple and sweet.

Happy Holidays!

Author: Quinn Dao

On October 9 Le Rouge Bar celebrated its 7th anniversary, and as a part of the celebration, we decided to give away 3 all-inclusive ''Ultimate Girls' Night Out'' packages to 3 groups of ladies (a winner and 6 of her friends). The first package was given away on October 9 where the winner, Andréanne Poirier, and 6 of her friends enjoyed a round trip transportation by CM Limousine, dinner at Ginger restaurant, and a table at Rouge including a bottle of Smirnoff vodka and Moët et Chandon.

You too can be the next lucky lady to win one of the two remaining packages. The date of the 2nd package giveaway is on December 31st 2011, where the winner and 6 of her friends will enjoy a round trip transportation by CM Limousine, dinner at restaurant Cafeteria, 7 tickets to our New Year's Eve ''City Of Lights'' themed party, and a table at Rouge (includes bottle of Smirnoff Vodka and Moet et Chandon). All you need to do is register in person with one of the Rouge hostesses during your next visit to the club or online at:

www.sevenyearsatrouge.com

Winner of the next package will be announced on Sunday December 18th!!!

At Marché 27! on Prince Arthur, raw protein lovers are sure to find a perfect match..... for their belly! This tartare bar offers a great variety of fish, seafood and meats, served with different choices of seasonings such as Italian, Mediterranean, Tropical, Indian..... Feel like a Russian tsar with their selection of caviar topped blinis and sour cream! As for those who prefer their food cooked, satisfaction will be found in the cheeseburger topped with tomatoes and pickles or the mac n' cheese poutine. The wine and cocktail menu will make you think about cancelling your appointments for the next day!

We love Marché 27! for its laidback, unpretentious atmosphere, whether it's during lunch hour or at night. Its contemporary deco combines white ceramic tiles with black writing boards, little round tables and low seats. Quite simply, charming and delicious!

www.marche27.com

About Delphine
Delphine Lamothe has been working in the Montreal bar scene for about ten years while obtaining degrees in Communications and Journalism. She joined the Rouge family in March 2006. Since last year, she is the host of a weekly show on CISM, the Université de Montréal's radio and collaborates on the web with Montreal.tv. She recently made a professional dream come true when she joined the team of Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne. To her, it is a pleasure to share new discoveries.

On July 14th 2011, Le Rouge Bar partnered with The Firemen of Candiac to raise money for the Quebec Firefighters Foundation for Major Burn Victims.
www.fondationdespompiers.ca

Le Rouge Bar staff watches The Montréal Canadiens (Game 1) at CHEZ SERGE!