Authentic French Restaurants Recommendations

[jalimon]

Haha so true Gabrielle. You probably read Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain as well.

My experience working in the 90's in great Montreal restaurant is that you mostly have beautiful young aspiring models/actor/actress on the front side working as waiters/barman(maid)... And socially misfit out of jail prisoners weirdos working in the kitchen
I remember thinking that I needed to be nice cus there the one handling the knifes haha

Cheers,

 

[ShyMan]

Thanks for sharing your insights and recommendations, Gabrielle.

Many US celebrity chefs have been outed by employees they oppressed, becoming outcasts.

I'm looking forward to my trip to Quebec City.

I hear Jalimon is a wonderful cook :high5: Maybe I come visit you after the REM is fully operational :rockon:

 

[Gabrielle Laliberté]

Amazing to heard about Jalimon’s cooking skills, maybe we should organize a French cuisine competition during a merb get together !

Yes, Anthony Bourdain had the balls to talk about the dark side of kitchen, is book is a masterpiece.

I haven’t known the '90s, but I began at the beginning of 2000 and it's true that, there were a lot of pirates and weirdos of all kinds in the kitchen. But today, with all the foodie trend, the game has changed. There are more people passionate about cooking, but they no longer want a shitty pay. With the recruitment crisis, many employers have increased their wages and working conditions.

Is true that many celebrity chef have been outed by cook. I don’t like working for famous chefs. Often they’re not really there. My chef manages a team of 33 cooks in a great french restaurant, and he shuns interviews. He prefers to get his hands dirty with us in the kitchen. He never scream on the team, instead he encourages our creativity and pay well. Several cooks have been working for him for over 8 years.

 

[ShyMan]

You guys are so spot on with http://aupetitextra.com/menu/

Thank you for your recommendation. It's easy to get to from Place des Arts -- take Bus 125. Or you can walk down rue Ontario est.

I love au Petit Extra. I had the lamb (from Quebec) -- which was the best I've ever had, seriously, it literally melted in my mouth and the vegetable that came with the lamb were exceptional pairing -- balances out the lamb (which was not at all gamy and was almost the consistency of grilled sushi-grade tuna); the tomato soup, which came with the lamb entree, was delightful with a tiny spicy kick, and the cheese plate was nice. My waitress mentioned that the restaurant underwent a little change but the staffing (and new chef) have stabilized and the team is coalescing. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive.


Gabrielle -- I had a nice lunch at Holder about two years ago. I walked in during lunch on a Thursday with my cargo shorts and T-shirt while most of the lunch patrons were in their suits and business attires. I had the duck confit and the menu looked so good that I also ordered filet mignon -- I asked for the dinner portions, the waitress though I was nuts. I eat both and wiped the delicious sauces off the plate with the bread. And I had dessert too. I joked with the waitress -- we Americans are crazy and we eat a lot especially when the food is as delicious as they are at Holder.

I was super hungry, after a 90 minutes deep tissue massage at Bota Bota and having walked there from downtown. It was a nice walk back to my hotel in downtown, despite the stifling Montreal summer heat and humidity.

 

[protagoras]

I would prefer to try restaurants that serve Quebecois meals since they are harder to find outside of Quebec province. France "French restaurants" could be found in most major cities globally .

I agree with your statement ShyMan.

I had recently what I should call an hybrid intercultural experience of a restaurant serving poutine (probably the epitome of a typical Québécois meal) in São Paulo. The owner of the restaurant I'm talking about - Canuck's Poutinerie https://www.canucks.com.br/ - is owned by a Canadian lady, Carey, (originally from Ontario) who worked as a chef in high class Hotels in Vancouver. She felt in love with a Brazilian woman, Luana, and she moved to São Paulo in order to export poutine outside Québec.

I had a long conversation with Carey at her restaurant - almost two months ago - because I had some concern about the cheese curds and the gravy she uses in her poutine. In fact she made a cultural apropriation of Poutine (because she describesand advertizes it as a typical Canadian cuisine speciality) and she adapted it to the Brazilian cuisine mixing it with typical brazilian elements. I explained to her that in a genuine poutine the cheese has to melt into the hot sauce. The Brazilian cheese curd she uses doesn't melt!!!!! Quel sacrilège!!!!!! They also serve homemade Ginger Ale which is exquisite!!!!

http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/video...heca-o-petisco-do-canucks-poutinerie/7542359/

But to come back to the gist of this thread I also agree with Sasha Libertarian: Chez Christophe (on la rue Bernard) is probably one of the best place to eat genuine French Cuisine in Montréal. The joint is small but the culinary experience en vaut vraiment la peine. I have already posted the name of that restaurant on the Montreal restaurant thread in 2015. In fact, in order to celebrate my second Ph D, my thesis director took me there with the external examiner (from the University of Amherst). I was perfect...

A month ago, while I was visiting la ville de Québec, I had a very positive culinary experience in a French restaurant: Chez Rioux et Pettigrew. I highly recomend this restaurant in the old port in Quebec City .

https://www.chezriouxetpettigrew.com/

 

[ShyMan]

Chez Christophe (on la rue Bernard) is probably one of the best place to eat genuine French Cuisine in Montréal. . . . In fact, in order to celebrate my second Ph D, my thesis director took me there with the external examiner (from the University of Amherst). I was perfect...

Chez Rioux et Pettigrew. I highly recomend this restaurant in the old port in Quebec City .

https://www.chezriouxetpettigrew.com/

Pettigrew has a nice website. I shall try them both. Thanks.

Nice story about the poutine and homemade Ginger Ale Canadian lady in Brazil.

Wow. A double PhD. Congrats. Hopefully, you also treated yourself to some lovely Montreal SP's. Like you, I believe most of the Hobbyists and SP's are super intelligent, which fact the Nay-Sayers cannot and will not accept or acknowledge. And we appreciate a wonderful meal as much as the company of a lovely lady.

 

[ShyMan]

Amazing to heard about Jalimon’s cooking skills, maybe we should organize a French cuisine competition during a merb get together!

That would be awesome. Rent a huge house on Airbnb and have a cook out inside the house and BBQ in the backyard.

It would be very, very nice to have the ladies there too, and what happens behind closed doors in the bedrooms is no one's business because what consenting adults do in private is their own business.

This would certainly require exceptional planning. I am very poor at planning.

 

[chowzilla]

I agree with jalimon

Lemeac

dat canard confit... so guuuud

 

[ShyMan]

Lemeac

Thanks for the recommendation, gents. I shall make it my next culinary mission.

 

[ShyMan]

Lemeac lived up to my expectations.

I arrived early, before the dinner crowd. The staff is nice, professional and efficient. It was too hot outside so I asked to be seated by the window so I can do some people watching as they walk about outside.

I got down to business and skipped the soup, salad and appetizer. I ordered two main entrees: (a) duck leg confit, and (b) braised beef short rib. My waiter said he's never seen anyone order two entrees.

As Chowzilla said, the duck confit is guuuud -- as he was spot on. The skin was crispy and it was so good that I ate the skin and fat too (I would never do that back in the States -- watching my girly figure). The duck was simply divine.

I took bites between the duck and the beef short rib -- the meat simply fell off the bone and it was delicious.

I used the table bread to wipe off the remaining sources on the place and ate it all.

I was too full for dessert. LOL. I'll try the parfait next time, chow

Jalimon -- you are right, sir. There are so many great micro-brewed pubs in this area.

Next time, instead of walking all the way from the Orange Metro station, I will take the green line to Place des Arts and take Bus 80 -- which runs along Parc Avenue. (I've taken Uber there one time -- it cost nearly C$65 from downtown.)

 

[Antonio Scarpacci]

Just out of curiosity, what can you have that is French and not Quebecois or American/Canadian?

 

[ShyMan]

L'Express

Ironically, I've walked by this restaurant during day time so often that I didn't realize what this unassuming establishment is.

L'Express' interior is modern as is the bar. The foie gras de canard is divine -- I'm not a big fan but when in Rome. . . . The canard confite is the best I've had in North America. It was so good, I had two :lol: The staff tries to turn over the tables quickly but when they realized that I was there to feast, they became more attentive.

 

[jalimon]

Just out of curiosity, what can you have that is French and not Quebecois or American/Canadian?

Check the restaurant suggestion here. Those places are 80% French cuisine I would say. Not Quebecois or Canadian. Toqué would be a nice Quebecois/Canadian cuisine (even if still guided by french cuisine).

Cheers,

p.s. shyman we says The canard confit and not The canard confite. Mascunality wins in french writing

 

[ShyMan]

shyman Mascunality wins in french writing

Thanks I keep asking the SP's to teach me French but . . . .

 

[Obvio-0bvio]

Foiegwa is an up and coming dining establishment that specializes in the indulgent French cuisine of the region and offers a mouth-watering brunch experience.
Foiegwa offers an array of mouth-watering meat options that are hard to resist, such as their boeuf bourguignon, poached black cod, and locally-sourced organic fried chicken. Foiegwa offers high-quality dining without the arrogance. I must say, the most delightful pasta dish that has ever crossed my palate is the homemade spaghetti adorned with rich black truffle butter, a 64° egg yolk, and a generous serving of Parmigiano Reggiano.

 

[Obvio-0bvio]

I went soon after they opened. I was terribly dissapointed in the food. Felt they were trying way too hard to the point that everything just tasted the same. Perhaps another try is in order.

When did you go?

 

[Lexus3]

I agree with those who have recommended L'Express on 3927 St. Denis St. It is more authentically and typically French than any other French restaurant in Montreal and it is more typically French than many French restaurants in France.

The food and the service are excellent, the atmosphere is like a typical, busy bistro in Paris, the prices are fair and the wine list is extensive. It provides continuous service from 11:30 AM until past midnight (Mon.-Sat.). It is best to make a reservation because it is almost always busy, but you can sometimes find seats at the nice long bar if you don't have a reservation. Since it is open continuously, you have a better chance of finding a table without a reservation if you drop by in midafternoon.

L'Express for sure

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

L'Express seems to be a concensus, with a reason. Genuine Paris bistro food and ambiance.. without the parisian attitude. Staff is very friendly and welcoming, they will gladly give the right wine recommandation for the perfect experience.

I've been going there for more than 25 years, my favorite place to catch a late night dinner after stretching a happy hour in my hood.

 

[Lexus3]

Toque is one of the best and also Boullion bilk

In that category, probably also Maison Boulud, Club Chasse et Pêche and Europea.

 

[gaby]

Dans le Vieux-Montréal.....le BONAPARTE...en agréable compagnie/atmospère romantique.....menu varié/présentations délicieuses....quiet place.....à essayer au moins une fois......et on va s'en rappeler toute sa vie...lol.