Let’s start my reviews with a bang.
For the event of my convocation last month, I was provided with the choice of any restaurant in Montreal to celebrate. I didn’t need to give it much thought – Joe Beef was the only choice for me.
For the uninitiated, Joe Beef is currently considered probably the center of the Montreal food scene and has been receiving universal praise from many famous chefs worldwide. The geniuses behind this restaurant are Frederic Morin and David McMillan – two well known chefs here in the city. They opened this gem in the Little Burgundy neighborhood of the city which is now an up and coming area but wasn’t at the time they first opened up. The restaurant has an amazingly cool but unpretentious vibe. We got lucky and had a reservation in the backyard surrounded by the garden where they grow their own vegetables and herbs. Nothing quite like seeing the cooks come pick items fresh to use in their dishes.
Now for the meal… Decadent doesn’t begin to describe it. Do not come here except a light meal. Everything is big, rich and meaty. The entree course provided us with fresh oysters from New Brunswick which were to die for. Nothing fancy but just perfect.
The other element of the entree course was truly the star of the show. KFC has the double down sandwich so Joe Beef decided to crank it up a couple of notches and provides us with the Foie Gras Double Down. It is exactly what it sounds like and simply the greatest thing I have never eaten… 2 pieces of fried Foie Gras with house smoked bacon and aged cheddar in between. I cannot possibly convey the experience other than to say you MUST try this.. Just don’t tell your doctor afterwards.
The next course brought me Lobster sausage in a clam bake. Very good but after the previous course, it just didn’t wow as much as I had hoped. Then again, I’m not sure how anything could really followed that double down. The one thing I forget to photograph was the side that came with this course – house fries tossed in garlic butter and Parmesan. That’s right…. Garlic butter. They were as amazing as you think they would be.
The dessert course was their version of a baked potato – made of chocolate covered hard meringue, ice cream, mint and candied fruits. Very creative and quite good as well.
All in all, this was an amazing culinary experience that I will never forget. It is a pricy meal but worth every penny. If anyone asks me what is THE experience to try when in Montreal, Joe Beef is it.
Cheers!
Joe Beef
2491 Notre Dame West
514 935 6504
Ramblings from the Complex Mind of a 30 Something 