For the Canada's Day long weekend, my friends and I went to Montreal, QC, to hang out.
On our last night there, we split into three different groups for dinner (the other two groups went for Greek and Sushi respectively), and six of us went to Au Pied de Cochon.
On our last night there, we split into three different groups for dinner (the other two groups went for Greek and Sushi respectively), and six of us went to Au Pied de Cochon.
Au Pied de Cochon is a popular culinary establishment in Montreal. It has been a few years since I last dined at Au Pied de Cochon (the last time was with my family), so I was elated when my friend, Tim, made the reservation for 6 people. The six of us arrived for our 9:30 pm reservation on the Saturday night and the place was still booming with diners. The restaurant interior was narrow and long, and its decor had a rustic wooden feel to it. The overall atmosphere was quite lively and loud.
One of the great appeals of the restaurant is their extensive menu. The menu at Au Pied de Cochon offers concoction of dishes that entails the uses of animal parts that are not always found in other restaurants.
We were seated in the back and after a few minutes, our server arrived to take our orders. He went over the menu and told us about the restaurant's specials. We were given home-made bread and butter to snack on as we wait for our dinner. The bread was warm and very soft on the inside. I also enjoyed the creamy texture of the butter, which tasted great with the bread.
For a starter, I chose the Foie Gras Cromesquis ($3.50). The dish arrived with two deep-fried cubes containing foie gras. As soon as you take a bite, the warm foie gras (fat liver) explodes with a burst of flavor in your mouth, resembling a rather cheesy flavor.
Brittany chose the Tomato Tartlet ($6.50) as an appetizer. This dish was basically sweet tomatoes and melted cheese on top of a pastry crust. For those who are health enthusiasts, many of the items on the menu are very fatty so you won't be able to find anything healthy. However, I believe that this dish was probably the healthiest out of the bunch even if it's slightly rich.
Angelina chose the Duck Carpaccio ($13.00) as an appetizer.
Ray went for the Tarragon Bison Tongue ($7.50) as an appetizer.
Both Raymond and Brittany ordered the Duck in a Can ($43.00). Pictured above is the unopened can that contains the "cooked duck".
Both of them were given a plate decorated with celeriac puree on top of a piece of bread; the duck in a can would then be poured on top of it.
The novelty of the dish is that the server would open the can containing
the cooked duck, and then poured it right onto the plate leaving a neatly
presented dish (which is pictured above). Be forewarned though, if you have a small appetite then this dish is probably not for you, as it is both fattening and filling. Both of my friends' plates contained heavy chunks of duck and foie gras swimming in a pool of rich oil.
I opted for the Bison Ribs ($28.00) as I have tried their foie gras before on my previous visit a few years back. The portion was extremely large, and I could only finish 3/4 of it before getting full. The bison meat was flavorful, meaty and slightly tender.
The fries (in duck fat) ($4.75) was pretty good as it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Angelina ordered the Cured Foie Gras & Boudin Tart ($28.00) as the main course.
Tim ordered the Stuffed Pied de Cochon with Foie Gras ($45.00) as the main course. You can probably tell from the picture alone but the portion was huge.
Tim's friend ordered the special of the week which was a 1.5 lbs lobster roll toped with fois gras ($48.00).
Brittany and Ray ordered the Lemon Meringue Pie ($5.75).
Even though, I was very full from my meal, I could not resist getting dessert. Especially when I saw that they had Crème Brûlée ($7.00) on the menu. I wished that I didn't order it as it was a very
underwhelming dessert. The reason being was that my caramelized top was 75% burnt, and the taste of it seeped through into the custard. Therefore, I was left with a strong burnt after-taste and smell. The dessert was disappointing but everything else was good.
underwhelming dessert. The reason being was that my caramelized top was 75% burnt, and the taste of it seeped through into the custard. Therefore, I was left with a strong burnt after-taste and smell. The dessert was disappointing but everything else was good.
RATINGS:
Quality of Food: 3.9/5
Service: 4/5
Overall Dining Experience: 4/5
Price: $$$$ || Online Menu
Address: 536 Avenue Duluth Est, Montreal, QC H2L 1A9
