Blackstrap BBQ

I used to live in Verdun; right in front of Gaumond le Restaurant, which used to be Patisserie Chez Gaumond. As a child, my mom would bring me to Chez Gaumond to pick out their mini cakes and pastries. They were delicious! Unfortunately, they've closed down, and I'm not even sure if it's a restaurant or grocery store that's replaced it.

There are lots of new restaurants opening up in Verdun, specifically Wellington street. It's always been such a great area filled with different ethnic backgrounds. Living in Verdun provides you with such convenience, especially since metros are literally a 5-10 minute walk from wherever you are in Verdun. When I used to live there, Wellington street looked pretty rundown, but recently it's looking better...at least in my opinion!

So, last Tuesday, W and I decided to try out a new restaurant that opened up called Blackstrap BBQ. It's not something I would expect on Wellington street. It's pretty hipster-y and feels like it should belong on Boulevard St. Laurent or St. Denis, but it was refreshing to have something quite modern serving humble food in a not so popular neighbourhood.

Here's how it works, you walk in the restaurant and you order your food and pay first. You then take a seat anywhere you like and wait till they call your name. It's a really casual place filled with the smell of smoked meat. It is just a lovely smell especially on a cold February in Montreal!

W ordered a pork plate that comes with coleslaw, and a bread bun. You also have the choice of a side. W ordered macaroni and cheese fritters as her side. The pork was smoky and salty heaven! I did think it was a little dry though...nothing a little BBQ sauce can't fix! I forgot to mention that each table/counter has a bottle of housemade BBQ and a spicy sauce. The spicy sauce wasn't spicy at all in our opinion; it was more vinergary than spicy. The BBQ sauce had a hint of plum which was nice.

The macaroni and cheese fritters were sinful! SOOOO GOOOD!!! I would go back to Blackstrap BBQ for just that!

On to my plate! I ordered brisket, which again came with coleslaw and a bread bun. I decided to order a side of braised greens. I loved the brisket! Very smoky, oh so tender, and moist! The greens were slightly vinegary and went really well paired with the brisket.

We decided to make a mini slider with the bun and meat. I have to say, the bun is just so fluffy and light! A little bit sweet if I remember correctly. Just delicious!

We were pleasantly surprised with Blackstrap BBQ. I honestly didn't think there would ever be a BBQ smokehouse type of place in Verdun. The price is great, as you can tell from the photo of the menu I posted above. The food is delicious and simple. At some point, I felt like I wasn't in Montreal; as if I were somehow eating in one of the Southern states of U.S.

I highly recommend Blackstrap BBQ. If you're ever around the Verdun area with an empty stomach, try it out!

There are so many little restaurants on Wellington street and they're all so different from one another. All you need is a bit of time to explore. I'm hoping to try out other restaurants in my old neighbourhood.

Au Pied de Cochon

For D's birthday, I decided to make a reservation at Au Pied de Cochon. Mind you, his birthday is long gone (I never had time to update this blog. I'm sorry!) I thought Pied de Cochon would be a nice birthday dinner.

Living in Montreal for most of my life, I never had the chance to try this apparently world renowned restaurant. I have seen Chef Martin Picard on The Food Network many times, and loved his show The Wild Chef. Once I saw Anthony Bourdain feature an episode of Montreal and Martin Picard's foie gras poutine, I knew I had to go! I've been wanting to go to Au Pied de Cochon for years now...I know, crazy right?

Well, on November 16th 2012, I got the chance!

Our reservation was at 5:30 (the only spot they had left). We showed up a bit early, so we walked along Ave. Duluth for a bit. There are lot's of interesting little stores, and right next door to PDC is a lovely chocolate shop!

We waited for a bit outside of PDC, and I got a glimpse of Chef Martin Picard and I was starstruck! Near the entrance, there is a large tank full of swimming eel and a giganctic pumpkin! Without notice, the host took our names and seated us near the window. The moment we sat down, people immediately started piling in! It was crazy! People were so desperate to get in and get a taste of the food.

I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. It was warm and reminded me of a cabin with all the wooden tables, chairs, and paneling. Perfect for cold autumn nights! I didn't feel any snootiness from the waiters or customers. Our waitress was really lovely and took her time to explain what specials they had for the day and any questions we had on their menu. That night, they offered sea urchin, which was quite tempting, but I just wanted to try things from their menu. Overall, it was a very nice and comfortable ambiance.

A word of caution: portions are huge. Don't eat too much before going to PDC. Don't be afraid to ask them to pack left overs.

We started off with some sourdough bread and the most amazing butter I've ever had. There's something different about that butter at PDC...I'm tellin' ya!

I had seen so many food bloggers order the foie gras cromesquis, that I just had to order a plate. We were told that we should wait about 30 seconds to pop them in our mouths. The little deep fried molten cubes of foie gras literally melted the moment it was placed in our mouths. It wasn't as good as I had expected, but wasn't terrible either.

D ordered a delicious bowl of French onion soup. It was fucking amazing (excuse the profanity)! Really though! Best French onion soup I've ever had. Very cheesy, piping hot, and even had chunks of pork in it, which is different from other French onion soups. The broth was just..fantastic.

They also offered a pea soup with foie gras that night. We didn't try it, but the couple next to us ordered it, and it looked very very yummy!

I ordered a foie gras tart, and let's just say it was ORGASMIC. No words, just orgasmic. This was a flaky buttery tart served with some sort of cheesy sauce, a bit of mashed potatoes, lobes of cured foie gras, and balsamic reduction.

For the mains, D ordered a special of the day which was a variation of the Happy Pork Chop, but bigger. A lot bigger! The pork chop was a a little too tough in some parts and perhaps too big. It wasn't as good as we'd expected. BUT, I emphasize the "but" because D let me take it home, and this pork chop tasted really good the next day. Like, really good!

I ordered the PDC melting pot. It consists of their cheesy mashed potatoes, topped with pork belly, boudin (blood sausage), pork sausage, and onions. It was oh so lovely! The mashed potatoes are to die for. I had never tried blood sausage and thought I wouldn't like it, but it was my favourite out of everything from the PDC melting pot. It was fluffly, creamy, and filled with wonderful herbs and spices. I highly recommend this dish, especially for cold nights!

We could barely finish our mains, but I really wanted to have dessert. After so much heavy food, we decided to share a poached pear with vanilla ice cream. It wasn't mind blowing, but it was a nice way to clean our palates. I liked the vanilla ice cream more than the pear haha.

Overall, it was the appetizers and the PDC melting pot that stole our...stomachs. I will definatley go back to try other things on their menu, like their foie gras poutine. I went home with a very big doggy bag and thoroughly enjoyed the left overs next morning hehe.

What I love about this restaurant is that they use whatever is in season and constantly change their specials. Like I mentioned earlier, they offered sea urchin that night. They also offered squash soup and other lovely and delicous things!

I highly recommend this restaurant. If you're a Montrealer like me or just here for a visit, make sure to get a reservation at Au Pied de Cochon. Please make a reservation, because people line up for this place! You probably won't get a seat if you decide to walk in without a reservation.

At the end of our meal, D and I waddled our way back to the car. It was definately a happy birthday.