Slapshot
Maeve Haldane
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Brasserie Brunoise: Mid-range in price only
photo: Joseph Yarmush
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Right next to the Bell Centre, Brasserie Brunoise gets goal every time
A recent Friday night, restless and indecisive, my perpetual date and I weren't sure where to go. We wanted reliably good food in an informal spot. A stumper, eh? I know my dives, I know my hautes, but those solid, comfy mid-end restaurants are toughies. Particularly one big enough that there was a chance of getting a table. Then I remembered Brasserie Brunoise, the easy-going sibling to the Plateau's Brunoise. Skilled hosts Zach Suhl and Michel Ross teamed up with William Zorko and brought in kitchen veteran Marc-André Royal for their new venture near the Bell Centre (amusing side note: Zach's a Bruins fan in a Habs world).
I'd popped by for lunch before, enjoyed my meal and liked the airy interior. Though it seats over 100, the huge tilted-in wall mirrors and generous wood trim warm up the space so the hubbub feels cozy. As long as you reserve on event nights, you should get a table. A quick call ahead and we were in, sitting by the large windows.
Though I'd liked my über-comfy mac and cheese with ham on a previous lunchtime visit, I craved something more varied within. That day's special of Moroccan spiced lamb shank was an easy winner, its tender braised meat set off by a few firm chickpeas, with spinach. Though the sun-dried tomatoes had that oh-so-faint regrettable sulphite linger, I loved the slices of lemon confit. My man's own main of braised beef with lentils also hit the meat spot. A side of spinach was surprisingly good, with marinated garlic, topped with bits of tomato.
I finished with the house beignets, six plain fried-dough patties with warm chocolate-orange sauce inside (watch out, these beggars can squirt!). Even better, they come with a caramel sauce for gooey dipping pleasure.
My steadfast and true had the panna cotta, a firm, creamy vanilla custard topped with basil syrup and crunchy spermatozoid-like passion fruit seeds. He's been ordering the same dessert for years at Brunoise, and I'm rarely fast enough to get a bite before he slips it down.
A few weeks later, the brasserie also seemed just right for a night out with a friend. She dithered over the menu, pumping the obliging waitress with questions. "Am I too fussy?" she whispered to me. Seeing as I often stare at menus like a deer caught in headlights, I couldn't fault her. But I do know she's an exacting diner. How would BB fare in her eyes?
I started with a satisfying and substantial spinach, beet and pine nut salad; she with marinated salmon she described as "perfect," which was accompanied by a small mound of beautifully balanced salmon-mayo-lemon salad.
Her main of liver was a titanic-tall piece atop spinach and fried onions. A shade cooked above the hoped-for rosé, unfortunately, but still enjoyable. My own salmon was lovely, with fat asparagus spears and a miasma of hollandaise. We splurged for some addictive crispy thin fries alongside.
She was too riched-out for doughnuts, so I convinced her to share the panna cotta. Her face lit up like a hockey fan's at a winning goal. An instant convert. I bet she'll be back. Overall, with its great quality, handy locale and reasonable prices, Brasserie Brunoise is a hat trick.
Brasserie Brunoise
1012 De la Montagne; 514-933-3885
www.brunoise.ca
Dinner for two, before tax and tip: $40-$70
| Tasty Cusine but too Noisy |
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It was my first visit for lunch. I had the Braised Beef and my friend the Salmon. Both were excellent, not any more or less pricier, than any upscale establishment for lunch. I would recommend that the staff go to a refresher course on service....very friendly, but needs some polish. We sat close to the open front windows, where the fracas and fumes from the street traffic was very unpleasant. Obviously an issue during the summer months, subsiding when the weather will cool down. All in all, I will return to the Brasserie Brunoise.
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Rosemary Nanni
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| GREAT PLACE GOOD ATMOSHPERE |
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This is a great bar to go before the game and after the games or concert...ect.
Regarding the prices, I think it all depend who you are but we only live once and paying
a little more for good food in a great location wont bankrupt any body.
The staff is friendly and the food is good. I recommend the place for meeting friends
before a show or after.
The only problem, being around the Bell center it's quite hard to find parking space
and most time you will have to pay for your parking, this will obviously increase the amount
of money you willing to spend for the night.
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RONALD ALPHONSE
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{20 votes}
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I'm going to assume that you were either struck by a rogue puck or were really hungry if you thought that Brasserie Brunoise was worth the dent in your wallet because I ate there one with some friends we all thought it was overpriced given the quality of service we got there and the middling menu we beheld. Walk another 5 minutes in any direction and you'll find any number of watering holes and eateries that offer as much or more for less.
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Pedro Eggers
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{14 votes}
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Mme Haldane is right on the money when she says that the house beignets are supoib...they are a sinfully delicious treat. Just thinking about that warm chocolate sauce is enough to drive me wild. And that custard is the veritable icing on the cake. Wash it all down with some superb coffee and you have a tasty break from the work grind or as a simple indulgence that we all deserve. And thanks to the review I have a good reason to try out the panna cotta the next time!
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Reuven De Souza
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{10 votes}
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Judging by this week's glowing resto review, Maeve has a thing for Brasserie Brunoise. It's location should draw in huge crowds, especially Habs fans (sorry Zach...but there ain't too many Bruins fans in Habsville). By the physical description of the place, it seems to be warm and inviting without being pretentious. The desserts sound pretty good like the panna cotta (although I do take exception to any foodie being equated with sperm...'cause that's just gross!) and the house beignets (heck they don't even need the caramel sauce that come with it 'cause the filling alone should be sweet enough). However, the main courses mentioned don't seem to be "my cup of tea". One last note: since this resto is a brasserie how come there's no mention about the variety of lager they serve?0
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Basil James
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{13 votes}
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| Braserie Brunoise Sounds like a Winner |
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Anybody reading my past comments on restaurant critiques have heard me complain that there is no restaurant that caters to mid-level price range restaurant goers. It's either terrible quality cheap eats or ridiculously high-priced gastronomical fares that we can afford only once a year (especially for most Hour Readers).
Brasserie Brunoise seems to fit in the category of places that might just satisfy my need for a great place in the dreaded downotwn core. Imagine finding a place right next to the Bell Centre! I checked out the menu on their website and its sounds delightful: Shepherd's pie with pork confit, braised rabbit in Riesling, etc. It reminds me of Pied de Cochon's famed Poutine with Foie Gras... Maeve, you've outdone yourself yet again!
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Ronny Pangia
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{10 votes}
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When I first saw the location of this restaurant next to the Bell Center, I got excited. This would be the perfect place to dine before going to a hockey game or a show. But after reading the article, the disappointment set in. This restaurant is way too expensive to splurge on, especially after buying hockey tickets. I even find Baton Rouge, also in the same location to be pricey. I'll have to continue my search for a good "dive" in the area.
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Daryn Young
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{10 votes}
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I've said it before, but it bears repeating: contrary to the books, CDs and movies reviewed in these pages, the quality of restaurant fare can vary with each meal (especially if one doesn't always order the same thing). So it's nice to see that Maeve Haldane's comments are not based on a single visit, and that efforts are being made to check whether a given eatery is consistent from day to day. Kudos, accordingly, for not churning out each review after a single visit--I may not always agree with the author's disregard for healthy choices, but I do approve of the above-average thoroughness with which each place is evaluated.
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Charles Montpetit
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{6 votes}
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