On Montreal Restaurant Garde Manger Chef Deck says,

Ego overcame Chef Deck for his number one review (restaurant Garde Manger) was written by Dubbers (I love you but I Chef Deck am both fat in body and in head). So here we go….Garde and I have a long history. It started when they first opened and I would go every Thursday for dinner and debauchery. Chef Chuck Hughes had created a gem (see Hughes on his new show “Chucks Day Off”) and the Canadian actor/teen girl stocky Tim Rozon (co-owner) brought the draw. The prices were dirt cheap, the food was phenomenal, and the times were out of Hot Dog The Movie. It then in my opinion got over priced, over crowded, underage, and a little to cool for school. The other night I went back to Old Montreal to visit Garde Manger and was pleasantly surprised. The food was just amazing and the prices are back down (slightly). We started with a personal favorite of blood sausage with a soft boiled egg, unbelievable jerk snow crab (spicy like crazy), a so so tomato buffalo mozzarella salad, and succulent seared scallops with pancetta. For the mains I was blown away by the lobster risotto, and melt in your mouth short ribs on a bed of arugula. I’m so happy to tell the world that restaurant Garde Manger is back in Arnold Schwarzenegger Commando shape, and I Chef Deck be back in love!

Tastiness: 9.1223152361 / 10
Rekindled appreciation: about the same as the 30 year old woman who stopped eating red meat when she was 16 because it “didn’t agree with her stomach” tasting a piece of rib steak / 10
Price: apps $10-$20 mains $25-$35- $$$$ seafood troff / 10

Chef Deck signing out!

Garde-Manger Montreal Information

408 St-François-Xavier, Old Montreal
Phone: 514-678-5044
Hours: Tue – Sun 6 pm – 3 am
Payment: Cash, Credit Cards
Cuisine: Seafood, Mediterranean

Chef Deck is the founder and head reviewer of Eat Well Montreal

*UPDATE: See our coverage of the one year anniversay of restaurant L’Orignal

Monika Terlecki and Travis Champion two of the people behind Old-Montreal hot spot Garde-Manger, have opened a new restaurant, L’Orignal right around the corner. They have already created a buzz, hosting a party before the official opening for media, and friends, with champagne, oysters, apps, and fun. L’Orignal’s menu will feature traditional Quebecoise cuisine (fish, game meats and top local products) with a modern twist. The decor features features plenty of wood and original stone walls and is located in a heritage building. If you are looking for a new place to try in the increasingly popular western Old Montreal area check it out. Look for rue Saint-Alexis the small street (almost an alley) one block east of Saint-Pierre, L’Orignal restaurant is on the right with a little moose on the door.

click the read more link below for the full menu at restaurant L’Original.

479 Saint-Alexis, Old Montreal
Phone: 514 303 0479
Payment: Visa, American Express, Mastercard
Hours:
Mon – Tues: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Wed: 12:00 pm – 3:00 am
Thurs: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Fri: 12:00 pm - 3:00 am
Sat: 6:00 pm - 3:00 am
Sun: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Chef: Francis Cote
General Manager: Shannon McGarr

MENU

Entrées ~ Appetizers

Endive salad with red wine vinigrette and aged cheddar $7
Simple garden salad $6
Arugula salad with sesame dressing $7
Salmon gravlax with maple syrup and trio of salt $11
Marinated mackerel filet $10
Scallop ceviche with gingerale and orange water $15
Lamb mini burgers with Migneron cheese $9
French onion soup $6

Tartares
Concombre ~ Cucumber 7$
Thon épicé ~ Spicy tuna 16$
Saumon ~ Salmon 13$
Canard et foie gras fondant 32$
Duck and foie gras
Bœuf ~ Beef 15$
Cerf ~ Venison 16$

Principaux ~ Mains

Filet Mignon with Foie Gras and Maple Whiskey $52
Filet Mignon in chanterelle sauce $35
Ribeye Steak with green peppercorns and fries $25
Braised lamb shank $21
Seared duck breast in coca-cola and cinnamon $26
Surf’n turf 35$
Absinthe sauteed scallops $28
Chai poached salmon $20
Seared tuna steak with white truffle oil
cornflake cod fish and chips $18
Sauteed shrimp in cream back bacon and lime leaves 24$
Duck leg confit served on salad greens $18
Mushroom risotto $19

Desserts

Trio of sorbet $6
Chocolate lava cake with lavender cream $7
Fromage Quebecois 2 pour 10$ 5 pour 22$

Garde-Manger Montreal Review by Guest Reviewer Dubers

UPDATE: Read Chef Deck’s review of Restaurant Garde Manger (May 2009)

Garde-Manger….so many evenings, so many blurry memories. Whenever someone asks me for the hippest restaurant in Montreal, my answer is always inevitably Garde-Manger. Originally opened as an “anti-scene” joint in Old Montreal, this small resto / lounge has now been adopted by the Montreal foodies, bar flies and hipsters alike. No other place can you enjoy fine dining, a well selected wine list, beautiful cocktails and the opportunity to get naked.

If you are looking for runway waitresses that don’t know how to do wine service, overpriced martinis, Eurotrash and food that sucks, then St-Laurent Blvd. is slightly north/west. Garde-Manger boasts some beautiful staff but all are knowledgeable, quick and friendly (Julie and Jessica, you rock). Owner/Partner Kyle is always around either pouring libations or mixing the tunes, never missing an opportunity to mingle with his loyal clientèle.

With a menu that changes daily on the chalk board, past favorites and must haves are:

Large Seafood platter: Also lovingly referred to as the trough, this is SICK ACTION!!! This baby takes up your whole table and then some. For $125 bones, it’s the biggest and baddest in Montreal. A must for 4-6 people.

BBQ baby back ribs (I love you with your side of succulent potato salad) Is it wrong to suck on your neighbors saucy fingers?

Their fish and seafood is always fresh. Nothing like getting a “Loup de Mer” served on your plate while it’s still starring right at you. Delicious but creepy.

Atmosphere is very loud and not for the faint of heart. If you are looking for a quiet, uneventful evening, try Holder restaurant. It’s real tough to get a table at restaurant Garde-Manger and reservations are a must. Call in advance but drop in anytime for a martini.

Wearing the Troff’s decorative seaweed on your head to look like a Rastafarian 10/10

Tastiness: 9.99999999/10 (Deduction for that imperfect oval-shape olive in my martini, OK…10/10)

Getting a table on a Thursday night unless you call 16 weeks in advance/10

Garde-Manger Restaurant Information

408 St-François-Xavier, Old Montreal
Phone: 514-678-5044
Hours: Tue–Sun 6 pm – 3 am
Payment: Cash, Credit Cards

RELATED POSTS:

Joe Beef Montreal Review

Au Pied de Cochon Restaurant Review