CHEZ MA GROSSE TRUIE CHERIE (RESTAURANT, MONTREAL, CANADA), by TICKLEBEAR

in my many wanderings around the city,

i had noticed this new place last summer,

and after looking at THEIR WEBSITE,

i did promise myself

my friends and i would soon visit this restaurant.

HOW COULD YOU NOT?!?

:D~

"CHEZ MA GROSSE TRUIE CHERIE"

is pretty hard to miss,

sitting at the corner of PAPINEAU and ONTARIO streets.

:)~

PIERRE was our waiter for the night,

as we celebrated LINOUE's birthday.

i'll say that the service is attentive.

VERY ATTENTIVE!!

to the point where i was a bit annoyed

as it often interrupted our conversation,

and commanded everyone's attention.

our fault perhaps

as we did mentioned it was our first time at the restaurant.

nonetheless,

his interventions were most informative,

about the restaurant and the food itself.

the chef prides himself

in promoting local products and fine cuisine,

and for good reasons,

as i believe we perhaps have the best table in the whole world,

and the chef makes proof of that,

testing our palates with some fine culinary experiences.

in the foreground,

a cod dish that left my buddy most impressed with...

the centerpiece...

underneath a floating candle.

:)~

between the terrine of piglet and nuts,

and the duck with fig chutney,

which was beyond delicious,

i could have done with a bit more bread here.

i guess i didn't lay it thick enough on each piece...

but it was well worth it though!!

you'll notice that the table top underneath

is a recycled bowling alley.

part of the charm of the place

as the overall effect is unique.

:)~

while the girls feasted on a piece of piglet from the rump,

which i tasted and found most tender...

... the ribs in my plate,

maple smoked flavored and cooked to perfection,

fell off the bones just from looking at them,

and filled my mouth with a most delicate and dreamy flavor,

while filling up my belly to my hearth's content.

too much perhaps!!

i must say the portions are a bit hefty from what we usually see

in fine cuisine restaurants.

but you won't hear me complaining!!

:)~

the parmesan fries were equally delicious

and a nice complement to the ribs.

the salad though wasn't too impressive,

but i was never a big fan of coleslaw and such...

too vinegary to my taste

and a stark contrast with the rest of the plate...

the dessert though was a welcomed relief for its lightness:

a mousse brule over a pear tatin

was most delectable!!

the crust offering a slight crispness over an orgy of cream,

and those delicious pears at the bottom brought a smile to my face.

:)~

my friends opted to share dessert.

i didn't inquire if these were sherbets or ice creams,

but judging from their reactions,

i expect everything was delicious

as they discovered many flavors.

looking at this,

who wouldn't be tempted?!?

:D~

i would say

this is a most satisfied customer here...

SAVOR THE MOMENT!!

:)~

over all,

the ambiance is intriguing and convivial,

if a bit noisy...

the service is ever present...

but who could fault them for that?

and the food is a revelation,

as quebecois cuisine remains one of the best you can ever have,

and the chef makes quite an homage to such fine cuisine.

i would highly recommend this restaurant.

the mark-up on the wine list is a bit steep in my opinion,

there is too much grenache on their wine list...

i LOATHE  grenache,

but that is MY problem,

isn't it?!?

:D~

but when i saw the bill,

all things considered,

i figure this was still most affordable

for such a degree of fine cuisine,

meaning,

less than $100 per person,

including wine, taxes and service.

me and my friends were most delighted 

with our first experience at

CHEZ MA GROSSE TRUIE CHERIE.

come on,

R.S.V.P. 

to a great experience.

you won't regret it!!

YOUR MOTHER NEVER COOKED SOMETHING SO GREAT!!

:)~

HUGZ