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I was intrigued when I heard that Au Pied de Cochon was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorite restaurants. Given that the restaurant’s name means “At the Pig’s Foot”, I’m not surprised as Mr. Bourdain is known for his infatuation of all things pork. However, the restaurant is about more than pork; it’s about indulging in all things rich and comforting. The main menu is filled with a meaty assortment of pork, beef, and duck dishes (vegetarians need not enter). Foie gras even has its own section as a “meat” with over 10 menu items…a foie gras lover’s dream! 
The restaurant has a lively yet laid-back feel. It is non-descript (no sign outside) but full of warmth as sunlight from the large windows and skylights cast a glow on the honey-colored wood throughout the dining room. The staff also provided excellent service in an easygoing manner. It was good to be in such a comfortable environment as I let go and ate myself senseless…
Foie Gras Poutine – poutine is to Canada as what chili-cheese fries are to the South. Up here, the Canadians top french fries with gravy and cheese curds...and Chef Picard then takes it one step further by adding a velvety slab of foie gras on top of it all. The gravy on this poutine was ABSOLUTELY MINDBLOWING! I don’t know if I can adequately describe it…imagine a gravy that’s thick, buttery, warm, creamy, and oh-so-savory, then multiply that goodness by 1,000. I cant' get over how good it was! Needless to say, I did not leave a single drop of gravy on the plate. 
Plogue à Champlain – deliciously addictive! This dish consisted of a buckwheat pancake topped with cheese, potatoes, thick-cut bacon, and foie gras. And on top of that was Quebec maple syrup, chopped apples, and parsley. The contrasting sweet and savory flavors were in perfect harmony. It was like having dinner and dessert wrapped up in an exceptionally decadent bite! [Not surprisingly, I'm salivating as I write about this!] 
Seafood Platter – the restaurant had a huge display of fresh/live seafood, so I thought it’d be a good idea to "balance" our heavy courses with a seafood platter...little did I know it'd be a gigantic mound of seafood! It was a heaping assortment of stuffed mussels, conch, razor clams, calamari, cherrystone clams, oysters, and even bowl of periwinkles sauteed in black bean sauce. Prepared with a number of different sauces and marinades, this was much more elaborate than the typical raw seafood platter. It’s now clear why this dish wasn’t served first. I did find all this seafood to be overwhelming though, and would have rather had the option to choose a few seafood items from the menu instead. 
Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème – Luckily, I always have an extra stomach for dessert so I didn’t miss out on this luscious chocolatey goodness. It was so scrumptious with the graham cracker crumbles. 
The restaurant also served this terrific spearmint green tea by Kusmi. I liked it so much that I found it online and ordered some afterwards. Too bad I can’t have that orgasmic poutine and plogue shipped to me as well. For now, I guess I’ll have to longingly count the days until my next visit to Au Pied de Cochon.
BITE METER: Au Pied de Cochon – 4.4 bites (out of 5)
After arriving in Montreal, B and I quickly got dressed for dinner at Toqué. This was my first time to Montreal, so it was a treat to dine at one of the city’s top restaurants as an introduction to its food scene.
For some reason, I had pictured a formal and reserved French restaurant, but Toqué was quite the opposite. The décor was contemporary and had an open feel with high ceilings and lots of light filling the dining room. The staff was youthful and friendly. The restaurant’s vibe was one of relaxed elegance. And the same can be said about the food. It was sophisticated and modern French cuisine, but with more restraint and a lighter touch.
Amuse Bouche – chilled tomato soup with herb foam
Princess Scallops marinated with rhubarb water, radish, strawberries, wasabi mousse – colorful presentation. The rhubarb water enhanced the sweetness of scallops while also making it refreshing. However, if eaten with more than one piece of strawberry, the taste of the scallop was lost. 
Steamed Razor Clam, coriander, escarole, ginger, spicy soy vinaigrette – the clam was steamed to perfection and had the most amazing texture – soft and chewy without being rubbery. The clam’s delicate sweetness was balanced perfectly by the restrained use of spicy and savory Asian flavors. 
Foie Gras, green apple essence, potato confit, asparagus, peas, turnips – WOW, I never knew foie gras could taste like spring! The foie was amazingly light and elegant with just a hint of sweetness (as opposed to the usual additions of strong sweet or salty ingredients with foie gras). I was told that Chef Laprise doesn’t season the foie with anything to keep it super plump and luscious. Beautiful dish! 
Ribeye Carpaccio, white asparagus, popcorn powder, shitake mushrooms, miso, wasabi infused oil - the BEST CARPACCIO to have ever graced my lips! I don’t even know where to start – there was so much complexity and layers of flavor in this carpaccio. I especially loved the earthy richness of shitake mushrooms with the beef and that hit of flavor from the miso. I also appreciated the cleansing bites of herb provided by the chopped scallions. The portion size was perfect for this robust dish. 
Squab, turnips, heirloom carrot, pearl onion - it was bold move to include the squab’s clawed foot in the dish and definitely made for a striking presentation. The leg was awesome with that lovely rich taste of dark meat, while the other parts of the squab were super moist and tender from being sous vide. 
Hercules Cheese, mushrooms, asparagus, fried shallots, wildflower honey – much more fun than your ordinary cheese plate. I was impressed by the paper thin slice of cheese given how large the cheese wedge was. Lovely combination of flavors and textures – velvety cheese, juicy mushrooms, sweet honey, salty and crunchy fried shallots. 
Rhubarb Sorbet, Meringue on Strawberry & Maple Foam – the meringue was light and sweet, but the rhubarb sorbet was too tart for my taste. 
Overall, I was impressed by my dinner at Toqué. It was evident how much care and technique went into each course, and I could taste the freshness of the seasonal ingredients. The food was relatively light yet had so complexity. Each bite brought in different elements of the dish, continually building on the sophisticated flavors…and kept my taste buds intrigued. The ~$100/person price for the meticulously prepared 7 course Chef’s Tasting Menu also kept my wallet happy. I have yet to find this caliber of food for that price in the U.S.
BITE METER: Toqué! – 4.2 bites (out of 5)
The Foie Gras dog was my favorite by far. It was rich, juicy and deliciously sinful with the creamy foie gras mousse. The Lamb & Pork sausage was quite good – great meaty flavor, and I especially liked the cool contrast of the yogurt from the spinach raita topping. The only dog I didn’t particularly care for was the Saucisson Alsacienne – it was too dry and salty.
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