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Le Club Chasse et Pêche Restaurant Bar Salon

Lesley C

By Lesley C
in Eastern Canada: Dining

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Culatello

Culatello

Posted
Posted

It's about friggin time

Your getting meTOO excited about this Club de Chasse et Peche .

I'm already a member of some Clubs de Chasse et Peche but I'm assuming that this is not a "Real Hunting & Fishing Club" It's just a name ,right .

And to top it off Claude Pelletier is one of my Favorite Chefs in this City Lot's Of respect for Claude Pelletier.

hope to hear some more news

Con il melone si mangia , beve e si lava la facia

My Nonno Vincenzo 1921-1994

I'm craving the perfct Gateau Foret Noire .

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moose1111

moose1111

Posted
Posted

Le Clube Chasse et Peche is located in the old Fadeau in the old port. The place from the outside looks more like a Bed & Breakfast, but as soon as you walk inside, you have the impression of walking into a small snazzy Jazz bar in New York City basement. The decor is very classic and cozy with one bar area and another restaurant area opposite.

The menu contains 5-6 appetizers and 5 -6 entrees; the menu does not offer enough description on each item and you definitly will need to ask your waiter for the details around each.

The menu is very similar to the Cube's minus the Tuna, plus some new red meat dishes. We were told to either order 3-4 appetizers or 1 appetizer and one entree each. We went with the former since there were many impressive items in the appetizer menu.

I had thus the opportunity to sample..

appetizer of the day.. Chaud et froid.. Beef tataki salad & ris de veau. I can't remember the salad since I was absorbed the ris de veau, which in true Pelletier style is the best in Montreal. The ris de veau was served on a puree that was incredibly tasty and of very thick consistance.. probably the best puree i have had.

beats and duck salad.. very simple.. some marinated beats with house smoked duck served on top.. even though the dish was delicious, i found the beats and the dressing over-powered the duck's aroma

fois gras poele.. my friend sampled and loved it; was served again on a bed of that delicious puree

scallops.. my friend ordered this dish.. I can't remember what type of sauce it was served with, but the scallops were perfectly cooked.. brown and crisp on the exterior and 'rare' and soft on the interior..

braised pork risotto with some foie gras 'melting on top'... this was delicious.. the rissotto was of a very nice creamy texture, that the melting foie gras supplemented with taste and with a bite.. a couple of braised porc pieces were mixed in the risotto and were very tender and were probably marinated in some herbs prior to cooking. This was so good, I ordered a second serving (after the dessert)..

All plates were served in typical Pelletier artistry: perfect choice of plates for each, with sauces and herbs turning each dish into a work of art... Other interesting items on the menu (that sounded delicious) were the mushroom tart, the chasse et peche (plate of lobster and entrecote), the seabass, his classic salmon dish (c.f. Cube). Each appetizer was priced in the 10-12$ range except the foie gras which was 22$. Each entree was for 19-24$ each.. so overall, very good value, considering the pricing in similar quality restaurants (typically 50-100% more).

For dessert, I got the Foret, which was magnificently presented green-tea-chocolate-mousse cake served with a little scoop of chocolate ice cream on top. My friend for a Montagne.. I can't remember what this was, but the plate looked incredible with a 'spaghetti-like' pastry sitting on top of some sort of cake (cant remember what type of cake this was).

The sommelier was very good at helping us choose a wine, especially considering my friend is a big-time wine-connaisseur. We choose a bottle of Sine Qua Non 2001, which was very tasty, but which was a bit 'closed' and to which a couple of extra years of aging will do a lot of good.

All and all, a great night... I will definitly repeat in the next couple of weeks before the word goes out, the place gets jammed pack and the prices go up.

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identifiler

identifiler

Posted
Posted (edited)

Don't trust Moose, this man will create mahem all over egullet. I warned everyone here. :laugh:

Thanks for the heads up Az, I'll have to check it out. I take it from your description that the report I was given at BU was a bit off, it's much more like Cube was/is ? What's the ambiance like ?

Edited by identifiler (log)
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moose1111

moose1111

Posted
Posted

Well... Decor/ambiance-wise, it's completely different from Cube.. a lot warmer and cozier (vs the minimal and uber-modern decor at Cube). Food-wise, there are many of the Cube's old classics, but it definitly is a bit more on the game-side of things that le Cube was.

I personnaly preferred the Bar atmosphere (more casual), but I heard that they have actually stopped serving full meals there and decided to only limit it to the appetizer dishes..

Regardless, this is a great place to check out!

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gruyere

gruyere

Posted
Posted (edited)

My wife and I and another couple ate there on Friday. This is a wonderful addition to the Montreal scene.

We had duck/beet salad, mushroom tarte, scallops, braised suckling pig risotto with foie gras and chasse et peche/surf and turf. There was not a weak dish amongst them IMHO. However the risotto was particularly outstanding and a rabbit and lobster duo was an interesting approach to the often boring and overworked ‘surf and turf’ alternative. The lobster was cooked (poached I believe) just to the delicate stage and not into the common range of firmness that accompanies overcooking.

Combine an interesting wine list, knowledgeable, efficient staff and extremely reasonable prices (how long will this last) and you have a worthy representative of what is great about the Montreal landscape at its best.

In addition they have given considerable attention to the comfort of the diner. When you are potentially spending 3+ hours in a chair it should be comfortable. Le Club’s leather armchairs fit the bill to a T.

One other observation: remember the street address (423 St-Claude). There is no sign. It’s kind of a ‘clubby’ thing; a play on the ‘if you’re a member you know the address’ routine. The old Fadeau sign still hangs but the former name has been removed. I was told by a member of the staff that they are considering placing a discrete brass name plate on or to the side of the door (again the clubby thing). This is an interesting, if novel, approach to a business where public awareness is important. However if it is as well thought out as the rest of the project they may be on to something special.

Edited by gruyere (log)
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winegeek

winegeek

Posted
Posted
A very special restaurant. I was there a week ago and had a great meal.

It's a completely different restaurant, and it was thrilling just to experience something so different. Very cool.

Different is what way?? Details please.

Derek

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moose1111

moose1111

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I was there again on Saturday.. and again the food was a marvelous delight..

Had the mushroom tart, which was ridiculously tasty and was a perfect match to the Haut-Brion that we were drinking.. Then, this was followed by red snapper cooked to perfection within its citrus-based marinade; Claude actually explained us the trick for this dish; I am definitly going to try it at home. Finally, I had the surf&turf (lobster and braised marbled porc), which was a nice match to our Harlan Estate.. The lobster was, as described above, cooked to perfection; and the porc was one of the best porc dishes I have ever had due to its marbled colour and perfectly soft and juicy texture. I also tried my friend's Kobe beef, which was very juicy and cooked to perfect tenderness.

Overall, another outstanding meal.. with great service as usual.. As others have said above, this is truly special.. The service, restaurant and atmosphere are so warm and friendly; the food is exquisite and well presented.

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ademello

ademello

Posted
Posted

I ate there twice this week, once for lunch, once for dinner. The food is fabulous, the wine list is probably the best 'concise' list in the city and easily the best value. Excellent selection of both new world and old world wines, many priced below $60 and a fine selection by the glass as well. Funny thing was that about 30% of the people I saw at lunch were the same people I saw at dinner later in the week, so the place already has its fans. I hope that this place not only survives but thrives... Was it reviewed in the Gazette this week?

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onionbreath

onionbreath

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Posted

Had very nice meal at le club chasse et peche, the appetizers ( risotto , scallops) were perfectly cooked as previously described above. The mains delicious, rich in flavor with buttery purees, porgy with truffle vinaigrette, surf and turf -sweet breads and scallop(no lobster this time). Some minor problems with the timing and service, our vegetable plate seemed to get lost in the kitchen but was a delight when it finally arrived ( baby green beans, mushrooms and creamy polenta , and i cant recall the rest..) The recommended wine was a real treat, La Richeaume 2001 syrah, which just got better and better throughout dinner. Our desserts were unique and not overly sweet , try "EARTH". The espresso had good flavor but on the thin side. There's something about the ambience, a blend of urban and bohemian with dark grey walls and comfy leather chairs that's cozy and inviting, not at all stiff nor serious. Looking forward to a return visit.

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winegeek

winegeek

Posted
Posted (edited)

Finally made it to le Club this past Saturday night. We had a bit of trouble actually getting there as our taxi drivier was not familiar with the restaurant OR the street name. Make sure you have the address when going; there are absolutely NO signs outside indicating what awaits you inside.

As my wife and I usually spend 3-4 hours dining, we arrived early (7pm) to an almost empty restaurant. Not too much atmosphere at that hour but that changed once the room began to fill. We were having a hard time wrapping ourselves around the decor of the room. Our first impression was that of a meeting place for some sort of "cult". I have to say that my first impressions were not great but I did warm up to the room once it filled. I do prefer the lighting to be a bit more subdued.

We began with a few cocktails and after noticing a bottle of Turley zinfandel on the wine list, immediately ordered a bottle of "Teffelinni vineyard Turley, 2001. Very nice bottle, much softer than previous Turley's I have tried in the past.

Our server came over and described the specials, none of which were of huge interest to me. We had emailed M. Marsolais a few weeks earlier to explain that my wife is "boderline" vegetarian, and the server explained a few items that they could prepare for her. We were on our way :)

For appetizers, I had the braised suckling pig risotto with foie gras and my wife had a mushroom tart. The risotto was the best I have ever had. Firm arborio rice and lots of suckling pig. The foie gras was slivered over top. A fair amount of stock (a mix of veal and chicken stock). around the bowl. Incredible!!

My wives mushroom tart was filled with wild mushrooms and a bit of arugula in a crispy pastry shell and topped with old cheddar cheese. There is usaully veal stock in this dish and I'm not sure how they prepared this dish. They were very good at making a point that the dishes had no meat stock, although this would not bother her. I tried it and found it to be fabulous, she was even more complimentry.

For mains my wife had a vegetable risotto with beets, carrot, and asparagus. I was a bit worried about the amount of flavour in this dish, which lasted as long as it took me to try it. It was incredible. My wife said it was easily the best risotto she has ever had, which is really saying something as she eats risotto in every fine dining restaurant that prepares it for her.

As for my main coarse, I had Leg of lamb with "pommes boulangeres". The leg came sliced atop some pureed eggplant. On the other side of the rectangular plate was a pair of lamb ribs on top of very thinly sliced potato, lightly carmelised onion, chopped bacon and a delectable sauce. The sauce comes from the braised pork belly, which is then smoked in a light veal jus. The lamb ribs have been braised for 9 hours. I also ordered a vegetable plate, which consisted of some pureed sunchokes, spinach topped with baby red and yellow carrots and some celeriac, which was julienned and formed into a tower. They were without a dought the best vegetables I have ever had. Everything was such an astounding taste sensation.

We were then offered a cheese plate, of which there are only 2 choices. We had a stilton and some aged gouda. Both went very well with an LBV port.

For dessert my wife had "Paradiso", which was warm caramel drizzled over a puff pastry and chocolate ice cream and I think some ganache or mousse. Very good. I had "Mountain", which was chestnut puree, shaped liked spaghetti noodles, on top of pate a choux, filled with some type of cream and topped with some iced goats milk and sitting in a shallow bowl of creme anglais. Again, every bite was heavan.

We were then invited to have a complimentry glass of French dessert wine at the bar, a great way to wind down an evening.

In my opinion, one of the indicating factors of a great restaurant is when there is no S&P on the table and not being asked at what temperature (doneness) I want my meat. It's prepared the way the chef wants it prepared. Who am I to argue??

All in all a fabulous experience, one which I would like to repeat often but unfortunatley, Vancouver to Montreal can't be done weekly. M. Marsolais and his staff have it all together. There is also great reason Claude Pelletier is so highly regarded in your city. I have been in this industry for over 20 years and have dined out in many great restaurants and this was the best experience I have ever had.

Edited by winegeek (log)

Derek

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Pots

Pots

Posted
Posted

Fantastic review.You almost had me salivating.It is great to see Claude P,find his niche.Very hardworking,focused individual,as well as the kind of person who is so humble-success should be a reward for integrity.

It is invigorating to see Club Chasse/Peche rise up,especially in Old Montreal,for 2 young Quebecers.

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