The Montreal Burger Report 93: Le Jolifou (Part Five)

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Episode 93: Le Jolifou (Part Five) [21:38]
(Download:
MP3 31MB / FLAC 108MB / Ogg Vorbis 14MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


Good day and welcome to episode 93 of the Montreal Burger Report. Where our heroes had just finished a disappointing meal at Le Jolifou. Listen today to hear how David Ferguson the owner and chef of Le Jolifou explains what went wrong, and how our heroes meal turned into a horror show.

He then starts to show how he creates his burger. Explaining where he got the initial idea. He then shows off his brisket, explaining how he cooks it (salt, pepper, smoking).

The Brisket

Zeke interjects while taking pictures to explain that he really can't take good pictures of food. David Ferguson explains the theory behind the bun. How and why he cooks the tomatillos. They then discuss the Birri brothers' vegetables. He then starts to build the burger. Mayonnaise, Salsa Verde, Brisket, Poblano, and Avocado, a discussion of burger architecture ensues.

Building the burger

Zeke begins to eat the burger while analyzing the relationships between the flavors.

The All Dressed Burger at Le Jolifou

He then goes on to explain how his preference is for a minimalist burger. They then discuss the textures in the burger, along with cooking methods. Zeke has an epiphany while eating and compares the hamburger at Le Jolifou to a Rothko painting.

'Magenta, Black, Green on Orange', oil on canvas painting by Mark Rothko, 1947, Museum of Modern Art

Thank you very much for listening to episode 93 of the Montreal Burger Report where David Ferguson the chef and owner of Le Jolifou saved the evening, as Zeke discovered he can eat sloppy burgers without fear. Where will Zeke and E Coli eat next? Who will they interview? And how many new burger joints are there in town? Find the answer to these and other questions next week in episode 94 of the Montreal Burger Report. Same Burger time, same burger channel.

Le Jolifou is located at 1840 Beaubien East they are open Tuesday to Sunday nights until 10 o'clock at night (later on Fridays and Saturdays). Their phone number is (514) 722-2175. And the website is jolifou.com


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Magilla Gorilla meets the film Diner at Toqué. It is a radio show and podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at montrealburgers.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Johnny Hicks for the music, and YOU for listening.

The Montreal Burger Report 92: Le Jolifou (Part Four)

Howdy!

Episode 92: Le Jolifou (Part Four) [15:19]
(Download:
MP3 22MB / FLAC 75MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


Good day and welcome to episode 92 of the Montreal Burger Report. Where our heroes are at Le Jolifou waiting for their food.

It took 21:05.903 minutes from the time the wings were ordered to the time they arrived. Once the wings were done E Coli texted a friend who had recently been at Le Jolifou to ask about her experience.

Other people waiting for their food at Le Jolifou, notice the romatic lighting.

It then took took 10:15.405 minutes for the burgers to arrive.

Zeke eating a different burger at Le Jolifou

The waitress (whose name we missed) finally comes over and inquires as to how our meal is going... E Coli let her know.

Thank you very much for listening to episode 92 of the Montreal Burger Report where Zeke and E Coli tried to eat the burgers at Le Jolifou. What went wrong? Will David Ferguson be able to make everything alright? And how would you describe Zeke's epiphany? Find the answer to these and other questions next week in episode 93 of the Montreal Burger Report. Same Burger time, same burger channel.

Le Jolifou is located at 1840 Beaubien East they are open Tuesday to Sunday nights until 10 o'clock at night (later on Fridays and Saturdays). Their phone number is (514) 722-2175. And the website is jolifou.com


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Magilla Gorilla meets the film Diner at Toqué. It is a radio show and podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at montrealburgers.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Johnny Hicks for the music, and YOU for listening.

The Montreal Burger Report 91: Le Jolifou (Part Three)

Howdy!

Episode 91: Le Jolifou (Part Three) [16:30]
(Download:
MP3 24MB / FLAC 88MB / Ogg Vorbis 12MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


Good day and welcome to episode 91 of the Montreal Burger Report. David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou still has the microphone and has successfully prevented any sound effects from happening. He is in the middle of explaining how and why he changed the concept of Le Jolifou from fine dining to roadhouse. And then finally our heroes are able to wrestle the microphone away so they can get down and eat! E Coli goes undercover and our heroes decide to order some chicken wings, cole slaw, a buttnaked burger and an all dressed burger. They then discuss the Ferguson's living arrangements and what public transportation to use to get to the restaurant while waiting for the food to arrive.

The bar at Le Jolifou

In real life E Coli and Zeke went to Le Jolifou and then afterward Zeke went and interviewed David Ferguson. But to make a more entertaining and enjoyable Montreal Burger Report experience we have artfully spliced things together so that David Ferguson explained things first. What you hear next happened a week before what you just finished hearing.

Chicken Wings at Le Jolifou

Thank you very much for listening to episode 91 of the Montreal Burger Report where David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou finally got off the microphone and let our heroes order. Will they ever get to eat? Where's the mayo? and what about the service? Find the answer to these and other questions next week in episode 92 of Montreal Burger Report. Same Burger time, same burger channel.

Le Jolifou is located at 1840 Beaubien East they are open Tuesday to Sunday nights until 10 o'clock at night (later on Fridays and Saturdays). Their phone number is (514) 722-2175. And the website is jolifou.com


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Magilla Gorilla meets the film Diner at Toqué. It is a radio show and podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at montrealburgers.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Johnny Hicks for the music, and YOU for listening.

The Montreal Burger Report 90: Le Jolifou (Part Two)

Howdy!

Episode 90: Le Jolifou (Part Two) [14:18]
(Download:
MP3 20MB / FLAC 71MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


Good day and welcome to episode 90 of the Montreal Burger Report. David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou still has the microphone. He starts off by explaining how he became enamored of flavors, and how that affects his sauces and condiments. Which then leads into a discussion about the globalization of the food chain and the locavore movement. Along the way he discusses seasoning, carrots, and the sauces he makes.

The four sauces made at Le Jolifou

Thank you very much for listening to episode 90 of the Montreal Burger Report where David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou explained the ideas and theories behind the food that he cooks. Is anyone hungry yet? When are we going to eat? And what bus can you take to get to Le Jolifou? Find the answer to these and other questions next week in episode 91 of the Montreal Burger Report. Same Burger time, same burger channel.

Le Jolifou in the middle of winter

Le Jolifou is located at 1840 Beaubien East they are open Tuesday to Sunday nights until 10 o'clock at night (later on Fridays and Saturdays). Their phone number is (514) 722-2175. And the website is jolifou.com


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Magilla Gorilla meets the film Diner at Toqué. It is a radio show and podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at montrealburgers.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Johnny Hicks for the music, and YOU for listening.

The Montreal Burger Report 89: Le Jolifou (Part One)

Howdy!

Episode 89: Le Jolifou (Part One) [13:14]
(Download:
MP3 18MB / FLAC 64MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


Good day and welcome to episode 89 of the Montreal Burger Report. We're going to play this one fairly straight, because we turn the microphone and pretty much the entire episode over to David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou, and we're not certain how he feels about sound effects. He starts off by explaining how he and his wife Helene got the name Jolifou from a Cornelius Krieghoff painting.

David Ferguson owner and chef at Le Jolifou then goes to explain just about everything you needed to know about the meat. While making small tangents to discuss the concepts and ideas of making authentic food and what exactly a Roadhouse is.

Once all is said and done, will he successfully hijack the show? Is anyone going to eat? And What about the condiments? Find the answer to these and other questions next week in episode 90 of the Montreal Burger Report. Same Burger time, same burger channel.

Le Jolifou is located at 1840 Beaubien East they are open Tuesday to Sunday nights until 10 o'clock at night (later on Fridays and Saturdays). Their phone number is (514) 722-2175. And the website is jolifou.com


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Magilla Gorilla meets the film Diner at Toqué. It is a radio show and podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at montrealburgers.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Johnny Hicks for the music, and YOU for listening.

Episode 83: Brasserie T! (Part Four)

Howdy!

Episode 83: Brasserie T! (Part Four) [16:59]
(Download:
MP3 14MB / FLAC 89MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


This week where Zeke continues his interview with executive Chef Charles Antoine Crete of Brasserie T! about their hamburgers.

Staff getting ready for the lunch crowd at Brasserie T!!

Brasserie T! is located at 1425 Jeanne Mance, they are open seven days a week from 11:30 in the morning. Their website is brasserie-t.com. And their phone number is (514) 282-0808.

Fries on their way to becoming delicious at Brasserie T!

More prep

View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Firesign Theatre meets the film Tom Jones at Le Chien Fumant. It is a radio show & podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at http://montrealburgers.blogspot.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Kool and the Gang for the music, AJ Cornell for the voices you hear in your head and YOU for listening.

Episode 82: Brasserie T! (Part Three)

Howdy!

Episode 82: Brasserie T! (Part Three) [16:46]
(Download:
MP3 21MB / FLAC 177MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


This week the burger report goes bilingual! Your heroes finagle an interview with not only the chef Gilles Tolen but the executive chef and pretty much head honcho in charge of the whole shebang, Charles-Antoine Crête. Unfortunately your heroes (actually E Coli had nothing to do with it, it was all Zeke's fault) but he screwed up during the interview with Chef Tolen and ran out of battery power. Sorry Gilles, next time we will be certain to plug our machine in. Fortunately Charles-Antoine Crête graciously agreed to be interviewed as well so we got back the stuff that we thought was lost for all of eternity.

Charles-Antoine Crête

Brasserie T! is located at 1425 Jeanne Mance, they are open seven days a week from 11:30 in the morning. Their website is brasserie-t.com. And their phone number is (514) 282-0808.

The griddle where the burgers are made at Brasserie T!

The kitchen at Brasserie T! Gilles Tolen in the distance

View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Firesign Theatre meets the film Tom Jones at Le Chien Fumant. It is a radio show & podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at http://montrealburgers.blogspot.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Kool and the Gang for the music, AJ Cornell for the voices you hear in your head and YOU for listening.

Episode 81: Brasserie T! (Part Two)

Howdy!

Episode 81: Brasserie T! (Part Two) [17:24]
(Download:
MP3 25MB / FLAC 190MB / Ogg Vorbis 12MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


In today's episode our heroes; Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Rick 'E Coli' Edelstein discuss in detail the burgers at Brasserie T! and then order desert while trying to figure out if there is anything they don't do well at Brasserie T!

The view from the bar at Brasserie T!

The Burger at Brasserie T!

Brasserie T! is located at 1425 Jeanne Mance, they are open seven days a week from 11:30 in the morning. Their website is brasserie-t.com. And their phone number is (514) 282-0808.

One Bite

Coffee and Cake for Desert

View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Firesign Theatre meets the film Tom Jones at Le Chien Fumant. It is a radio show & podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at http://montrealburgers.blogspot.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Kool and the Gang for the music, AJ Cornell for the voices you hear in your head and YOU for listening.

The Montreal Burger Report Episode 80: Brasserie T! (Part One)

Howdy!

Episode 80: Brasserie T! (Part One) [15:30]
(Download:
MP3 21MB / FLAC 161MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB / Stream)
(or play it here)


In today's episode our heroes find themselves smack dab in the middle of the Quartier des Spectacles where, with some apprehension, they enter into Brasserie T!

The view of Brasserie T! from the Quartier des Spectacles

The View from Inside Brasserie T!

Brasserie T! is located at 1425 Jeanne Mance, they are open seven days a week from 11:30 in the morning. Their website is brasserie-t.com. And their phone number is (514) 282-0808.

The Cheeseburger at Brasserie T! (notice the rare spot)

View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

In a nutshell; The Montreal Burger Report is Firesign Theatre meets the film Tom Jones at Le Chien Fumant. It is a radio show & podcast where Zeke and E Coli go out have a couple of burgers, some beer and talk about them and to the people who make them. There is a new episode available every Wednesday morning at http://montrealburgers.blogspot.com and on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal. If you would like to write to us, our email address is MontrealBurgers@Gmail.com.

The Montreal Burger Report is your source for the most in depth and comprehensive coverage about hamburgers, cheeseburgers, both with and without bacon in Montreal.

This episode of the Montreal Burger Report was written and produced by Chris 'Zeke' Hand. We would graciously like to thank CKUT for their support, Kool and the Gang for the music, AJ Cornell for the voices you hear in your head and YOU for listening. 

Episode 49: Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern & Mr. Steer

Episode 49: Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern & Mr. Steer[11:39]
(Download: MP3 17MB / FLAC 122MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)
(or play it here)
[Audio http://www.archive.org/download/20100331/MBR_49.mp3]

In today's episode Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Waren 'Soylent' Wilansky explain how they like their hamburgers cooked. Our heroes rave about the bathrooms at the Dominion Square Tavern, discuss the nature of perception and memory and how it affects hamburgers, get the bill and walk to the Legendary Montreal Hamburger Emporium; Mr. Steer.

Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern
Address: 1243 Metcalfe
Phone: (514) 564-5056

Mr. Steer
Address: 1198 Saint Catherine W
Phone: (514) 866-3233

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.503174,-73.571062&spn=0.005264,0.00912&z=16&iwloc=0004828a5a1c6c912372e&output=embed]

Episode 48: Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern

Episode 48: Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern [12:08]
(Download: MP3 17MB / FLAC 126MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)
(or play it here)
[Audio http://www.archive.org/download/20100324/MBR_48.mp3]

In today's episode everyone gets introduced to the new guy Warren 'Soylent' Wilansky. Before, during and after the introductions our heroes are hanging out at the New Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern. The New Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern had been recently sold and the new owners eviscerated all of it's history and soul via renovation. Zeke points out that they serve their beers in the wrong type of glass. But despite the incorrect glassware Soylent and Zeke are able to compare notes on what makes a perfect burger. And Soylent explains why he thinks hamburgers are the new 'in' thing.

Taverne Square Dominion Square Tavern
Address: 1243 Metcalfe
Phone: (514) 564-5056

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.503174,-73.571062&spn=0.005264,0.00912&z=16&iwloc=0004828a5a1c6c912372e&output=embed]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 42: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 5 of 5)

Episode 42: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 5 of 5) (14:07);
(Download: MP3 19MB / FLAC 155MB / Ogg Vorbis 12MB / Stream)
(or play it here)
[AUDIO http://www.archive.org/download/20100210/MBR42_vbr.mp3]Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Ed (Blork) Hawco, and guest Montreal burger reporter Frank Hashimoto debate the good and the bad of the Firegrill burger experience. The result is an existential quandary in which the burger is simultaneously a good burger and not a good burger.

[caption id="attachment_973" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Firegrill burger with fried slivered onions."][/caption]

Ed's Verdict

Firegrill makes a pretty good burger, but the big-box format of the restaurant and the corporate feel of it diminishes any sense of craft. There's no way to know where the beef came from, and in my case the taste of the beef was overshadowed by the taste of the barbecue sauce (my own fault for ordering that one). That said, I give Firegrill points for keeping it juicy and not overcooking, and for keeping the toppings on point and suitable for a big juicy burger. On balance, I think it was pretty tasty, but not particularly distinctive.

Zeke's Verdict

I was impressed with how good the hamburger at Firegrill was. Part of it is due to how low my expectations were going in - however any place that will cook a hamburger rare for me, instantaneously becomes a good burger joint, if not a great burger joint in my mind. That being said, the generic nature of the restaurant does take something away from the whole experience - but not as much as I would have thought. Add to that the Deep fried onion, and anytime I think of Firegrill it makes me smile.

Frank's Verdict

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the burger. Firegrill is much like other many of the other nicer generic restaurant chains where you could expect a decent burger. Given that their raison-d’etre is food cooked on a grill, you could either expect that they know how to cook all variations of meat or that they are geared toward grilling steaks and would overcook your burger. I’ve usually found it to be the latter so I was quite content to have gotten a nice juicy burger well-seasoned to bring out the flavour of the meat. Plus the burger itself was well constructed with fresh ingredients. As far as comparisons to other restaurants, the burger was not good enough or special enough to make it a burger destination, but if I found myself there and didn’t have a craving for another menu item I would be happy to order the burger.

Decca 77
Address: 1077 Drummond
Phone: (514) 934-1077

Firegrill
Address: 1490 Stanley
Phone: (514) 842-0020

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.498948,-73.573122&spn=0.010528,0.018239&z=15&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes of The Montreal Burger Report:
Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5),
Episode 39: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 2 of 5),
Episode 40: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 3 of 5),
Episode 41: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 4 of 5)]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 41: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 4 of 5)

Episode 41: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 4 of 5) (14:15);
(Download: MP3 20MB / FLAC 158MB / Ogg Vorbis 12MB / Stream)
(or play it here)
[AUDIO http://www.archive.org/download/20100203/MBR41_vbr.mp3]Chris 'Zeke' Hand and guest hamburger fan Frank Hashimoto have started to eat their burgers at Firegrill and get down to the business of describing them. Ed (Blork) Hawco is still waiting for his because of an ordering mixup.

[caption id="attachment_969" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Zeke's Cheeseburger, ½ lb all beef burger, Monterey Jack cheese, toasted bun, lettuce, tomato, pickle, red onions."][/caption]

Zeke initially does not think it will be a good burger, but will his opinion change when he sees how it is cooked?

[caption id="attachment_970" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Zeke's Cheeseburger cooked rare."][/caption]

Finally Ed's burger shows up. Quantities of sauce and cheese are debated.

[caption id="attachment_971" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Blork's Firegrill Burger."][/caption]

Decca 77
Address: 1077 Drummond
Phone: (514) 934-1077

Firegrill
Address: 1490 Stanley
Phone: (514) 842-0020

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.498948,-73.573122&spn=0.010528,0.018239&z=15&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes of The Montreal Burger Report:
Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5),
Episode 39: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 2 of 5),
Episode 40: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 3 of 5)]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 40: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 3 of 5)

[AUDIO http://www.archive.org/download/20100127/MBR40_vbr.mp3]
Episode 40: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 3 of 5) (14:12); (MP3 20MB / FLAC 160MB / Ogg Vorbis 12MB / Stream)

Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Ed (Blork) Hawco, and guest cheeseburger enthusiast Frank Hashimoto are at Firegrill Restaurant & Bar on Stanley Street, in the process of ordering their hamburgers and cheeseburgers (cheeseburgers for Frank and Zeke, the Firegrill burger for Blork). As appetizers they order a deep fried Spanish onion and some coconut shrimp. When the onion arrives, Blork is amazed and stops the whole production while he takes a picture:

[caption id="attachment_966" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The famous deep fried Spanish onion."][/caption]

Disillusionment starts to creeps in, but then the burgers arrive and everything changes.

Decca 77
Address: 1077 Drummond
Phone: (514) 934-1077

Firegrill
Address: 1490 Stanley
Phone: (514) 842-0020

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.498948,-73.573122&spn=0.010528,0.018239&z=15&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes of The Montreal Burger Report:
Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5),
Episode 39: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 2 of 5)]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 39: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 2 of 5)

[AUDIO http://www.archive.org/download/20100120/MBR39_vbr.mp3]
Episode 39: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 2 of 5) (15:19); (MP3 21MB / FLAC 169MB / Ogg Vorbis 13MB / Stream)

Chris 'Zeke' Hand, Ed (Blork) Hawco, and guest cheeseburger enthusiast, Frank Hashimoto make their way to Firegrill after briefly considering aborting the original plan and going to M:Brgr instead. Before they exit Decca 77, however, Blork gets back on his bathroom hand dryer obsession. Over at Firegrill, Zeke obsesses over the source of the beef used in burgers.

[caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Firegrill (Stanley st. location) on Google Streetview."][/caption]

The burning question of this episode: Will the burger be sloppy or not?

Decca 77
Address: 1077 Drummond
Phone: (514) 934-1077

Firegrill
Address: 1490 Stanley
Phone: (514) 842-0020

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.498948,-73.573122&spn=0.010528,0.018239&z=15&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes of The Montreal Burger Report:
Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5)]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5)

[AUDIO http://www.archive.org/download/20100111_769/MBR38_vbr.mp3]
Episode 38: Decca 77 & Firegrill (part 1 of 5) (14:37); (MP3 20MB / FLAC 162MB / Ogg Vorbis 13MB / Stream)

Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Ed (Blork) Hawco are joined by guest hamburger aficionado, Frank Hashimoto at the swishy downtown restaurant Decca 77, where they discuss the nature of chain restaurants, suburbs, knobs in ties, and whether the burgers at their ultimate destination for the evening, Firegrill Restaurant & Bar will be good, bad or indifferent.

[caption id="attachment_961" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Google Streetview of Decca 77."][/caption]

The guys get excited about the famous deep fried onion at Firegrill, something Blork has never seen before. In a related side note, Blork launches into a long soliloquy about the nature of the bathrooms in suburban restaurants. In the meantime they complain about the size of the head on their beers, which is followed by a profanity-laden sticker-surprise when the bill arrives. Everything gets weird when the subject of the tip comes up.

Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 3

Howdy!

Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 3 (11:58); (MP3 18MB / FLAC 64MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)

Ed's Verdict

The room was too dark and too loud for my liking, but I know that some people seem to like that. Clearly, the very noisy people all around us where having a great time. However, we were there for the burgers, and I'm sad to report I was disappointed. The Méchant Burger is like something conceived on a white board by a marketing committee instead of by cooks in the kitchen. In other words, it looks good on paper but fails when executed.

For example, the proportions were all wrong, with the patty shaped more like a baseball than a hockey puck -- making it hard to eat and necessitating a long cooking time (because they won't cook them rare). The result is a ball of overcooked meat that's hard to cram into your pie hole.

It comes with caramelized onions, bacon, and two kinds of cheese (blue and gruyère). That all sounds great, but the blue cheese was very pungent and it overpowered everything -- even the bacon! Finally, it comes garnished with arugula. I love arugula, but it wilts very easily. When you put it on a burger all you end up with is limp stringy leaves that get stuck in your teeth. Oh, but it's arugula, so it sounds good in theory.

This burger should have been very good. And it could still be if they followed these bits of advice: (1) ditch the blue cheese -- or, to satisfy those blue cheese fanatics, make it a choice of blue or gruyère, but not both; (2) Re-shape the burger so it has the dimensions of a hockey puck instead of a baseball; (3) lose the arugula -- or put it on the side dressed with a bit of olive oil and white balsamic vinegar and a scratch of Parmesano Reggiano cheese.

But as-is, I cannot recommend it.

Zeke's Verdict

In short; it's bad. I didn't like it, nor was I able to finish it, which was not due to my being full and wanting a doggy bag.

In long; While I'm certain everyone at Méchant Boeuf is nice, sincere and has the best of intentions, when they get together to serve a hamburger despite their 'best intentions' it doesn't work out like they expected.

1. The music is too loud, both when it is played live or when it is pre-recorded and played over the sound system. This would be fine in a discotheque, but most of the time when I am dining, I like to converse with my companions - loud music makes that extremely difficult.

2. They advertise themselves as having the 'best burger in town.' However they only have one burger on the menu. While I'm all in favor of breaking with tradition, tradition states that if you serve burgers, you serve at least a small selection of (two, or three, or four) different types of burgers. Variations on a theme if you will. Only serving one kind of hamburger smack of fascism. I don't know anyone who likes fascism.

3. Speaking of the burger; it was overdone, dry, the flavor of the 'blue' cheese overpowered just about every other flavor and while I am not as dead set against a tall burger as Ed is, it wasn't a fun burger to eat.

4. In their defense, they do have a nice selection of beers, and there are lots of other things on the menu besides hamburgers.

Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie
Address: 124 rue St. Paul West, Old Montreal. (See clickable map, below.)
Phone: 514-788-4020
Web site: www.mechantboeuf.com


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(The Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 1. The Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 2.)

Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 2

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Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 2 (11:58); (MP3 19MB / FLAC 68MB / Ogg Vorbis 10MB / Stream)



In Part 2 of the Montreal Burger Report for Méchant Boeuf, Chris "Zeke" Hand and Ed "Blork" Hawco battle the noise while waiting for service. They have plenty to say about the beer list, the room and the people in it, and the hand dryers in the washrooms. Oh, and let's not forget the burgers!

The word of the day is "dissonance." Listen in to find out why.


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

(The Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 1)

Montreal Burger Report: Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 1

Howdy!

Méchant Boeuf Bar & Brasserie Part 1 (11:58); (MP3 18MB / FLAC 65MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB / Stream)



If you ride the Metro in Montreal you've probably seen the big ads that declare Méchant Boeuf's burger as the "best burger in town." Easily provoked, Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Ed 'Blork' Hawco decided to visit Méchant Boeuf and find out for themselves.



But first, a few beers were in order. Listen in as Ed and Chris discuss Méchant Boeuf and their expectations while knocking back a few cool ones at L'Orignal on rue Saint-Alexis in Old Montreal.


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