Montreal Burger Report Episode 47: Restaurant Philippe

Episode 47: Restaurant Philippe (5/5) [14:32]
(Download: MP3 21MB / FLAC 155MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB / Stream)
(or play it here)[Audio http://www.archive.org/download/20100317/MBR_47.mp3]

This week Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Ed Hawco (also known as Blork) are joined by one of Montreal's best chefs Julie Rondeau at the Montreal Hamburger Institution, Restaurant Philippe.

[caption id="attachment_1072" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Restaurant Philippe Double Cheeseburger. Notice the crust formed by the Maillard Reaction."][/caption]

Zeke starts out by pointing out what he would do if he had Resto Zeke. Blork and Julie talk about the smashburger technique which produces a Maillard reaction and how it relates to the cooking and eating of hamburgers in great depth. Everyone discusses the ethical concerns of accepting free food and Zeke makes the executive decision to avoid any and all potential conflicts of interest by paying for everything. The general consensus is that they make great burgers at Restaurant Philippe, and everyone is in agreement that they should return often and soon.

Zeke's Verdict

I gotta give major props to Jack Ruttan for suggesting Restaurant Philippe (aka Resto Phil, Pataterie Chez Philippe and Chez Phil as well) and then to John, his dad and his daughter for making kick-ass hamburgers and cheeseburgers. I could ramble on using a variety of multi-syllabic words to elucidate on the exquisite appearance and how terrificly toothsome their repasts are. But I won't, and just simply state that they make really good hamburgers and cheeseburgers at Restaurant Philippe.

Ed's Verdict

The burgers at Chez Philippe are not sophisticated, but they are almost magically delicious. Whereas many burger places try to wow you with exotic sounding ingredients, and a lot of corner casse-croutes have traded in their souls for convenience and low-rent ingredients, Chez Philippe knocks me out with its modest menu of burgers that carry more than 40 years of uncompromising experience. The folks there still do it Phil's way, and the difference comes through in the flavour. They're one of the few places around (maybe the only one) using the "smash" burger technique, and the result is a gorgeous caramelized sear on the meat that amps up the beefiness to a heavenly level. It ain't fancy, but damn, is it good!

[caption id="attachment_1073" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Restaurant Philippe Double Cheeseburger after one bite."][/caption]

Restaurant Philippe
Address: 1877 Amherst
Phone: (514) 528-5957

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.519474,-73.563552&spn=0.005262,0.00912&z=16&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes:
Episode 43: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (1/5),
Episode 44: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (2/5),
Episode 45: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (3/5),
Episode 46: Restaurant Philippe (4/5)]

Montreal Burger Report Episode 46: Restaurant Philippe

Episode 46: Restaurant Philippe (4/5) [11:25]
(Download: MP3 12MB / FLAC 104MB / Ogg Vorbis 8MB / Stream)
(or play it here)[Audio http://www.archive.org/download/20100310/MBR_46_vbr.mp3]

This week Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Ed Hawco (also known as Blork) are quiet and don't say a word. The entire show is spent listening to John Hachez talk about Restaurant Philippe's history, methods, recipes and love.

[caption id="attachment_1069" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Big Phil burger at Restaurant Philippe"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1070" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The French fries at Restaurant Philippe"][/caption]

Restaurant Philippe
Address: 1877 Amherst
Phone: (514) 528-5957

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0&msid=101337671826617990441.0004725bfe498f2b4a89e&ll=45.519474,-73.563552&spn=0.005262,0.00912&z=16&output=embed]

[Previous Episodes:
Episode 43: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (1/5),
Episode 44: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (2/5),
Episode 45: Le Cheval Blanc & Restaurant Philippe (3/5)]

Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 4

Howdy!

Dilallo Burger Part 4 (11:39); (MP3 15MB / FLAC 6MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB / Stream)



Chris 'Zeke' Hand and Ed (Blork) Hawco continue to discuss the decor at Dilallo Burger on Notre-Dame Ouest, and Blork declares the crumble factor of his Dilallo burger to be "perfect." On his way back from checking the plumbing, Blork spies something in the kitchen that explains the perfect crumble. (You need to listen to the podcast to find out!)

Chris's Verdict

Two words: Absolutely Scrumptious. If you'd like something a little more detailed. They are extremely good burgers. They are great burgers. The only reason I can't say that they are the best burgers in Montreal is because I refuse to saddle anything with the label "Best of." That said, I highly, highly recommend and strongly, strongly suggest that you go and eat one or two, or three, or more) of their hamburgers as soon as you can.

Ed's Verdict

The Dilallo burgers I ate were delicious. They're freshly made to order, and they're not gussied up with silly stuff. I recommend you skip the lettuce and tomato and focus on the beautiful burger simplicity. The beef is fresh and has a perfect crumble factor, although it would be even better if there were a bit more crust. The bun is, at first glance, nothing special, but in fact it's my preferred type. I'm not crazy about big brioche style buns, or huge Kaisers. This is a nice soft, pliable white bread bun; perfect for holding your burger together but not in any way competing with it for attention. Dilallo Burgers are not fancy, and that's half the reason why they're so good.

Address: Various. The one we went to is at 2523 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal. (See clickable map, below.)
Phone: 514-934-0818
Web site: None.
Map:


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

(Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 1, Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 2, Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 3)

Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 3

Howdy!

Dilallo Burger Part 2 (11:39); (MP3 15MB / FLAC 66MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB / Stream)



Chris (Zeke) Hand and Ed (Blork) Hawco order their Dilallo burgers and wax on about cleanliness, the smell of fried onions, and the yellow and jaunty decor inside the Notre-Dame street Dilallo's restaurant. The burgers arrive, and they look pretty good!



Ed reports that the burger is "well done, but not overcooked." It's juicy!



Are they sloppy? What about the structural integrity? Crumble factor? The vernacular expands with the burgermeisters' waistlines. Listen in...


View The Montreal Burger Report Map in a larger map

(The Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 1. The Montreal Burger Report: Dilallo Burger Part 2.)