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Restaurant Leméac
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
1045, Avenue Laurier OuestMontréal, QC H2V 2L1
(514) 270-0999
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Restaurant Leméac
Review Highlights
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"My brother had the duck confit." In 4 reviews -
"...French cuisine at an amazing price if you go after 10pm." In 6 reviews -
"For the main course I ate the angus steak." In 4 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Marcus L.
An awesome brunch experience!
In from out of town, we chose this place based upon reviews we saw on here and on trip advisor and I can tell you that it did not disappoint. Our meal was delicious from the Rillettes that we started with all the way through the coffee at the end. I got the poached eggs with sausage, bacon and fingerling potatoes. The sausage was flavorful and meaty, as opposed to the salty and fatty ones that I've had elsewhere and the potatoes were perfectly cooked, light and tasty, not starchy. In our group of 4, this meal rated as the best meal out of the 4 days we were in Montreal and our meals included stops at Liverpool House, L' Avenue and Brasserie T among others. I only wish I was in town longer so that I could've tried the dinner service. -
Review from Clare L.
3/18/2012
I loved the food here!
They had the best Vegetable Tian here! (Thinly sliced vegetables with thinly sliced cheese baked, and shaped into a pretty little cadeaux of vegetable goodness)
I had the Scallops with fingerling potatoes, and the meal couldn't be more perfect! Everything was seasoned well, and just so tasty! My friend and I shared the French Toast dessert, and super glad we did, cause it was like they served us a loaf of bread for dessert! -
Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2012
Bah. I dunno. Expensive, 'OK' food, but SO overpriced.
I've probably just been in Vancouver too long where the options for dinner at a reasonable price (i.e., $50/person including wine) are numerous and delicious. Or maybe i'm just taking resto suggestions from the wrong people (read: people who make way more money than me). But i wasn't impressed with Lemeac.
I guess if i'm giong to order an entree for $36 I expect a salad and dessert with it too! It just doesn't compute for me unless i'm ordering lobster or something. But it seems like this is the norm all over Montreal (or again, at the places people suggest to me). I know there are tons of great dives but I was hoping for a really awe inspiring "OMG food in Montreal is so much better than Vancouver" experience and on my last day, I have yet to experience.
I guess I really am a Vancouverite...Listed in: Montreal Mayhem
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Review from Alexandra S.
4/16/2012
After eating at several great places in Montreal (including my gold standard of Europea), I was a little disappointed in Lemeac. After a few Montreal residents told me that it's one of the best- if not the best- in Montreal, I was expecting a lot. Unfortunately, the menu is basic and really has no frills and there are no amuse bouche to make you feel special. Admittedly, we didn't take full advantage of the Sommelier's expertise which is apparently another reason to go here. The food was wonderful, but it didn't leave me with that "I just had a unique, fabulous meal" feeling. The pommes frites are, however, the best you'll ever have. The service is outstanding. All in all, this place is quality but not a special experience.
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Review from Eric B.
Ottawa, ON
2/28/2012
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at the restaurant. Service was friendly, and the environment was exciting. It clearly gets VERY busy after 10pm due to the $25 special for 2-courses. I arrived well before that, and it was still busy and quite loud.
I had the calamari appetizer (pretty good, nothing outstanding) and the hangar steak with frites. The steak was more well-done than I had asked (I asked for medium, I got medium-well with no pink), but still very tasty. The frites/fries were OUTSTANDING - you MUST get this as a side no matter what you order! For dessert I had the Pain Perdu (french toast) - MASSIVE portion but OMG was this every good! Others ordered dessert, and these definitely seemed to be the highlight of the meal.
This restaurant is well-worth the trip! -
Review from Daniel T.
1/10/2012 Seated via OpenTable
A quick check on the Internets revealed an enticing 25$ after 22hr special that brought us to the door. The idea of a fixed priced menu at a late night hour along with being in close proximity to a college, where a money pinched student can take a date, sounds effective. All the while having a clean cut and somewhat intimate setting, it certainly can be.
As we seat ourselves, the expected rush of college-aged patrons appears, standing out in black pea coats with white shell top sneakers and the like. Table service is typical of any French bistro; we sampled a mid-ranged Syrah blend that suited us. There was a crab cake that was much different than any variant found around the Chesapeake, a patty consisting of pulverized crabmeat and bits of vegetables, decent but incomparable and thus forgetful. The escargot and tube pasta ragoût, that came lukewarm, had a mild combination of snail and portabella flavor. A dish that still feels light even with a butter-basil sauce.
I noticed that there is a porch outside, for those reading during warmer months. Hanger steak is noticeably tougher than the more darling cuts from the loin; however, the temperature was spot on for what was asked. Flanked by perfect fries and topped with garlic butter, the steak was properly lubed, nearly as supple as those fancy cuts. A leg of duck, with skin so crispy, was tender and robust.
For dessert, a simple crème brûlée was shared; cracking through the sugar crust like applauds for the simple yet well cooked entrees. You won't lose any brownie points here, that's for sure. -
Review from Sabina Z.
2/24/2012
Love, love, love!!! Just enough European tradition and modern energy. From staff, to plating presentation, to food, to wine, to staff....excellent. I recommend the French Toast dessert. It will definitely make you want to slap somebody.
Bravo!!!! -
Review from Lily C.
North York, ON
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
We did the $25 at 22. Great deal but...Unique presentation on the appetisers with escargot on tube pasta and panko encrusted goat cheese salad with walnuts. The latter was a hit. The former though different was okay but not wow.
Main dishes were just okay. We've had better at Le Selecte in Toronto. Duck confit was mostly tender with some dry bits, but wasn't that flavourful. Steak frites was also just okay. A bit on the tough side. But the frites were really great. The potatoes were sweet, crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. Nice! Too bad it was the highlight of the dinner.
The French Toast and Creme Brûlée were both pretty good. But after all the hype about this restaurant, we were hoping for something more... -
Review from Mike S.
12/26/2011
Great restaurant! I've never been disappointed. The food is consistently good, and the service is very professional.
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Review from Sohini R.
6/2/2011
I prefer L'Express for food and ambience but Lemeac offered up a delicious dinner as well in a bistro-like atmosphere. Their gazpacho was the best I've ever had, cool, sour, savory, and fresh all at once. I had the crab cake as a small main course, but the tartar-sauce equivalent it came with was too mayonnaise-y for me and not salty enough and the crab cake felt dry and stringy without the sauce. The cucumber salad that accompanied the crab cake was delicious and neatly presented by finely shredding the cucumber like vermicelli. We ordered a side of green beans as a salad which popped with minced salad and just enough acidity. The beans were very nicely prepared.
For dessert we shared a piece of brillat savarin -- my favorite cheese, and the piece Lemeac served was exactly as creamy as it should have been. I highly recommend the Sauternes as well. -
Review from Rudy C.
9/10/2010 4 photos
This was my first dining experience in a French Restaurant. I was taken here but friends that love this place. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was blown away. The best time to go for dinner is after 10pm because they have a deal for a two-course meal for $22.
I had escargot which I devoured. The broth was addicting. I kept dipping the fresh french bread in it to soak it all up. My brother had the calamari which was nice a tender. For the main course I ate the angus steak. Hmmmm it was so good. It was a long piece of steak cooked medium rare topped with garlic butter which I rubbed it on the steak as it melted away. It came with fries which was perfectly cooked an seasoned, crunchy and soft. There was fresh whipped mayonnaise which was fantastic with the fries. My brother had the duck confit. That was some incredible to eat. It came with a large salad. The duck was buttery and it seemed to melt in your mouth.
This a great spot for find dining with a great dinner deal. It has a mellow atmosphere. It just seemed that time stood still and you can get away from the world when you sat down. Our waiter held conversations with us which was nice. I would definitely come back here again. Montréal me manque. -
Review from Sophia L.
8/4/2010
i just came back from Montreal, and maybe i had high expectations. After all, Montreal is voted #2 food city in North America. I'm so proud of our lovely San Francisco is being voted #1 food city in North America!
I picked this place because of $22 menu (appetizer and entree) after 22:00. It is a very nice restaurant with outdoor seating. I highly recommend to reserve a outdoor seating because inside can be a little hot during summer. we had snails and house made potted "rillettes" for appetizers. Both are just a-ok, but for $22, i really shouldn't complain. For entrees, we had hanger steak and sea salt salmon "pot au feu". i highly recommend to stay away from those two entrees. we asked for medium rare for steak, but it was burned outside, and well down inside. the salmon pot au feu came out really really bland and a little fishy. It turned out our bottle of wine is the highlight of the dinner. -
Review from Sara R.
9/28/2011
Three words: 22 at 22.
Well now it's 25 at 22, but the point is, you get a great deal after 22h/10pm.
One appetizer, an entree, and a coffee or tea to round it out. The selections are plenty, and they also allowed me to select one of their daily specials. So, I ordered the short rib appetizer, duck confit entree, and a chamomile tea.
The short rib appetizer. Hm. At first I thought they had mistakenly brought me the entree portion. A thick, rectangular piece of short ribs that are falling off in tenderness (they are not on the bone when presented to you), and surrounded by a melange of cubed watermelon and cilantro. Interesting combination, but does it work well? Heck yes! I loved getting a piece of beef, watermelon, and cilantro all on my fork and in one bite. Tasty with bursts of slightly sweet and juicy, to green and lively, and the richness of the meat settling in. Frankly, I was quite full at this point. But here came the duck confit, with a side of roasted fingerling potatoes and a giant spinach/green salad topped with a soft vinaigrette. The duck confit was my first taste ever, and it was good. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I'm just not used to that flavor. It's also quite rich, but also has a distinct poultry scent and flavor. Sort of like a stronger Thanksgiving turkey. But the skin was so crisp and yummy, and the meat was moist, and its own fat had melted into it, creating quite a nice texture and depth of flavor. The chamomile tea at the end was just the right ending.
The service is A+! My waitress was so sweet, and so helpful, and accommodated my silly questions and that I didn't speak any French. I don't know why I've heard stories about the Quebecois not caring for Americans, because I never got that impression on this trip. Great town, great people!
The restaurant itself is sort of a "crisp" bistro. It's not too cozy, but it does have a slight romantic/fine dining touch to it. There's a nice bar along one side, and then tables within. I don't recall any booths. Nice, large windows with a pleasant view of Avenue Laurier Ouest... and the shops that line it. Nothing is really open around there that late, but it's still quite safe as I walked around a bit afterward.
I'd love to come here for brunch someday, when I'm back in Montreal. Oh, I saw someone order the French toast dessert, and holy moly. It's like two thick (4"?) slices of brioche French toast, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or was it creme fraiche?).. it looked incredible, but probably could feed a table of 4. Or even 6.
Get here at 10pm (they close at midnight, I believe), and you're in for a treat with a decent pricetag. I was here on a Sunday night at 10pm, and let me tell you, there was a good-sized crowd. Pretty neat, because I don't ever see this in LA! Only dreadful diners and fast food are open that late around here. :-D -
Review from Judy C.
7/15/2009
Went there on a Saturday evening. Made a reservation for 3 people @ 22:00 without a glitch. The $22 menu after 22:00 is fantastic! I got grilled calamari for appetizer, and it was certainly tasty and a good portion. My friends had the gazpacho and the goat cheese appetizers, which both were also very good!
I got the salmon "pot au feu" for my entree. I think because I was cold (it was rainy that night), the pot-au-feu hit the spot for me. The salmon was big and there were lots of hearty vegetables. My friends had the duck leg and hangar steaks, and they both enjoyed the dinner as well.
I definitely think that my dinner would have cost more than $22 if it wasn't after 22:00. I have no problem eating after that time, so it was a great deal for me.
The ambiance of the restaurant was great, and the waitress was super nice and attentive. I would definitely come back again (of course, after 22:00) the next time I'm in Montréal. -
Review from Fancy A.
Montréal, QC
6/26/2010
My very first review, and I'm more than happy to give this one a 5 star rating, as it is well deserved!
The food here is incredible, my favorites are the Ragoût d'escargot and the infamous Tartare de Saumon...My god, this is the best Tartare I've ever tasted. It's so amazing, that I crave it on a regular basis.
If you go before 10:00 pm it can be on the pricey side, but it's worth every penny and more. Go after 10:00pm and you get the $22 menu which is more reasonable.
The little outdoor patio is a nice touch for the summer too. -
Review from Joy K.
9/9/2010
Two words:
FRENCH TOAST.
The End.
Seriously, just have the french toast. The dinner fare was nothing special or memorable. In fact, I think my pork was overcooked and so tough that I ended up sending it back to the kitchen. I'm sure brunch would be amazing (based on the french toast), but I don't recommend going for dinner.
Desserts rank high on my food list, so my four stars are solely based on my french toast experience. -
Review from Heather S.
Blainville, QC
12/10/2008 5 photos
Located on Laurier about a ten minute walk east of the Laurier metro and right next to the Juliette and Chocolat, Lemeac is a great find for the foodie on a budget.
After 10pm, they offer a menu at $22 of fine offerings so reasonably priced i was outright astounded. We didn't let ourselves go wild with the wine list, which looked formidable, but we did relish a bottle of San Pellegrino. I am always happy when Perrier is not the ONLY choice of sparkling water at a restaurant.
All three of us order the pankoe-encrusted hot goat cheese with shaved apples and walnuts as an entree. I cannot imagine a better entree - honestly.It was such a hit, we bought pankoe instead of breadcrumbs for lamb meatballs the next day - but that's another story. Our main courses were as follows: blood pudding (which i declined tasting but which supposedly was very nice), cornish hen (which i regretted ordering not because it wasn't great, because it was, but because, well, poultry is poultry) and a short rib. The short rib was deemed the WINNER of the evening.
A great find over the course of the meal was what LOOKED like mashed potatoes, but was really pureed celery root. I must try recreating this at home. If you like blood pudding, order it just to try the accompanying vegetable.
There is no dessert offered on the $22 menu - but their dessert menu is fantastic AND the french toast comes in huge portions. Possibly half the size of a loaf of bread, slathered in maple syrup and with an appropriate amount of ice cream, it easily satisfies three people already well-fed. I have been having dreams about this french toast ever since.
People watching at a nicer restaurant is always a blast and we lived it up. At 1am we stumbled out onto the street having missed the last metro, which provides an indication of how much we were enjoying ourselves.
Call ahead for reservations. -
Review from Marilyn T.
5/26/2009
The street that it's on is super cute, but parking can be a bit difficult, even late at night. They have a great deal for $22 after 10pm, which reminds me a lot of the set menus in Paris, but we were hungry by 9pm and decided to just go for the regular menu, which was also reasonable. By American standards, pricing wasn't bad, especially for the quality of the food.
The scallops were seared perfectly and tasted fresh and sweet, and there are other many interesting French selections, ranging from game to fish. I wish we had saved room for dessert, but we had spent the entire day eating through Montreal.
The ambiance is very romantic, dimly lit, with clean looking decor. Service was pleasant, even though we were probably the youngest couple in the room. If you can wait until 10pm, definitely try the $22 deal, but if not, it's still worth driving out for. -
Review from Mathieu B.
Roxboro, QC
Updated - 1/29/2011
Version Française à la fin:
Second time was successful. I was a bit worry about it because my friend was disapointed of his second time there. Usually second time feels confortable and not as suprising. I think that's the only reason I didn't put a 5 stars on that one. I went with my friend and orderd a 2 courses only. I knew my friend was really hungry and I was just a little. My first time there I had some Rillette Maison which was fabulous but not a real apetizers. It was more a communal size side-course. The only thing that gave you it was a 1 person apetizer was the 3 small wheat biscotte. So my friend also took the Onglet with homemade fries. Onglet is part of the bib, it's slightly - even - more tasteful than bib. He was really happy with that and told me it was great! I had some Boudin maison with a small reduction of apple cider vinegar with as a main course ris de veau and loin steak with celeriac purée and seared wild mushrooms . The Celeriac purée was one of the best I had tasted in my life. Not that I tend to go for it but It's nice when it well done. The cooking was great and the size as well. The taste and seasoning were great but the textures for my main course was lacking a crunchy texture. I don't know if mixing Ris de veau and Loin Steak was the best idea in the world but it was certainly interesting. Maybe if the Ris de veau was presented in a donut or a baluchon.
It's French Bistro so if you don't know what a French bistro is, well it's french cuisine classic. Little downside for me, there's definetly a Bourgeois feeling to the place, like at Moishe.
C'était ma deuxième fois au Leméac. Les premières fois sont toujours les plus surprenantes et les secondes fois ont un côté confortable qui se distingue principalement par un goût de revenez-y. Je crois que j'ai p-e diminué mon score sur Leméac mais c'était encore très bon. Mon ami a prit ce que j'avais pris la première fois que je n'y étais rendu. Il avait pas mal faim et moi pas trop. Il a prit l'Onglet de boeuf avec pomme-frite maison (qui sont vraiment bonne! (mince julienne, blanchies avant!) Moi j'ai pris le Boudin maison avec une purée de pomme de terre, garniture de pommes servit avec une réduction de vinaigre de cidre. Avec comme met principale le ris de veau avec un contre-filet de bœuf avec champignons poêlés et purée de céleri-rave. Hmm une des meilleures purées de Céleri-rave que j'ai mangé a vie. Le Céleri-rave est trop peu connu et pas assez utilisé dans la cuisine québécoise! C'est délicieux quand c'est bien apprêté et ça se prête bien à des réductions . Petit bémol sur la texture qui était vraiment un hommage au «mou» . Pas de croquant dans mon assiette et je crois que c'est ce qui manquait au plat pour le rendre bon.
Y se donne le nom de restaurant et oui, c'est une coche ou deux au dessus d'un bistro mais c'est au bout du compte, de son décor jusqu'aux plats présenté un bistro qui nous présente des classiques de la cuisine française avec une petite touche plus poussé. On y retrouve définitivement un petit feeling bourgeois qui me rappelle un peu le Moishe pas nécessairement mon choix de «foule» .Je suis un peu déçu qu'on ne trouve pas une Table d'hôte avant le fameux 24$ - ridicule de le garder a 22$ quand a 24$ c'est toujours le meilleur deal en ville - après 22h! Quelle bonne façon de poussée une prep qui pourrait être moins fraiche en fin de journée . Belle façon de terminé la soirée aussi. Fin positive: de l'onglet sur le menu! Quelle belle façon de faire découvrir une partie génialissime du boeuf!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/31/2010
Yup, 5 stars! That place is awesome, as some previous yelpers wrote, they have this 22$ meal… Read more »
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Review from Amy Z.
10/6/2009 2 photos
I am biased when it comes to Lameac.
And I won't forgive myself if I give Lameac anything less than 5 star...simply because of the French Toast. It's not just any French Toast, it is THE French toast, THE Pain doré of my dreams.
One THICK slice of broiche (the thickest I have ever had anywhere), with a crunchy outside and a perfectly soft, melt in your mouth body, topped with caramelised bananas and bitter sweet chocolate sauce, only offered at brunch.
Don't get me wrong, the smoked salmon was also fantastic, definitely one of the best even to new york standard.
Too bad I had a bagel before brunch, otherwise, I would have definitely tried more things ...oh.. who am I kidding, if I had more room, I would just shamlessly order another Pain doré..Love makes you do crazy things... -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
5/12/2009
Great French cuisine at an amazing price if you go after 10pm. For $22 you get an appetizer, main, and coffee...and hell add on another $5-8 and get dessert...definitely worth it!
The escargot was fantastic and served very definitely than what I'm use it...if you enjoy snails, give it a try...Other than that, the salmon and steak tartare are both excellent. Make a reservation and have an excellent evening meal! -
Review from Alessandra V.
7/6/2010
This place was cute, and definitely very reasonably priced. They have a prix fixe after 10pm for 22 dollars for a appetizer and entree. We got a great bottle of Rioja for $45 which was a fantastic deal. The appetizers were good. We ordered rillettes and gazpacho, both of which i would recommend. The only thing that we weren't happy with, were the entrees. I ordered a steak which was very chewy and had no flavor. My boyfriend ordered steak tartare, with medium spicyness. This had absolutely no flavor. It coud have been tuna tartare for all we knew.
Good deal, go after 10pm for the prix, but don't order the beef! -
Review from D D.
Montréal, QC
8/18/2010
Good enough. A - OKAY
In a city like Montreal where the food standard is very high, Lemeac is a 3 star joint to me.
If Lemeac were in another town, like in the prairies or midwest USA, it would be 4 or 5 stars.
The food was good. It wasn't bad. I didn't have complaints. The atmosphere was fine, although I found it to be slightly boring.
It didn't impress me much, but if you feel like going somewhere with a solid selection of food that is decent, go here. -
Review from Carolina M.
Montréal, QC
5/29/2011
HOLY LOUDNESS!! I had to scream to be able to talk to the person right in front of me, because of all the people talking so loud and not the music, because there isn't any at all. But hey, it's a French bistro so that's what it's about i guess.. but this was too loud for my liking. Not a sexy vibe, not romantic. But more if you're looking for a typical French upscale casual business vibe. Food was god but not memorable.
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Review from Ken L.
Food ordered: snails, short rib, rack of lamb and creme' brulee. Snails, a.k.a. escargot, were lukewarm in temperature and came buried in a sea of al dente' pasta, tasteless portobello mushrooms, with a light, light, light, light, foamy sauce devoid of flavor. The short rib portion contained a trace amount of seasoning and stirred up feelings of emptiness and resentment. Lamb meat definitely cooked to my liking but its lackluster marinade lead to its demise. The creme brulee was "loose" and not thick enough. The server provided very little service and we had to ask multiple times for water and bread. To add insult to injury, the total bill exceeded $100 with no measurable deliverables. One pro: ambiance. If you want to try food here, go after 10 pm when they have their $22 special where you get an app, an entree and coffee or tea.
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Review from Rolf L.
Nice, open, seating plan, not so comfortable chairs, extensive wine list (that I didn't sample because the night before was rough) I went right for it and had the following sent out in this order: beef tartare, homemade blood sausage, and fois gras. Quite a lunch. All worth trying. he only change I mage was to have French Fries with the tartare instead of matchstick potatos. All tasty and filling. I will leave Montreal a fatter, more decadent American.
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Review from Al A.
3/16/2010
Simple French bistro-style dishes. Great atmosphere. Decent location. Good service. Get reservations.
This is my go-to place. The service is consistently good. The atmosphere is great especially in summer. There's a set three-course meal for $22 after 22h00.
Beware birthday go'ers, outside cakes are not allowed unless you ask super nicely and happen to have a hot chick in your group doing so. -
Review from Lisa Q.
9/14/2009
After 10 pm, as others have alluded to here, there is a Late Night Menu, which my boyfriend and I sampled from last Friday night. The food (vegetable tian & escargot apps, cornish hen & steak tartare entrees) was good enough, although the escargots were a little overcooked...but the problem was that everything was rather uninspired in my opinion. Certainly I would never go to pay full price for these items.
However, the most disappointing aspect of our dinner was the service. Our waitress (who was nice, it must be said) did not bring me the glass of wine I asked for, which I let go as I probably didn't need it anyway...but when we got the check (finally! it took a very long time to get it) we were charged for a whole bottle! When we noted it though, she was extremely apologetic and we did get our coffees comp'd.
Still, the night was underwhelming flavor-wise and irritating service-wise.
I suppose the ambiance was nice. If you want to try Lemeac, please be prudent and only go after 10 pm. There are tons of better restos in Montreal for you to spend beaucoup bucks on.Listed in: Out & About in QUEBEC
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Review from JP P.
Montréal, QC
7/30/2010
One of my top 3 restaurants in Montreal. Both the salmon and beef tartars are excellent. I've tried every item on the menu (it doesn't change much) and will have the salmon tartar as appetizer and the beef tartar as my main course during half my visits. The wine list is extensive and has many private imports. As you may have read in other reviews, the $22 menu after 10PM is probably one of the best deals in town for a restaurant like Lemeac. A reservation is strongly recommended, as the place is most often full.
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Review from Jason D.
1/20/2009
I came here on my birthday with my wife and two kids. I'm officially the only one I've ever heard of who has come here before 10pm (other than for brunch).
The grown-ups got a bottle of private-import cremant that was really yummy. We got the fois gras au torchon for the table, and it was good, but not spectacular.
Our little guy had house-smoked salmon and a side of frites, and they were both fantastic. He's a small eater, so fortunately we all got to share.
Our bigger guy started with the salmon tartare with truffle oil, which was really delicious, but very intense and a lot of it, so he couldn't finish it, even with some help -- I can't imagine this as a main. His main was the magret, which was tough for him to cut and chew; I wished I'd been able to talk him into the short rib (partly because I wanted to try it!).
Pour entree, I had the blood pudding, and it lived up to its reputation (I've heard it's the best in Montreal), although I can't imagine this one as a main either, would just be too much. I followed that with the duck confit, which was the best I've ever had.
My wife had the fish soup, which was super good, and the roasted black cod, which was probably the best dish of all, although it (alone) was a small portion.
The atmosphere is great, the service was flawless, they were fine with our having kids there at 8pm (thoughtfully hid us away in a corner), and honestly I'd give it only 4 stars but I can't figure out how to justify a deduction, so, whatever, 5 stars it is! I gotta try that short rib next time. -
Review from Jasmine W.
6/13/2010
what a cute local spot! as we were at our last night in canada and spent our week-long trip trying out international delights we were determined to enjoy at least one french meal and were so glad that our friend recommended this restaurant a few blocks from his flat!
we arrived on a thursday night and the place was crowded (reservations definitely recommended) but were lucky and got a seat at the patio. i was afraid that it'd be cold but the patio is lined by heaters and well-enclosed so we were all comfy. we started with the pork rillette (prepared similar to pate - generous portion, smooth, and rich) and i ordered the duck confit entree. it came with a HUGE serving of greens and potatoes to compliment the duck. the duck was tender, salty, and flavorful. forrest y ordered the salted salmon and was surprised that it was in broth but polished it off happily.
as other reviewers have noted, the late night meal deal seems like a great deal and the service is great here - friendly and professional - and the spot is definitely warm and welcoming to families too (unlike some of the other snotty french restaurants we spotted in the area). -
Review from John G.
9/3/2010
Nice buz, crowd for lunch is chic. Food quite average. Not worth going out of your way
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Review from Luisa D.
3/26/2010
We lucked out and had to wait for our table to be ready. By the time it was we'd hit 10pm so we went with the $22 meal. I started with the Ragoût d'escargots which was very tasty but I can't really say the escargots offered much to the dish and one was gritty. I could have had the noodles with mushrooms and sauce and been happy. The grit made me wonder why my colleagues were telling me how good this place was and how many celebrities eat there (we did bump into the president of St. Hubert if he counts). Well my Cuisse de canard confite made up for any misgivings and got the marks up from an initial three stars. The huge salad of mixed greens was perfectly dressed, the roasted fingerling potatoes were just like the ones I make when I say to myself "Wow, I roasted those perfectly!" and the duck, well, it was absolutely delish. It took more will power than I had to not pick up the bones and gnaw on the crispy/chewy bits despite knowing some rich and famous person could glimpse my neanderthal behaviour.
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Review from CE C.
9/21/2010
Boy do we wish that we had this restaurant close to us. We agree, wait to go after 10 pm, the $22 meal is a fabulous deal. There were so many items we wanted to try and if we lived here we would definitely frequent it often. Service is definitely not its strong suit. We think our waiter maybe acknowledged us once during the meal which was when he gave us incorrect info about coffee being included in the $22 deal. We started off with the escargot served with little pastas and a delicious basil butter. The crab cakes were great too! Not too much fluff, and had a lot of crab meat in it. For our dinner we had the braised short ribs served over pearl barley. Unfortunately, the short ribs were slightly overcooked. We also had the beef tartare with fries, the beef was amazing. We could not get enough! Even though the pain perdu for dessert came highly recommended, we had to pass since we were so stuffed!
