finally got to visit this popular brunch joint in old montreal, last time i met with a shut door as i came too late, so don't forget that it's a brunch restaurant and check their hours before you go. their location isn't convenient either, it's about five minutes walk from victoria metro station. but after today's visit, i felt it definitely worth my effort and detour.
the restaurant is inside a very narrow and long hall span from the front all the way to the back. right beside the front door is a window that displays various honors and articles about the restaurant in press and media. the deco is simple and industrial themed with brick walls painted white and painted metal board, marble stones hang on the wall. the ambience is modern and chic, with light pendants hanging right above the dinner tables that let you feel like sitting inside a bar, the kitchen and pastry room was right beside the dining room separated with big glass windows.
all right, now let's talk about their food, i have seen some pictures of their dishes before i came , so i definitely have something in mind as what to order, nevertheless i still want to check out their menu and see what they have to offer. the menu was roughly divided into three sections, brunch, breakfast plates and others such as drinks and sides. since i came for the brunch, i asked the waiter which one he would recommend, sure enough, he recommended the "brunch des cantons" which is what i planed to order. all the brunch meals have two prices, one is 19$ for the brunch only, the other is 26$ with a cocktail called mimosa, since i've never tried this drink before, i ordered both the brunch and the cocktail.
very soon, the waiter brought the cocktail mimosa and a small plate of chocolate flavored cake as starters. the moment i had my first sip of the drink, i knew it would instantly become one of my favorite cocktails. it is made of half champagne and half orange juice, together they produce the taste of home made rice wine with mild alcohol, sweetness, as well as acidity and sourness, truly amazing, so if you visit the restaurant, make sure you order "mimosa". the chocolate cake tastes goodtoo, it is slightly firm than a normal cake and the chocolate is kind of addictive and a perfect pairing with the cocktail.
before i could finish the snacks, the waiter brought the main course "brunch des cantons" in a hot iron cast pan with the food still sizzling inside. boy, did i say this brunch is super rich? it has all the goodies we crave for in a brunch, a mixed meat sausage which i believe includes lamp and herbal spices, a stack of home made ham covered with some sweet roasted bean paste which unlike those from supermarket, actually tastes meaty and tender, several slices of perfectly fried bacon looks crispy but not burned and still retains a bit tenderness, a pile of scrambled eggs cooked to perfection with some of the egg yoke is still in liquid state, and three halves of small potatoes roasted in duck fat. all the ingredients are quite fresh and not too salty, it wasn't as greasy as i expect, holy cow, it tastes like heaven. some may say it wasn't healthy, but we are not having it everyday, so it doesn't hurt if we indulge ourselves once in a while. the brunch also comes with two small slices of french toast and two whipped butter in a separate plate, which i had at the end with the brunch leftovers as its toppings.
the service is excellent too, the crew are well dressed, warm , attentive and professional. the only downside might be its price is slightly high, and if there is anything i would like them to change a bit is to include some veggie and fruits in the brunch, of course they have many other options that do include them, but a brunch without any of them doesn't feel complete. over all, my experience is quite pleasant, and this is probably the best brunch i've ever had, hands down. so, for those of you who are visiting montreal, le cartet is a culinary institution you should not miss.