First night in Montreal and Da Franco was near the hotel. We weren't sure if they were serving because we looked in and there wasn't anyone inside. But we walked in and someone came out from back and said sit anywhere you like. We sat in the window. Like many European cafes and restaurants, people eat late. We only had a vegetarian meal on the train, so we were hungry.
I had the pear salad to start and Jonesy had the soup of the day. The description said it was a sausage soup, but turned out to be a poulet avec perle risotto soupe," which sounds better than chicken and rice. I ordered the braised lamb shank which was very tender and came with crispy potatoes and vegetables. Jonesy had the rib eye which was very tender as well. The meals came with dessert and the server brought out the hunks of chocolate cake with a moca whipped cream filling. Very good! They also have a very nice wine list.
The service was friendly and attentive. A couple leaving wished us a "bon appetit" as they were leaving. The people around Montreal are very nice. Before we left, people started to slowly come in. This is a great place to come to. It has a very welcoming ambiance and family oriented atmosphere.