Visited this place based on the other reviews. With the stress on smoked meat we were a little leery but decided to try it since it was a Montreal "tradition". Anyways we should not have been worried, it exceeded expectations. The restaurant, like Montreal, is from another era. For both the city and the restaurant this is a good thing.
We were seated very quickly and frankly it took more time for us to read the menu than it did for the food to be delivered. We ordered the large platter and asked that the fries be converted to poutine. Bear in mind that smoked meat is basically pastrami. This is very good pastrami. For the most part it was very lean and tender. The platter was served with several pieces of white bread which we used to build sandwiches with mustard. In retrospect we should have ordered it with the melted swiss cheese though it was plenty good without it. We ordered a second and there was none left when we were done.
With regard to the poutine it was very good. It was not as salty as other places which is just as well since you can add that to taste.
We will visits again when we are next in Montreal.