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| - Joe Beef's reputation stretches all the way to L.A., so when I found myself in Montreal, there was no way I wasn't going to find out what all the fuss is about.
We had been warned over and over again that getting into this place was akin to strolling into the Pentagon without clearance. But somehow, with enthusiasm and ambition, we were able to stroll into the Pentagon around 8:30p on a Saturday, and get seated right away.
We started with a dozen oysters, which were tasty and fresh. Ok, not the BEST oysters I've ever had (see my L'Orignal review), but solid.
Next, we ventured to the fresh burratta that was flown in from Italy that day. Prepared with carrots 4-ways, it was a very original twist on the traditional salad. Buttery and tangy, the cheese bounced nicely off the crispy, semi-sweet carrots.
For our main courses, we split the Joe Beef Steak and the reconstructed lamb (I forget the Polish term used for this style of taking all the meet and arranging it around a bone). The steak was tasty, but nothing special. In fact, I only took about two bites of it before concentrating all of my attention on the lamb dish, which was phenomenal. The meat was tender and succulent, and the accompanying escargot and pieces of fried bacon, pearl onions and reduction sauce were pretty unforgettable.
Heavy fare for sure, but so worth it.
The fries dusted with parmesan and the creamy polenta made for well-matched starchy sides to our very rich main courses.
Everyone on the staff we interacted with, from the bartender to our waitress to our busser, was friendly and knowledgeable. It was very apparent that they're all proud of being part of this establishment. The fantastic service and the pleasant atmosphere of our garden-side table rounded out a really wonderful dining experience.
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