The server at Mache was a real sweetheart. She was kind and generous to everybody - even putting up with bums! I give her major props.
We visited Mache during the Montreal Cirque Fest that closed down and fully occupied Rue St. Dennis. We passed several bustling restaurants and pubs on our way to Mache and we were concerned about getting seated despite having reservations. We were shocked to find that only one other party was seated inside and that there were many open tables.
We ordered wine and white sangria. I recommend passing on both. The wine wasn't very good and the sangria tasted like juice.
We also ordered la pa'tite soupe, poutine (classique) and the le spicy (shepherd's pie). Out of the three, the soup was our favorite. The both was refreshing: a little salty, light, and a hint of bright citrus. The noodles were large squares that flopped on and off of my spoon but would eventually submit to consumption.
The poutine was nearly identical to what we enjoyed earlier in the day at Resto La Banquise except that the fries were just regular. At Mache the fries only served as a base for the toppings whereas at La Banquise, the fries added some contrasting flavor dimensions.
Le Spicy wasn't really that spicy. There was ground beef, corn, and slices of spicy sausage. The sausage wasn't spicy enough - especially when added to the piles of mashed potato - to call the entire dish spicy. I ate the sausage and ground beef and left the rest.
Our take away was that traditional Canadian food is probably better suited to cold months than hot summer evenings. Perhaps we can appreciate it more on a different visit.