Don't laugh too hard. This Ontarian went to Montreal and ate at an American retro resto. Yes I did really (and to boot, I went to la belle province for the CHE Hockey tournament. Not doing any favours for hockey stereotypes). In my defense, it was at the behest of my Montreal-dwelling friend, so there!
Le Gros Jambon is a tiny hipster closet of diner-resto. I had no idea what I was getting into, except that it got buzz on the Montreal scene of late. It's a casual place to drop in on for a brief bite to eat if you have a craving for simple, somewhat unhealthy French and American cuisine, but I confess to not having that craving very often (if ever).
Atmosphere:
Step in and you're plunged into a cosy long room with diner stools facing one wall and diner stools facing the bar. Your choices are to face the bar or a wall, yep, you heard me. Well lit but not too obnoxiously, the decor is like an insane salon, the walls cluttered with old ads and posters from the early eras of the 19th century. I liked the vibe, but didn't much appreciate facing the wall, as the counter has enough space to eat on but not much else.
The Food:
I ordered house red for 10 bucks, which is mighty steep for a house wine in my estimation. It was fine, but I suspect beer would have been a better option with my meal, which was a smoked pork salad. It arrived on a sliced head of lettuce, so that the meat was arranged on the horizontal cuts. This looks nice but is actually difficult to eat for a salad, and we all know that lettuce is darned cheap so no points for either nutrition or convenience. The meat was tasty, tender but not too wet. It may have been dry on its own with the unadorned cabbage, but it was complimented by a drizzle of ranch dressing. Again, the point of the food was simplicity and comfort and I get that, but the ranch was just ranch, and the lettuce just lettuce. The meat was the only thing worth eating.
Our poutine came in an oval plate, sitting in a pool of gravy. The fries were tasty, the cheese curd not too chewy but again unremarkable. The gravy had a particular spice to it that we all noticed and didn't particularly prefer. It didn't ruin it but we weren't sure if we really liked it.
Service:
Our server was cheerful and spoke anglais right away, whether because we came in talking about politics in English or because of the retro. She was very helpful and our food came in mere minutes.
Convenience:
I confess to being directionally challenged, so this is only an estimation. The Montreal metro is so dense in this area that walking to it would only take 10-15 minutes. It sure was a pleasant walk! Montreal is gorgeous at night.
Overall, I would say it is a good place for a comfort food dine-and-dash. The menu has Coke burgers, lobster mac n cheese, a few salads and some sandwiches with smoked Montreal style meat. But I wouldn't go back, not when there are so many restaurants nearby to try.