Burgundy Lion Montreal

Little Burgundy Fish & Chips

Looking down the comment/review list on Burgundy Lion‘s Urbanspoon page, sentiments are mixed. While the crowd is doubtlessly cool, the atmosphere is chic and the decor is interestingly laid out, the service is sporadic, the menu is forgettable and the food is at its best mediocre. I really wanted to like this place after hearing so much about the legendary trivia night, the great drinks and the people – but unfortunately the food did not measure up.

Throughout our meal we had three different servers. As soon as we sat down, we were greeted by two waiters – it seemed almost as if it was a tug-of-war competition between the two as to who could win the rights to earn the tip at the end of the meal. They literally asked us if we were ready to order just under ten times, so it became sort of like a running joke for the rest of the meal. Halfway through or so, we were approached by a third waitress who informed us she would be taking our orders from then on… We had no idea what was going on and frankly the whole experience was a little annoying.

What did redeem the meal was the drinks – the cocktails were great. We had a Pimm’s Cup, the Leo (gin with crushed cucumbers, raspberries, limes and soda), the GQT (Hendricks gin served with chilled organized Q tonic water) and the Scottish Apple Kiss (whisky and cider with cassis and lime juice).

We started with the potted shrimp (bland), the cold “gin tonic” cucumber soup (nice refresher for hot weather, actually quite tasty – the alcohol is very apparent) and the Scottish egg (“thick and heavy, salty and delicious” according to my friend who ordered it). We were told the Little Burgundy fish and chips were award-winning, and the most popular item on the menu by far so two out of three of our party decided to go with that. It was a good choice – the fish was fresh and deep fried to perfection. The only complaint was that there could have been a more generous serving of the fish (there were two), another piece would have been ideal. The colonial chicken… Where to start. The chicken was completely dry, with absolutely no moisture or juice in it at all, so pretty much tasteless and difficult to eat. Even after asking for extra sauce, there wasn’t much that could be done for the dish. The naan was flat and on the cooler side and the rice wasn’t very well cooked. This was a huge disappointment as I was impartial to most of the mains on the menu so I asked our waitress for her recommendation.

The only possible explanation for my return are the alcoholic beverages – they are very good. For those who have never stepped foot into the Burgundy Lion, you will probably like the place if you stop by for a drink or two. Apart from that though, I won’t be recommending this place in regards to the food.

**Note: For those interested in checking out the Oysterfest happening in Montreal on the fifth of September tickets are available at the Burgundy Lion. Advanced tickets are sold out but the basic entry tickets are still available.

Update: I just want to highlight that this is my personal experience. It is possible that the Burgundy Lion does in fact serve some really great dishes – maybe we just didn’t pick the right ones. It is also possible that some people like a lot of service while others do not. It is a matter of opinion, cultural background and personal preference.

Pimm’s Cup, Leo and Krommbacher Beer

GQT – Gin Hendricks Served With Chilled Organic Q Tonic Water

Scottish Apple Kiss – Whisky and Cider with Cassis and Lime Juice

Potted Shrimp – Served With Lemon Relish and Grilled Toast

Scotch Egg

Cold “Gin Tonic” Cucumber Soup

Little Burgundy Fish & Chips

Colonial Chicken – Chicken Tikka Masala, Rice and Naan Bread