Griffintown Cafe Montreal
Posted By Jennifer Ho Jun 11 2012 · 0 comments · Dining Out, Griffintown
Walking into Griffintown Cafe, you immediately take note of the high ceilings, panelled wooden floors and the spacious interior. The tables are pushed towards either side of the restaurant, leaving tons of space in between, giving the place an airy, open feel that is fabulously refreshing. Walking in on the later side of brunch time, we were told the wait would be fifteen to thirty minutes. The wait wasn’t a big deal for us as we had planned a lazy day and were in no rush to grab and go. Taking our places at the bar, we sat and admired their veritable collection of alcohol. Plentifully stocked, particularly in bourbon and whisky, multiple bottles of premium brands such as Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey proudly adorned their shelves.
Homemade Lemonade
Ordering a homemade lemonade and an orange juice to start, we slowly sipped our cool drinks, enjoying them to their fullest. Serving as appropriate refreshers from the heat outside, I think we were very happy at this point. The lemonade was sweet and tart at the same time, erring more on the side of the former, which was fine by me. The OJ came straight out of a carton, so not as exciting as if it had been freshly squeezed, but nevertheless also quite nice. About ten-ish minutes in, we were told spots on the terrasse out back had freed up! Pleasantly surprised, we followed our friendly waitress to our table and were served promptly.
Huevos Divorciados: Corn Tortillas, Poached Eggs, Cheddar, Black Beans, Avocado, Mexican Crema, Salsa verde y roja With Pulled Pork
Ordering huevos divorciados with the pulled pork (a well spent extra $2), Mexican crema, avocado, black beans and tortilla as well as as the crab cakes topped with jalapeno remoulade accompanied by sunny eggs and bacon, our dishes came promptly. Starting in on the huevos, my friend began to mix some of the components together in order to get a proper taste of everything all together. A little bit of the avocado, the beans, pork, egg… you know what I’m talking about. At this point, the components started to break down and morph into this delicious mush that was gobbled up in no time. I got my spoon in there for a taste, but when I went back for seconds, I was swatted away and told I should get my own. Basically, watch out. This one is clearly good enough to bring out your inner guard dog and protective nature when it comes to this plate of food.
Crab Cakes With Sunny Eggs, Jalapeno Remoulade and Bacon
The crab cakes were perfectly fried. Filled with chunks of real crab meat that you could actually recognize, the balls were enrobed in a thick, bready crust that cracked right open when probed with the fork. Pairing well with bits of runny yolk and remoulade – which was relatively mild – the crab cakes were full on delicious. Yum.
Mimosa Grifftintown With McKeown Cider and OJ
At this point we were ready for drinks with alcohol in them. The noon hour had passed and we figured it was time. Scanning the menu, we settled on the alcoholic version of the homemade lemonade (aka Bourbonade) and the Griffintown Mimosa which was made with McKeown cider and OJ. Lingering on the terrasse with our drinks, not ready to leave just yet, we relaxed in the shade for a while longer. Chatting with our waitress, we learned that the Cafe was open evenings from Thursday through Saturday and has live jazz bands performing. Very cool.
Bourbanade
Overall, I have to say I can’t describe a more perfect brunch outing. Can’t wait to go back!
*A note on the service here at Griffintown Cafe: amazing. We had two ladies serve us and both were as friendly as can be and helpful in both answering questions and giving suggestions. Best service I’ve had in a while! Kudos to the staff for a job well done.
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