Le Club Chasse et Pêche Montreal

Suckling Pig With Polenta and Truffle

Club Chasse et Peche gives off an air of exclusivity in the discreet nature of the establishment: to the regular passerby it would be easy to miss the place and walk right by, blissfully unaware of the culinary delights that take place inside. The only indication that it even exists on the middle of St. Claude street is a large stylized logo that is at once easily recognizable while being somewhat indistinguishable at the same time – the icon resembles an eagle spreadings its wings, showcasing a torso made of a coat of arms. I think it’s open to interpretation. There is a little bit of snobbery that comes off as you experience the Club for an evening but it totally works in their favor. It helps that we were knowingly greeting with a warm “Welcome to the Club”.

Negroni

Starting off with a Negroni and a pale ale made by St. Ambroise, we sat down in these great leather armchairs. When was the last time you got this kind of backside comfort in a restaurant? I loved it. Roomy and cushy, you got to lean back and really sit at ease. None of the trendy hardwood chairs with low backs – the Club is serious about your bodily comfort as you sit through the delicious meal to come. As we looked through the menu, I have to say this is one that will stand out in my memory for a while. Not often do you see restaurants poking fun at themselves, attempting to joke around a little and build up some personality through the menu items offered i.e. oysters with character, vegetables with panache etc. I thought it was a cute tongue-in-cheek way to differentiate – it’s funny because the vegetables probably do have panache. So do a lot of other restaurants but the difference is most restaurants won’t go out of their way to say so – the Club does.

Crisp Sweetbreads With Cabbage, Apple and Macadamia

We started with the crisp sweetbreads which came with cabbage, apple and macadamia as well as the venison, roasted beets, pear and L8 harvest. The saltiness of the sweetbreads paired perfectly with sweetness of the apple – the entire dish was all but inhaled. The same can be said about the venison. Pounded into thin slices, the venison was served raw along with some colorful fruits and vegetables which helped make the aesthetic of the plate a gorgeous piece of edible art.

Duck Magret With Foie Gras, Mushroom and Rutabaga

For the mains, we had the suckling pig with polenta and truffle which came to us looking a little daunting. A seemingly big cut of meat rested invitingly on the polenta, just waiting to be devoured. And it was. The duck magret with foie gras, mushroom and rutabaga was sliced into two-bite pieces, each a good accompaniment to the foie gras resting on some sort of flaky pastry nearby. You get more than enough foie gras you could ask for. After this, I was to the point of bursting. I think I may have undone my top button a little bit. There, my secret’s out. And of course, everyone always has room for dessert even when you’re at this breaking point. Oh man, there’s no way we could have left the Club without trying at least one!

Pilgrammage - Kouign Amann with Apple and Vanilla Ice Cream

We had the Pilgramage which was a kouign amann (butter cake in Breton), apple and vanilla ice cream. The kouign amann was graciously explained to us as a sort of sweet, crusty cake. It was harder than I had expected and chewier too but nonetheless, it went perfectly with the vanilla ice cream provided at the other end of the plate. The PurPur was ordered as well – a rice pudding with poached figs and red wine sorbet – not something you can easily find. Everything that evening was perfect: from the company to the service to most importantly, the food itself, we were more than satisfied when we left the Club. Can’t wait to try Le Filet next!

Negroni

St Ambroise Pale Ale

Venison, Roasted BEets, Pear, L8 Harvest

Crisp Sweetbreads With Cabbage, Apple and Macadamia

Duck Magret With Foie Gras, Mushroom and Rutabaga

Suckling Pig With Polenta and Truffle

PurPur – Rice Pudding With Poached Figs and Red Wine Sorbet

Pilgrammage – Kouign Amann with Apple and Vanilla Ice Cream

Pilgrammage – Kouign Amann with Apple and Vanilla Ice Cream