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Au Pied de Cochon Takes the Cake

April 10, 2010

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I’ve eaten at Au Pied de Cochon, Anthony Bourdain’s favourite Canadian restaurant, a few times over the past few years.

But my recent meal at this famous Montreal eatery owned by “wild chef” Martin Picard and known for its love of pork, affinity for foie gras and sublimely downhome-yet-modern  take on Quebec fare was by far the best yet.

Only able to get a table for two at the bar at 9:30 pm on Good Friday, my boyfriend Ross and I arrived on time to find the place humming, buzzing, alive and extremely well.

We had a perfect view of the flushed-faced young kitchen crew wielding pots, pans and whisks in the steamy open kitchen in front of us as they dished up one delicious dish after the other. Picard was not there and, we were told, is usually at his new place called Sugar Shack these days located on the outskirts of Montreal.

We tried not to wolf  down all of the luscious homemade sourdough bread cut in hearty slices which we smeared with luscious butter. We also restrained ourselves when  ordering and decided to share an appetizer and entree:  the PDC Crsipy salad followed by the  PDC’s Melting Pot – two excellent choices, it turned out.

The salad was lettuce and wilted tomatoes topped with various, mostly crispy bits of pork including belly, skin and tendon, all doused in a warm, tangy balsamic vinaigrette mixed with sauce from the meat. Wow – talk about the wow factor!

Ordering anything with the restaurant’s name on it is probably a good idea as the PDC’s Melting Pot was another winner. The house mashed potatoes inundated with melted cheese curds came in a metal pan topped with blood sausage, pieces of pork and other homemade sausage chunks.  Sensational.

With one beer, this filling repast came to less than $40 before tip. More important, sitting at that bar, we experienced restaurant dining at its exciting and delicious best. Au Pied de Cochon is the most joyous place to break bread I’ve found in all my travels.

Filed Under: Restaurant Tagged With: anthony bourdain, Au Pied de Cochon, balsamic, blood sausage, cheese curds, chef martin, crispy bits, delicious dish, foie gras, homemade sausage, joyous place, kitchen crew, melting pot, metal pan, open kitchen, perfect view, picard, repast, sourdough bread, sugar shack, whisks

Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

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Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

Marion Kane has been a leader in the world of food journalism for a few decades. She is an intrepid populist whose work combines social commentary with a consuming passion for all things culinary. For 18 years, she was food editor/columnist for Canada's largest newspaper: the Toronto Star. She lives in Toronto's colourful Kensington Market and is currently a free-wheeling freelance food sleuth®, podcaster, writer and cook.

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