Chronicles of a novice beer enthusiast.
Brutopia, Montreal QC
I stumbled across Brutopia completely by accident on my last trip to Montreal. Looking for a place to grab a pint on Rue Crescent, this place seemed the most inviting. A truly local establishment, the Habs were showing on the TVs, and Quebequois were lounging on couches cheering on their team to the Stanley Cup. The brewpub carried a series of traditional beers, as well as a slew of homebrewed ones as well. Most intriguing were the Nut Brown and the Honey Beer… and then a combo of the two called “Honey Brown.” Personally, I felt that separately they were passable – the Nut Brown having more depth, but the Honey having a better, sweeter aftertaste. However, put the two together, and you have a winning beer! Complex and sweet, the Honey Brown complimented our appetizers perfectly.
So, I know this is a beer blog, but I would not doing Brutopia justice if I didn’t mention the food. The menu was VERY international – from samosas to quesadillas, onion rings to edamame. Usually, when a menu is this diverse, the result is one “good” dish and a half-assed attempt at the rest. In Brutopia’s case, this could not be farther from the truth. We ordered Pakoras (an Indian dish of fried spinach, onions, potatoes and chickpeas) served with a spicy Tamarind chutney, Belgian frites (served with ketchup and mayo), and Guacamole with fresh, homemade chips. All were superb, and adding the tamarind sauce to the frites made a delicious curry fry. Also on the menu was a burger made from beef, ham, and chicken with avocado and aioli, but we were not daring enough to try it.
Would highly recommend this place for a true local experience in Montreal.
(CAVEAT: They do NOT have poutine! But you can get that pretty much everywhere else. I’ll let the food bloggers help you find that.)
Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal QC
My family and I first visited Au Pied de Cochon thanks to Anthony Bourdain. It’s tucked away on a little street in Montreal called Duluth. The place is known for their foie gras and pork head & feet, but everything they make is delicious. We had Duck in a Can… and it was divine.
But enough about the food… this is a beer blog! Au Pied de Cochon also has it’s own brew as well. And that is what I’m here to review.
I found their house brew to be a little bland - an ale brewed in a light Belgian style, the beer sharing the name of the restaurant was light on carbonation, alcohol and (in my opinion) flavor. However, since the food was so rich, a heavy beer may not have been appropriate.
Instead of the house brew, I decided to try the Griffon Rousse (Red). Again, a gently flavored red ale, this beer was served warm and left a little to be desired. It took me through the entire first course to finish it, and I didn’t order another. But, as I mentioned before, this could have been a poor pairing for the heavy food I was eating. A heavy beer with heavy food was a little too much for me.
I recommend the restaurant HIGHLY, but when you go, I’d suggest choosing something from their very extensive wine list instead. :)
Tagged #Anthony Bourdain #Au Pied de Cochon #Beer #Montreal #Review Posted on 26 April, 2010
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