by A.J. KINIK

With all the buzz there’s been in recent years about the new, happening Vieux-Montréal, nearly every time I wander through its streets, I’m struck by how little there is that actually makes you feel like the district is alive.

Most of the sources that tell us how exciting the new Old Montreal is tend to focus on phenomena like the emergence of the area’s ever-so-glamorous boutique hotels with their exclusive style and their matching clientele, but the transient nature of these businesses and their cool aesthetics hardly contribute to that “lived-in” feel that helps make other neighbourhoods so attractive. Head down St-François-Xavier late one evening these days, though, and you’ll likely hear signs of life emitting from the door at #408, cutting through the silence like a siren song.

That’s where Garde Manger opened just a few months ago, when a handful of young restaurant veterans suddenly saw an opportunity to branch out on their own. Business has been hopping ever since, and Garde Manger has affectionately become known as “Joe Beef, Jr.,” presumably because of its menu and its particular kind of youthful swagger.

A couple of Sundays ago, a group of us met up at Garde Manger to check out the new kid on the block. We were in the mood for one of their seafood starters, but we were trying to keep things budget-oriented, so we steered away from the pricey oyster and seafood platters and went instead with the fried calamari ($9). Strange, I know, but for some reason when we looked up at the board and saw “Fried Calamari” posted on the menu, it looked pretty good to us. When the dish arrived, we felt vindicated. Instead of serving them up Greek-style, Garde Manger took an English fish ’n’ chips approach, then matched them with a tangy homemade cocktail sauce and a thoroughly addictive smoky, chipotle-tinged tartar sauce. These were hearty calamari, but they were still surprisingly light, and the flavourful batter was the perfect foil for those tender rings of squid.

They were so satisfying, in fact, that they’d disappeared before we knew it. So we took another look at the chalkboard menu and ordered appetizer #2, a wild mushroom, fresh herb and cheese sauté ($12) that came served in a pan right out of the oven. Add strips of prosciutto and olives to the mix and you’ve got yourselves an appetizer that’s absolutely seductive.

Rumour had it that Garde Manger was in the habit of serving a phenomenal steak frites so we knew we wanted to order one of those, but aside from that we were open to suggestions. While you can make do at Garde Manger if you’re a vegetarian, and you can actually do very well if you eat seafood, their menu places the emphasis on meat dishes served in generous quantities, so we followed their lead. The ribs ($20) weren’t exactly Memphis-style, but they were very much an ode to Montreal-style ribs, with a rich tomato and molasses-based sauce that was quite literally finger-lickin’ good, and they came with a side of potato salad that was as exceptional as it was unconventional. (“Prosciutto? Prosciutto!”).

The braised pork shoulder with red wine reduction ($24) was very tender and it came with some tasty cheesy mashed potatoes, but it was the one dish of the night that seemed overpriced. And the steak frites ($20)? Well, the rumours are true. Garde Manger’s hanger steak is fantastic, masterfully prepared and served with some of the city’s best matchstick potatoes and some sautéed French green beans to boot.

The momentum we’d built up carried right over into the desserts. The deep-fried Mars bar ($7) was more a show of Garde Manger’s cheeky sense of humour than it was essential eating, but never having tried this Scottish, er, “classic,” we felt compelled to do so. The pecan pie ($7), on the other hand, was absolutely to die for and probably one of the best you’ll find north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Better still, it was made by the chef’s mom.

High marks on the food, yes, but the best thing about Garde Manger on the night we went may have been the atmosphere, which was downright infectious from the moment we entered. Here’s to an Old Montreal that’s anything but!

THOUGHTS? E-mail misterkinik@yahoo.com

Garde Manger
ADDRESS: 408 St-François-Xavier
PHONE: 678-5044
HOURS: Tue–Sun 6 p.m. –3 a.m.
BEST FEATURES: Steak frites, calamari, sautéed
wild mushrooms and Mom’s pecan pie
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $15–25 for mains
RATING: *** out of ****