Cool comforts

Resident’s mini Thanksgiving dinners,
grilled cheese sandwiches and sloppy
joes are hearty and playful

by MARK SLUTSKY

The intersection of Notre-Dame and Bonsecours is a particularly picturesque corner of Old Montreal. With the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel just down the hill and the area’s generally quiet nighttime vibe, it feels like stepping into the past. Recently, more restaurants and clubs have opened around there, the newest being Resident, in a beautiful corner space.

Despite its unfortunate name (something about that style of wilfully generic branding really rubs me the wrong way—it evokes nothing), Resident is an idiosyncratic restaurant with plenty of charm. A large room with very high, pressed-tin ceilings, it’s opulent and comfortable at the same time.

The kitchen is headed by chef Marc Dufort, who, depending on your habits, you might know from either his time at the now-defunct Cobalt or his gig DJing at Korova on Saturday nights. What he’s got cooking here is another take on the high-toned comfort food concept, one that’s executed well and with a sense of humour.

I have to say that one item on the menu struck me immediately. That would be the Mini Thanksgiving Dinner ($18). Frankly, the idea of it tickled me—an entire Thanksgiving meal, in miniature, all served on one plate. I liked the idea’s playfulness and, thankfully, the dish itself didn’t let me down, although it was more than I expected—I had had one of the day’s specials, an excellent venison tartare, as an appetizer, and it was altogether way too much food. You could easily split the Mini Thanksgiving Dinner with another person, especially with an appetizer, which actually makes it a pretty remarkable value, all things considered.

It’s all there: you get a whole roast bird (a Cornish hen, not a turkey, obviously), some delicious and interestingly crispy stuffing, mashed potatoes, parsnip purée, a fig compote (instead of cranberry sauce—tasted great but I missed the cranberry) and a Yorkshire pudding. I mean, come on. That’s what I call a meal.

But back to the appetizers—I liked the crab cakes ($7), two great big hockey pucks served with a sriracha and mayo dipping sauce, but beneath their crispy exteriors, they were a bit on the mushy side. I didn’t get to try the tempura onion rings with homemade ketchup ($5), but they sounded promising.

Hearty and filling—that’s what Resident’s got going on, and while it might be too heavy for some tastes, I found it perfect midwinter fare. The lamb shepherd’s pie ($15) was a good example of this—dense and meaty with a seriously rich, perhaps too rich, gravy. The goulash ($14) also fell into the heavy eatin’ category, with great big chunks of beef and potato.

I hadn’t had a sloppy joe since my summer camp days, so I had to try that too. Resident’s version, called a “Sloppy Joseph,” ($13) is definitely a bit classier than the cheap ground beef in a bun I recall from those hazy days of youth. A large bun stuffed with a mixture of beef, veal and beans, topped with melted Gouda, this is the kind of dish I wouldn’t recommend eating before a night out dancing, let’s just say. A creamy coleslaw and homemade potato chips are served on the side. Chips, not fries, are also included with the grilled cheese ($12), made on challah (the proper way, if you ask me) and served with an onion relish.

On the weekends, Resident also serves up brunch, and it’s a bit different than your average: crab tartinade on an English muffin ($12), roast beef hash ($11) and Nestlé Quik-dipped French toast ($11) are among the offerings, which also include a scallop ceviche ($13).

Resident’s heavy and generous offerings might not appeal to everyone; it’s nowhere to go when you’re on a diet. But it’s got a style of its own, and if you’re looking for comfort food prepared with some creativity and wit, and in truly lovely surroundings, it’s definitely worth your while.