Breakfast bonanza

B&M St-Viateur is a veritable brunchsplosion

by MARK SLUTSKY

Restaurant brunching and breakfasting used to be such a part of my eating DNA that rare was the morning you wouldn’t find me scarfing down scrambled eggs and buttered toast at Place Milton or one of several dozen other establishments around town. But that was back in the day when you could get a full spread, unlimited coffee included, for $2.50 plus tax. Nowadays, you’ve got to pay a multiple of that, so brunch is a weekend-only affair. My favourite Montreal déjeuner spot has got to be Mile End’s Sparrow, but snagging a table can involve a lot of patience, and there are times when hunger and/or hangover mean I don’t have it in me to wait around an hour.

B&M St-Viateur seems made to address just that dilemma. Presumably related to the two B&M restaurants in NDG (though there’s no mention of the new branch on their website), B&MSV doesn’t really feel like a St-Viateur restaurant; it seems like it would be more at home somewhere downtown. For one thing, it’s huge, taking up the equivalent of two whole storefronts. It’s white and very airy (nice on a hot day), with a few flat-screen TVs scattered here and there and an open kitchen. It’s incongruous, yes, but its size makes it an attractive breakfast option—you’ve got a pretty good chance of showing up and getting a table.

And once you do, your breakfast options are kind of… unlimited. If you want a straight-up eggs and toast and potato dealy, you can get a bunch of variations on the classics for under $10. Crepes? Sure. Pancakes? They got ’em. Waffles? No problem. Omelettes? Bring ’em on!

On a recent visit with friends, we sampled two of B&M’s savoury options and two of its sweet (well, one that was a combination of both). I was pretty hot on trying out their waffles, and after making sure they were freshly made to order, I ordered the blueberry variety ($10, plus an additional $2 for real maple syrup, a cost I hate to, but must always, pay). My big ol’ waffle, covered in fresh blueberries, was really tasty—crisp and fresh and hot. I was satisfied with this waffle, with its deep nooks and crannies and buttery flavour.

One of my eating buddies went for the B&M breakfast crepe ($13). This was a crepe rolled up with eggs, ham, bacon and sausage, and let me tell you, it was a breakfast monster. It was actually two crepes, each the size of a small burrito, and while I like a big breakfast, two was overkill. One was large enough that it could have done just fine. Surprisingly, the potatoes on the side were the most memorable part of the meal—they were herbed and crisp and really tasty.

We also partook of an omelette ($13), this one made with avocado, chèvre and sundried tomatoes. Avocado in an omelette seemed like a bit of a dicey proposition to me but it fit in just fine. This was served with the same potatoes and speared fruit as the crepes. Finally, we went for the eggs benedict, with ham and swiss ($12), which was… fine, but not inspiring. The hollandaise didn’t seem quite up to the task.

Returning for lunch, I was intrigued to notice that B&M served Nathan’s famous Coney Island hot dogs, which are just making their way to Canada. It was a little odd eating one of those big beefy frankfurters ($4) with the classic Quebec coleslaw topping (and a bun that could barely contain it). My friend had a burger ($10 with fries and a drink), which was generously topped with pickles and tomatoes and which he pronounced himself satisfied with. It’s a thin-ish patty that they make there, cooked medium-rare. We were intrigued by, but didn’t try, the variety of shakes and floats also on the menu, which gives the place a sort of Pop’s Choklit Shop All-American vibe. B&M still wouldn’t be my first choice, but as a perfectly serviceable breakfast or lunch alternative, it’ll do just fine.