The griffters

Café Griffintown respects its roots

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Griffintown is what they used to call the area just south of downtown back when it was a working-class Irish neighbourhood. For more than 100 years, it was home to labourers employed at nearby refineries, foundries and on construction projects like the Victoria Bridge. What I assume to be this same bridge is immortalized in a mural at Café Griffintown, a local hangout that proves it's still possible to launch a cool café without being guilty of gentrification. Opened a couple of years ago, this place is blessedly low-key and trend-free, a reminder of life before Starbucks.

It's just a shame that you have to pass by a whole lotta hideous housing to get there. Obviously someone in city planning--if Montreal even has an urban planning department--thought it would be fun to make the area north of Notre-Dame look just like Nun's Island. Lucky us! The proximity of another government brainchild--the so-called multimedia village--means that while it's gotten a boost, a lot of the area's original character has been swallowed by development.

Nevertheless, without trying too hard, this casual resto makes the most of the old building it occupies: high ceilings, richly coloured walls, mismatched tables and chairs, local art, a pool table and a piano. The sound system seems to be devoid of techno or the out-of-tune radio so favoured by other java joints in this city. Add no-nonsense food, fantastic coffee and relaxed ambiance, and it's quite a find.

The sandwiches are extra good and inexpensive. There's a choice of Italian cold cuts--you know the list, capicollo to mortadella to prosciutto--served on crusty fresh bread. I tried the spicy salami, which came thinly sliced, along with marinated eggplant, roasted red peppers and cheese. Served with lettuce dripped with delicious balsamic vinegar and a few kalamata olives, it was a steal for $3.50. It made for a great lunch with the soup of the day, a comforting, gently seasoned broccoli and parmesan concoction.

The smoked salmon salad was also a treat ($8). It consisted of four or five generous slices of mildly flavoured fish atop a bed of romaine, sprinkled with onions, capers, olives, grapefruit wedges and a do-it-yourself dressing of fine olive oil and lemon. The side dish of a toasted, buttered bagel was a nice touch.

Noticing a sign that mentioned a new Saturday morning menu, I went back on the weekend. Brunch is pretty much limited to omelettes, but they're quite tasty--thanks in part to the cook's penchant for garlic (which she warns you about). It was sautéed to sweetness, adding punch to the lightly cooked asparagus and spinach fillings we tried. Both omelettes were presented with a toasted bagel dripping with butter, a dollop of sour cream, sliced tomatoes seasoned with basil and a bowl of fresh fruit like grapes, cantaloupe, mango and orange (all about $7). Nothing terribly inventive but refreshingly unfussy--and even better with a couple more of those great café au laits. Plus, where else can you play a post-breakfast game of pool while listening to some Al Green?

On both occasions I visited, regulars drifted in and out to shoot the breeze at the counter with the owner. He seemed a little more suspicious of outsiders like us, who were uncertain whether to sit down and wait or stand up and order. Maybe he wants to make sure that his place doesn't get overrun by annoying people from the Plateau. Anyway, I'll certainly be back there for an afternoon coffee, because only too late did I see the word tiramisu on the menu.

Café Griffintown

Address: 1378 Notre-Dame W.

Phone: 931-9135

Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-9pm; Sat 9am-4pm, closed Sun

Best features: fresh food, kick-ass coffee, good tunes

Vegetarian friendly: yes

Wheelchair access: yes

Alcohol: yes

Credit cards: no

Price: $7/person without tax, tip and drinks

Rating: HHH out of HHHH