Hab hungry?

>> Eat your face off at the Molson Centre’s La Cage aux Sports

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

It was the night of Koivu’s comeback, the one that wound up guaranteeing the Canadiens their playoff spot. Needless to say, I didn’t have tickets. But I had a murky plan: to wrangle my way into the Mise au Jeu Bar at the Molson Centre. I knew that the Mise au Jeu restaurant was members-only, and the Classe Affaires restaurant was reserved for those with corporate boxes. The bar/resto, however, claimed to be “open to the public”—what I didn’t realize was that meant the public with tickets. So, my hopes of reporting on how the other half eats were quashed by one word: security.

There remained one place to feed off the buzz of the Molson Centre: the on-site La Cage aux Sports. Game night here is the definition of vicarious: you can actually see into the arena itself without physically being able to get in. Plus, it’s a popular spot for pre-game meals, so you wait in line while the Chosen Ones finish eating and head off to their seats.

Once the ticket-holders clear out, everyone else tries to act like it doesn’t matter. We talk loudly about feeble connections, brush imaginary lint off our suits (the men resemble Michel Therrien) or fluff our highlighted hair (the women look like an Ab-Flex infomercial). We’re bound together by the love of hockey and an uncanny ability to simultaneously chew gum, smoke and sing along to Air Supply, Bronski Beat or any other band from the era when the Habs always made it to the playoffs.

At busy times like these, La Cage has a limited “On the Go” menu. It’s basically jock food: BBQ chicken ($7.39–8.89), ribs ($13.89–$16.29), club sandwich ($8.99) and a few salads for the ladies. You can still get their “famous” Buffalo chicken wings ($6.69/8). It’s one of the few places where they’re served in true American style: in a basket and, more importantly, with blue cheese dipping sauce. It wasn’t one of their best incarnations, though: they could’ve been hotter in temperature and spice. Plus, the lettuce adorning the basket looked like it had been recycled.

My fellow fan got the “classic” combo: three ribs and a chicken breast ($15.39). The meat on the ribs was tender, the sauce was brown and sticky, but they would’ve been infinitely more satisfying served hot. The poultry was perfectly cooked, with lots of satisfying white meat to dip into that tasty barbecue sauce. The combo also came with thin fries, coleslaw, a wedge of lemon and a soft bun.

I ventured into the Cage’s exotic side with the Oriental chicken salad ($8.99), the menu’s nod to the rest of the world. It wasn’t about authenticity but it was tasty: lots of lettuce (fresh this time), strips of grilled chicken, carrots, tomatoes, sesame seeds, slightly sweet dressing and the best part—those crunchy orange noodle thingies.
It might not seem fair to evaluate this restaurant on a game night, but this type of occasion is this type of restaurant’s raison d’être. The food is better when washed down with a Molson product of your choice—in my case Molson Ex, the taste of my adolescence.
And if you can’t afford tickets, you’ll get a good view here; there are tons of TV screens (I lost count at 36). The broadcast seems to mingle with the real-life crowd just a few yards away and the excitement oozes through the concrete that separates you from the ice. It’s enough for even a completely and utterly objective food critic to allow herself a few fist pumps. :

La Cage aux Sports
Address: 1212 Gauchetière W.
Phone: 925-2255
Hours: Sun–Wed 11am–midnight; Thurs–Sat 11am–1am
Best features: Habs and abs
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: no
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Price: $14/person before tax, drinks or tip
Rating: HH out of HHHH

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