by MARK SLUTSKY

There's something depressing about really upscale diners - those chrome-heavy pretend throwbacks to the '50s, with their blue-cheese burgers and truffle omelettes. Who do they think they're fooling? Sometimes, though, the idea of a going to a really greasy greasy spoon, with the attendant risk of processed cheese in your sandwich and stray hairs in your salad, can be a little discouraging.

L'Anecdote, on Rachel a couple blocks west of Parc Lafontaine, bridges the gap between chi-chi and sketchy quite nicely. Situated in what looks like it was once a real old-school Montreal diner, with red vinyl booths and fake-wood-panelled surfaces, L'Anecdote serves all the sorts of things you'd expect from a place with upholstered menus: burgers, club sandwiches, fried fish and the like. There's some fancy stuff on the menu too, though not too fancy, and the prices aren't much more than you'd pay at any old small Plateau restaurant.

Sandwiches seem to be the specialty at L'Anecdote, so I ordered the club, while my dining companion chose the haddock. To start, though, we split a plate of ravioli ($6.50), stuffed with three cheeses and presented on a bed of sweet, crispy-fried spinach and garnished with sliced almonds. The little fried raviolis had a satisfying crunch to them, and we were loving that spinach, especially as the whole thing was drizzled with an orangey dressing that added a little citrus punch to the proceedings. The dish was a little too oily, but it didn't really hamper our enjoyment.

Club sandwiches are relatively simple things, but there are so many things that can go wrong with them. The bread can be stale, over-toasted, or at worst, soggy from prolonged contact with the tomatoes; the bacon can be burnt, or under-cooked; the chicken is far too often dry, and stacked so precariously it tumbles out as soon as you nudge the sandwich with your index finger. I'm happy to report that L'Anecdote's club ($8.75) suffered from none of those too-common failings, and, in fact, was one of the best club sandwiches I've eaten in years. It was moist and not to chewy in the lower, chicken-based level, and satisfyingly crispy up where the bacon sat.

My friend's fried haddock ($10.25) was quite fresh tasting and cooked in a savoury batter, though there was only one piece on the plate when the occasion really called for two. The tartar sauce had a zippy, homemade taste to it, and both our plates were rounded out well with green salads and ample servings of perfectly nice fries.

The speedy service dissolved a little once we were finished our main courses, and we spent some time helplessly trying to get the waitress's attention for dessert. Once she did notice us, though, her friendly demeanour had us forget our troubles and order up some cake ($4.75). I had the "traditional" chocolate, and my pal went for the carrot. Both portions were embarrassingly large, so much that I had only excavated about half of my heavy slice when I finally threw in the towel. They were both nothing special - tasty enough if a little dry.

L'Anecdote's atmosphere makes it a nice little spot for a twosome. The diner setting was enhanced by a very pretty selection of old framed photographs adorning the walls, and the big picture windows up front gave a pleasantly snowy view of both Rachel and St-Hubert, as the restaurant sits on the corner of the two streets. It's a perfect in-between for when you don't feel like risking the really cheap spots but are wary of shelling out $50 for a sandwich and fries. :

Address: 801 Rachel E. (at St-Hubert)
Phone: 526-7967
Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30am–10pm, Sat–Sun 9am–10pm
Best features: solid diner eats, cozy booths
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: yes - many main dishes have vegetarian versions
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: ground level, but the majority of seating is either booths or stools
Price: $15–$20 including appetizers and dessert, before tax and tip
Rating: ** and a 1/2 out of ****