This little piggy

Authentic decor and classic comfort food make Le Gros Jambon the perfect throwback diner

January is the time to gear up and start off the new year with a slew of resolutions and the intention to hit the ground run­ning. But when it comes to eating out (and spending money), people want to take it down a notch. Newly opened Le Gros Jambon in Old Montreal offers a twist on classic diner food in a relaxed setting with laidback prices to match.

Currently serving breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch (with dinner soon on the way), Le Gros Jambon is the second restaurant from the team behind the nearby L’Orignal. Long and narrow, the highly stylized diner has two rows of counter seats, one facing the open kitchen and the other running along the wall, which is decorated with framed pictures of articles and scenes from the 1940s and 50s. From the classic Hamilton Beach shake machine to the glass bottles of Coke and Sprite, and the wood detailing on the ceiling, they’ve accurately recreated the feel of a dining car.

When I first visited for brunch, I was worried we’d have to wait, but the food comes fast and the turnover is surprisingly smooth. Since it’s side-by-side stool seating all around, this place is best suited for smaller groups of two or three people— four would be pushing it. We decided on the mushroom toast ($12), the breakfast lobster roll ($18) and a regular breakfast ($12).

Everything was served on pig-shaped plates—a nice touch. The mushroom toast was a fried egg on rye bread with a gener­ous ladle of mushrooms in a cream sauce, a choice of meat (we went for bacon) hash, beans and coffee. Reminiscent of cream of mushroom soup, this smooth and earthy mixture is a classic pairing and definitely a filling choice.

Speaking of filling, the hard to resist (for me, anyway) lobster roll made me want to roll right off my stool and head to the gym. Set in a brioche hot dog bun, chunks of lobster meat were nestled amongst scrambled eggs and slathered in a hollandaise sauce with chives. And yes, there was hash and beans on the side. To say this dish was rich is an understatement; it was a savoury food bomb. Delicious, but I recommend sharing.

The regular breakfast with two eggs, rye toast, bacon, hash and beans was just right. The thick cut bacon was cooked to per­fection, on-the-verge-of-crispy with a subtle hint of maple. The beans, which were a cut above, had a mild bbq/mesquite flavour, but it was the hash that stole the scene: smashed potatoes with rosemary and juicy lardons. So smart, so good.

Lunch was just as interesting, with a variety of burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheeses and hot dogs available. We went for the daily special—fish tacos ($12)— and a Coca-Cola burger ($10), both of which were served in baskets with chequered paper. The jumbo tacos, with deep-fried strips of mahi-mahi, melted cheese, guacamole, lettuce, pickled onions and hot sauce, were excellent. I’d love to eat these again, put them on the daily menu, guys!

The burger, a mixture of ground beef and ground sausage, was served on a brioche bun with Coca-Cola mayo, caramelized onions and deep-fried pickles. Sweet and savoury, this flattop cooked burger was a solid contender and was served with coleslaw and fries (or poutine). The fries were casse-croute style with some good crunch, while the coleslaw’s tang helped cut through the burger’s fat. For desserts they had a variety of baked goods and awesomely gigantic chocolate chip cookies.

From fried chicken to Nathan’s Famous hot dogs (a Coney Island original), Le Gros Jambon nailed the diner style while making the experience fun and affordable. ■

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