It just made sense to me to make my first real post about my favorite restaurant. It’s called Au Pied de Cochon (or PDC for short), and it is located in Montreal, Quebec. If you have not heard of it, the Chef’s name is Martin Picard, and he specializes in everything related to foie gras, pork, duck, and fat. How could this not be MY favorite restaurant in the world? This is truly a gastronomic destination.
The restaurant is very easy to miss the first time you walk by it. The only visible signs are located on a high window. I don’t think it is much concern to Chef Picard, though, because the restaurant is packed every night. I have eaten there a total of five times, and was able to get a reservation only once. I have realized as a single diner, your best bet is to walk in once they open, and grab a seat in front of the open kitchen.
The entrance way is very tiny. I was greeted by two hostesses and sat in the "special seat" at the bar. When Au Pied De Cochon opened in 2003 Martin Picard asked for donations because he couldn't afford to buy all the seats he needed at the bar. The result was three hunters donated three chairs that looked VERY out of place, but are very cool in their own sense. I felt lucky to sit in the last one standing, which was wrapped in gold antlers.
When you walk in you immediately pass by their seafood tank, and then a huge array of market produce before making your way to your seat. So many fresh tomatoes, turnips, apples, and so forth just on display. The tank hides the pizza oven area, where two cooks prepare the large items like the guinea hen for 2, pork loin for 2, and the lamb shank. PDC bakes their bread fresh daily, and also had eight of their fresh sourdoughs attached to what looks like a giant spear on a counter table. Unlike most restaurants, the FOH team is very involved with the daily routines of the kitchen. I witnessed my kitchen runner slicing fresh sourdough to order, as well as others peeling and shelling fresh cranberry beans.
When you walk in you immediately pass by their seafood tank, and then a huge array of market produce before making your way to your seat. So many fresh tomatoes, turnips, apples, and so forth just on display. The tank hides the pizza oven area, where two cooks prepare the large items like the guinea hen for 2, pork loin for 2, and the lamb shank. PDC bakes their bread fresh daily, and also had eight of their fresh sourdoughs attached to what looks like a giant spear on a counter table. Unlike most restaurants, the FOH team is very involved with the daily routines of the kitchen. I witnessed my kitchen runner slicing fresh sourdough to order, as well as others peeling and shelling fresh cranberry beans.
So I sat down, greeted by a runner, right in front of the kitchen. It was the sous chef, expediter, and two cooks in a very small kitchen. While two cooks worked the wood-burning oven, the rest of the team had to share space cooking in front of a large steam kettle, six burner stove, small deep fryer, and a flattop. Built into the wall right next to the kitchen was a freezer that held fresh ice creams and sorbets, as well as chilled beer mugs. Very clever.
So I put in my order. I started with marinated smoked sausages, guinea hen liver mousse, and then a cured foie gras tart.
The first thing to come out was the sourdough bread. Served in a mixing bowl of all things. Excellent crust, soft interior. Everything you could ask for in fresh bread. Served with room temperature butter that was slightly sweet. I hardly touched it to make room for other things.
First course...the sausages, good, but overall didn't compare to the other courses. It was two links, made and smoked in house, on top of two pieces of thin toast with sea salt, with house-made mustard on the side.
The next course was the guinea hen liver mousse. Packed in a small jar with cracked pepper, three more slices of thin toast, marinated and shaved cippolini onion, and a fresh made nectarine chutney that was to die for. It gave the mousse the acidity and brightness it was lacking. It complemented everything so perfectly.
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| Guinea Hen Liver Mousse |
So then my server started checking on me regularly. He saw I was getting full, but I told him I was just pacing myself and was ready for more. So after I finished the tart I ordered their foie gras special. Which, by the way, who the hell runs foie gras specials?? Au Pied De Cochon, that's who. And I am glad I did. It was a huge slab of foie, served over a buckwheat pancake, with a sweet corn and bacon demi-glace. HOLY FREAKIN COW. It was so perfect, so rich, sweet and salty. It was the perfect ending to the meal.
All of that...for $80 Canadian. What made the best part of the night, though, was seeing Martin Picard. He came in during my liver course with bags from the local market. He came in, dropped off the fresh produce, yelled at his sous chef a bit (no joke he looked like he was going to rip his head off), said hi to everyone, tasted everything, and left. On his way out I turned to look at him and he says "Bonsoir". Martin Picard said hi to me! Woo!
As I sat at the bar I noticed a lot of the kitchen. I had a lot of respect for the cooks, because the restaurant fills up quick, and they went from 0-60 in 2 minutes. I try to notice all the little things cooks do, and I could tell every one of them had a lot of respect for the ingredients they were cooking with. The sous chef did all of the plating, and was yelling at everyone to keep their shit together. One of the more funnier outbursts was when he yelled at his garde manger cook to hurry up, smacking his hands together and yelling “Boom Boom!!”
When I got there they were making the famed duck in a can. If you didn't hear about this it literally is what it sounds like. They cook a duck...in a can. Serve it by opening it up tableside and plop it onto a plate of their mashed potatoes (Potatoes and cheese curd!). The sous was cooking huge slabs of foie, which then they take a duck breast, wrap the skin around the foie, put it into the can with caramelized onions cooked in their wood-burning oven, and then use a machine to seal the can. I wish I had room to try it, it looked so good.
Boudin and Duck in a Can...here I come.
So...The Au Pied De Cochon experience...part deux:
Honestly, it didn't have the wow factor it did the first time, and I think it’s because I went later in the night. By this time all the cooks started drinking, visibly in front of the diners mind you, and even though they weren't drunk, definitely showed in their cooking abilities.
First course...pickled tongue. AMAZING. It was braised to perfection, then pickled to give it a vinegar bite. It was so bright and just fell apart. Served with 2 pieces of thin toast and the house-made mustard. I would so have it again.
Second course...codfish fritters. WOW. If you watch the No Reservations video of Anthony Bourdain he is obviously full from all the foie gras, but then when he is served the fritters he just looks at them and goes "OH WOW, THAT IS GOOD. HOLY GOOD GOD THAT IS GOOD". And he was RIGHT. They were amazing. Five fritters deep-fried to perfection in duck fat, served with house-made aioli and a wedge of lemon. I could, and should have, stopped there.
Third course...Foie Gras Poutine. SUCKED. I never thought I would say that about anything here, but it was absolutely terrible. I blame the cooks for this one. I decided to eat all the fries first, which weren't even crispy, just a soggy mess under the foie gravy, and saved the succulent foie for last. The cheese curds were cold, not even stringy, and the sauce slightly salty. Then I cut up the foie, ready to enjoy it, AND IT WAS SALTY AS HELL. It was such a sin to foie gras, and I almost sent it back if it wasn't for the fact that all the cooks were visibly buzzed at this point. It left such a salty taste in my mouth, literally. Ugh. I do not recommend. At least I got a good buzz from the 3 St. Ambroise I drank.
Honestly, it didn't have the wow factor it did the first time, and I think it’s because I went later in the night. By this time all the cooks started drinking, visibly in front of the diners mind you, and even though they weren't drunk, definitely showed in their cooking abilities.
First course...pickled tongue. AMAZING. It was braised to perfection, then pickled to give it a vinegar bite. It was so bright and just fell apart. Served with 2 pieces of thin toast and the house-made mustard. I would so have it again.
Second course...codfish fritters. WOW. If you watch the No Reservations video of Anthony Bourdain he is obviously full from all the foie gras, but then when he is served the fritters he just looks at them and goes "OH WOW, THAT IS GOOD. HOLY GOOD GOD THAT IS GOOD". And he was RIGHT. They were amazing. Five fritters deep-fried to perfection in duck fat, served with house-made aioli and a wedge of lemon. I could, and should have, stopped there.
Third course...Foie Gras Poutine. SUCKED. I never thought I would say that about anything here, but it was absolutely terrible. I blame the cooks for this one. I decided to eat all the fries first, which weren't even crispy, just a soggy mess under the foie gravy, and saved the succulent foie for last. The cheese curds were cold, not even stringy, and the sauce slightly salty. Then I cut up the foie, ready to enjoy it, AND IT WAS SALTY AS HELL. It was such a sin to foie gras, and I almost sent it back if it wasn't for the fact that all the cooks were visibly buzzed at this point. It left such a salty taste in my mouth, literally. Ugh. I do not recommend. At least I got a good buzz from the 3 St. Ambroise I drank.
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| Foie Gras Poutine |
$54 Canadian that night. Not bad. Foie gras crommesquis, head cheese croquettes, and foie and boudin tart. Mmm…I want.
The Au Pied De Cochon experience...part trois:
So I get to the restaurant at 5pm today, but it ended up still being closed for a few minutes while they set up inside. As I waited on the street I was approached by the man who was my server the past two nights. To my surprise, he was actually the FOH manager (without uniforms or suits everyone just looks the same). He recognized me instantly, and we got a chance to talk. He was surpised I was back for the third night in a row, but after telling him my reasons he felt nothing short of sheer gratitude and praise. His name is Dennis, and that small conversation was all it took for me to get hooked up for the rest of the night.
When I walked in he already had my seat set with silverware and bread. I could also tell he told the rest of the FOH team to look after me because everyone started showing so much more attention. It is the little things in this industry that count. Making sure water glass is never empty, they refilled my beers immediately with freshly chilled mugs every time, wiped the space in front of me if I dropped even a crumb, and most importantly...smile. Something so simple can make a diner feel so much more welcome.
Dennis sent me the foie gras crommesquis to start my meal. They were very good, but lacked a little in brightness of flavor. It was two very small cubes of foie, battered, and deep-fried in duck fat. The hot oil melts the foie, and when you bite into the crispy cube you get an explosion of liquid foie in your mouth. Very clever play on what you see is not what you get. As playful and surprising as it was, it just needed a little something extra.
So I get to the restaurant at 5pm today, but it ended up still being closed for a few minutes while they set up inside. As I waited on the street I was approached by the man who was my server the past two nights. To my surprise, he was actually the FOH manager (without uniforms or suits everyone just looks the same). He recognized me instantly, and we got a chance to talk. He was surpised I was back for the third night in a row, but after telling him my reasons he felt nothing short of sheer gratitude and praise. His name is Dennis, and that small conversation was all it took for me to get hooked up for the rest of the night.
When I walked in he already had my seat set with silverware and bread. I could also tell he told the rest of the FOH team to look after me because everyone started showing so much more attention. It is the little things in this industry that count. Making sure water glass is never empty, they refilled my beers immediately with freshly chilled mugs every time, wiped the space in front of me if I dropped even a crumb, and most importantly...smile. Something so simple can make a diner feel so much more welcome.
Dennis sent me the foie gras crommesquis to start my meal. They were very good, but lacked a little in brightness of flavor. It was two very small cubes of foie, battered, and deep-fried in duck fat. The hot oil melts the foie, and when you bite into the crispy cube you get an explosion of liquid foie in your mouth. Very clever play on what you see is not what you get. As playful and surprising as it was, it just needed a little something extra.
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| Foie Gras Crommesquis |
The next course took a while to come out, which I didn't mind because I needed to pace myself at this point. Then, it arrived. The foie gras and boudin tart. It was HUGE. In the No Reservations episode when Anthony Bourdain receives this tart his response is "Wow, the portions are a little skimpy here". It was so incredibly rich. Buttery pastry, mashed potatoes, caramelized onions, fingerling potatoes, onion sauce, eight pieces of boudin cut about an inch thick, and six slices of cured foie gras, and once again, the foie melts to create the sauce for the tart. I tried...I tried so hard...but could only make my way through a quarter of it. Dennis then told me I shouldn't feel bad about taking it home, because it could easily feed up to three people. Thanks for telling me beforehand.
He then sent me a glass of calvados which he said "will aid in your digestion". I like this place. Too bad I was in pain as I left, though, but it was a pain well worth it. Time for a nap.
Then there's the bathroom. Every now and then you find a restaurant that has a restroom worth noting. Such as the restroom in WD-50 in New York, where the doorway is hidden amongst the wall. This restroom did not have a magic doorway, but it did however have a small television screen in it, with a video of Martin Picard hunting. I have to say, that is not exactly what I want to see when I am doing my business. Firstly, I don't want another guy in there with me. Secondly, it is such a peaceful scene watching a deer frolick amongst nature...then it gets shot. Only at Au Pied de Cochon.
The Au Pied de Cochon experience....part quattre:
Today marked my second-to-last visit to Au Pied de Cochon. By then the entire staff knew who I was, and were happy to see me return for my 4th night in a row. I sat in the special seat once again at the bar, overlooking the kitchen. Even the kitchen staff welcomed me with smiles today. Dennis was off, but I was taken care of by the other FOH manager, who by the way never introduced himself.
What made this visit most special was meeting the two people sitting next to me at the bar. They were named Alex and Rachel, two very friendly people visiting from Toronto. They had just come back from a visit to NYC two weeks ago, but it was Alex's background which I found the most intriguing. Alex and his family are not chefs, but very big foodies in their own sense. They take family trips to the slaughterhouse, in which they will buy whole animals, whether it be pig, lamb, duck, or cow, and then break down the animals in their home into their respective parts. They then freeze everything to enjoy the animal as the please year round, and they utilize everything, including rendering all the fats and using it to cook vegetables. I was very impressed that a non-restaurant family would come together and enjoy such a spectacle.
Now, the food. I decided to go big that day, and paced myself through the meal. I did not touch the sourdough bread at all, and even asked the runner to take it away from me. Today, I enjoyed the tarragon bison tongue, duck in a can, and the foie terrine.
Tarragon Bison Tongue...the tongue was split into 4 pieces, covered with the house-made mustard and 3 more dots of the mustard on the side. The plate also contained a pan sauce, mounted with butter, with slices of carrots and cornichons. Honestly, it did not compare to the pickled pigs tongue, but was very good in its own sense. I just wish there wasn't so much mustard on the plate, it kind of took away from the essence of the tongue flavor.
The next course was the one I was looking forward to all week. The famed duck in a can. The runner brings you a plate with a piece of toast and the PDC mashed potatoes, then opens the can right in front of you. The perfume from the can was very overwhelming, like a caged animal trying to escape, and hits you in the face with a TKO. The can then gets turned over revealing a cooked duck breast, a large slab of foie, and a red wine sauce. It was delicious, but I had one major complaint. On Tuesday when I saw them preparing the can, I noticed they sear off the foie and wrap the skin of the duck around it before placing it in the can. It never occured to me that they never render the duck skin. My guess is they keep it on to prevent the duck from drying out, but it was the first thing I ended up cutting off and putting to the side. I'm a big fan of crispy, rendered, duck skin...but not raw.
Today marked my second-to-last visit to Au Pied de Cochon. By then the entire staff knew who I was, and were happy to see me return for my 4th night in a row. I sat in the special seat once again at the bar, overlooking the kitchen. Even the kitchen staff welcomed me with smiles today. Dennis was off, but I was taken care of by the other FOH manager, who by the way never introduced himself.
What made this visit most special was meeting the two people sitting next to me at the bar. They were named Alex and Rachel, two very friendly people visiting from Toronto. They had just come back from a visit to NYC two weeks ago, but it was Alex's background which I found the most intriguing. Alex and his family are not chefs, but very big foodies in their own sense. They take family trips to the slaughterhouse, in which they will buy whole animals, whether it be pig, lamb, duck, or cow, and then break down the animals in their home into their respective parts. They then freeze everything to enjoy the animal as the please year round, and they utilize everything, including rendering all the fats and using it to cook vegetables. I was very impressed that a non-restaurant family would come together and enjoy such a spectacle.
Now, the food. I decided to go big that day, and paced myself through the meal. I did not touch the sourdough bread at all, and even asked the runner to take it away from me. Today, I enjoyed the tarragon bison tongue, duck in a can, and the foie terrine.
Tarragon Bison Tongue...the tongue was split into 4 pieces, covered with the house-made mustard and 3 more dots of the mustard on the side. The plate also contained a pan sauce, mounted with butter, with slices of carrots and cornichons. Honestly, it did not compare to the pickled pigs tongue, but was very good in its own sense. I just wish there wasn't so much mustard on the plate, it kind of took away from the essence of the tongue flavor.
The next course was the one I was looking forward to all week. The famed duck in a can. The runner brings you a plate with a piece of toast and the PDC mashed potatoes, then opens the can right in front of you. The perfume from the can was very overwhelming, like a caged animal trying to escape, and hits you in the face with a TKO. The can then gets turned over revealing a cooked duck breast, a large slab of foie, and a red wine sauce. It was delicious, but I had one major complaint. On Tuesday when I saw them preparing the can, I noticed they sear off the foie and wrap the skin of the duck around it before placing it in the can. It never occured to me that they never render the duck skin. My guess is they keep it on to prevent the duck from drying out, but it was the first thing I ended up cutting off and putting to the side. I'm a big fan of crispy, rendered, duck skin...but not raw.
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| The unveiling of "Duck in a Can" |
I'm not gonna lie, I was a little upset knowing that this will be my last visit to the famed restaurant. It had been such a great week, and I met a lot of great people, as well as had the most gluttonous gastronomic experience of my professional career. Everything I have heard about Martin Picard, including everything Anthony Bourdain narrated about the eccentric French chef, is true. Some would say he is crazy for going so completely against the world of classic gastronomy, but as we all now know, he is nothing short of a genius counter-revolutionary. Chefs all over the world spend years perfecting techniques to impress the diner. They create flavor profiles, textures, colors, smells, and plate with such style and grace it is no wonder customers flock to their restaurants and pay top dollar for such artistry. Then comes Martin Picard, and gives the world of fine dining the middle finger.
He serves food that HE wants to eat. If you ask every top chef in NYC what their last meal would be, I am sure not a single person would ever admit to eating at their own restaurant. So why do we do it? Because there are paying customers that want us to. Martin Picard took a chance. He created a successful business serving a menu that chefs want to eat. Large portions of the foods we eat when we're not cooking.
Chefs spend years trying to piece together the perfect puzzle before opening a restaurant. In the case of space alone, they will go to great lengths looking for locations with amazing views, high ceilings, in upscale neighborhoods, and pay top dollar for rent. Au Pied de Cochon was transformed out of an existing pizza parlor. It is located off the beaten path in the trendy part of town, and has a view of a music store.
Uniforms? No, my staff will wear t-shirts, uniforms make me sad. Closed kitchen? No, I do not want my cooks hidden from the rest of the world. Tablecloths? No, too much to clean. Bread plates? No, we will use mixing bowls. Birthday candles? No, I am going to use sparklers. (And yes it's true, I saw this one on the last day. They light up a freakin sparkler for a birthday plate)
I have made a note to come into the restaurant at 5pm to beat the dinner rush, and came in before the kitchen started to get slammed at 7pm. However, that day when I walked in for my final night and took my seat at the bar, I noticed they had just sat me, and 39 other people at once. This is a professional kitchen's worst nightmare. If properly trained, the FOH would know what to do. The managers would do their best to try to stagger the orders coming into the kitchen, so every meal was evenly paced. They do not have that luxury at this restaurant. As I sat there, waiting 30+ minutes for my first course to arrive, I just watched in horror as the kitchen started to go down. Professional cooks have nightmares of this moment. The printing sound of the ticket machine not stopping. One ticket after another, the orders just came tumbling in. When a cook is at the top of their game, they know the timing of every item they are cooking. They know what sequence things should be started in, how long they are going to take, and ways to time all the products together. In a situation like this, their heads just start spinning. They look at what tickets they have, formulate a plan of attack, but then five more tickets will roll right in. It does not give them a chance to focus themselves, and the result is a scene of disorganized, sheer chaos.
Dennis apologizes for the wait, but I told him out of all people sitting in the restaurant at the moment, I understand the most. Plus, it was my last night there, why would I want to be rushed? Then it finally arrived. The duck carpaccio. And boy was it worth the wait.
The duck breast is cured to remove the rawness. Then pounded paper thin and cryovaced in the shape of the rectangular plate it is plated on. It is then garnished with spicy mustard, chives, olive oil, sea salt, paper thin slices of cremini mushrooms, and a poached egg. The egg yolk acts as the sauce on the plate, and is intended to be mixed with everything. Quite frankly, there were a lot of components on the plate, and individually did not add too much to the dish. But once mixed with the egg yolk, the flavors combined into a symphonic melody that was unforgettable. It was one of the best appetizers I had here.
He serves food that HE wants to eat. If you ask every top chef in NYC what their last meal would be, I am sure not a single person would ever admit to eating at their own restaurant. So why do we do it? Because there are paying customers that want us to. Martin Picard took a chance. He created a successful business serving a menu that chefs want to eat. Large portions of the foods we eat when we're not cooking.
Chefs spend years trying to piece together the perfect puzzle before opening a restaurant. In the case of space alone, they will go to great lengths looking for locations with amazing views, high ceilings, in upscale neighborhoods, and pay top dollar for rent. Au Pied de Cochon was transformed out of an existing pizza parlor. It is located off the beaten path in the trendy part of town, and has a view of a music store.
Uniforms? No, my staff will wear t-shirts, uniforms make me sad. Closed kitchen? No, I do not want my cooks hidden from the rest of the world. Tablecloths? No, too much to clean. Bread plates? No, we will use mixing bowls. Birthday candles? No, I am going to use sparklers. (And yes it's true, I saw this one on the last day. They light up a freakin sparkler for a birthday plate)
I have made a note to come into the restaurant at 5pm to beat the dinner rush, and came in before the kitchen started to get slammed at 7pm. However, that day when I walked in for my final night and took my seat at the bar, I noticed they had just sat me, and 39 other people at once. This is a professional kitchen's worst nightmare. If properly trained, the FOH would know what to do. The managers would do their best to try to stagger the orders coming into the kitchen, so every meal was evenly paced. They do not have that luxury at this restaurant. As I sat there, waiting 30+ minutes for my first course to arrive, I just watched in horror as the kitchen started to go down. Professional cooks have nightmares of this moment. The printing sound of the ticket machine not stopping. One ticket after another, the orders just came tumbling in. When a cook is at the top of their game, they know the timing of every item they are cooking. They know what sequence things should be started in, how long they are going to take, and ways to time all the products together. In a situation like this, their heads just start spinning. They look at what tickets they have, formulate a plan of attack, but then five more tickets will roll right in. It does not give them a chance to focus themselves, and the result is a scene of disorganized, sheer chaos.
Dennis apologizes for the wait, but I told him out of all people sitting in the restaurant at the moment, I understand the most. Plus, it was my last night there, why would I want to be rushed? Then it finally arrived. The duck carpaccio. And boy was it worth the wait.
The duck breast is cured to remove the rawness. Then pounded paper thin and cryovaced in the shape of the rectangular plate it is plated on. It is then garnished with spicy mustard, chives, olive oil, sea salt, paper thin slices of cremini mushrooms, and a poached egg. The egg yolk acts as the sauce on the plate, and is intended to be mixed with everything. Quite frankly, there were a lot of components on the plate, and individually did not add too much to the dish. But once mixed with the egg yolk, the flavors combined into a symphonic melody that was unforgettable. It was one of the best appetizers I had here.
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| Duck Carpaccio |
By this time Dennis knew the routine, and asked what I would like to try next. I honestly told him there was nothing left on the menu that I had wanted to try, but ever since the first day I came in I have yet to try any of the desserts. He recommended one for me, and through his heavy French accent I kind of just went with it, knowing nothing more of what I was getting than "it’s very simple, but good". What arrived was a bowl of decadent caramel bread pudding. A bowl of freshly made caramel, with a piece of cake in the middle, soaking up all the sugary goodness. It was SO good, but SO sweet. Sadly, I was only able to get through half. And then...I had to say goodbye to everyone.
*A note to say that none of the pictures in this post belong to me. At the times I dined at this restaurant, I did not have a camera with me.
Au Pied de Cochon
536 Duluth Est
Montreal, Quebec H2L 1A9
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