L'Entrecote

Whenever I think of steaks my mind immediately drifts back to delicious dinners at L'Entrecote St Jean in Montreal. As students, we would occasionally treat ourselves to soup, steaks, and profiteroles at this charming French bistro. We would walk down Peel street in negative 40 degree weather with icy pellets hitting our face and gusts of wind that almost swept us off our feet, and stumble into this bistro with relief. The first thing to hit us was its warmth; the welcoming mahogany interior, the unpretentious one item menu, and the appetizing hearty soup that defrosted our insides.

Recently, I had dinner at the original Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote in Paris which I suspect the Montreal one is modeled after. It is almost exactly the same. The ceaser salad with the light vinegar dressing is a perfect starter. The thin slices of strip steak are tender and swimming in a fantastic sauce. The sauce is what stands out to me in all these restaurants because it is rich, buttery, and plentiful. The fries on the side aren't your run of the mill potato wedges but very finely cut crispy and steaming hot "french" fries. Just as I was satisfyingly leaning back in my chair after having devoured the steak frites, the server came back with a second round of strip steak and bountiful crispy fries. To say that I was stuffed by the end would be an understatement. There was, however, room in the dessert compartment of my stomach for some more. I'm glad I didn't skip it because what arrived was a towering dessert with alternate layers of meringue and ice cream dripping with chocolate sauce. It was divine...

Last week we discovered that there was a Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote in New York. We were there the next night and experienced Paris all over again. Apart from the strong New York accents everything was the same. The interior had the same decor, the steaks with the deliciously crispy fries lived up to our expectations and the decadent profiteroles for dessert ended the meal on a decidedly sweet note.

Having tried this restaurant in three different cities, I can safely recommend it. Its not your sophisticated best cut lightly marinated steak, but it is delicious, for those who enjoy a good sauce, thinner leaner pieces of meat, and a convivial atmosphere. If you're in Paris, New York, or Montreal, stop by. You won't regret it.