text: More in the blognnThe Why Along with Au Pied du Cochon David McMillan and Fruedueric Morins seat bastion of heavy locally sourced gluttony was at the top of my todine list when making my first visit to Montreal Having garnered national attention after a visit from David Chang and subsequently releasing a cookbook appropriately titled Art of Living According to Joe Beef I knew it would be my kind of place I just hoped the chalkboard menu could appease the picky palates of my mother and auntnnThe Space It is a bar it is tight it is cramped it is full of odds n ends nicknacks trinkets and even the bathroom is used for storage space Apparently only originally seats and subsequently expanded to the stoolschairs are hard and they seat you where they can in our case at a top booth in the window Really it is pretty awesome but when it is full it is Loud with a capital LnnThe Service Is hipster formal a service style It is now Much like the folks at Publican in Chicago or the Chang spots in New York these waiters decked out in plaid and of the clock shadow know the menu the preparations and the chefs vision without hesitation Recommendations flow freely cautionary tales of ordering too much are given and ignored and although his accent was thick our servers English was flawless a must on the allFrench Chalkboard menu nnCornflake Eel Nuggets with BBQ Mustard Tartar As anticipated my aunt had a lot of difficulty with the appetizer portion of menu but wanting to make sure we experienced the best of what Joe Beef had to offer I took the liberty of ordering the first round for the table three items with this as the centerpiece Served as a halfdozen intense and creamy with that unctuous undertone that few things save for eel can offer this should definitely be a must order for anyone making the visit Sweet without being sweetened fatty without being greasy and particularly excellent with the barbeque sauce with the ladies unwilling to try I gladly ate all sixnnParfait de Foie Gras Cherry Brioche Truffles ounces of creamy duck liver whipped with black truffles served beneath a piping hot piece of buttery brioche loaded with maraschino cherries it was every bit as good as it sounds and although I had to wait for a second piece of brioche I was glad to do so Like most things at Joe Beef this was probably best sharedbut it was notnnFoie Gras Double Down The second half of my main course was probably Joe Beefs most famous item and clearly poking fun at KFCs abomination of a sandwich Joe Beef takes the concept to a whole different level by replacing chicken with two thick slices of duck foie gras that are butermilk brined and breaded prior to a trip to the deepfryer and wrapping them around aged cheddar and sliced bacon Loosely wrapped in aluminum foil and drizzled with pure maple syrup sriracha plus a bit of garlic and Old Bay infused mayonnaise the sandwich was much like everything else at Joe Beef brash and unapologetic but at the same time nuanced and subtly sophisticatednnLobster Spaghetti The recipe goes a little something like this A lb lobster lb house made spaghetti slices diced bacon Tbsp Brandy cup peas cup cream cup halfandhalf cream salt pepper chopped chives The pasta is al dente the lobster is snappy and sweet and the sauce is the very definition of decadence at it is the most expensive item on the menu but apparently also the most orderedand for good reasonnnPistachio Financier Maple Ice Cream I was told by a friend that while APdCs desserts are hit and miss I should definitely save room for those at Joe Beef Beginning first with one of the two larger desserts my photos really do not do justice to how big this cake was but at nearly eight inches in diameter and probably a half inch thick it was great a thick sponge with great tooth already saturated with butter and almond paste but eager to soak up the creamy maple syrup and ice cream while pistachio granola added more texture Always happy to overindulge in desserts this was exactly my style a standout of the tripnnThe Verdict The place is loud audacious and cramped while the food is equally brazen and uncompromised but with servers that love their job and chefs who know the basics well enough to nail them yet also know themselves well enough to take chances there is a whole lot to love about Joe Beef While some may say it is derivative of APdC I personally could not imaging visiting Montreal again without dining at both because although the cuisine shares some similarity each is an entirely unique experience Picards space a selfproclaimed bastion of excess while McMillan and Morins restaurant puts less emphasis on the audacity of each dish and more on experiencing their Art of Living inclusive of food service and setting