This was my first visit to 40 West Steakhouse. My impression upon entering the restaurant was that Montreal has finally found its place among some of the better-known steak establishments in the U.S. We were greeted by an attractive group of hostesses and were seated in a prompt and courteous manner. \n\nThe food was presented very well by our waiter, and the quality of service went downhill from there. One of the members of my party was shown a rib steak in its raw form and instead received a much less impressive and fattier version. And as if that were not enough, halfway through our meal someone decided to reduce the lighting in the restaurant by about 50%, after which we had to almost beg for a candle for our table so that we could see what we were eating.\n\nFrom a condescending response to how two members of our party requested their meat be cooked; to ignoring numerous requests for more butter; to having to hunt down a bus person to ask for fresh-ground pepper; to our request for plain water and serving us Evian instead, our waiter left the building. He definitely put a cloud over our experience. \n\nService notwithstanding, the food was absolutely delicious. My NY strip was one of the best I ever had. My brother's lamb chops were enjoyable too. \n\nI would give 4 stars for food and 2 stars for service, therefore an overall rating of 3 stars is justified in my opinion. \n\nOne small aside: the presence of a large flat-screen TV diminishes the authentic steakhouse ambience.