Cabane d'à Côté / Cidrerie Au Pied de Cochon — Local services in Mirabel

Had high hopes, but they were dashed even before we got in. It was a rainy day and a bunch of cars got stuck in the mud, including mine. Ended up parking on the side of the road and we all had to wade through the mud. A bunch of drunk people were blocking the entrance to the resto so we had to wait outside in the rain. Once inside the staff seemed pretty organized at getting people to their seats. We were the last round of the night and service was completely inconsistent. The tables are long tables that sit 4 on each side with bench seating. Unfortunately we were 5 so ended as 9 at the table so it was a tight squeeze on one end. Staff was friendly at the outset, but once they realised that only 2 people were drinking at our table, they seemed less and less enthusiastic thereafter. Often they would take away the dishes before we had finished and seemed irritated when we told them that we weren't done. The food itself was underwhelming. The soup with a meatball was a great start and the food was good for the most part, though one of the porc dishes was badly overcooked. There are a lot of particular items on the menu and it's menu fixe, so no altérations or substitutions, so if you have picky eaters, as we did at our table, they might go home hungry. Otherwise there is just enough to be satisfied without being too full, at least for me. You are never overloaded with one taste. The consensus was that the desert, overall, was the best part of the meal (and probably the closest to 'traditional' cabane food. If you are looking for a traditional Cabane à sucre, this is not for you. If you are looking for something a bit different or a unique experience, this might be for you. Overall I'm happy that I tried it, but I would...

Had an very good experience here with the family, which included a baby and toddler. Will definitely return.

Things to note: Double check the weather before you decide which day to go as that could obviously impact your experience. Aim for off peak times. We arrived around 11:45am and got served/seated right away, but when we left around 2pm, the line up was very long. Onsite parking can fill up fast so you'd be redirected to another parking lot which is a bit of a hike and did not have any signage. We were not aware of this but fortunately we/our stroller can handle rugged terrain. We had to use Google maps/All Trails to make sure we were going down the correct path. Make sure you fully understand the menu in case of allergies. One of the party has an allergy to one of the included dishes and although we made this known once we saw the menu, they were not able to substitute of the dishes for us,...

I have been waiting to experience sugar shack for over two decades. This was my first time, and we were blown away. The cocktails were delicious and simple. The pea soup with crazy good quality ham was the best I’ve had. Foie gras, beans... and the biggest stunner was the slow smoked and sliced pork with smelt treated like boquerones, garnished with rosemary oil. The buckwheat pancake also was just insanity. One side crisp, the other steamy soft.

They treated us well, pleasant and just the right amount of service without being intrusive. You should arrive early for a drink around the fire and maybe a jaunt through the woods. These guys are legit, peering into the forest and cooking hard but with precision. Couldn’t imagine a better modernized sugar shack meal. One cook was even nice enough to share an industry-only restaurant list. I’m not even from Canada! Québécois hospitality is...