Maison Boulud — Restaurant in Montreal

I dined at your restaurant with a friend of mine for the first time on Saturday evening, the 28th of May at 6:15 PM. I made my reservation one month ahead of time, and left a note in the reservation that my dining partner has a dairy allergy. In addition, I called the restaurant directly two days before dining, asking if this dairy restriction could be accommodated for the Chef's Tasting Menu, which we were excited to try. The person who took my call answered that yes, it would be no problem, and that your restaurant accommodates dietary needs like that all the time.

We arrived for our reservation, and were seated. We expressed our desire to order the tasting menu, and reiterated for the third time that we needed to accommodate my guest's dietary restriction. After some delay, our server returned to the table and relayed that it would not be a good experience, and that too many dishes would need to be compromised to accommodate this allergy. That was very disappointing, especially after feeling like I communicated properly and with ample notice what we needed accommodated to. On the back foot, we scoured the menu, trying to figure out what we would order for my guest. Our server made some recommendations for a salad, entree, and dessert to eat in tandem with my personal tasting menu.

When our server recommended a modified version of the fish entree for my dairy-free friend, he asked if she would like some nice caviar on the fish. Perhaps I misread the situation, as his tone/intent seemed to suggest he was offering the caviar as an apology for all the confusion, and the disappointment of not being able to order the tasting menu. This was not the case, as I learned later examining the bill.

After discussing these dairy needs multiple times, bread and butter were brought to our table. I assumed olive oil, or some combination of vinegar and oil would have been brought to the table after these conversations. I asked our server to bring some oil by to eat the bread with. Over ten minutes passed, so I had to flag down another waiter to bring us some oil and new bread, since the original basket went cold while waiting.

I also asked my server about a chartreuse on the menu, simply whether it was green or yellow. He said he would ask the sommelier and get back to me. He did not, so I again had to ask another server the question. She sent the sommelier over who promptly answered my question.

There seems to be a theme of needing to ask for things twice.

When my first course of the tasting menu arrived, both myself and my dinner guest were given the first course of the tasting menu, when we already decided she would not be eating this menu. This was confusing, but not a problem.

My guest's salad arrived, and - again - after discussing the dairy needs so many times, the salad arrived with cheese on it. We told our server and had it replaced. Throughout the course of dinner, our server accidentally slammed into the back of my dinner guest's chair, and the wrong food was delivered to our table at one point. After breathing on the food, we stated that it was at the wrong table. We watched the food-runner take a lap with both plates of food, go inside, come back out, and set the same dishes on the table next to us. The hygiene in that decision is questionable.

At the end of dinner, I went to the restroom. My dining partner asked for the check. She had her wallet out, waiting to pay for the check, and the server placed the checkbook in my empty seat while I was in my bathroom. It's 2022. To assume the male will pay for the meal is such an antiquated notion.

A restaurant of your caliber, with what you charge for food, and how seriously you seem to take your location, food, and service, should not have a laundry list of hiccups in service like this. To put it lightly, dinner was a disappointment from...

I was looking for a fine dining experience in Montreal, Maison Boulud didn't disappoint and had it all, from the welcoming staff down to the dessert.

The place is nicely located, offers plenty of space for each table, has an indoor space, terrace and sort of a inner garden although at the time I went there it was all covered due to the cold evening.

Reservation wise, I had to call a week ahead for a dinner time weekend table of 4, the whole week was already fully booked.

Now for the tasting bits, there was no menu you just choose 'à la carte' from 5-6 starters, main courses where you may add sides to share. then dessert (there was also an option for Caviar). A choice of a regular course would set the price to around 100$ per person without wine which knowing the cost of quality food in the city and compared to other more 'normal' restaurants is very reasonable for what you get served !

I went with a Foie Gras terrine to begin with, simple you may say, but it was highly tasty and it just melted. It came with different forms of Mandarin for a nice sweet and colorful addition, and a chesnut sauce with a kick of Grand Marnier. To enjoy with the provided toast and/or bread selection.

Then for the main course I chose a Kamouraska Lamb (hear south of Québec lamb), again very tasty, well cooked, it came in different cuts with a eggplant two ways and a very light sauce. Remember that if it doesn't look enough for you, you can order sides, but it was enough for me.

Last but not the least, the dessert, and what a perfect closure ! I chose one of my favorite dessert, a Chocolat coulant cake, it may look and sounds very simple, but I can honestly say it was most likely the best I ever had. The choclate was enhanced with flower of salt and a side caramelized milk, the balance was in my opinion perfect and it was an exciting ending note. I would come back just to order dessert ! Not to undermine the rest of the meal.

I personnaly did not drink, all I could talk about would be its color, but a sommelier will help you with a very extensive wine selection !

The service was appreciated, not too slow, not too fast either, a little delay for the main course, but to be fair, the place filled up pretty much all at once. They make sure your glasses are always filled up, explain each dishes and nicely serves everyone at the same time.

Great experience, definitely got me interested to come again to see how they change their menu, and again, just for...

This is a brunch review, and I usually hate reading brunch reviews as they don't tell you very much about a restaurant like this, so I'll keep it short.

Bottom line is that I wouldn't be reviewing Maison Boulud's brunch if it was not extraordinary, and it most certainly is. From the surrounds (an idyllic duck pond, a lush garden, objets d'art galore) to the impeccably respectful and knowledgeable service staff to (most importantly) the food, this was a meal that needed to be written about.

The "Saumon Fumé Maison Et Oeuf Au Plat" consisted of a mound of smoked salmon, a sunny-side up egg set on top of potato latkes, and a dollop of crème fraiche with dill, red onions, and capers. There's nothing revolutionary with this dish except that every single component was perfectly cooked, cut, or otherwise prepared. Do you like your crème fraiche to taste like otherworldly onion butter? Then this is for you, as it was for me. They could have stopped here and still earned 5 stars, but it got even better.

The "Homard en Brioche" (Lobster Roll) used an especially eggy brioche roll set against a surprisingly spicy fresh lobster salad with crisp cucumbers and celery - with the heat coming from pickled red radishes. Dressed to the 9s with seasoned frisée lettuce tossed in oil, it was evident that whoever conceived this dish is in love with the kind of lobster rolls served in hot dog rolls at seaside New England clam shacks, but saw opportunities to tweak them in an effective way that enhances rather than subverts.

My brunch ended with the "Forêt Noir," a black forest chocolate génoise with chocolate mousse, cherries in kirsch, chantilly cream, vanilla ice cream, and sprinkled with flakes of gold. A sad and sobering send-off, as I realized while eating it that it will be months, if not years, before I make it back to Montréal from San Diego for my next meal at...