Restaurant L'Orignal — Restaurant in Montreal

Second time my spouse and myself have been here, the last time was about 2 years ago. The first time we went was amazing, we heard there was a new chef so we decided to go. Service was great, except for the English imported water boy who did not speak French to accomodate my spouse, thank god that was his only duty, (this is Montréal for Christ sake).. the wine list was good, prices were a little bit above average for the quality of wines, however not unreasonable. Reserved a table for my birthday multiple weeks in advance for a Wednesday night and got seated in the corner, between a bench and an awkward stone wall. They had placed a throw pillow in the corner for support, but realistically the space could have been better utilized. To make matters worse I sat next to a bail of hay on a bench. Weird. Anyway, we ordered oysters as primi, which we're good, but something that could have been done easily at home. Our simplistic cocktail order was prepared in an unorthodox manner, a simple Manhattan had ice in it, I think their bar tender needs a brief lesson. My spouse ordered 'home-made sausage' and I ordered a bavette de boeuf. There was no vegetable accompaniment, and one was never offered in the first place. Bavette served on a yard sale plate with a side of over salted home made fries. Sausages tasted like they were bought from a specialty shop in Atwater market. Potatoes were good, but if you add that much cream to a dish the fat by default makes it taste good.

All I can say is, bring in the old chef who made the delicious meal we had before. Game meat specialisties with oysters. How can you call the restaurant the Moose when all you offer is food that equates to the lake in which it was stewed in.

Tab was $220 with a $65 bottle of wine for two with generous tip. Save your money and go to a higher quality resto like Bonaparte or Le...

The service? Fantastic. The food? Beyond amazing. I went in on a rather "bumping" Tuesday night and was politely greeted by a beautiful giant man by the name Of Kyle who quickly brought me to the seat of my choice and served me a drink within minutes of being sat down.

When it came time to ordering I opted for the Beat salad and as for my main, a specialty Alfredo Pasta one of the fabulous cooks had concocted. The beat salad, made by Jasmine I believe (I asked for each cooks name who took part in the cooking of my meal) was absolutely beautiful, and the taste? Even better. My main was made by a cook named Yves, it was magnificent. To mix in all that flavor and all that style into one dish is jus- it's just "Wow" So many subtle flavors peaking out at my tongue, telling me "eat more eat more" so many emotions washing over me as I remember how it felt to indulge in that meal fit for a king.

I ordered one last item as to savor these tastes so well put together and enjoy one last beautiful taste before going back to the bland life that is the rest of montreals cuisine scene. I had the chefs special "Chocolate Salty Boulles" and might I say they were B-E-A-utiful. Absolutely amazing. The thickness of them was amazing, coated in pure dripping chocolate topped off with a tiny bit of salt.

Finally came the end of my night. For most this could be seen as a good moment, for I it was none other than daunting. Knowing I would be leaving this throne of flavor brought a single tear to my eye.

Chef Ryan, you have really outdone yourself with such a wonderful staff and amazing items to choose from. As for the dessert you had on special, I certainly hope I can taste your chocolate balls once more next...

Contrary to some of the recent negative reviews on here, L'Orignal was much better than expected. Service was spot on and friendly from our arrival until the evening was done. Despite being only 3 staff (including the owner)working the tables, they were attentive and on top of their service. It was a Friday night and 80% full.

Drinks did not remain on empty for longer than a few minutes between ordering new ones. A small detail that was really appreciated was the constant refilling of complimentary water without having to ask every time.

Food-wise, everyone at our table (party of 5) were pleased/impressed with their meal choices which varied from stewed rabbit, lobster spaghetti, mushroom linguine to bison burger. The quality of produce and portions certainly justified the prices (which are reasonable considering the area) making it good value for something that a cuisine type that isn't too common in old-Montreal.

We complimented the owner and his staff on a job well done and clearly that kind of support goes a long way in motivating these establishments to continue doing what they've done right.

The music was also an excellent mix of older rock and pop from the 50s and up, and my only gripe (and it's minimal) was the music volume which at times felt quite loud and making casual table conversation difficult. A notch down on the volume would make it into the sweet spot.

Highly recommended drinks and dining spot in old-Montreal. If there are any issues, speak to the staff and you will see...