On an evening out I visited the Montreal Bread Company with a dining companion. Located on the first floor of the mall this eatery has a contemporary feel about it and the place has a modern sleek design to it. The seating is varied however I would say the table height to chair height ratio is impractical for most of the seating options. A majority of the table settings are either too low down or too high and it does not make for a comfortable eating experience.
Having eaten there on a few occasions I have found the servers to be courteous and friendly, and they were able to provide extra information about the dishes. Complimentary focaccia bread is provided and it is beautifully baked and seasoned. The quality of this bread does bode well for the rest of the meal. We ordered the Classic Steak Sandwich and the Beef Burger. We shared a fresh banana orange smoothie which was a delight – creamy banana flavour with a hit of citrus juice at the end.
The steak sandwich came with a small salad and thick-cut chips which made for a lovely dish. The sandwich was focaccia bread with sliced steak, melted cheese and salad leaves. The meat was flavoursome and succulent and had a brown sauce added to it. A slight negative was that the extra juices added moisture to the bread and focaccia is not really the type of bread that can handle the extra wetness. It made the bread disintegrate a little so I did have to use a knife and fork to eat it. However in spite of this I would still order the dish again as I really enjoyed the combination of the crunchy bread, cheese and flavoursome steak.
My dinner companion’s burger was beautifully presented. It was served in ciabatta bread with baby spinach, onions and a roasted tomato. The meat of the patty was ground beef chuck and tenderloin. The meat had a beautiful texture and the chefs who prepared the dish showcased their meat handling skills. The quality of the meat did shine through and it was a really impressive dish that I won’t forget in a hurry. Definitely a dish to recommend to burger enthusiasts.
We also shared the Caramel Chocolate Cake, which was a lovely slice of chocolatey moist goodness. It was a rather rich dish and most diners would find it difficult to finish on its own especially after a main meal. This place is definitely the type of eatery where you would want to save space for dessert. However I would suggest that you share desserts if you have enjoyed a big meal.
Having enjoyed my evening meal I visited the place again with a lovely friend for lunch. They do have a lunch menu which covers a starter and main dish at a reasonable price however we choose to order from the main menu. She ordered the Beef Burger on my enthusiastic recommendation, whilst I ordered the MBco Club Sandwich. The fries arrived after the main dishes as they were still in the fryer, and although we did not mind it does suggest slight disorder in the kitchen for food to be sent out separately. I also ordered the Mango Basil Smoothie, however there was no basil for the drink, but I was happy to have the mango on its own.
The Club Sandwich was an interesting three-layer construction of crusty multi-grain bread, roasted chicken, lettuce, chopped egg with melted cheese. The salad layer was not really anything to be impressed by especially as I had the tomatoes removed due to dietary restrictions. I enjoyed the crunchy element from the bread but the combination of the slippery egg and diced chicken provided a strange slimy texture and was not easy to digest. I would not order this specific dish again although I would be happy to try a different sandwich dish from the menu.
My friend’s Beef Burger was cooked too long and had a dry texture to it, which was definitely a shame; however she did enjoy the quality of the meat and was able to cut down on some of the dryness with her garlic aioli. We still enjoyed our meal and decided to order desserts. She ordered the Oreo Cheesecake whilst I ordered the Chocolate Mouse. Now before you go on to imagine I had ordered a squeaky rodent dessert it is in actuality a mousse but it provided endless amusement to my friend and I to see it typed as mouse on the menu (yes I know, but you had to be there).
The Oreo Cheesecake came in a trendy Mason-style jar with a side dish full of lovely golden-brown caramel to pour on top of the dessert. The crunch of the biscuit layer with the creamy soft cheese and sweet caramel provided a perfect harmony of flavour and texture. This dessert is a dish to be enjoyed when shred with friends and family. The Chocolate Mousse was a rich swirl of velvety chocolate but again it was arguably a large portion considering the richness of the dish.
The desserts at MBCo are a treat to be enjoyed – throw restraint out of the window and forget about watching the calories. Instead enjoy the beautifully presented and delectable dishes as a lovely end to a pleasant meal.
