It has been just over two years since Moishes Steakhouse was reincarnated at Victoria Square. I have been back a couple of times, most recently on a warm July Sunday evening.
Many people keep saying that this is not the old Moishes, referring to the fabled St. Laurent Blvd. location, and that is correct. I could see that there is a completely new vibe here. There is 7,000 square feet of space here and seating for 200 diners inside and another 75 on a beautiful terrasse. Not only was the place packed that night, but I noticed a constant flow of folks walking through the front door. Indeed, I recognized some of them from the vintage Moishes years. But given this unique location, at the tip of Old Montreal, tourists are coming in droves. Next to us was a table of 14 from Massachusetts.
The Grandio Group, which also owns Le Cage Brasserie Sportive, Gibbys, Chez Lionel and a host of other dining establishments, purchased Moishes towards the end of 2018. They shut down and sold the upper-floor St. Laurent Blvd. facility when the pandemic started. While Grandio Group President and CEO Jean Bédard insisted that Moishes would rise again in a new location, many doubted him. Of course, he was true to his word.
David Zaltzman was a manager at the original Moishes for 20 years. He left prior to the St. Laurent Blvd. shutdown, but was recruited back to the fold by consultant Michael Aronovici. “This location is fantastic,” said David Zaltzman, confirming that every day he sees a handful of regulars from the original walk through the doors. “Victoria Square is the financial hub of Montreal. We are next to the Palais des Congrès, the courthouse and countless offices. Then we have the tourists who are coming in droves.”
Founded in 1938 by Moishe Lighter, Moish’s new home benefited from an investment of more than $5 million. This venue is divided into four rooms — a bar area, two distinct dining rooms and a private dining room — to recreate the warm, intimate ambience of the former space on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. We sat at a table looking over a mural by Jason Wasserman that tells the story of Moishes through the ages to the present day. In the bar area, the centrepiece reuses the onyx of the original bar. Photographs by David Leonard Sidaway grace the first dining room, alongside the historic map of Montreal from the National Archives, also salvaged from the former space. Original temporary collections from the Canada Council Art Bank are presented in the second dining room. The private dining room features a specially created work by internationally renowned Montreal artist André Monet.
With deep respect for the original, Zaltzman believes the reincarnated Moishes has more to offer in a superior facility.
On this night, we were served by the charismatic Phil. First, we perused the drink menu, which has a definite Montreal twist with cocktails named after the likes of Margie Gillis, Youppi!!, Oscar Peterson, Pedro Martinez and Le Rockey ( as in Maurice “Rocket” Richard). We started off with Le Rocket (vodka Ketel One, fruits de la passion, sirop thé vert, citron and cayenne) and a Mr. Mme Tranquille mocktail (passion fruit puree, blueberry-romarin sirop, lemon and soda).
The menu at the “new” Moishes is quite different from the original. Yes, they first bring you coleslaw, pickles and warm rolls with butter to the table, but no potato varenikis, pickled salmon, or chopped liver like the original.
Meanwhile, the appetizer selections are vastly expanded. We loved the seafood platter the last time we were here and did so again. It featured a dozen very large premium East Coast oysters with the accompanying sauces, two jumbo shrimp cocktails with classic sauce and a splendidly prepared lobster tail.
Next came some beef tartare, containing quail egg yolk, Calabrian peppers and Manchego. It was served as a spread across the plate with crackers.
We also enjoyed one of the all-time Moishes favorites, the ultra-crispy fried onions.
When we go to Moishes, steak is always among our first choices for a main course. Phil came to our table to showcase all of the cuts of meat, providing a nice explanation about each. We opted for the 32-ounce porterhouse, half tenderloin, half strip, all indulgence. Its rich, mahogany crust gives way to a warm, juicy center, cooked to your perfect temperature. The meat is marbled with just enough fat to melt on the tongue, delivering a buttery tenderness with every bite. Infused with a hint of char from the grill and seasoned simply with salt and cracked pepper, this steak doesn’t need anything else—but a glass of bold red and a quiet moment to savor it. Before we began to enjoy the steak, Phil returned to the table with a selection of different steak knives. That also marked a new Moishes twist.
On the side, we went for another Moishes staple – the fully loaded Monte Carlo potato, a decadent, indulgent twist on the classic baked potato. It’s a little bit baked, a little bit mashed and a whole lot more.
For dessert, we had two decadent pieces of millefeuille.
Murteza Talu has been the executive chef since the new Moishes made its debut. In addition to USDA Prime Beef — the highest quality of beef on the market — there is fresh fish, chicken, rack of lamb and even a cauliflower steak.
Moishes is open for lunch daily and attracts a nice happy hour crowd. There is a nice winding bar that customers love. Zaltzman notes that there is a $49 per head lunch special, featuring four courses. A recent happy hour promotion included all you could eat oysters and bottomless champagne glasses for $95 each. “We are packed seven days and nights a week,” he says.
On your way out, you can still grab a handful of Dubble Bubble gum.
Valet parking is available for a fee and run by an outside contractor.
Moishes is located at 1001 Rue du Square-Victoria. Opening hours are: Monday to Wednesday from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm. (Last reservation at 10:00 pm; Thursday and Friday from 11:30 am to 11:00 pm. (last reservation at 10:30 pm); and Saturday from 2 pm to 11:00 pm. (last reservation at 10:30 pm) and Sunday from 2 pm to 10:30 pm (last reservation at 10:00 pm). There is valet parking for a fee ($23), provided by an external company. For reservations, call (514) 405-2046 or e-mail moishesmontreal@moishes.ca. You can also log on to www.moishes.ca to reserve and to view the complete menu, including the gourmet lunch specials.