Mike Cohen, born and raised in Côte Saint-Luc, has long been active in the community as a volunteer, journalist, and consultant. He profiles restaurants in Montreal and beyond.
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The Ruby Foo’s Hotel on Décarie has been a mainstay in Montreal for decades. This locale originally opened as a restaurant under the same name and gained legendary status. It eventually closed, giving way to a series of dining establishments. Eggspectation was the most recent eatery, staying in place for about a decade.
After a long wait, a new spot has finally arrived, this time via the popular Ben & Florentine breakfast restaurant chain, a true leader in Quebec’s breakfast scene. The chain has been around for more than 60 years. Josée Lelièvre, vice president of the Luger Group and general manager of the hotel, explained that this is a unique partnership: Ruby Foo’s is actually the franchisee, marking the first time Ben & Florentine has opened a restaurant inside a hotel.
Renowned for its must-try potatoes, old-fashioned stir-fries, and sweet-and-savory combos, Ben & Florentine offers a diverse and surprising menu that meets the highest quality standards. This marks the 67th restaurant for the chain, which has locations in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes.
I was very excited when I heard this news and made it a point to go for breakfast, joined by social media content producer Arielle Wizman. First off, the interior is very attractive, featuring 120 seats and a bar. Thanks to the latter, each guest is greeted with a special in-house smoothie.
Lelièvre says she is thrilled with the arrangement with the MTY Group, a major player in the restaurant industry with more than 85 brands and 7,000 locations in operation. Eager to meet the needs of her guests as well as local customers, she wanted to offer a breakfast-and-lunch option at her establishment in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Lunch boxes and a group menu will also be available at this location—a first for Ben & Florentine—demonstrating the brand’s adaptability and its desire to innovate while remaining attentive to its franchisees.
Valérie Villeneuve, vice president and brand manager, is also delighted with this new opening:
“This first hotel partnership demonstrates our desire to reach out to a diverse clientele and continue to reinvent the brunch experience, with an expanded offering that adapts to different times of the day and different types of customers,” she says.
Our server was Jennifer, who has worked for the brand for some 12 years, so we were in good hands. I was intrigued by the selection of old-fashioned skillet items. Yes, the meal comes to the table in a skillet! I had the Gourmandise Combo: two eggs any style, bacon, sausages, home fries, as well as a half-waffle with almonds, chocolate chips, hazelnuts, and white chocolate, with a choice of cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, mascarpone, brie,
cheddar, or vanilla yogurt.
Arielle ordered the Healthy Delight: two poached eggs, fresh fruits, rye bread, and a choice of cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, or vanilla yogurt.
This was my first time at a Ben & Florentine in several years, and there are plenty of items I look forward to trying on future visits: gourmet toast, creative combinations, eggs Benedict, omelets, crepes, pancakes, French toast, sandwiches, poutines, fresh fruit, and a series of smoothies.
Lelièvre also had more exciting news to share. As a tribute to the former Ruby Foo’s Restaurant and the Tulipe Noire, which also held court there for many years, a brand-new dining establishment will open in January called Ruby Noire. It will use the same space as Ben & Florentine and will be open every evening.
The new Ben & Florentine is located at Ruby Foo’s Hotel, 7657 Décarie Blvd. It is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visit benetflorentine.com or call 438-375-6187 for more information.