The Vieux-Port Steakhouse (http://www.vieuxportsteakhouse.com) on St. Paul Street West in Old Montreal has been a year-round favorite of mine for many years. That is particularly the case during the summer.
On a beautiful Saturday evening my family and I were very fortunate to get a table on the terrace, located at the corner of Saint-Gabriel Street. The Vieux-Port Steakhouse’s courtyard has been completely redesigned with the addition of an outdoor bar, a beautiful pergola and an abundance of flowers and greenery. The picturesque stone walls that surround it and its beautiful greenery make it an unparalleled place to enjoy the summer weather in complete privacy. It usually remains operational until the end of September. Manager David Tanguay, a gentleman who excels in the area of customer service, says the response to the revamped terrace has been sensational. It even comes with an electronic roof covering that comes in handy during periods of rain and heavy sun.
The terrace’s menu offers you the opportunity to have lunch, dinner and new this year, a special happy hour menu, all with the same quality standards as the Vieux-Port Steakhouse. Made for large groups, the terrace is the perfect location for a family reunion, dinner for a birthday or lunch with colleagues.
From 2 pm to 6 pm, you can enjoy a drink on the terrace. The new decor includes the outdoor bar, ideal to enjoy a refreshing cocktail, $2 oysters and a table d’hôte menu at a reduced price.
Our server George has been with the restaurant for 13 years. We refreshed our memories with the menu, having not been there in a few months, and started things off with some drinks, 12 oysters and our personal favorite, the seafood platter. It is generally prepared for two people, but we did so for three and it was just right. There was shrimp, king crab scallops, half a lobster tail and fried calamari.
For the main course, we shared the miso-glazed black cod and a 22 ounce Porterhouse steak, with sides of mashed potatoes and wild rice. All of their beef is AAA Canadian Certified and aged for at least 30 days. There are also pasta options, rack of lamb, pork osso buco, burgers and other fish options. As for seafood you can choose from fresh lobster, grilled shrimp, roasted halibut and a grilled salmon fillet. For dessert, we shared the crème brûlée , the apple pie with ice cream and a decadent piece of chocolate cake.
The restaurant, which has been in existence since 1983, also has a five station Sunday brunch. This establishment is huge, with the capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 diners at a time. It is a great spot for corporate dinners. I organized one for 30 people a few months ago and it was extremely well received.
Vieux Port Steakhouse is located at 39 St. Paul Street East. Hours of operation for lunch are 11:30 am to 4 pm Monday to Sunday and 4 pm to 10 pm Sunday to Thursday and 4 pm to 11 pm Friday and Saturday. Sunday Brunch hours are