I have discovered another gem of a dining establishment, with fantastic beer to boot!
For years I have either driven or walked by one of the many 3 Brasseurs franchises in the Montreal area. Last fall I was invited to the Pointe Claire location for a charity breakfast to benefit West Island Community Shares. It was there that I met general manager Sam Pergantis, who encouraged me to come back for dinner one night. Recently, with a friend who resides on the West Island, I did just that.
(Photo by Dominic Saleh)
Les 3 Brasseurs Pointe Claire, located on Brunswick Boulevard in the Méga Centre Sources, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and Pergantis pulled out all of the stops. Noted 60’s British Tribute Band the Hi-Fins (Spy Demo, Paul McCrowe, Daniel Stecko and Ted Doyle) were the guest performers and a packed house of regulars were dancing up a storm all night. The highlight came when Pergantis stepped on stage and belted out one impressive rendition of the Beatles’ Back in the USSR.
This sprawling location can accommodate 242 people inside and 80 more on a seasonal terrace. There is one giant TV screen, two other large ones and three regular-sized flat screens so you can always catch the action from the latest game.
The story of this restaurant chain began over 100 years ago in Lille, France when three brewers joined forces to create a brewery that would grow to become one of the most important in the country. In 1985, the descendants of the original founders opened their first neighbourhood microbrewery – long before anyone had even heard of a “microbrewery” or “craft beer.” Beer is brewed in-house, just steps from your table. Each of our neighbourhood locations pays homage to the past – when each village had its own brewer. They also crafted a menu of food that pairs with individual beers to enhance the flavours and to elevate your overall sensory experience.
We were shown to our table by night manager Paris. Alex was our server. Now I am not a beer drinker, nor is my friend. But on this night it simply would not have been polite not to try some. Alex recommended a tasting and along came four small glasses each containing Amber, New England IPA, Classic Brown and Brown Lager. For me the Classic Brown won the day.
The menu comes in the form of a four page tabloid newspaper called La Gazette. Besides the beer, there is plenty to choose from in terms of starters, poutines, burgers and sandwiches, salads, flammekeuches (tarte flambée similar to a thin crust pizza), main dishes and fabulous desserts.
My friend and I started off by sharing the Nachos Classicos – crispy corn tortilla chips layered with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, black olives. We spent some time working on and enjoying this offering.
When it was time for the main course, I ordered a house salad and a rib steak. The former contained fresh lettuce, topped with tomatoes, cucumbers and crisp julienned vegetables, tossed with white beer balsamic vinaigrette. Alex suggested I add some grilled chicken and I complied. The tender Canadian AAA beef rib steak came lightly seasoned and grilled. It cut like butter and I must say was absolutely perfect. It came with fries and blistered tomatoes on the vine and greens on the side.
My friend had a desire for a burger from the moment he walked in, fresh off a workout at the gym next door. He opted for the bacon & cheeseburger – a 100 percent beef patty, topped with crispy bacon, melted cheese and their signature sauce. It came with a slice of dill pickle, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, served on a toasted burger bun. There were fries on the side. “Great burger,” my friend exclaimed. “You can tell this was made freshly. It was so tender and juicy.”
For dessert, I had my eye on the Decadent, something new on the menu: a fresh-from-the-oven fudge-stuffed chocolate chip cookie, served with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. What a treat! My friend decided to just have a bowl of vanilla ice cream. After a few cups of coffee our dinner was complete, but not before we had spent more than three hours together in a very nice ambiance.
Les 3 Brasseurs Pointe Claire is located at 46-A Brunswick Boulevard. Hours of operation are 11:30 am to midnight Sunday to Wednesdays, 11:30 am to 1 am Thursdays and 11:30 am to 2 am Friday and Saturdays. For more information log on