Mike’s Resto Notes: Experiencing Le Burger Week; St-Hubert and Lafleur

Le Burger Week: Le Burger Week (www.leburgerweek.com) took place in early September, with 31 Montreal locations taking part. Each year I look to sample something new. That was the case for BBurger, with locations on Fleury Avenue in Montreal North and Côte des Neiges Road; and Patty Slaps (https://pattyslaps.com/) on Ste. Catherine Street downtown.

Le Burger from Patty Slaps

BBurger opened in 2017, the vision of co-owners and friends Mustapha Taha, Moustafa Sayed Ali, Hussein Atoui and Ali Douhayni. In February 2023 they expanded to the West End on Côte des Neiges, near Queen Mary Road across from the Metro supermarket. It’s a great spot, with seating for more than 60 people inside at tables and booths as well as a small seasonal patio. A friend of mine and I were indeed impressed as we feasted upon BBurger’s entry in Le Burger Week. The Double Smashed B Burger Style is topped with cheddar cheese, their delicious house sauce, pickles and onions. It was outstanding! So were the crispy fries.

Meanwhile, at Patty Slaps I sampled Le Burger, made from grilled AAA Canadian Beef. This juicy eight ounce burger comes from freshly ground meat each day. Your taste buds will revel in the interplay of textures, from the melting yellow cheese to the tantalizing smokiness of the bacon they bake in-house. The satisfying crunch of onion rings pairs perfectly with the crispness of their signature crunchy fries, creating an adventure in every bite. The burger sits atop a daily baked pretzel bun, adding that extra dimension of flavor and texture to elevate your burger experience. They have big plans to expand across Canada and beyond within the next five years.

St-Hubert locale returns : As readers of my restaurant stories know very well, the Rôtisserie St-Hubert (https://www.st-hubert.com) chain has always  been high on my list of dining experiences. There are now 126 locations across Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.  My “go to” spot   on Côte des Neiges Road was closed for four years because the land where the restaurant sat was repurposed for a residential high rise building. It’s back, and company President Richard Scofield was on hand for the official cutting of the ceremonial ribbon, which included a half a dozen rotisserie chickens on a spit. I was happy to drop by for lunch on a warm late August summer day, seated on the patio. I went off course and tried an angus steak and some pizza  on the grill. Don’t worry; I still love their chicken and ribs.

The revamped Lafleur Restaurant on Cote de Liesse

Lafleur Makeover: I was recently invited to visit the completely revamped and iconic Côte-de-Liesse location of Restaurant Lafleur and get a firsthand look at the company’s new brand image. The new décor is attractive. There is a now seating for 72 people, a small patio and a drive thru window. This renovation is the result of a multi-million-dollar investment, marking a major turning point for the brand since its takeover in 2022 by the second-generation of the Papagiannis family. It is the first of what will be a long series of transformations planned for Lafleur Restaurants, so stay tuned. Oh yes, I tried the crispy chicken crunch sandwich. Of course I will go back to their iconic steamy hotdogs next time.