Hachoir

It’s very, very rare for me to go to Hachoir and not have my usual Big Mec (or at least the Classic) burger, a delicious salad (that ginger vinaigrette is unreal) and of course the piping hot fries. This meal is one of my favourites in the city but every now and then I have to step away from what’s familiar, especially in my favourite restaurant, and try a new dish or two. Trying something new is what I do on a daily basis as a blogger and late last week I dropped in to see what the team at Hachoir had cooked up for summer.

To try and describe what we tried in one word I would have to go with fresh. It isn’t as easy as funnelling everything down to one word but the meats, fish, veggies and a few great new cocktails that they’ve included on their dinner menu are exceptionally fresh and vibrantly flavourful. We tried 4 new dishes including the tuna tataki and the salmon gravlax. The kitchen has taken its time to develop each new item and their patience in perfecting what they serve their guests is our reward.

The tuna tataki à la Niçoise and salmon gravlax appear on the appetizer menu and for someone like myself, who usually only eats the main course because it’s often enough, they were the perfect way to open an appetite. The tuna was fresh with hints of pepper on the crust and was served with fried capers and a delicious sauce. The salmon gravlax has appeared on the menu before but here it is updated to reflect the freshness that comes along with summer dishes. Served with baby spinach, onions and a wonderful gribiche sauce, the salmon had an excellent citrus flavour.

For our main courses we were recommended to try the bavette salad and the pork which is steam cooked then grilled. The bavette was flavourful and tender making the salad more robust. The dish tasted of tangy blue cheese and came with crispy beet chips and roasted root vegetables. The pork was steamed (sous vide) and then quickly seared to retain the juices. It was accompanied by roasted seasonal root vegetables as well and was quite satisfying. If you are at Hachoir and you find yourself very hungry, I recommend this dish.

From the kitchen the owner must have sensed that even though I had just had a wonderful meal, something was still missing. Before we left he came over to chat a bit while throwing back a couple more shooters (I swear, every time I come here I stumble out of the place – I love it). The restaurant’s manager arrived with a small bag containing a classic burger. This is why Hachoir is my favourite restaurant in the city. Their appreciation for their clients is endless. My “one for the road” was devoured at home while still thinking about the wonderful and colourful meal we just had.

Drop in and see the guys any chance you can get this summer but call ahead and reserve first. After 7 years, the restaurant is still packed most nights and I couldn’t be happier!

For more, visit their website here.

Image credit: David Major-Lapierre