M:Brgr

Over the years Moishe’s has built itself quite a reputation, enjoying success and longevity by delivering consistent excellence to a growing, dedicated clientele. It is known the world over and was recently being named one of the world’s best steakhouses by Forbes Traveler. If Moishe’s is considered one of the best steakhouses in the world, it is most certainly one of, if not the best steakhouse in Montreal.

M:Brgr is the spin off restaurant of Moishe’s, featuring gourmet burgers and accompaniments. After numerous recommendations and a claim that they’ve perhaps fashioned the greatest burger ever made, I deemed it required eating, as their slogan suggests. After all, it does not seem like a big leap for a master of beef steak to create a masterful burger as well.

As soon as you enter the door it becomes obvious that M:brgr veers in the complete opposite direction of the Moishe’s establishment, despite the links between the two. Moishe’s pickles and coleslaw are featured ingredients and an emphasis on quality beef is apparent, but aside from that and the name, the parallels stop there. M:brgr caters to the young and hip - words that are nearly antonyms of what Moishe’s is based upon.

The decor is not what you’d expect from a burger joint. With the addition of a plant or two, it could easily pass as an Asian fusion restaurant. The feeling is trendy and modern, attracting a packed room of youthful clientele, even at 3 in the afternoon. Above the bar, a Hell’s Kitchen rerun airs on a flat panel TV, English sub-titles reading across the bottom of the screen. A step down from the foyer, I find myself seated in the most awkward high traffic area, constantly being accidentally bumped or pressed against as food gets delivered.

The menu takes little time to decide upon, especially with the pre-determination of sampling their burgers, and I order a AAA burger (the base fare) with the addition of smoked Gouda and a fry basket. An upgrade to organic or Kobe is available, or a substitution for veggie, chicken or tuna, as well.

Our waitress disappeared instantly and it occurred to me that I had not been asked if I’d wanted to and had forgotten to specify a whole wheat bun. When she returned with our drinks moments later, I asked for this to be done. It was then that I’d learn that the service at M:brgr is very fast. Impeccably fast. Perhaps even annoyingly fast, as she returned minutes afterward with my burger sans whole wheat, apologizing insincerely that they’d made it already, despite saying it would not be a problem. This was perhaps a minor annoyance, but certainly a bun substitution is an easy one, even if it was already made, since it certainly took no time at all to throw together.

The burger itself was juicy and full of beef flavor, topped with a tomato slice and pickle with a side of minced red onion that went untouched. Additional toppings range from $1 for the likes of grilled pineapple and onions to $10 and up for truffles and porcini aioli. The smoked Gouda I picked was an excellent choice, melting beautifully and lending a smoky flavor that didn’t seem otherwise imparted strongly from the grill. Although quite thick and pleasantly cooked, the patty covered only a modest portion of the center of the bun I hadn’t wished to order. Pleasing as it may be to receive a burger of such thickness without being unbearably dry, it was also disappointing to know that it was at the expense of a diameter large enough to stretch the surface of the bun.

The “basket” is really three individual, full-sized orders of the fried onions, sweet potato and regular fries. All were completely unseasoned and cooling, making them difficult to get salt to cling to at our table. This hindered their flavor immensely and makes absolutely no sense to me. Certainly the low-sodium diet conscious would suck it up when it comes to deep-fried potatoes? The basket contained more than enough for two people at $12. The tiny fried onions barely got touched, the potato fries were soft and greasy and the sweet potato fries, though incredibly crispy, were made only palatable by being copiously doused with salt and pepper.

We had opted out of paying $2 for a side of sambal chili ketchup, but were completely unaware that ordinary Heinz was even available. It wasn’t until we’d finished our meal that I noticed a table get a ketchup and mustard bottle delivered that I started to feel cheated. At least condiments would have made our fried foods go down easier. I started craving a lemonade, a healthy citrus splash to cut through the grease coating my mouth, but being unavailable, I’ll now just recommend it as a menu addition.

Our tab for two rounded out to nearly $50 with virtually no additions, a hefty price tag for something akin to a quick lunch. Overall I was not particularly impressed with M:brgr. A few service changes may have gone a long way in improving our meal. The wait staff were young, and seemed inexperienced, flustered and disconnected for the duration. Our dining experience was akin to sit down fast food fare, where our food was rushed, impersonal and I soon felt compelled to leave to free up our seats. I’m hesitant to write it off completely, but with their current offerings, I find it hard to imagine it surviving past the hype. The price for sides, toppings and drinks are bordering on ridiculous at times and the quality is not what you’d expect from Moishe’s. With a few adjustments and perhaps a visit from Pat Sajak, they could be on their way to creating something memorable. With their current delivery, I’m not so sure. If Moishe’s prides themselves on outlasting “trendy eateries”, I’m left scratching my head why they’ve created something so glaringly trendy and unmemorable as M:brgr.