Gushing over Olive et Gourmando

It’s not an understatement when I proclaim that Olive et Gourmando is one of my favourite places to eat in the world. When I was in Montreal for six days on a work trip, I ate here four times. The only thing that stopped me from going more frequently is it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays, and after 6pm. If I was ever to open my own restaurant, this is exactly the kind of place I’d want it to be.

My visit here was based on a recommendation from dear friend and loyal Plato Putas fan DT, and all I can say is I’m sorry I didn’t take your advice sooner. When I walked in from the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, it was immediately warm inside. And I’m not only talking about the temperature. There was a pleasant level of chatter, tons of positive energy in the room and without trying a bite, you knew the food was good. Plus, it was 4:30pm on a Friday and the place was rammed.

Here’s how ordering at Olive et Gourmando works: Walk to the back of the restaurant to the glass counter where that day’s menu is displayed inside. There’s also a chalkboard mounted above featuring hot and cold sandwiches. (The staff will happily translate anything into English if your grade 9 French skills aren’t up to snuff.) Watch out for the tags that will warn you if you’re too late (item sold out) or too early (which happens if you arrive in the morning). They also post their daily menu online.

And now onto the main attraction. My first meal there was their Macaroni + Cheese with Champignons ($12). Anyone who knows me knows the only food I dislike is mushrooms, but there was no way I couldn’t order this. I happily picked out the sautéed portobello and king oyster ’shrooms (passing them onto my co-workers) and oh gawd, this was tasty. It came with a ridiculously good salad that was perfectly dressed.

My co-worker Seb ordered The Cubain ($9.95) featuring ham, braised porc, homemade mayonnaise (chipotle peppers, pickles, lime and coriander) and gruyère cheese, which he complemented with their Daily Soup which was split pea ($4.50). These meals were served on a wooden board which enhances the homey, rustic feel.

After our first visit, we were back again for an early dinner the next day. This time it was Black Bean Chili Salsa Fresca ($12). This was the only dish I didn’t love. It came with sour cream, some shredded cheese and toasted baguette. The dish felt too uniform in taste and texture and could have benefited from some additional ingredients. My salad from the day before was still on my mind so I ordered one on the side, which was heavenly (a word I’ve never used to describe a salad). Sometimes simplicity is highly underrated.

After feeling a mixture of anxiety and disappointment while the restaurant was closed on Sunday and Monday, we were back again on Tuesday morning. This time we were ready to tackle their humourously named breakfast item Poached Egg on Your Face ($8.95). Hands down, this is the best breakfast sandwich I’ve had in my life. In fact, nothing’s even come close. Enveloped between a grilled, homemade organic panini-style bread is poached egg salad, Comté cheese, roasted tomato and spicy prosciutto. The whole thing has a kick to it, thanks to a generous amount of Tabasco which the staff explained is in the egg salad. My mouth is watering while I type this. I would literally dish out $30 for someone to deliver one to me right now.

If I haven’t gotten across how much we loved this sandwich, let’s just say we were back the next morning (the day we were flying out) with more co-workers in tow.

It’s never a bad idea to have dessert with breakfast so I added on a Chocolate Brioche ($3.75) which was so massive I had to split it. In a genius marketing move, there is a huge selection of homemade baked goods right by the cash register. I’d say it’s impossible to leave here empty handed.

Based on my four meals at Olive et Gourmando, the food is simple, scrumptious and substantial. While the prices are slightly more than you’d expect, they’re not atrocious and the atmosphere is more than anyone could ask for. The staff are wonderful, especially the woman in the stripped shirt (shown above) who was extremely courteous and helpful, walking us through the ordering process on the first day and greeting us on return visits. Even though I’ve left Montreal, I know that whenever I travel to this city, there will be many more trips to O&G.

Olive et Gourmando / 351 Rue St-Paul West, Montreal
514 350 1083 / Hours: Tues.-Sat. 8am-6pm